Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Challenges in Modelling Hypoglycaemia-Associated Autonomic Failure: A Review of Human and Animal Studies

Recurrent insulin-induced hypoglycaemia is a major limitation to insulin treatment in diabetes patients leading to a condition called hypoglycaemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF). HAAF is characterised by reduced sympathoadrenal response to subsequent hypoglycaemia thereby predisposing the patients to severe hypoglycaemia that can lead to coma or even death. Despite several attempts being made, the mechanism of HAAF is yet to be clearly established. In order for the mechanism of HAAF to be elucidated, establishing a human/animal model of the phenomenon is the foremost requirement. Several research groups have attempted to reproduce the phenomenon in diabetic and nondiabetic humans and rodents and reported variable results. The success of the phenomenon is marked by a significant reduction in plasma adrenaline response to subsequent hypoglycaemic episode relative to that of the antecedent hypoglycaemic episode. A number of factors such as the insulin dosage, route of administration, fasting conditions, blood sampling methods and analyses, depth, duration, and number of antecedent hypoglycaemic episodes can impact the successful reproduction of the phenomenon and thus have to be carefully considered while developing the protocol. In this review, we have outlined the protocols followed by different research groups to reproduce the phenomenon in diabetic and nondiabetic humans and rodents including our own observations in rats and discussed the factors that have to be given careful consideration in reproducing the phenomenon successfully.
A unifying gene signature for adenoid cystic cancer identifies parallel MYB-dependent and MYB-independent therapeutic targets

MYB activation is proposed to underlie development of adenoid cystic cancer (ACC), an aggressive salivary gland tumor with no effective systemic treatments. To discover druggable targets for ACC, we performed global mRNA/miRNA analyses of 12 ACC with matched normal tissues, and compared these data with 14 mucoepidermoid carcinomas (MEC) and 11 salivary adenocarcinomas (ADC). We detected a unique ACC gene signature of 1160 mRNAs and 22 miRNAs. MYB was the top-scoring gene (18-fold induction), however we observed the same signature in ACC without detectable MYB gene rearrangements. We also found 4 ACC tumors (1 among our 12 cases and 3 from public databases) with negligible MYB expression that retained the same ACC mRNA signature including over-expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) genes. Integration of this signature with somatic mutational analyses suggests that NOTCH1 and RUNX1 participate with MYB to activate ECM elements including the VCAN/HAPLN1 complex. We observed that forced MYB-NFIB expression in human salivary gland cells alters cell morphology and cell adhesion in vitro and depletion of VCAN blocked tumor cell growth of a short-term ACC tumor culture. In summary, we identified a unique ACC signature with parallel MYB-dependent and independent biomarkers and identified VCAN/HAPLN1 complexes as a potential target.
Evolution of root plasticity responses to variation in soil nutrient distribution and concentration

Root plasticity, a trait that can respond to selective pressure, may help plants forage for nutrients in heterogeneous soils. Agricultural breeding programs have artificially selected for increased yield under comparatively homogeneous soil conditions, potentially decreasing the capacity for plasticity in crop plants like barley (Hordeum vulgare). However, the effects of domestication on the evolution of root plasticity are essentially unknown. Using a split container approach, we examined the differences in root plasticity among three domestication levels of barley germplasm (wild, landrace, and cultivar) grown under different concentrations and distribution patterns of soil nutrients. Domestication level, nutrient concentration, and nutrient distribution interactively affected average root diameter; differential root allocation (within‐plant plasticity) was greatest in wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum), especially under low nutrient levels. Correlations of within‐plant root plasticity and plant size were most pronounced in modern cultivars under low‐nutrient conditions. Barley plants invested more resources to root systems when grown in low‐nutrient soils and allocated more roots to higher‐nutrient locations. Root plasticity in barley is scale dependent and varies with domestication level. Although wild barley harbors a greater capacity for within‐plant root plasticity than domesticated barley, cultivars exhibited the greatest capacity to translate within‐plant plasticity into increased plant size.
Role of Endothelial N-Glycan Mannose Residues in Monocyte Recruitment During Atherogenesis

Objective—Upregulated expression of endothelial adhesion molecules and subsequent binding to cognate monocytic receptors are established paradigms in atherosclerosis. However, these proteins are the scaffolds, with their posttranslational modification with sugars providing the actual ligands. We recently showed that tumor necrosis factor-&agr; increased hypoglycosylated (mannose-rich) N-glycans on the endothelial surface. In the present study, our aim was to determine whether (1) hypoglycosylated N-glycans are upregulated by proatherogenic stimuli (oscillatory flow) in vitro and in vivo, and (2) mannose residues on hypoglycosylated endothelial N-glycans mediate monocyte rolling and adhesion. Methods and Results—Staining with the mannose-specific lectins concanavalin A and lens culinaris agglutinin was increased in human aortic endothelial cells exposed to oscillatory shear or tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and at sites of plaque development and progression in both mice and human vessels. Increasing surface N-linked mannose by inhibiting N-glycan processing potentiated monocyte adhesion under flow during tumor necrosis factor-&agr; stimulation. Conversely, enzymatic removal of high-mannose N-glycans, or masking mannose residues with lectins, significantly decreased monocyte adhesion under flow. These effects occurred without altering induced expression of adhesion molecule proteins. Conclusion—Hypoglycosylated (high mannose) N-glycans are present on the endothelial cell surface at sites of early human lesion development and are novel effectors of monocyte adhesion during atherogenesis.
Hypermedia systems in the new millennium: introduction to this classic reprint and commentaries

Each August, the ACM Journal of Computer Documentation reprints a classic article, book chapter, or report along with several analytical commentaries and a response by the author of the classic document. In this context, a “classic” document means one that was published at least five years ago but is no longer in print. It also means one that raises issues of lasting importance to the profession. The article featured in the current issue certainly qualifies as a classic. Frank Halasz, “Reflections on NoteCards: Seven Issues for the Next Generation of Hypermedia Systems,” grew out of his closing keynote address at the ACM Hypertext ’87 Conference (Halasz, 1987) and was published in the Communications of the ACM the following year (Halasz, 1988). Halasz’s article focuses on seven “fundamental weaknesses in the hypermedia model” underlying NoteCards, that is, “on the ways in which the system falls short in meeting the needs and preferences of its users” (Halasz, 1988, p. 841): 1. Search and query in a hypermedia network. Navigational access of hypermedia networks (“recursive descent through an increasingly specific category structure” (Halasz, 1988, p. 842)) is adequate for small, familiar, homogeneous tasks, but large, unfamiliar, heterogeneous network structures require a query-based access mechanism for both content search and structure search. 2. Composites—augmenting the basic node and link model. The hypermedia model lacks a way of representing and manipulating groups of nodes and links independently of their components. The solution Halasz proposes is to make composition a primitive construct in the basic hypermedia model and to support inclusion (“is part of”) relationships in addition to reference links. 3. Virtual structures for dealing with changing information. The static nature of hypertext leads to the problem of keeping the content up to date. To solve this problem, Halasz suggests virtual structures that are calculated dynamically. This idea of virtual structures derives from the concept of views (virtual tables) in relational database systems. 4. Computation in (over) hypermedia networks. Hypermedia systems store and retrieve information passively, but they could incorporate inference engines like those in knowledge-based AI systems, which process information actively. 5. Versioning. A versioning mechanism would enable users to track Hypermedia systems in the new millennium
Measuring the Value of Fish to Anglers: Application to Central California Anadromous Species

This article reports estimates of economic value associated with recreational fishing for anadromous species (chinook salmon and striped bass) in central California based upon two methods: a simple travel cost model (TCM) and the contingent value method (CVM). Alternative model specifications for the TCM yield estimates of ordinary consumer surplus (OCS) per fishing day ranging from $61 to $296. The CVM approach directly yields Hicksian compensating and equivalent surpluses per angler. Average CVM values are (1) $49.2 for willingness to pay (WTP) for a doubling of catch rate (2) $38.2 for WTP to avoid a 50% decrease in catch rate, and (3) $98.2 willingness to accept compensation (WTA) for a 50% drop in catch rate. To compare the TCM and CVM results, we compute Hicksian surpluses from the TCM models based upon the indirect utility Junction as previously demonstrated by Hanemann (1980. Land Economics 56(4):482-490) and Hausman (1981. American Economic Review 71(4):662-676). Although the resulting TCM-based Hicksian surpluses differ from the CVM values, a t-test for differences between means fails to reject equality of means for the WTP values. The t-test does reject equivalence of CVM and TCM values for WTA. A more rigorous chi-square test of the hypothesis that CVM and TCM observations are drawn from the same underlying distributions rejects equivalence of the estimates for all three measures of economic surplus.
Synthesis and Physico-Chemical Properties of New Tetraethylammonium-Based Amino Acid Chiral Ionic Liquids

This paper reports the synthesis of a series of new tetraethylammonium-based amino acid chiral ionic liquids (CILs). Their physico-chemical properties, including melting point, thermal stability, viscosity and ionic conductivity, have been comprehensively studied. The obtained results indicated that the decomposition for these salts proceeds in one step and the temperature of decomposition (Tonset) is in the range of 168–210 °C. Several new CILs prepared in this work showed high ionic conductivity compared to the amino acid ionic liquids (AAILs) found in the literature.
A Framework for Distributed Reasoning on the Semantic Web Based on Open Answer Set Programming

The Semantic Web envisions a Web where information is represented by means of formal vocabularies called ontologies for enabling automatic processing and retrieval of information. It is expected that ontologies will be interconnected by mappings forming a network topology. Reasoning with such a network of ontologies is a big challenge due to scalability issues. The local model semantics seems to be a promising approach in this direction that has served as the basis of several frameworks/distributed languages. The intent of the work described in this paper is to define a new framework for representing and reasoning with interconnected ontologies that will be based on a new language for representing ontologies and mappings called Distributed Open Answer Set Programming (DOASP). DOASP is a syntactical extension of OASP in the direction of distributedness and its semantics is a combination between the local model semantics and the OASP semantics. The reason for choosing OASP is the emerging interest in hybrid formalisms for the Semantic Web. 1 Research Context and Problem Statement While the current Web is only usable by humans, the Semantic Web [1] envisions to make information processable and services on the Web usable by machines as well. The main technology for establishing the Semantic Web is the creation of so-called ontologies, which can be used to represent information and services on the Web. Ontologies are commonly defined as formal specifications of shared conceptualizations [2, 3] where the sharing aspect is important: ontologies have to be reusable. This reusability does not mean that on the Web there will be a single ontology for capturing all the knowledge (not even all the knowledge corresponding to a given domain); there will be different ontologies that describe the same domain at different levels of granularity or from different perspectives, or that describe partially overlapping domains. In order to effectively use such overlapping ontologies one needs a means to describe the way they are interconnected. In particular, one uses logical axioms called mappings to relate elements of one ontology to elements of others. In order to represent such ontologies and mappings, logical languages such as Description Logics (DLs) [4] or Logic Programming(LP) [5] can be used. The usage of formal languages allows in general for well-defined formal reasoning and thus the necessary automation of tasks such as checking consistency of ontologies. Some popular languages for representing ontologies anchored in one or both of the mentioned formalisms are WSML [6], OWL [7], SWRL [8].
The advantage of higher-order theory of mind in the game of limited bidding

Higher-order theory of mind is the ability to recursively model mental states of other agents. It is known that adults in general can reason adequately at the second order (covering attributions like "Alice knows that Bob knows that she wrote a novel under pseudonym"), but there are cognitive limits on higher-order theory of mind. For example, children under the age of around 6 cannot correctly apply second-order theory of mind, and it seems to be a uniquely human ability. In this paper, we make use of agent-based models to investigate the advantage of applying a higher-order theory of mind among agents with bounded rationality. We present a model of computational agents in the competitive setting of the limited bidding game, and describe how agents achieve theory of mind by simulating the decision making process of their opponent as if it were their own. Based on the results of a tournament held between these agents, we find diminishing returns on making use of increasingly higher orders of theory of mind.
CMOS RF amplifier and mixer circuits utilizing complementary Characteristics of parallel combined NMOS and PMOS devices

Design and chip fabrication results for complementary RF circuit topologies that utilize the complementary RF characteristics of both NMOS and PMOS field-effect-transistor devices combined in parallel way are reported, which can inherently provide single-ended differential signal-processing capability, requiring neither baluns, nor differential signal generating/combining circuits. The proposed complementary CMOS parallel push-pull (CCPP) amplifier gives an order of magnitude improvement in IP/sub 2/ than an NMOS common-source amplifier and single-balanced CCPP resistive mixer, which functions effectively as a double-balanced one, provides more than an order of magnitude better linearity in IP/sub 2/, and similar order of magnitude better local oscillator (LO)-IF and LO-RF isolations than NMOS counterparts.
Designing a multi-agent solution for a bookstore with the PASSI methodology

PASSI (a Process for Agent Societies Specification and Implementation) is a step-by-step requirement-to-code methodology for designing and developing multi-agent societies integrating design models and concepts from both OO software engineering and artificial intelligence approaches using UML notation. The models and phases of PASSI encompass anthropomorphic representation of system requirements, social viewpoint, solution architecture, code production and reuse, and deployment configuration supporting mobility of agents. The methodology is depicted making use of a well-known bookstore case study. A comparison with the Gaia and MaSE methodologies is also provided.
Efficient data retrieving in distributed data-streaming environments

In a potential distributed application, automobile tracking system (ATS), automobile location data is continuously generated, kept in a distributed manner. As large amount of traffic will be incurred during search process, it is critical to construct an efficient overlay multicast structure for the ATS so as to distribute traffic to all the physical links evenly, as well as balance the load among group members. In this paper, we propose a distributed protocol, MMT scheme, in which end hosts self-organize into multiple multicast trees. We evaluate the performance of MMT with comprehensive simulations. Experimental results show that MMT outperforms existing approaches in load balance, and its performance penalties are low from the network and the application perspectives.
Repairing Damaged Merchandise: A Rejoinder

Our goal in writing "Damaged Merchandise? " (DM) was not to have the last word on the subject but to raise an awareness within the human-computer interaction (HCI) community of issues that we felt had been too long ignored or neglected. On reading the 10 commentaries from distinguished members of the HCI community, we were pleased to see that they had joined the debate and broadened the discussion. Subsequently, we were somewhat torn by how to proceed. Our first thought was to respond point by point, commentary by commentary. However, we refrain from addressing many specific issues here, as a full discussion would involve an article at least as long as DM. Instead we focus on a few important themes that emerged throughout our article and the ensuing discussion: •What is usability, how do we measure it, and what do we need to know about our usability evaluation methods (UEMs)? •Why do we find ourselves where we are? •What is the role of experiments versus other empirical studies in HCI? Are there common issues in the design of empirical studies? •How do we judge the value of a study? •Where do we go from here?
Modeling the effects of burst packet loss and recency on subjective voice quality

A. INTRODUCTION Voice over IP networks differ from conventional telephone networks in that voice quality is affected by a wider variety of network impairments and can vary from call to call and even during a call. It is therefore desirable to monitor call quality in order that service providers can properly provision networks and that network resources are properly allocated. Passive monitoring systems examine operating characteristics of a system in order to assess or measure performance level. This may involve examining elements of the system, for example buffer levels, or examining the data stream being transmitted through the system. This contrasts with Active measurement systems in which test data is inserted into the system and used to obtain performance measurements. This paper describes a passive monitoring system (VQmon) for Voice over IP networks that is able to monitor per-call quality, providing feedback to a service management or CDR (Call Detail Record) system. The VQmon monitoring system also considers the effects of time varying impai rments such as bursty packet loss and recency. B. EMBEDDED PASSIVE MONITORING Passive monitoring systems examine operating characteristics of a system in order to assess or measure performance level. This may involve examining elements of the system, for example buffer levels, or examining the data stream being transmitted through the system. This contrasts with Active measurement systems in which test data is inserted into the system and used to obtain performance measurements. Embedded passive monitoring systems employ some form of monitoring function embedded into the equipment that comprises the system under test. This has the advantage of a closer relationship with system elements, allowing access to real time data and control information however has the disadvantage that implementation cost and complexity must be low. This contrasts with external passive monitoring systems which may, for example, be connected to T1 trunks or Ethernet LANs. Within the context of a VoIP network embedded passive monitoring can be integrated into VoIP Gateways, IP Phones or other end-systems, providing access on a per-call basis to CODEC selection, packet loss and delay information. This permits per-call estimates of transmission quality to be made with minimal impact on the service being monitored. Active monitoring systems typically make test calls through the VoIP network, transmit speech files and compare transmitted and received files using PSQM, PESQ or some similar method. This approach allows the CODEC performance to be directly measured however provides only …
Nurses' sleep quality, work environment and quality of care in the Spanish National Health System: observational study among different shifts

Objective The main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the characteristics of nurses' work environments in hospitals in the Spanish National Health System (SNHS) with nurse reported quality of care, and how care was provided by using different shifts schemes. The study also examined the relationship between job satisfaction, burnout, sleep quality and daytime drowsiness of nurses and shift work. Methods This was a multicentre, observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study, centred on a self-administered questionnaire. The study was conducted in seven SNHS hospitals of different sizes. We recruited 635 registered nurses who worked on day, night and rotational shifts on surgical, medical and critical care units. Their average age was 41.1 years, their average work experience was 16.4 years and 90% worked full time. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was carried out to study the relationship between work environment, quality and safety care, and sleep quality of nurses working different shift patterns. Results 65.4% (410) of nurses worked on a rotating shift. The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index classification ranked 20% (95) as favourable, showing differences in nurse manager ability, leadership and support between shifts (p=0.003). 46.6% (286) were sure that patients could manage their self-care after discharge, but there were differences between shifts (p=0.035). 33.1% (201) agreed with information being lost in the shift change, showing differences between shifts (p=0.002). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index reflected an average of 6.8 (SD 3.39), with differences between shifts (p=0.017). Conclusions Nursing requires shift work, and the results showed that the rotating shift was the most common. Rotating shift nurses reported worse perception in organisational and work environmental factors. Rotating and night shift nurses were less confident about patients' competence of self-care after discharge. The most common nursing care omissions reported were related to nursing care plans. For the Global Sleep Quality score, difference were found between day and night shift workers.