Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scalar Politics and the Region: Strategies for Transcending Pacific Island Smallness on a Global Environmental Governance Stage

This paper examines the process through which a region was enacted and politically mobilized at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). We draw on concepts from scalar politics and new regional geography, data collected as part of a collaborative event ethnography of CoP10, and interviews with Palauan delegates to theorize the enactment of an oceanic Pacific Region as a scalar strategy directed toward transcending the practical and imagined smallness of Pacific small island developing states (SIDS) within the CoP10 meeting context and global imaginations. We conclude that the Pacific Region construct enhances Pacific SIDS' capacity to participate in CoP10, although their collective influence remains relatively limited compared with others. Most significantly, the Pacific Region imaginary of a vast ocean space and network of people committed to the CBD and biodiversity conservation positions Pacific Islanders to play a pivotal role in conserving a significant portion of the world's oceans. In the context of increasing global attention to marine conservation, the enactment of such a Pacific Region is likely to aid in attracting international recognition, attention, and support. By conveying how and why a diverse group of state and nonstate actors enacted an international and oceanic region at CoP10, we contribute understanding of strategic regionalization within the scalar politics literature and further disrupt understandings of an ontologically given, land-based region conceptualized on continental or subcontinental spatial scales.
Pathogenic Mechanisms and Host Interactions in Staphylococcus epidermidis Device-Related Infection

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a permanent member of the normal human microbiota, commonly found on skin and mucous membranes. By adhering to tissue surface moieties of the host via specific adhesins, S. epidermidis is capable of establishing a lifelong commensal relationship with humans that begins early in life. In its role as a commensal organism, S. epidermidis is thought to provide benefits to human host, including out-competing more virulent pathogens. However, largely due to its capacity to form biofilm on implanted foreign bodies, S. epidermidis has emerged as an important opportunistic pathogen in patients receiving medical devices. S. epidermidis causes approximately 20% of all orthopedic device-related infections (ODRIs), increasing up to 50% in late-developing infections. Despite this prevalence, it remains underrepresented in the scientific literature, in particular lagging behind the study of the S. aureus. This review aims to provide an overview of the interactions of S. epidermidis with the human host, both as a commensal and as a pathogen. The mechanisms retained by S. epidermidis that enable colonization of human skin as well as invasive infection, will be described, with a particular focus upon biofilm formation. The host immune responses to these infections are also described, including how S. epidermidis seems to trigger low levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and high levels of interleukin-10, which may contribute to the sub-acute and persistent nature often associated with these infections. The adaptive immune response to S. epidermidis remains poorly described, and represents an area which may provide significant new discoveries in the coming years.
Dipeptidyl‐Peptidase 4 Inhibition and the Vascular Effects of Glucagon‐like Peptide‐1 and Brain Natriuretic Peptide in the Human Forearm

Background Dipeptidyl‐peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors improve glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus by preventing the degradation of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1). GLP‐1 causes vasodilation in animal models but also increases sympathetic activity; the effect of GLP‐1 in the human vasculature and how it is altered by DPP4 inhibition is not known. DPP4 also degrades the vasodilator brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) to a less potent metabolite. This study tested the hypothesis that DPP4 inhibition potentiates the vasodilator responses to GLP‐1 and BNP in the human forearm. Method and Results Seventeen healthy subjects participated in this randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled crossover study. On each study day, subjects received DPP4 inhibitor (sitagliptin 200 mg by mouth) or placebo. Sitagliptin increased forearm blood flow and decreased forearm vascular resistance without affecting mean arterial pressure and pulse. GLP‐1 and BNP were infused in incremental doses via brachial artery. Venous GLP‐1 concentrations were significantly higher during sitagliptin use, yet there was no effect of GLP‐1 on forearm blood flow in the presence or absence of sitagliptin. BNP caused dose‐dependent vasodilation; however, sitagliptin did not affect this response. GLP‐1 and BNP had no effect on net norepinephrine release. Conclusions These data suggest that GLP‐1 does not act as a direct vasodilator in humans and does not contribute to sympathetic activation. Sitagliptin does not regulate vascular function in healthy humans by affecting the degradation of GLP‐1 and BNP. Clinical Trial Registration URL: www.clinicaltrials. gov/ Unique identifier: NCT01413542.
Semantic Web Pipes

This report presents Semantic Web pipes, a powerful paradigm to build RDF-based mashups. Semantic Web pipes work by fetching RDF models on the Web, operating on them, and producing an output which is itself accessible via a stable URL. We illustrate how Semantic Web pipes can solve use cases ranging from simple aggregation to complex collaborative editing and filtering of distributed RDF graphs. To this end, we introduce the concept of RDF revocations and describe a pipe operator that can apply such revocations. This operator enables Semantic Web pipes where agents cooperatively develop semantically structured knowledge, while still retaining and publishing their individual contributions and beliefs. We conclude with a description of two available implementations. SeMedia Group, Univ. Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy. E-mail: christian@deit.univpm. it DERI, National University of Ireland, Lower Dangan, Galway, Ireland. E-mail: axel.polleres@deri.org DERI, National University of Ireland, Lower Dangan, Galway, Ireland. E-mail: giovanni.tummarello@deri.org DERI, National University of Ireland, Lower Dangan, Galway, Ireland. E-mail: danle.phuoc@deri.org Acknowledgements: This work has been supported by the European FP6 project inContext (IST-034718), by Science Foundation Ireland under the Lion project (SFI/02/CE1/I131), and by the European project DISCOVERY(ECP-2005-CULT-038206). Some preliminary results have been published in Proceedings of the ISWC’07 Workshop on New forms of Reasoning for the Semantic Web, Busan, Korea, November 11, 2007. Copyright c © 2007 by the authors DERI TR 2007-11-07 2
Differential adhesion in model systems

During embryonic development, cells or groups of cells migrate from their locations of origin to assume their correct anatomical positions. Intercellular adhesion plays an active and instructive role in orchestrating this process. Precisely how adhesion provides spatial positioning information is a subject of intense interest. In the 1960s, Steinberg proposed the differential adhesion hypothesis (DAH) to explain how differences in the intensity of cell adhesion could give rise to predictable spatial interactions between different cell types. The DAH is grounded in the same set of physical principles governing the interaction of immiscible fluids and thus provides a rigorous conceptual framework connecting the chemistry of cell adhesion to the physics underlying cell and tissue segregation. Testing the DAH required the development of methods to measure intercellular cohesion and of assays to accurately assess relative spatial position between cells. The DAH has been experimentally verified and computationally simulated. Moreover, evidence concerning the role of differential adhesion in a number of morphodynamic events is accumulating. It is clear that differential adhesion is a major driving force in various aspects of embryonic development, but recent studies have also advanced the concept that other factors, such as cortical tension and elasticity, may also be involved in fine tuning, or even driving the process. It is likely that an interplay between adhesion and these other factors co‐operate to generate the forces required for tissue self‐organization. WIREs Dev Biol 2013, 2:631–645. doi: 10.1002/wdev.104
Using Constructivist Career Development to Improve Career Decision Self-Efficacy in TRiO Students

Although more high school graduates are attending college, many are not graduating (The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 2004). First-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students are especially at risk for falling through the cracks. To help address this issue, programs such as TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) assist first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students (as well as those with disabilities) who have matriculated into college. Once these students are in college, SSS programs work to retain and graduate them through advising, tutoring, and other academic and social supports. However, helping students to successfully identify a major or career direction is also important. Hence, we developed a constructivist career course based in the empowerment processes of self-reflection, uncovering strengths, and problem solving (Schaurhofer & Peschl, 2005), and we explored outcomes for TRiO students who enrolled in the course. Specifically, we explored whether our course might improve the career decision self-efficacy of TRiO students. Given the importance of self-efficacy to persistence in higher education settings, an intervention aimed at improving career decision self-efficacy seemed to be one useful way to support and extend the ongoing work of TRiO programs. TRiO programs were established in 1965 to support first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students in attaining postsecondary educational success, particularly with respect to overcoming academic, social, and cultural barriers (Balz & Esten, 1998). Students identified as “first-generation” are typically those whose parents have little more than a high school education and limited familiarity with postsecondary settings. Consequently, in attempting to negotiate their multiple identities across multiple contexts marginality can occur as these students try to bridge home life and college life which are often disconnected (Orbe, 2004). In recent years, higher education has seen a shift toward increasingly more first-generation college students (Orbe, 2004; Pascarella, Pierson, Wolniak, & Terenzini, 2004). In turn, college curricula must be responsive to this growing demographic.
Recognition of a pseudo-symmetric RNA tetranucleotide by Csx3, a new member of the CRISPR associated Rossmann fold superfamily

ABSTRACT The CRISPR/Cas adaptive immune system shows extreme diversity in the number of CRISPR/Cas types and subtypes, and in the multitude of CRISPR associated protein families of which they are composed. Despite this diversity, the roles of many Cas protein families are now defined with regard to spacer acquisition, crRNA biogenesis, and DNA or RNA surveillance and targeting. However, a number of unclassified CRISPR-Cas proteins remain. Such proteins have traditionally been designated as CRISPR subtype x (Csx). Here we revisit the structural analysis of one such protein, Csx3, and show that this homodimeric protein utilizes a Rossmann fold for the recognition of an RNA tetranucleotide. Tertiary and quaternary structural similarities of Csx3 to CRISPR/Cas proteins Csx1 and Csa3 are identified and suggest Csx3 is a new member of the CRISPR Associated Rossmann Fold (CARF) superfamily. The structure of the Csx3/RNA complex illustrates one way CARF domain proteins may recognize pseudo-symmetric polynucleotides.
Pedestrian Detection and Tracking in Images and Videos

The increase in population density and accessibility to cars over the past decade has led to extensive computer vision research in recognition and detection to promote a safer environment. Primarily, much of the research focuses on detecting pedestrians in order to reduce the chance of collision, and to improve trafﬁc control. The need for increased surveillance at the work place and at home also promotes research in this area. We implemented a pedestrian detection and tracking algorithm by using histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) features and a linear support vector machine (SVM) and Random Forest classiﬁer. Our goal was to analyze and generate different bounding boxes for people within static images, and ﬁnally apply this strategy to localize and track people within videos. We benchmarked different HOG parameters to ﬁnd the best model, and furthered our experimentation by comparing the effectiveness of SVM versus Random Forests. Our implementation was able to achieve 80% accuracy in static images, and was able to track pedes-trians in videos if the detected pedestrians’ poses do not vary signiﬁcantly.
Prevalence and Correlates of Self-Reported ADD/ADHD in a Large National Sample of Canadian Adults

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of self-reported attention deficit disorder (ADD)/ADHD in Canadian adults. Method: Prevalence of self-reported ADD/ADHD was examined in a large national sample of Canadians (n = 16,957). Demographic variables, lifetime, and current psychiatric comorbidities were then compared in a group of adults with self-reported ADD/ADHD (n = 488) and an age- and gender-matched control group (n = 488). Results: The prevalence of self-reported ADD/ADHD was 2.9%. Significantly higher lifetime and current prevalence rates of major depressive disorder, bipolar I and II disorders, generalized anxiety disorder, and substance use disorders were observed in the ADD/ADHD group compared with the control group. Within the ADD/ADHD group, lifetime and 12-month prevalence rates of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder were significantly higher in women, whereas lifetime and current rates of some substance use disorders were significantly higher in men. Conclusion: In a national sample of Canadian adults, self-reported ADD/ADHD was associated with significant psychiatric comorbidity. Gender differences were also noted.
Modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting enteroinvasive Escherichia coli and virulent Shigella strains

Immune sera were produced in rabbits with living cells of an enteroinvasive O143 strain of Escherichia coli. To remove O and K antibodies, sera were absorbed with an avirulent derivative of the same strain. In the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, absorbed sera reacted specifically with only virulent Shigella strains and enteroinvasive E. coli strains of different geographical origin, regardless of species or serogroups. The investigation of 83 strains indicated complete agreement between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results and those of the keratoconjunctivitis test. It is assumed that the absorbed immune sera reacted with a possible virulence marker antigen. This inexpensive and simple method provides an alternative to other virulence tests. It has a definite advantage for screening large number of isolates within 24 h.
Rejoinder to “Evidence for using MossTalk Words® in progressive aphasia” (Jokel et al., 2011)

This is a rejoinder to a rebuttal by Jokel, R. , Rochon, E. , Leonard, C. , & Cupit, J. (2011). Evidence for using MossTalk Words® in progressive aphasia. Evidence-Based Communication Assessment and Intervention, 5(1), 68–69.
Statistical Analysis of Distance Estimators with Density Differences and Density Ratios

Estimating a discrepancy between two probability distributions from samples is an important task in statistics and machine learning. There are mainly two classes of discrepancy measures: distance measures based on the density difference, such as the Lp-distances, and divergence measures based on the density ratio, such as the Φ-divergences. The intersection of these two classes is the L1-distance measure, and thus, it can be estimated either based on the density difference or the density ratio. In this paper, we first show that the Bregman scores, which are widely employed for the estimation of probability densities in statistical data analysis, allows us to estimate the density difference and the density ratio directly without separately estimating each probability distribution. We then theoretically elucidate the robustness of these estimators and present numerical experiments.
An energy bounding approach for directional transparency in multiple degree-of-freedom haptic interaction

This paper presents an energy bounding approach (EBA) to enhance directional transparency while guaranteeing stability for multiple degree-of-freedom (DOF) haptic interaction. It was observed that the passivity condition for multiple ports may lead to some oscillations in some coordinate directions even though total energy is positive. The passivity condition, therefore, needs to be applied to each orthogonal coordinate. For guaranteeing stability in each orthogonal coordinate, the EBA is applied. For multiple-dof haptic interaction, however, the EBA in each coordinate may cause a problem that the direction of the rendered force vector is distorted. This problem can easily be solved by projecting the direction of the rendered force vector on its original direction. The validity of the proposed algorithm is shown by some experiments.
Performance Analysis, Design Considerations, and Applications of Extreme-Scale In Situ Infrastructures

A key trend facing extreme-scale computational science is the widening gap between computational and I/O rates, and the challenge that follows is how to best gain insight from simulation data when it is increasingly impractical to save it to persistent storage for subsequent visual exploration and analysis. One approach to this challenge is centered around the idea of in situ processing, where visualization and analysis processing is performed while data is still resident in memory. This paper examines several key design and performance issues related to the idea of in situ processing at extreme scale on modern platforms: scalability, overhead, performance measurement and analysis, comparison and contrast with a traditional post hoc approach, and interfacing with simulation codes. We illustrate these principles in practice with studies, conducted on large-scale HPC platforms, that include a miniapplication and multiple science application codes, one of which demonstrates in situ methods in use at greater than 1M-way concurrency.
HDTV and the computer industry

In the 1940s, television and radio combinations like the one on the left were the precursors of today's "entertainment centers . " About 25 years later, black and white television gave way to color. The next leap, high resolution television coupled with CD quality stereo may be coming soon. Last April, in the deep hours of the night, NBC, Channel 4 in New York City, announced a test: viewers would witness the first broadcast of the Sarnoff Research Center's Advanced Compatible Television system. The program of choice: the Saint Patrick's Day Parade. Researchers at the Sarnoff Center in Princeton, NJ, watched the signal, which emanated from WNBC at the World Trade Center in New York, on experimental high-definition monitors. The Sarnoff group, along with ABC and General Electric's consumer electronics division, has invested $60 million to develop a system that has twice the lines of regular TV screens (1050), scans at the same rate (29.97 frames per second), and enhances the current standard signal. A planned two-step approach to advanced television, the second phase would provide greater detail to those who bought wide-screen monitors, but it still would be compatible with today's TVs. The Sarnoff system is one of 20 advanced television research projects under way in this country, including those of the Zenith Electronics Group in cooperation with AT&T Microelectronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Advanced Television Research Program, the New York Institute of Technology, the Del-Ray Group, and North American Philips. Many have applied for matching funds from DARPA, which has earmarked $30 million for the next three years—half slated for transmission research and half for display technology. As of August 1989, five companies had been granted money for display technology. Newco Inc. of San Jose, CA, Raychem Corporation of Menlo Park, CA, Texas Instruments Inc. of Dallas, TX, and Projectavision Inc. of New York will receive money for projection display systems. Photonics Technology Inc. of Northwood, OH, was selected for flat panel display technology. More money may be forthcoming, as pressure is exerted to create systems to compete with or to supplant high-definition television (HDTV) as offered by Japan's national broadcasting organization Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) and Europe's Eureka systems.
Direct Differentiation of Homogeneous Human Adipose Stem Cells Into Functional Hepatocytes by Mimicking Liver Embryogenesis

The potential of adult human adipose tissue stem cells (hASCs) to differentiate into hepatocytes has generated much excitement over the possible use of hASCs in therapeutic applications. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the plasticity of hASCs toward hepatocytes will help to make this possibility a reality. Herein, we show that a homogenous population of hASCs characterized by a high level of CD73, CD90, and CD105 express the pluripotent transcription factors OCT4, SOX2, NANOG, and SALL4 under proliferation conditions. A high level of activin A allows for hASCs acquiring the fate of definitive endoderm (DE) cells and expressing the specific transcription factors HEX, FOXA2, SOX17, and GATA4 synchronously. Using a reproducible three‐stage method by mimicking liver embryogenesis, hASCs were directed to differentiate into functional hepatocytes. In the first stage, hASCs were induced to become DE cells by 2 days cultured in serum‐free medium and 3 days of activin A treatment. Next, the presence of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 4 and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) 2 in the medium for 5 days induced efficient hepatic differentiation from DE cells. After 10 days of further maturated by the sequential exposure to hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), oncostatin M (OSM), and dexamethasone (DEX), the hASC‐derived hepatocytes expressed mature hepatocytes marker and exhibited functional characterization, including albumin secretion, glycogen storage, urea production, activity of drug transporters, and cytochrome P450 activity. These findings will be useful for the implementation of hASC‐derived hepatocytes in therapeutic purposes, metabolic analyses, drug toxicity screening, and studies of hepatocyte function. J. Cell. Physiol. 229: 801–812, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
From Neurons to Brain: Adaptive Self-Wiring of Neurons

During embryonic morphogenesis, a collection of individual neurons turns into a functioning network with unique capabilities. Only recently has this most staggering example of emergent process in the natural world, began to be studied. Here we propose a navigational strategy for neurites growth cones, based on sophisticated chemical signaling. We further propose that the embryonic environment (the neurons and the glia cells) acts as an excitable media in which concentric and spherical chemical waves are formed. Together with the navigation strategy, the chemical waves provide a mechanism for communication, regulation, and control required for the adaptive self-wiring of neurons.