Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impairment of alveolar macrophage phagocytosis by ultrafine particles.

We investigated whether slowed clearance after exposure to ultrafine particles was due to a failure in alveolar macrophage phagocytosis. This was achieved by measuring the ability of a macrophage cell line (J774.2 MPhi) to phagocytose 2-microg indicator latex beads following 8-h exposures to a number of test particles. Particles utilized were fine titanium dioxide (TiO2), ultrafine titanium dioxide (UTiO2), carbon black (CB), or ultrafine carbon black (UCB). Cytotoxicity of particles was measured by means of MTT activity. In a preliminary study, we assessed the effects of conditioned medium from particle-treated macrophages on the phagocytic ability of naive macrophages. Ultrafine and fine particles had no significant cytotoxic effects on J774.2 MPhi. A significant reduction in the ability of macrophages to phagocytose the indicator beads occurred after exposure to 0.39 microg/mm(2) (p < 0.001) of UCB and 0.78 microg/mm(2) (p < 0.001) of all particle types compared to the control. Furthermore, ultrafine particles were shown to significantly (p < 0.001) impair macrophage phagocytosis at a lower dose than their fine counterparts (0.39 and 0.78 microg/mm(2), respectively). At all doses, UCB resulted in a greater number (p < 0.001) of nonphagocytic macrophages compared to the other test particles. We tested whether a diffusable mediator being released from particle-exposed cells inhibited the phagocytic activity of adjacent macrophages. The conditioned medium from particle-exposed macrophages had no significant effect on the phagocytic ability of macrophages, suggesting that cell-cell contact is responsible for the pattern of failed phagocytosis (data not shown). We have demonstrated that ultrafine particles impair macrophage phagocytosis to a greater extent than fine particles compared on a mass basis. Therefore, we conclude that slowed clearance of particles, specifically the ultrafines, can in part be attributed to a particle-mediated impairment of macrophage phagocytosis.
Neurotransmitter release regulated by a MALS–liprin-α presynaptic complex

Synapses are highly specialized intercellular junctions organized by adhesive and scaffolding molecules that align presynaptic vesicular release with postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptors. The MALS/Veli–CASK–Mint-1 complex of PDZ proteins occurs on both sides of the synapse and has the potential to link transsynaptic adhesion molecules to the cytoskeleton. In this study, we purified the MALS protein complex from brain and found liprin-α as a major component. Liprin proteins organize the presynaptic active zone and regulate neurotransmitter release. Fittingly, mutant mice lacking all three MALS isoforms died perinatally with difficulty breathing and impaired excitatory synaptic transmission. Excitatory postsynaptic currents were dramatically reduced in autaptic cultures from MALS triple knockout mice due to a presynaptic deficit in vesicle cycling. These findings are consistent with a model whereby the MALS–CASK–liprin-α complex recruits components of the synaptic release machinery to adhesive proteins of the active zone.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECIPROCAL TECHNIQUE IN NARRATIVE TEXT TO INCREASE THE STUDENTSâ€™ READING COMPREHENSION

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk: 1) mengetahui apakah penerapan RTT di teks narasi dapat meningkatkan peningkatan pemahaman membaca siswa, dan 2) mengetahui masalah-maslah yang dihadapi siswa selama pengajaran membaca melalui RTT. Data diperoleh dari pre-test dan post-test dan juga dari observasi dan wawancara. Obyek penelitian ini adalah kelas XI IPS. Hasil penelitian memperlihatkan bahwa nilai rata-rata pre-test siswa adalah 45.67 dan nilai rata-rata post-test mereka adalah 64.64, dimana peningkatan nilai mereka adalah 18.96. Berdasarkan observasi dan wawancara selama perlakuan, ada masalah-masalah yang dihadapi siswa dalam pengajaran pemahaman membaca melalui RTT. Ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa RTT dapat meningkatkan pemahaman membaca siswa dan siswa mempunyai masalah-masalah dalam penerapan empat strategi dari RTT.This research is aimed to: 1) find out whether implementing RTT in narrative text can increase the studentsâ€™ reading comprehension achievement, and 2) find out the problems faced by the students in learning reading comprehension through RTT. The data were obtained from the pre-test and post-test and also from the observation and interview. The sample of this research was XI IPS 3 class. The result shows that the studentsâ€™ mean score of the pre-test is 45.67 and their mean score of the post-test is 64.64, in which their gain score is 18.96. Based on the obsevation and interview during the treatments, there were problems faced by the students in learning reading comprehension through RTT. It can be concluded that RTT can increase the studentsâ€™ reading comprehension in narrative text Â and the students have problems in applying the four main strategies of RTT. Â
Congestion Management in Deregulated Power System by Locating Series FACTS Devices

Congestion management is one of the technical challenges in Power system deregulation. In deregulated electricity market transmission congestion occurs when there is insufficient transmission capacity to simultaneously accommodate all constraints for transmission of a line. Flexible Alternative Current Transmission System (FACTS) devices can be an alternative to reduce the flows in heavily loaded lines, resulting in an increased loadability, low system loss, improved stability of the network, reduced cost of production and fulfilled contractual requirement by controlling the power flow in the network. A method to determine the optimal location of FACTS has been suggested based on real power Performance Index and reduction of total system VAR power losses. The simulation results were successfully tested on IEEE 14 bus system.
CELF proteins regulate CFTR pre-mRNA splicing: essential role of the divergent domain of ETR-3

Cystic fibrosis is a prominent genetic disease caused by mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Among the many disease-causing alterations are pre-mRNA splicing defects that can hamper mandatory exon inclusion. CFTR exon 9 splicing depends in part on a polymorphic UG(m)U(n) sequence at the end of intron 8, which can be bound by TDP-43, leading to partial exon 9 skipping. CELF proteins, like CUG-BP1 and ETR-3, can also bind UG repeats and regulate splicing. We show here that ETR-3, but not CUG-BP1, strongly stimulates exon 9 skipping, although both proteins bind efficiently to the same RNA motif as TDP-43 and with higher affinity. We further show that the skipping of this exon may be due to the functional antagonism between U2AF65 and ETR-3 binding onto the polymorphic U or UG stretch, respectively. Importantly, we demonstrate that the divergent domain of ETR-3 is critical for CFTR exon 9 skipping, as shown by deletion and domain-swapping experiments. We propose a model whereby several RNA-binding events account for the complex regulation of CFTR exon 9 inclusion, with strikingly distinct activities of ETR-3 and CUG-BP1, related to the structure of their divergent domain.
Poverty Analysis Using an International Cross-Country Demand System

This paper proposes a new method for ex ante analysis of the poverty impacts arising from policy reforms. Three innovations underlie this approach. The first is the estimation of a global demand system using a combination of micro-data from household surveys, and macro-data from the International Comparisons Project. Estimation is undertaken in a manner that reconciles these two sources of information, explicitly recognizing that per capita national demands are an aggregation of the disaggregated, individual household demands. The second innovation relates to a methodology for post-estimation calibration of the global demand system, giving rise to country specific demand systems and an associated expenditure function which, when aggregated across the expenditure distribution, reproduce observed per capita budget shares exactly. The third innovation is use of the calibrated expenditure function to calculate the change in the head-count of poverty, poverty gap and squared poverty gap arising from policy reforms, where the poverty measures are derived using a unique poverty level of utility, rather than an income or expenditure-based measure. We employ these techniques with a demand system for food, other non-durables and services estimated using a combination of 1996 ICP data set and national expenditure distribution data. Calibration is demonstrated for three countries for which household survey expenditure data are utilized during estimation; namely, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. To illustrate the usefulness of these calibrated models for policy analysis, we assess the impacts of an assumed five percent food price rise as might be realized in the wake of a multilateral trade agreement. Results illustrate the important role of subsistence expenditures at low per capita income levels, but of discretionary expenditure at higher per capita income levels. The welfare analysis underscores the relatively large impact of the price hike on poorer households, while a modified Foster-Greer-Thorbecke poverty measure shows that the five percent price rise has a differential effect on poverty across the three focus countries, although it increases the incidence and intensity of poverty in all three cases.
HYPERBOLIC GEOMETRY AND MODULI OF REAL CUBIC SURFACES

Let M R be the moduli space of smooth real cubic surfaces. We show that each of its components admits a real hy- perbolic structure. More precisely, one can remove some lower- dimensional geodesic subspaces from a real hyperbolic space H 4 and form the quotient by an arithmetic group to obtain an orb- ifold isomorphic to a component of the moduli space. There are five components. For each we describe the corresponding lattices in PO(4,1). We also derive several new and several old results on the topology of M R. Let M R be the moduli space of real cubic surfaces that are stable in the sense of geometric invariant theory. We show that this space carries a hyperbolic structure whose re- striction to M R is that just mentioned. The corresponding lattice in PO(4,1), for which we find an explicit fundamental domain, is nonarithmetic.
On the Reform of the Arabic Writing System.

Youssef Mahmoud received his Ph.D. in sociolinguistics from Georgetown University in 1979. This article is abstracted from his dissertation, The Arabic Writing System and the Sociolinguistics of Orthographic Reform. Reprinted from The Linguistic Reporter, vol. 22, no. 1 (September 1979), p. 4. ■ Arabs' concern over the adequacy of their writing system resulted from the frustration some educators have
Long bending rubber mechanism combined contracting and extending tluidic actuators

This study aims at development of a multi-directional bending mechanism with thin and long body driven by fluidic rubber actuators. Generally bending mechanisms with fluidic rubber actuators can have advantages of smooth and continuous motion, however because of their low stiffness it is difficult to generate high output force. To solve this problem, we have proposed a novel bending mechanism combined with contracting and extending rubber actuators. By bundling rubber actuators with different types, the developed bending mechanism can have the high stiffness. In this report, optimized extending and contracting rubber actuators are made basis on a McKibben actuator, then they are combined to be the bending mechanism. Experimentally stiffness of the mechanism is measured and is compared with a bending mechanism bundled with same motion type actuators. Resulting high stiffness can be recognized by the proposed mechanism. Additionally, a very long bending mechanism, which is 7m in length, is developed and its motion is demonstrated.
Comparison of methods to trace multiple subskills: Is LR-DBN best?

A long-standing challenge for knowledge tracing is how to update estimates of multiple subskills that underlie a single observable step. We characterize approaches to this problem by how they model knowledge tracing, fit its parameters, predict performance, and update subskill estimates. Previous methods allocated blame or credit among subskills in various ways based on strong assumptions about their relation to observed performance. LRDBN relaxes these assumptions by using logistic regression in a Dynamic Bayes Net. LR-DBN significantly outperforms previous methods on data sets from reading and algebra tutors in terms of predictive accuracy on unseen data, cutting the error rate by half. An ablation experiment shows that using logistic regression to predict performance helps, but that using it to jointly estimate subskills explains most of this dramatic improvement. An implementation of LR-DBN is now publicly available in the BNT-SM student modeling toolkit.
Nautilus pompilius Life History and Demographics at the Osprey Reef Seamount, Coral Sea, Australia

Nautiloids are the subject of speculation as to their threatened status arising from the impacts of targeted fishing for the ornamental shell market. Life history knowledge is essential to understand the susceptibility of this group to overfishing and to the instigation of management frameworks. This study provides a comprehensive insight into the life of Nautilus in the wild. At Osprey Reef from 1998–2008, trapping for Nautilus was conducted on 354 occasions, with 2460 individuals of one species, Nautilus pompilius, captured and 247 individuals recaptured. Baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVS) were deployed on 15 occasions and six remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives from 100–800 m were conducted to record Nautilus presence and behavior. Maturity, sex and size data were recorded, while measurements of recaptured individuals allowed estimation of growth rates to maturity, and longevity beyond maturity. We found sexual dimorphism in size at maturity (males: 131.9±SD = 2.6 mm; females: 118.9±7.5 mm shell diameter) in a population dominated by mature individuals (58%). Mean growth rates of 15 immature recaptured animals were 0.061±0.023 mm day−1 resulting in an estimate of around 15.5 years to maturation. Recaptures of mature animals after five years provide evidence of a lifespan exceeding 20 years. Juvenile Nautilus pompilius feeding behavior was recorded for the first time within the same depth range (200–610 m) as adults. Our results provide strong evidence of a K-selected life history for Nautilus from a detailed study of a ‘closed’ wild population. In conjunction with population size and density estimates established for the Osprey Reef Nautilus, this work allows calculations for sustainable catch and provides mechanisms to extrapolate these findings to other extant nautiloid populations (Nautilus and Allonautilus spp.) throughout the Indo-Pacific.
Fuzzy EOQ Models for Deteriorating Items with Stock Dependent Demand and Non-Linear Holding Costs

1 0 δ θ θ δ θ + − , where 0 2 1 , 0 θ δ δ < < are fixed real numbers. The traditional parameters such as unit cost and ordering cost have been kept constant but holding cost is considered to vary. Two possibilities of variations in the holding cost function namely, a non-linear function of the length of time for which the item is held in stock and a non-linear function of the amount of on-hand inventory have been used in the models. The approximate optimal solution for the fuzzy cost functions in both these cases have been obtained and the effect of non-linearity in holding costs is studied with the help of a numerical example.
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Physical Environmental Characteristics and Individual Interests as Correlates of Physical Activity in Norwegian Secondary Schools: the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study

Background: The school has been identified as a key arena for physical activity promotion for young people. Effective change of physical activity behaviour requires identification of consistent and modifiable correlates. The study explores students' interests in school physical activity and facilities in the school environment and examines their associations with students' participation in physical activity during recess and their cross-level interaction effect.
Step Length and Velocity Control of a Dynamic Bipedal Walking Robot With Adaptable Compliant Joints

Controlled passive walking is an approach that extends the passive walking by adapting the compliance of the joints. Natural motions can be chosen in order to obtain a controllable and energy-efficient walking motion. In this paper, actuators with online adaptable compliance are used based on the concept of controlled passive walking, to obtain adjustable step length and velocity during dynamic bipedal walking. We designed and constructed a bipedal walking robot Veronica which is actuated by the MACCEPA actuators, in which the compliance and equilibrium position can be controlled independently. In addition, a 2-D seven-link bipedal model for simulated walking of Veronica is built to analyze the relation between joint compliance and walking characteristics. Experimental results show that effective walking transitions between different walking speeds and step lengths are realized in both simulations and physical robot experiments.
A case‐control study of Alzheimer's disease

A Case‐control study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was conducted to evaluate the roles of family history of dementing disease and AD, and medical conditions, particularly those related to the viral immune hypotheses in AD. One hundred and eighty‐three clinically diagnosed patients were identified between 1980 and 1985 through the Geriatric and Family Services clinic at the University of Washington hospital, and 18 patients were identified during the same time period through the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Seattle, Washington. Telephone interviews were conducted with spouses (87.7%) and children (12.3%) of the patients. Each Patient was matched to a friend or non‐blood relative of the patient by age, sex, and the relationship between the patient and his or her respondent, for a total of 130 matched pairs. The odds ratio for AD was elevated if a first‐degree relative was reported to have a history of dementia (odds ratio, 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.17 to 4.18). This risk was especially elevated if a sibling was affected (odds ratio, 4.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.37 to 11.90); the highest risk to the proband was observed if a sibling had presumed AD (odds ratio, 5.92; 95% confidence interval, 1.59 to 21.96). The risk increased with increasing numbers of first‐degree family members affected for both a history of dementia and presumed AD. We found little difference between patients and control subjects with respect to the age of the mother or father at the time of the subject's birth. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups with regard to conditions that might support the immune and viral hypothesis in AD, smoking, or alcohol problems.
On‐axis versus off‐axis Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction technique: application to the characterisation of severe plastic deformation‐induced ultrafine‐grained microstructures

A new configuration for Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction (TKD) in a scanning electron microscope is presented; called ‘on‐axis TKD’. Compared to the usual off‐axis configuration, the scintillator is placed perpendicular to the incident beam under the electron‐transparent sample, not in vertical position. In this way, the setup benefits from intense forward scattered electrons enabling short acquisition times. At equivalent diffraction pattern quality, the electron dose needed on the sample is estimated to be 20 times lower in comparison to the off‐axis configuration. The technique is particularly suited to the characterisation of severe plastic deformation induced ultrafine grained microstructures. The evolution of the microstructure of an Al–Mg alloy deformed by high pressure tube twisting was analysed. It is shown that the grain refinement was in the steady state stage for a shear strain of 24 with a mean grain size of 120 nm.
A Comparison of the SEU Response of Planar and FinFET D Flip-Flops at Advanced Technology Nodes

Heavy-ion experimental results were used to characterize single-event upset trends in 16 nm bulk FinFET, 20 nm bulk planar, and 28 nm bulk planar D flip-flops. Experimental data show that 16 nm bulk FinFET flip-flops have considerably lower SEU cross sections than their sub-32 nm planar counterparts for linear energy transfer (LET) less than 10 MeV-cm2/mg. However, FinFET SEU cross section improvement compared to the planar technologies is weak for high LET particles. Three-dimensional technology computer-aided design simulations are used to investigate charge collection mechanisms and single-event transient (SET) pulse widths at these advanced fabrication nodes. Simulation results show that SETs follow conventional scaling trends, which are that SET pulse widths reduce with technology scaling.
Attribute value pairs based on discernibility matrix for outliers detection

Outlier mining is one important task in data mining and it has always been receiving attention from many researchers. The detection of outliers is found useful in many real applications like fraud detection and network intrusion. There are many outlier detection methods found in literature which include the frequent pattern generation and Rough Set based outlier detection. Although many methods have been proposed in data mining, the problems in detecting outliers efficiently continue especially in many real applications, due to the high dimensionality of huge data sets and high computational in processing. In this study, we proposed a method to detect outliers by discovering interesting attribute value pairs based on the Discernibility Attribute Value Matrix (DAV) in Rough Set Theory (RS). Interesting attribute value pairs (avp) are generated from the DAV Matrix. Two measures which are the support and interest value are used to measure the interestingness of the attributes. In order to detect outliers, a new measurement called the DAV Outlier factor (DAVOF) is proposed. In addition, an Average Ratio (AR), which measures the performance of the outlier detection method is also proposed. The DAV algorithm (DAVAlg) is compared with the FindFPOF and RSetAlg methods. The result shows that the DAVAlg outperforms the other two methods.
Camera Control in Multi-Camera Systems for Video Quality Enhancement

Multiview video captured by multi-camera systems has been widely used in many applications such as surveillance, 3D television, and free viewpoint television. After capturing, the multi-camera system generally requires to compress a large amount of multiview data due to limitations on the transmission capacity. To improve video quality, previous work on video compression focused on algorithm refinements when a raw multiview video is compressed at a limited bit-rate, whereas existing work on instrumentation generally introduced higher resolution capture and additional hardware. In contrast, this paper uses camera control to enhance video quality. Individual cameras are controlled to adjust their pan angles and focal lengths to compensate for both object location difference and color inconsistency among camera views at the video acquisition stage. Such a compensation makes the camera images more similar and therefore improves the video quality when a raw multiview video is compressed at a limited bit-rate. The optimal pan angle and focal length are designed for each camera. An example application is to monitor a potted plant in real time for ornamental horticulture study. Experimental results validate the camera control method.