Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
REJA: A Georeferenced Hybrid Recommender System for Restaurants

Recommender systems have become a key tool in marketing processes in e-commerce, because they provide an added value to Web–based applications in order to keep customers. In the tourist sector, the use of tourist Web based sites has got a great success due to the fact that the easy integration of tourist business processes in Web based tools. In this contribution, we introduce a hybrid recommender system for restaurants, collaborative and knowledge-based, that is able to provide recommendations in any required situation by the users/customers; besides it provides information referred by Google Maps, regarding the recommendations. Such a system has been developed for our province, Jaén (Spain), but it can be easily extended for any other geographic area.
‘Greed’ versus ‘Grievance’: A Useful Conceptual Distinction in the Study of Civil War?

Since the end of World War II, civil war has been the most common form of large-scale violent conflict; in total, this type of armed confrontation has killed about sixteen million people (Regan 2009). Over the past decade, there has been a pronounced increase in the civil war literature. Economists, among other social scientists, have tried to investigate the causes of large-scale violent conflict by using economic theory, as well as empirical tests, which had hitherto been impossible due to lack of data. These analytical searches are driven by the hope that if we can gain a better understanding of the causes of civil war, we may be able to prevent future violent conflict and help to resolve ongoing wars. In this article I discuss whether ‘greed’ versus ‘grievance’ is a useful conceptual distinction to help us understand and prevent civil wars. I argue that the theory of collective action provides some useful insights into the organisation of rebellion. Group interests (e.g., common grievances) can only be addressed by collective action. One way of understanding how this collective action can be achieved is to frame rebellion as the production of a public good. Collective action theory suggests that in order to overcome the problem of ‘free riding’, participants have to receive private rewards. Thus, ‘greed’ may be an important factor in the organisation of rebellion. Since rebellion necessitates private gains even if it is based on common grievances, theories of civil war should consider both factors. In principle, empirical tests can be used to evaluate the relative importance of ‘greed’versus ‘grievance’. A number of studies suggest that private incentives are more important determinants for individuals to join rebellions than the belief in the cause of the rebel movement. However, in many cases the empirical tests are not rooted in theory, making it difficult to distinguish conclusively between rival theoretical explanations.
Partial characterization of the 5′‐flanking region of trout IP: A Po‐like gene containing a PLP‐like promoter

The IP gene of trout encodes two Po‐like glycoproteins which are expressed by oligodendrocytes in the fish CNS. A 679 bp fragment of its 5′‐flanking region was isolated from a genomic library and sequenced. The transcription start point was determined 124 bp upstream the ATG initiator codon by primer extension analysis. Apart from a modified TATA‐box and an inverted CCAAT‐box located at canonical distances from the transcription start site several eucaryotic cis‐acting regulatory elements were identified in the 679 bp upstream region, including an AP‐1 binding site, a brain specific Sp1 motif, a cyclic AMP responsive element and a consensus sequence for POU homeodomain protein binding. The occurence of respective DNA‐binding proteins for Sp1, AP‐1 and POU in the nuclei of trout oligodendrocyte progenitor cells was verified by gel retardation experiments. Functional activity of various subfragments of the 679 bp upstream region was demonstrated by CAT reporter gene analysis. A computer‐assisted sequence alignment of the trout IP 5′‐flanking end with the corresponding region of the mammalian PLP gene promoter revealed four sites of high homology, while similarity with the mammalian Po gene promotor was low. The results are discussed with respect to the phylogenetic shift from Po‐like proteins to PLP during evolution of the vertebrate CNS myelin sheath. J. Neurosci. Res. 50:781–790, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
What Role Does the Anterior Temporal Lobe Play in Sentence-level Processing? Neural Correlates of Syntactic Processing in Semantic Variant Primary Progressive Aphasia

Neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies have implicated the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) in sentence-level processing, with syntactic structure-building and/or combinatorial semantic processing suggested as possible roles. A potential challenge to the view that the ATL is involved in syntactic aspects of sentence processing comes from the clinical syndrome of semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (semantic PPA; also known as semantic dementia). In semantic PPA, bilateral neurodegeneration of the ATLs is associated with profound lexical semantic deficits, yet syntax is strikingly spared. The goal of this study was to investigate the neural correlates of syntactic processing in semantic PPA to determine which regions normally involved in syntactic processing are damaged in semantic PPA and whether spared syntactic processing depends on preserved functionality of intact regions, preserved functionality of atrophic regions, or compensatory functional reorganization. We scanned 20 individuals with semantic PPA and 24 age-matched controls using structural MRI and fMRI. Participants performed a sentence comprehension task that emphasized syntactic processing and minimized lexical semantic demands. We found that, in controls, left inferior frontal and left posterior temporal regions were modulated by syntactic processing, whereas anterior temporal regions were not significantly modulated. In the semantic PPA group, atrophy was most severe in the ATLs but extended to the posterior temporal regions involved in syntactic processing. Functional activity for syntactic processing was broadly similar in patients and controls; in particular, whole-brain analyses revealed no significant differences between patients and controls in the regions modulated by syntactic processing. The atrophic left ATL did show abnormal functionality in semantic PPA patients; however, this took the unexpected form of a failure to deactivate. Taken together, our findings indicate that spared syntactic processing in semantic PPA depends on preserved functionality of structurally intact left frontal regions and moderately atrophic left posterior temporal regions, but no functional reorganization was apparent as a consequence of anterior temporal atrophy and dysfunction. These results suggest that the role of the ATL in sentence processing is less likely to relate to syntactic structure-building and more likely to relate to higher-level processes such as combinatorial semantic processing.
EVALUATING PLANT INVASIONS FROM BOTH HABITAT AND SPECIES PERSPECTIVES

Abstract We present an approach to quantitatively assess nonnative plant invasions at landscape scales from both habitat and species perspectives. Our case study included 34 nonnative species found in 142 plots (0.1 ha) in 14 vegetation types within the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah. A plot invasion index, based on nonnative species richness and cover, showed that only 16 of 142 plots were heavily invaded. A species invasive index, based on frequency, cover, and number of vegetation types invaded, showed that only 7 of 34 plant species were highly invasive. Multiple regressions using habitat characteristics (moisture index, elevation, soil P, native species richness, maximum crust development class, bare ground, and rock) explained 60% of variation in nonnative species richness and 46% of variation in nonnative species cover. Three mesic habitats (aspen, wet meadow, and perennial riparian types) were particularly invaded (31 of 34 nonnative species studied were found in these types). Species-specific logistic regression models for the 7 most invasive species correctly predicted occurrence 89% of the time on average (from 80% for Bromus tectorum, a habitat generalist, to 93% for Tamarix spp., a habitat specialist). Even with such a modest sampling intensity (<0.1% of the landscape), this multiscale sampling scheme was effective at evaluating habitat vulnerability to invasion and the occurrence of the 7 most invasive nonnative species. This approach could be applied in other natural areas to develop strategies to document invasive species and invaded habitats.
Improving query performance in virtual data warehouses

In order to improve the quality of Business Intelligence Systems in an organization we can choose to build the system using BI techniques such as OLAP and data warehousing or by using traditional reports based on SQL queries. The cost and developing time for BI tools is greater than those for SQL Reports and these factors are important in taking decisions on what type of techniques we used for BIS, also the problem of low performance in data extraction from data warehouse can be critical because of the major impact in the using the data from data warehouse: if a BI report is taking a lot of time to run or the data displayed are no longer available for taking critical decisions, the project can be compromised. In this case there are several techniques that can be applied to reduce queries' execution time and to improve the performance of the BI analyses and reports. In this paper we present an overview of an implementation of a Business Intelligence project in a national company, the problems we confronted with and the techniques that we applied to reduce the cost of execution for improving query performance in this decisional support system.
Measuring Change During Behavioral Parent Training Using the Parent Instruction-Giving Game with Youngsters (PIGGY): A Clinical Replication

This is the second study to investigate the clinical use of the Parent-Instruction Game with Youngsters (PIGGY) which is a structured observation system derived from the Dyadic Parent-Child Interaction Coding System II (DPICS-II; Eyberg, Bessmer, Newcomb, Edwards, & Robinson, 1994) and the Behavior Coding System (BCS; Forehand & McMahon, 1981). In a previous study, the PIGGY demonstrated strong reliability and validity as well as clinical utility (Hupp, Reitman, Forde, Shriver, & Kelley, 2008). The present study is a replication of the previous research on clinical utility by using the PIGGY to monitor changes in parent and child behavior during and after behavioral parent training.
Patterns of alcohol use: a two-year college and four-year university comparison case study

Abstract With more than 12 million students enrolled in over 1,150 two-year institutions, enrollment at these institutions constitutes approximately 44% of all undergraduates in the United States. Despite this, research and prevention efforts related to drinking behaviors among college students attending two-year institutions are limited, with similar information regarding students at traditional four-year institutions readily available. This study sought to examine alcohol use patterns among students at a two-year college compared to a four-year institution. It was conducted at a large (20,000+ students), public, four-year institution and a medium (8,000+), public, two-year institution located in the same community. The Core Alcohol and Drug Survey, a 39-item instrument used by colleges and universities for assessing the nature, scope, and consequences of high risk drinking behaviors in college students, was administered to students at both a two-year (n = 581) and a four-year institution (n = 928) (Cremeens & Chaney, 2012). The prevalence estimates of current alcohol use among students at the two-year institution in this study are comparable to national estimates for students attending four-year institutions (67.5% and 69.0%, respectively). Estimates of high-risk alcohol use at the four-year institution in this study were higher than national prevalence estimates for similar colleges. Current drinkers and binge drinkers at both institutions experienced the same negative consequences. While the study results provide insight into the need for alcohol prevention efforts at community colleges, there are important factors and practical considerations related to these efforts presented here for community colleges and administrators to contemplate.
Production of Siderophores Increases Resistance to Fusaric Acid in Pseudomonas protegens Pf-5

Fusaric acid is produced by pathogenic fungi of the genus Fusarium, and is toxic to plants and rhizobacteria. Many fluorescent pseudomonads can prevent wilt diseases caused by these fungi. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of fusaric acid on P. protegens Pf-5 and elucidate the mechanisms that enable the bacterium to survive in the presence of the mycotoxin. The results confirm that fusaric acid negatively affects growth and motility of P. protegens. Moreover, a notable increase in secretion of the siderophore pyoverdine was observed when P. protegens was grown in the presence of fusaric acid. Concomitantly, levels of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of pyoverdine and enantio-pyochelin, the second siderophore encoded by P. protegens, increased markedly. Moreover, while similar levels of resistance to fusaric acid were observed for P. protegens mutants unable to synthesize either pyoverdine or enanto-pyochelin and the wild type strain, a double mutant unable to synthesize both kinds of siderophores showed a dramatically reduced resistance to this compound. This reduced resistance was not observed when this mutant was grown under conditions of iron excess. Spectrophotometric titrations revealed that fusaric acid binds not only Fe2+ and Fe3+, but also Zn2+, Mn2+ and Cu2+, with high affinity. Our results demonstrate that iron sequestration accounts at least in part for the deleterious effect of the mycotoxin on P. protegens.
A METHOD FOR PONDERING PLANS IN AUTONOMOUS INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS

Autonomous intelligent systems (AIS) learn from their environment by forming theories (operators) about how the environment reacts to system’s actions. Each AIS uses the theories it has acquired for building plans (operators sequences) that allow it to reach its self-proposed objectives. In order to improve the performance of the AIS in the process of reaching their objectives, it is necessary to have a method that allows estimating the reliability of the generated plans before their execution. Such a process is called ponderation of plans, and has been successfully applied in previous works. In this paper, a new algorithm for pondering plans is proposed with the goal of improving the performance (percentage of successful plans) and this way, solving problems more efficiently. The experimental results presented clearly show how the proposed method outperforms the classic one.
Temperature Insensitive All-Fiber Compact Polarization-Maintaining Photonic Crystal Fiber Based Interferometer and Its Applications in Fiber Sensors

A novel temperature insensitive all-fiber compact polarization-maintaining photonic crystal fiber (PMPCF) based interferometer was presented. The coupling between the PMPCF and single mode fiber (SMF) was investigated experimentally and analytically. With an all-fiber compact SMF-PMPCF-SMF structure, the cladding modes propagating in the PMPCF can be effectively excited by finely core-offsetting one splice between the PMPCF and SMF. With the increase of the core-offset, the interference depth of the interference pattern enlarges accordingly. Under a suitable core-offset, the PMPCF based interferometer with high interference depth can be obtained. Moreover, it is temperature insensitive due to its ultra-low thermal characteristics. We also demonstrated its applications in strain and refractive index measurement. The sensors have the advantages of small size, simple and compact all fiber structure, high sensitivity, and temperature insensitiveness.
Alignment of sound localization cues in the nucleus of the brachium of the inferior colliculus.

Accurate sound localization is based on three acoustic cues (interaural time and intensity difference and spectral cues from directional filtering by the pinna). In natural listening conditions, every spatial position of a sound source provides a unique combination of these three cues in "natural alignment. " Although neurons in the central nucleus (ICC) of the inferior colliculus (IC) are sensitive to multiple cues, they do not favor their natural spatial alignment. We tested for sensitivity to cue alignment in the nucleus of the brachium of the IC (BIN) in unanesthetized marmoset monkeys. The BIN receives its predominant auditory input from ICC and projects to the topographic auditory space map in the superior colliculus. Sound localization cues measured in each monkey were used to synthesize broadband stimuli with aligned and misaligned cues; spike responses to these stimuli were recorded in the BIN. We computed mutual information (MI) between the set of spike rates and the stimuli containing either aligned or misaligned cues. The results can be summarized as follows: 1) BIN neurons encode more information about auditory space when cues are aligned compared with misaligned. 2) Significantly more units prefer aligned cues in the BIN than in ICC. 3) An additive model based on summing the responses to stimuli with the localization cues varying individually accurately predicts the alignment preference with all cues varying. Overall, the results suggest that the BIN is the first site in the ascending mammalian auditory system that is tuned to natural combinations of sound localization cues.
A Treasure Hunt With An Empathic Virtual Tutor: (Demonstration)

We present a demonstration of a Treasure Hunt Application with an Empathic Virtual Tutor. During the treasure hunt, this empathic agent adapts its interaction based on the affective state of the user to improve learning experience. We demonstrate the application domain; the technology used; and the app focusing on the empathic strategies applied.
Human cytomegalovirus infection inhibits cell cycle progression at multiple points, including the transition from G1 to S

Human cytomegalovirus inhibits the growth of human foreskin fibroblast cells by 12 h after infection. Analysis of the cellular DNA content of infected cells by flow cytometry demonstrated that cytomegalovirus does not arrest cell cycle progression at a single point. At least two blockages occur, one of which is in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The G1 arrest introduced by cytomegalovirus infection blocks S-phase entry after serum stimulation.
RADB: a database of rheumatoid arthritis-related polymorphisms

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that has a complex genetic basis. Therefore, it is important to explore the genetic background of RA. The extensive recent application of polymorphic genetic markers, especially single nucleotide polymorphisms, has presented us with a large quantity of genetic data. In this study, we developed the Database of Rheumatoid Arthritis-related Polymorphisms (RADB), to integrate all the RA-related genetic polymorphisms and provide a useful resource for researchers. We manually extracted the RA-related polymorphisms from 686 published reports, including RA susceptibility loci, polymorphisms associated with particular clinical features of RA, polymorphisms associated with drug response in RA and polymorphisms associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in RA. Currently, RADB V1.0 contains 3235 polymorphisms that are associated with 636 genes and refer to 68 countries. The detailed information extracted from the literature includes basic information about the articles (e.g. PubMed ID, title and abstract), population information (e.g. country, geographic area and sample size) and polymorphism information (e.g. polymorphism name, gene, genotype, odds ratio and 95% confidence interval, P-value and risk allele). Meanwhile, useful annotations, such as hyperlinks to dbSNP, GenBank, UCSC, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway, are included. In addition, a tool for meta-analysis was developed to summarize the results of multiple studies. The database is freely available at http://www.bioapp. org/RADB. Database URL: http://www.bioapp. org/RADB.
Compliance Professionalism and Regulatory Community: The Australian Trade Practices Regime

Contemporary state governance relies increasingly on regulatory strategies encouraging self-regulation and compliance for corporate regulation. This paper examines the conditions in which such strategies might be effective by reference to the Australian trade practices regime. The paper argues that regulators will only use compliance strategies effectively when (i) a community of compliance professionals with both professional integrity and commercial ‘street’ credibility exists to make compliance come alive in everyday corporate activities, and (ii) regulators invest in meta-evaluation of compliance professionals’ activities.
Deep brain stimulation may reduce tremor by preferential blockade of slower axons via antidromic activation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been used to ameliorate essential and Parkinsonian tremor, however the detailed mechanism by which tremor reduction is achieved remains unclear. We hypothesize that DBS works by reducing time delays in the feedback paths of the motor control loops. In particular, we suggest that antidromic activation of axonal pathways induced by stimulation will preferentially block axons with longer propagation times, reducing time delays in neuronal motor circuits in a stabilising manner. We demonstrate the plausibility of this hypothesis using two simple computational models which account for a variety of experimental results, and allow us to makes a number of testable predictions.
Deflating the dimensionality curse using multiple fractal dimensions

Nearest neighbor queries are important in many settings, including spatial databases (find the k closet cities) and multimedia databases (find the k most similar images). Previous analyses have concluded that nearest neighbor search is hopeless in high dimensions, due to the notorious "curse of dimensionality". However, their precise analysis over real data sets is still an open problem. The typical and often implicit assumption in previous studies is that the data is uniformly distributed, with independence between attributes. However, real data sets overwhelmingly disobey these assumptions; rather, they typically are skewed and exhibit intrinsic ("fractal") dimensionalities that are much lower than their embedding dimension, e.g., due to subtle dependencies between attributes. We show how the Hausdorff and correlation fractal dimensions of a data set can yield extremely accurate formulas that can predict I/O performance to within one standard deviation. The practical contributions of this work are our accurate formulas which can be used for query optimization in spatial and multimedia databases. The theoretical contribution is the 'deflation' of the dimensionality curse. Our theoretical and empirical results show that previous worst-case analysis of nearest neighbor search in high dimensions are over-pessimistic, to the point of being unrealistic. The performance depends critically on the intrinsic ("fractal") dimensionality as opposed to the embedding dimension that the uniformity assumption incorrectly implies.