Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of the cytokines on the proliferation of and collagen synthesis by human cataract lens epithelial cells.

AIMS: To assess the effects of the cytokines, interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-beta 2) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), on the mitosis of and collagen synthesis by lens epithelial cells (LECs) of human cataracts. METHODS: The anterior lens capsule with attached LECs was obtained by capsulotomy during cataract surgery and cultured. The cultures at 2 to 3 weeks before confluency were used for the experiments. To quantify the mitosis and collagen synthesis, the incorporation of 3H-thymidine and 3H-proline, respectively, into the LECs was measured by a scintillation counter at 48 hours and 24 hours, respectively, after addition of the cytokine at various concentrations into the incubation medium. RESULTS: IL-1 and b-FGF increased the mitosis and collagen synthesis significantly, but IL-1ra significantly decreased the mitosis while leaving the collagen synthesis intact. TGF-beta 2 decreased the mitosis significantly, but increased the collagen synthesis significantly. CONCLUSION: These cytokines may play an important role in an autocrine or paracrine pathway in the proliferation of residual LECs after cataract surgery. Elucidation of the role of these cytokines may lead to the development of new therapies for the prevention of secondary cataract.
Detecting Spammers in Community Question Answering

As the popularity of Community Question Answering(CQA) increases, spamming activities also picked up in numbers and variety. On CQA sites, spammers often pretend to ask questions, and select answers which were published by their partners or themselves as the best answers. These fake best answers cannot be easily detected by neither existing methods nor common users. In this paper, we address the issue of detecting spammers on CQA sites. We formulate the task as an optimization problem. Social information is incorporated by adding graph regularization constraints to the text-based predictor. To evaluate the proposed approach, we crawled a data set from a CQA portal. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve better performance than some state-of-the-art methods.
ROTATIONAL AND CYCLICAL VARIABILITY IN γ CASSIOPEIAE. II. FIFTEEN SEASONS

The B0.5 IVe star γ Cas is of great interest because it is the prototype of a small group of classical Be stars having hard X-ray emission of unknown origin. We discuss results from ongoing B and V observations of the γ Cas star–disk system acquired with an Automated Photometric Telescope during the observing seasons 1997–2011. In an earlier study, Smith, Henry, & Vishniac showed that light variations in γ Cas are dominated by a series of comparatively prominent cycles with amplitudes of 0.02–0.03 mag and lengths of 2–3 months, superimposed on a 1.21 day periodic signal some five times smaller, which they attributed to rotation. The cycle lengths clustered around 70 days, with a total range of 50–91 days. Changes in both cycle length and amplitude were observed from year to year. These authors also found the V-band cycles to be 30%–40% larger than the B-band cycles. In the present study, we find continued evidence for these variability patterns and for the bimodal distribution of the ΔB/ΔV amplitude ratios in the long cycles. During the 2010 observing season, γ Cas underwent a mass-loss event (“outburst”), as evidenced by the brightening and reddening seen in our new photometry. This episode coincided with a waning of the amplitude in the ongoing cycle. The Be outburst ended the following year, and the light-curve amplitude returned to pre-outburst levels. This behavior reinforces the interpretation that cycles arise from a global disk instability. We have determined a more precise value of the rotation period, 1.215811 ± 0.000030 days, using the longer 15-season data set and combining solutions from the V and B light curves. Remarkably, we also find that both the amplitude and the asymmetry of the rotational waveform changed over the years. We review arguments for this modulation arising from transits of a surface magnetic disturbance. Finally, to a limit of 5 mmag, we find no evidence for any photometric variation corresponding to the γ Cas binary period, 203.55 days, or to the first few harmonics.
Radiation reaction of a classical quasi-rigid extended particle

The problem of the self-interaction of a quasi-rigid classical particle with an arbitrary spherically symmetric charge distribution is completely solved up to the first order in the acceleration. No ad hoc assumptions are made. The relativistic equations of conservation of energy and momentum in a continuous medium are used. The electromagnetic fields are calculated in the reference frame of instantaneous rest using the Coulomb gauge; in this way the troublesome power expansion is avoided. Most of the puzzles that this problem has aroused are due to the inertia of the negative pressure that equilibrates the electrostatic repulsion inside the particle. The effective mass of this pressure is −Ue/(3c2), where Ue is the electrostatic energy. When the pressure mass is taken into account the dressed mass m turns out to be the bare mass plus the electrostatic mass m = m0 + Ue/c2. It is shown that a proper mechanical behaviour requires that m0 > Ue/3c2. This condition poses a lower bound on the radius that a particle of a given bare mass and charge may have. The violation of this condition is the reason why the Lorentz–Abraham–Dirac formula for the radiation reaction of a point charge predicts unphysical motions that run away or violate causality. Provided the mass condition is met the solutions of the exact equation of motion never run away and conform to causality and conservation of energy and momentum. When the radius is much smaller than the wavelength of the radiated fields, but the mass condition is still met, the exact expression reduces to the formula that Rohrlich (2002 Phys. Lett. A 303 307) has advocated for the radiation reaction of a quasi-point charge.
Absolute Properties of the Binary System BB Pegasi

We present ground-based photometry of the low-temperature contact binary BB Peg. We collected all the times of mid-eclipse available in the literature and combined them with those obtained in this study. Analyses of the data indicate a period increase of × 10-8 days yr-1. This period increase of BB Peg can be interpreted in terms of the mass transfer 2.4 × 10-8 M⊙ yr-1 from the less massive to the more massive component. The physical parameters have been determined as Mc = 1.42 M⊙, Mh = 0.53 M⊙, Rc = 1.29 R⊙, Rh = 0.83 R⊙, Lc = 1.86 L⊙, and Lh = 0.94 L⊙ through simultaneous solutions of light and of the radial velocity curves. The orbital parameters of the third body, which orbits the contact system in an eccentric orbit, were obtained from the period variation analysis. The system is compared to the similar binaries in the Hertzsprung-Russell and mass-radius diagrams.
Obfuscation and watermarking of FPGA designs based on constant value generators

Obfuscation is a technique which makes design less intelligible in order to prevent or increase reverse engineering effort. In this paper, a new approach to hardware obfuscation by inserting constant value generators (CVGs) is proposed. A CVG is a circuit that generates the same fixed logic value but will not be minimized by the synthesizer. CVGs can be used to create new logic primitives, embed watermarks and introduce fictive interdependencies in the circuit. They help to hide actual design performance information by tricking the synthesizer tools to generate deceiving delay reports through the false paths.
A Network of HMG-box Transcription Factors Regulates Sexual Cycle in the Fungus Podospora anserina

High-mobility group (HMG) B proteins are eukaryotic DNA-binding proteins characterized by the HMG-box functional motif. These transcription factors play a pivotal role in global genomic functions and in the control of genes involved in specific developmental or metabolic pathways. The filamentous ascomycete Podospora anserina contains 12 HMG-box genes. Of these, four have been previously characterized; three are mating-type genes that control fertilization and development of the fruit-body, whereas the last one encodes a factor involved in mitochondrial DNA stability. Systematic deletion analysis of the eight remaining uncharacterized HMG-box genes indicated that none were essential for viability, but that seven were involved in the sexual cycle. Two HMG-box genes display striking features. PaHMG5, an ortholog of SpSte11 from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, is a pivotal activator of mating-type genes in P. anserina, whereas PaHMG9 is a repressor of several phenomena specific to the stationary phase, most notably hyphal anastomoses. Transcriptional analyses of HMG-box genes in HMG-box deletion strains indicated that PaHMG5 is at the hub of a network of several HMG-box factors that regulate mating-type genes and mating-type target genes. Genetic analyses revealed that this network also controls fertility genes that are not regulated by mating-type transcription factors. This study points to the critical role of HMG-box members in sexual reproduction in fungi, as 11 out of 12 members were involved in the sexual cycle in P. anserina. PaHMG5 and SpSte11 are conserved transcriptional regulators of mating-type genes, although P. anserina and S. pombe diverged 550 million years ago. Two HMG-box genes, SOX9 and its upstream regulator SRY, also play an important role in sex determination in mammals. The P. anserina and S. pombe mating-type genes and their upstream regulatory factor form a module of HMG-box genes analogous to the SRY/SOX9 module, revealing a commonality of sex regulation in animals and fungi.
HUBUNGAN ANTARA GAYA KEPEMIMPINAN PATH GOAL SUPERVISOR PABRIK BAJA DENGAN TINGKAT KEPATUHAN SOP (STANDARD OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE) PEKERJA

ABSTRACT Employee ignorance on Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) is one of the main causes of workplace accidents. This study was conducted to analyze the correlation between path goal leadership implemented by Gresik steel factory supervisors and employee obedience on company SOP. This study applied quantitative approach and cross-sectional research design. The data were collected through observation and interview on 52 respondents consisting of employees working led by 4 different supervisors. Systematic random sampling is used for sampling method. In-depth interviews were conducted to gain more information regarding the variables analyzed in this study. The independent variables analyzed in this study were path goal leadership style implemented by the supervisors and the dependent one is SOP obedience. This study found that employee obedience level on company SOP of each working units is 86% for drilling unit; 78.57% for marking and cutting unit; 100% for assembly unit; and 41.67% on painting unit. The results of Spearman correlation test indicated that path goal leadership style implemented by the supervisors significantly correlated with obedience level of the employees on company SOP with p < 0.05. there were positive correlation among the variables with correlation coefficient 0.416 (p = 0.001). Based on these findings, it could be concluded that the better path goal leadership style implementation made by the supervisors the higher employee obedience level on company SOP. Keywords : leadership style, Path Goal Theory, SOP obedience, occupational safety
STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF INTRINSIC MOTIVATION

Motivation affects learning and plays an important role in the field of education. In addition, adult’s motivation for participating in lifelong learning is of immediate interest since it is regarded as a possible solution for the constantly rising unemployment. According to the bibliography students have extrinsic (praises, grades, social and financial rewards) and intrinsic (mastering, knowledge) motivation. It seems that learning most of the time is associated with intrinsic motivation. The Hellenic Open University recently begun to offer six new postgraduate programs introducing several innovations in order to change the landscape of distance education in Greece since it’s the unique university that offers postgraduate studies with this method. Aiming to improve the educational procedure of the new programs an evaluation questionnaire with open-ended questions was given to the students. Among other things, students were asked to describe the motives that led them chose each program. In this paper we discuss students’ intrinsic motivation and examine if it is differentiated according to various factors, such as students’ age and gender. Our sample is 1026 students of the six postgraduate programs that answered the questionnaire. By the analysis made we attempt to identify the factors that affect adult students’ intrinsic motivation in distance learning environments in order to improve teaching methodology and structure of existing and forthcoming programs.
Deception Detection: Accuracy Levels Among International Military Officers Using Content and Contextual Questioning Methods

Abstract : This MBA research project is an extension and replication of recent diagnostic utility studies to determine if the methods used are (a) generalizable to a new population and (b) useful in identifying specific questioning strategies relevant to international military officers. Research conducted by Charles Bond and Bella DePaulo in 2006 indicated, on average, people are slightly better than fifty-fifty at detecting deception, as seen in a published Personality and Social Psychology Review article. Modern research ideology favors using diagnostic utility, which is the use of comprehensive questioning methods. In the past, a clear majority of researchers relied solely on verbal and nonverbal indicators to aid in deception detection. This new research uses specific questioning techniques that have been proven more reliable in determining deceptive behavior. Results from the quantitative analysis conducted in Study 1 exhibited that international military officers considered non-experts outperformed experts in their ability to detect deception. In addition, those considered experts performed better than previous research indicated, and the accuracy rate improved as content and contextual questioning methods were implemented. Results from the qualitative analysis conducted in Study 2 established that international military officers combined information obtained from other sources along with physical observations when detecting deception.
The power relation in virtual communities — Taking “Chinese Muslim Community” as the example

As a new community, the virtual community is rising along with the development of Internet. Netizens establish and develop new forms of power relation through online interaction. In the condition of body absence, reconstructing rules, argument of opinions and collectively resisting become the main ways of power relation. Cyberpower is a flowing power. Its body, object and ways become uncertain.
The Influence of Minimum Sitting Period of the ActivPAL™ on the Measurement of Breaks in Sitting in Young Children

Background Sitting time and breaks in sitting influence cardio-metabolic health. New monitors (e.g. activPAL™) may be more accurate for measurement of sitting time and breaks in sitting although how to optimize measurement accuracy is not yet clear. One important issue is the minimum sitting/upright period (MSUP) to define a new posture. Using the activPAL™, we investigated the effect of variations in MSUP on total sitting time and breaks in sitting, and also determined the criterion validity of different activPAL™ settings for both constructs. Methods We varied setting of MSUP in 23 children (mean (SD) age 4.5 y (0.7)) who wore activPAL™ (24 hr/d) for 5–7 d. We first studied activPAL™ using the default setting of 10 s MSUP and then reduced this to 5 s, 2 s and 1 s. In a second study, in a convenience sample of 30 pre-school children (mean age 4.1 y (SD 0.5)) we validated the activPAL™ measures of sitting time and breaks in sitting at different MSUP settings against direct observation. Results Comparing settings of 10, 5, 2 and 1 s, there were no significant differences in sitting time (6.2 hr (1.0), 6.3 hr (1.0), 6.4 hr (1.0) and 6.3 hr (1.6), respectively) between settings but there were significant increases in the apparent number of breaks - (8(3), 14(2), 21(4) and 28 (6)/h) at 10, 5, 2 and 1 s settings, respectively. In comparison with direct observation, a 2 s setting had the smallest error relative to direct observation (95% limits of agreement: -14 to +17 sitting bouts/hr, mean difference 1.83, p = 0.2). Conclusion With activPAL™, breaks in sitting, but not total sitting time, are highly sensitive to the setting of MSUP, with 2 s optimal for young children. The MSUP to define a new posture will need to be empirically determined if accurate measurements of number of breaks in sitting are to be obtained.
Materials-affected manufacturing in precision machining

iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. whose expertise, understanding, and patience, added considerably to my graduate experience. I would like to thank the other members of my committee, Dr. Yang for the assistance they provided at all levels of the research project and for reviewing my thesis. Special thanks goes out to Dr. Ismail Lazoglu, without whose motivation and encouragement I would not have considered a graduate career in mechanical and materials research. with whom I enjoyed spending many hours brainstorming. I would like to thank Steven Sheffield and Louis Boulanger from the machine shop for their valuable help, as well as Glenda Johnson for her help and advice. I would also like to thank my parents, my brother and sister for the endless support they provided me through my entire life and in particular, I must acknowledge my fiancée Viktoria and my friends Youssef and Souhayl, without whose love, encouragement and editing assistance, I would not have finished this thesis. I would like to acknowledge the Boeing Company for funding this project.
Making Informed Decisions: The Role of Information Literacy in Ethical and Effective Engineering Design

Engineering designers must make evidence-based decisions when applying the practical tools and techniques of their discipline to human problems. Information literacy provides a structure for determining information gaps, locating appropriate and relevant information, applying that information effectively, and documenting and managing the knowledge created in the design process. It also provides the means through which designers may consider messy transdisciplinary problems in holistic ways and enables student designers to develop empathy through the creation of a context for understanding the socio-economic, cultural, and geographical perspectives of those who will benefit from, or otherwise interact with, their designs. Critical information literacy provides a framework for questioning the assumptions implicit in information gathered from traditional sources and identifying the voices not heard in those sources. The integration of information literacy concepts into engineering design has the potential to increase the quality and appropriateness of solutions and the empathy of participating students.
Multi-sensor data fusion in wireless sensor network for target detection

Wireless sensor network has advantages of rapid deployment, self-organization, strong concealment, and high fault tolerance, etc. and it is very suitable for military reconnaissance. Considering the requirements of battlefield detection environment for men, gunmen and vehicles, a small-scale wireless sensor network(WSN) system is designed under laboratory conditions to simulate the target detection. According to the characteristics of different targets and zoning, the target feature extraction and detection methods are proposed for the signals of infrared sensors, magnetic sensors and sound sensors. A simple and efficient fixed threshold algorithm based on variance for infrared and magnetic resistance signals is put forward and a data fusion algorithm of D-S evidence theory is used to identify the targets. The binary detection algorithm of multi-sensor data fusion is presented for single target location and tracking. Finally, the experimental results have shown that the designed system can achieve reliable target detection, recognition, location and tracking in the laboratory.
A Credit based Security Scheme (CBSS) for Multihop Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks

most of the scenarios, communication in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) takes place via multihop routing. Multihop routing does not provide much protection against identity deception, developed through the replay of routing information. This defect can be exploited by an opponent to launch several harmful attacks or even attacks that destroy the routing protocols, misdirecting the network traffic which results in disastrous consequences. In order to secure the multihop routing in WSNs from the adversaries, a Credit Based Security Scheme (CBSS) for WSN is proposed. CBSS, not only reduce the negative impacts from intruders but it also proves energy-efficient by incorporating the trustworthiness of the nodes into the routing decisions. The focus of this paper is to increase the Packet Delivery Ratio and offer an energy efficient route to the base station even in the presence of wormhole attack by incorporating Credit Based Security Scheme (CBSS). CBSS is proved effective through extensive evaluation with simulation using NS2. KeywordsSensor Networks, multihop routing, identity deception, credit value, energy rate.
The Student Satisfaction with Educational Podcasts Questionnaire

Student satisfaction with podcasts is frequently used as an indicator of the effectiveness of educational podcasting. This aspect has usually been assessed through surveys or interviews in descriptive studies, but no standard questionnaire exists that can be used to compare results. The main aim of this study was to present the Student Satisfaction with Educational Podcasts Questionnaire (SSEPQ). The SSEPQ consists of 10 items that are scored on a Likert-type scale. The items address the opinions of students on content adequacy, ease of use, usefulness, and the benefits of podcasts for learning. 3-5 minute podcasts were assessed as a supplementary tool within the research methods and statistics course of their psychology undergraduate degree. Confirmatory factor analysis with cross-validation showed a one-factor structure, supporting the use of the total score as a global index of student satisfaction with podcasts. The results suggest that there is a high level of satisfaction with podcasts as a tool to improve learning. The questionnaire is a brief and simple tool that can provide lecturers with direct feedback from their students, and may prove useful in improving the teaching-learning process.
Simultaneous PTL Buffer Insertion and Sizing for Minimizing Elmore Delay

Minimizing Elmore Delay I-Min Liuy Tai-Hung Liuy Hai Zhouz Adnan Azizy yElectrical and Computer Engineering zComputer Sciences The University of Texas The University of Texas Austin TX Austin TX Abstract For many digital designs, implementation in pass transistor logic (PTL) has been shown to be superior in terms of area, timing, and power characteristics to static CMOS. One problem with PTL circuits is that the delay through serially connected transistors is quadratic in the number of stages. The objective of this work is to develop an automatic PTL bu er insertion and sizing procedure for minimizing Elmore delay.