Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neighborhood Components Analysis for Reward-Based Dimensionality Reduction

There has been a great deal of research that attempts to explain the structure of biological receptive fields in terms of various methods for adapting basis vectors based on the statistical structure of visual input. These include principal components analysis (Hancock et al., 1992), independent components analysis (Bell & Sejnowski, 1997), non-negative matrix factorization (Lee & Seung, 1999), and predictive coding (Rao & Ballard, 1999), among others. Typically, such approaches are based purely on the structure of the visual input; there is no consideration of the role that visual information plays in the goal directed behavior of an organism. The motivation for the current work is to explore mechanisms of basis vector adaptation that are explicitly driven by the behavioral demands of a situated agent.
CLASP1 regulates endothelial cell branching morphology and directed migration

ABSTRACT Endothelial cell (EC) branching is critically dependent upon the dynamic nature of the microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton. Extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanosensing is a prominent mechanism by which cytoskeletal reorganization is achieved; yet how ECM-induced signaling is able to target cytoskeletal reorganization intracellularly to facilitate productive EC branching morphogenesis is not known. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the composition and density of the ECM drive the regulation of MT growth dynamics in ECs by targeting the MT stabilizing protein, cytoplasmic linker associated protein 1 (CLASP1). High-resolution fluorescent microscopy coupled with computational image analysis reveal that CLASP1 promotes slow MT growth on glass ECMs and promotes short-lived MT growth on high-density collagen-I and fibronectin ECMs. Within EC branches, engagement of either high-density collagen-I or high-density fibronectin ECMs results in reduced MT growth speeds, while CLASP1-dependent effects on MT dynamics promotes elevated numbers of short, branched protrusions that guide persistent and directed EC migration. Summary: CLASP1 modulates microtubule dynamics with sub-cellular specificity in response to extracellular matrix density and composition. CLASP1 effects on microtubules promote short, branched protrusions that guide persistent and directional EC migration. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper as part of the supplementary information.
Proposal of Business Intelligence System by Overlay Cloud Computing Architecture

In case of cloud computing service for business usages, with the growth of business opportunities such as the increased number of employee or commerce site's access, the efficient resource or QoS management in virtual network layer come to be more important. Also, autonomous network configuration in virtual layer which can provide optimal efficient resource and QoS service is needed. Not only network configuration is constructed in physical layer, but also it is needed to be constructed in virtual layer for future services. In this paper, it is discussed about Overlay Cloud Computing Architecture which is consisted of virtual autonomous network configuration in cloud computing service including various server and network services for business intelligent system. In our proposal methods, first of all, there are various kinds of autonomous modes such as eco mode, high power mode, and secure mode. Then, virtual network and server configuration is automatically held in virtual layer with the proper mode setting. Besides, with observation values of network and server condition, virtual configuration is changed optimally. In this optimal configuration changing, Kalman filter is used for the calculation of network and server condition. Then, the prototype of the proposed methods is reported, and the future study is discussed in the paper.
A Cytosolic Homomerization and a Modulatory Domain within STIM1 C Terminus Determine Coupling to ORAI1 Channels*

In immune cells, generation of sustained Ca2+ levels is mediated by the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) current. Molecular key players in this process comprise the stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) that functions as a Ca2+ sensor in the endoplasmic reticulum and ORAI1 located in the plasma membrane. Depletion of endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores leads to STIM1 multimerization into discrete puncta, which co-cluster with ORAI1 to couple to and activate ORAI1 channels. The cytosolic C terminus of STIM1 is sufficient to activate ORAI1 currents independent of store depletion. Here we identified an ORAI1-activating small fragment (OASF, amino acids 233–450/474) within STIM1 C terminus comprising the two coiled-coil domains and additional 50–74 amino acids that exhibited enhanced interaction with ORAI1, resulting in 3-fold increased Ca2+ currents. This OASF, similar to the complete STIM1 C terminus, displayed the ability to homomerize by a novel assembly domain that occurred subsequent to the coiled-coil domains. A smaller fragment (amino acids 233–420) generated by a further deletion of 30 amino acids substantially reduced the ability to homomerize concomitant to a loss of coupling to as well as activation of ORAI1. Extending OASF by 35 amino acids (233–485) did not alter homomerization but substantially decreased efficiency in coupling to and activation of ORAI1. Expressing OASF in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) mast cells demonstrated its enhanced plasma membrane targeting associated with 2.5-fold larger CRAC currents in comparison with the complete STIM1 C terminus. In aggregate, we have identified two cytosolic key regions within STIM1 C terminus that control ORAI1/CRAC activation: a homomerization domain indispensable for coupling to ORAI1 and a modulatory domain that controls the extent of coupling to ORAI1.
Motivational and Influential Factors for Choice of CS Major: A Gender Aware Study

Female under representation in CS is widely quoted around the world. Similar to some other Asian countries, in Pakistan female representation in CS degrees is relatively healthy but comparatively low in job market. We conducted a survey to identify the motivational and influential factors for students to join CS major with a focus on gender in order to understand the dynamics of gender representation in academia and job market. Our findings suggest that it is not the technical or stereotypical aspect that hinder growth of females in CS related job market, rather it is mainly driven by social factors.
Indonesian Student Association in Japan XRPWeb : Extensible Requirements Patterns for Web Application Development

This paper proposes an approach for developing web applications by using extensible requirements pattern. This work is based on the facts where a lot of redundant works actually occurred in the web application development. Therefore, developing web applications from scratch is a time-consuming work, because actually we can reuse the similar basic requirements to develop web applications. By reusing the extensible requirements patterns where the general characteristic of web application requirements are stored, the redundancy problem of web application development can be solved and the web developer productivity can be increased.
A novel adaptive topology control in mobile ad hoc networks based on connectivity index

Mobile ad hoc networks or MANETs are infrastructureless wireless networks where each node can freely move and directly connect to the other nodes located within its transmission range to form the topology in any arbitrary pattern. Hence, to ensure network connectivity, each node tends to use the maximum transmission power to extend its transmission range. However, this maximized transmission range typically consumes more energy and consequently drains battery faster on mobile devices in these networks. Topology control is an effective technique proposed in ad hoc networks to ensure network connectivity while reducing energy consumption to prolong operation lifetime. In this work, a novel technique is proposed for an adaptive topology control to allow each node to optimize its transmission range while obtaining the compromising level of network connectivity. This novel topology control can be effectively carried out by allowing nodes to maintain the predefined value of Connectivity Index (CI) which is a famous topological index used in the field of mathematic, physic, chemistry, biology and telecommunications.
Axitinib is an active treatment for all histologic subtypes of advanced thyroid cancer: results from a phase II study.

PURPOSE Patients with advanced, incurable thyroid cancer not amenable to surgery or radioactive iodine ((131)I) therapy have few satisfactory therapeutic options. This multi-institutional study assessed the activity and safety of axitinib, an oral, potent, and selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR) 1, 2, and 3 in patients with advanced thyroid cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with thyroid cancer of any histology that was resistant or not appropriate for (131)I were enrolled onto a single-arm phase II trial to receive axitinib orally (starting dose, 5 mg twice daily). Objective response rate (ORR) by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors was the primary end point. Secondary end points included duration of response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, safety, and modulation of soluble (s) VEGFR. RESULTS Sixty patients were enrolled. Partial responses were observed in 18 patients, yielding an ORR of 30% (95% CI, 18.9 to 43.2). Stable disease lasting > or = 16 weeks was reported in another 23 patients (38%). OBJECTIVE responses were noted in all histologic subtypes. Median PFS was 18.1 months (95% CI, 12.1 to not estimable). Axitinib was generally well tolerated, with the most common grade > or = 3 treatment-related adverse event being hypertension (n = 7; 12%). Eight patients (13%) discontinued treatment because of adverse events. Axitinib selectively decreased sVEGFR-2 and sVEGFR-3 plasma concentrations versus sKIT, demonstrating its targeting of VEGFR. CONCLUSION Axitinib is a selective inhibitor of VEGFR with compelling antitumor activity in all histologic subtypes of advanced thyroid cancer.
Outcomes Validity and Reliability of the Modified Rankin Scale: Implications for Stroke Clinical Trials: A Literature Review and Synthesis

Background and Purpose— The modified Rankin scale (mRS), a clinician-reported measure of global disability, is widely applied for evaluating stroke patient outcomes and as an end point in randomized clinical trials. Extensive evidence on the validity of the mRS exists across a large but fragmented literature. As new treatments for acute ischemic stroke are submitted for agency approval, an appreciation of the mRS’s attributes, specifically its relationship to other stroke evaluation scales, would be valuable for decision-makers to properly assess the impact of a new drug on treatment paradigms. The purpose of this report is to assemble and systematically assess the properties of the mRS to provide decision-makers with pertinent evaluative information. Methods— A Medline search was conducted to identify reports in the peer-reviewed medical literature (1957–2006) that provide information on the structure, validation, scoring, and psychometric properties of the mRS and its use in clinical trials. The selection of articles was based on defined criteria that included relevance, study design and use of appropriate statistical methods. Results— Of 224 articles identified by the literature search, 50 were selected for detailed assessment. Inter-rater reliability with the mRS is moderate and improves with structured interviews (&kgr; 0.56 versus 0.78); strong test-re-test reliability (&kgr;=0.81 to 0.95) has been reported. Numerous studies demonstrate the construct validity of the mRS by its relationships to physiological indicators such as stroke type, lesion size, perfusion and neurological impairment. Convergent validity between the mRS and other disability scales is well documented. Patient comorbidities and socioeconomic factors should be considered in properly applying and interpreting the mRS. Recent analyses suggest that randomized clinical trials of acute stroke treatments may require a smaller sample size if the mRS is used as a primary end point rather than the Barthel Index. Conclusions— Multiple types of evidence attest to the validity and reliability of the mRS. The reported data support the view that the mRS is a valuable instrument for assessing the impact of new stroke treatments.
The effects of physical training on cardiovascular parameters, lipid disorders and endothelial function.

BACKGROUND/AIM [corrected] Regular physical activity is widely accepted as factor that reduces all-cause mortality and improves a number of health outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise training on cardiovascular parameters, lipid profile and endothelial function in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). METHODS The study included seventy patients with stable CAD. All the patients were divided into two groups: the group I--33 patients with CAD and with regular aerobic physical training during cardiovascular rehabilitation program phase II for 3 weeks in our rehabilitation center and 3 weeks after that in their home setting, and the group II (control)--37 patients with CAD and sedentary lifestyle. Exercise training consisted of continual aerobic exercise for 45 minutes on a treadmill, room bicycle or walking, three times a week. We determined lipid and cardiovascular parameters and nitric oxide (NO) concentration at the beginning and after a six-week of training. RESULTS There were no significant differences in body weight, waist circumference and waist/hip ratio at the start and at the end of physical training program. Physical training significantly reduced body mass index after six weeks compared to the initial and control values. Physical training significantly reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate after a six-week training period (p < 0.05). Heart rate was significantly lower after a training period as compared to the control (p < 0.05). A significant reduction of triglyceride and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentration after cardiovascular rehabilitation were registered (p < 0.05). The concentration of triglycerides was significantly lower while NO and HDL-C were higher after six weeks in the exercise training group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Dynamic training can improve blood pressure in patients with moderate to severe hypertension and reduce the need for medication. Exercise programs induced favorable adaptations on lipoproteins profile, cardiovascular parameters and endothelial function which are clinically desirable in primary and secondary prevention of CAD.
Eating Disorder Risk and Body Dissatisfaction Based on Muscularity and Body Fat in Male University Students

Abstract Objective: To investigate the relationship between risk of eating disorders, body dissatisfaction, and perceptual attractiveness in male university students. Participants: Research was conducted January–April 2012 and involved 339 male and 441 female students. Methods: Eating disorder risk was assessed with the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and body dissatisfaction and perceptual attractiveness determined with the Bodybuilder Image Grid (BIG). Results: There was a positive correlation (r = .16, p < .01) between the EAT and fat dissatisfaction and a negative correlation (r = −.14, p < .05) for muscle dissatisfaction, 28% of the males had an EAT score indicating that they were at risk for an eating disorder. Males chose a significantly more muscular and leaner body type than what females chose to be attractive. Conclusion: College-aged males may be at risk for eating disorders based on distortions in their perceived ideal body image, both for fat and muscle.
Individual Species-Area Relationship of Woody Plant Communities in a Heterogeneous Subtropical Monsoon Rainforest

The spatial structure of species richness is often characterized by the species-area relationship (SAR). However, the SAR approach rarely considers the spatial variability of individual plants that arises from species interactions and species’ habitat associations. Here, we explored how the interactions of individual plants of target species influence SAR patterns at a range of neighborhood distances. We analyzed the data of 113,988 woody plants of 110 species from the Fushan Forest Dynamics Plot (25 ha), northern Taiwan, which is a subtropical rainforest heavily influenced by typhoons. We classified 34 dominant species into 3 species types (i.e., accumulator, repeller, or no effect) by testing how the individual species-area relationship (i.e., statistics describing how neighborhood species richness changes around individuals) of target species departs (i.e., positively, negatively, or with no obvious trend) from a null model that accounts for habitat association. Deviation from the null model suggests that the net effect of species’ interactions increases (accumulate) or decreases (repel) neighborhood species richness. We found that (i) accumulators were dominant at small interaction distances (<10–30 m); (ii) the detection of accumulator species was lower at large interaction distances (>30 m); (iii) repellers were rarely detected; and (iv) large-sized and abundant species tended to be accumulators. The findings suggest that positive species interactions have the potential to accumulate neighborhood species richness, particularly through size- and density-dependent mechanisms. We hypothesized that the frequently disturbed environment of this subtropical rainforest (e.g., typhoon-driven natural disturbances such as landslides, soil erosion, flooding, and windthrow) might create the spatial heterogeneity of species richness and promote positive species interactions.
Printout verification using a new image hash algorithm based on Radon, Wavelet, and Fast Fourier transforms

Certificate and document issuing processes are often in a form of printing document to a paper. Some might improve the trustworthiness of their paper via using secure paper or secure printing method such as watermark, hologram etc. The interesting problem is that this security mechanism is not enough because nowadays printer with secure printing module can be obtained easier than before, which means reproducing counterfeit document can be done uncomplicatedly. To solve this problem, a security framework using image hashing function to capture document fingerprint and perform a digital signature based on PKI-enabled infrastructures is proposed to guarantee this fingerprint integrity. The key component of this framework is using image hashing algorithm based on Radon, Wavelet and Fast Fourier transforms to capture perceptual appearance of printout and verify integrity of their document. Hash value from the proposed algorithm is invariant to some unintentional factors such as noise or some duplication process without any change of content while it is robust to some intentional attacks such as text and image editing. With the experimental results, our proposed scheme outperforms other existing image hashing algorithms in terms of both false acceptance rate and false rejection rate.
Recurrent Grid Based Voting Approach for Location Estimation in Wireless Sensor Networks

With the advent of location aware sensor applications, precise location discovery has become an important technology in Wireless Sensor Networks. Inter Peer communication in the sensor network has been modeled as the graph with constraints defined in terms of proximity. Recurrent Grid Based Voting Approach (RGBV) has been introduced to estimate the location of unknown nodes in the network. Voting Scheme is adopted on an iterative basis for the nodes. For each node, region of interest (ROI) with the maximum votes is figured out as the collection of two-dimensional points after recursive voting. Convex hull is generated from this set of points to frame the actual ROI. Additionally, minimum bounding rectangle algorithm has been applied to figure out the centroid of the region. The centroid thus estimated is the required location of unknown node. Our methodology is shown to have fast convergence with low estimation error, even for complex networks. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is promising for the current generation of sensor networks.
Corporate Networks in Europe and the United States

Corporate networks form part of the institutional structure of markets and the business environment, enabling firms to coordinate their behaviour and regulate competition. Networks perform a number of economic functions: they reduce information asymmetries and uncertainty, and facilitate the redistribution of risk between banks, firms, and investors. Within these networks, firms collectively monitor one another and owners supervise their managers. Part One analyses comparative data on interlocking directorates and capital networks between the large corporations in six countries: Germany, Great Britain, France, the United States, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The structure of corporate networks is shaped by the traditions, culture, and institutions of a country. The German corporate network, for instance, is highly centralized and includes almost all large corporations. The network in the United States, however, is decentralized and falls into a number of regional centres. Corporate networks may be considered as a configuration of firms that are connected to one another by managers (interlocks). Networks may also be considered as a configuration of managers who meet each other on the board of directors (network of the economic elite). The resources on which the dominance of the economic elite is based are bureaucratic power, property rights, and social capital. The top managers not only have a leading position within large corporations (bureaucratic power), they also represent the owner vis-a-vis the dependent firm on whose board they sit. Thus, bureaucratic control over a company is linked with property rights in the context of specific network configurations. These configurations vary between countries and lead to differing forms of managerial control in Germany, France, Britain, and the United States (Part Two of the book). Part Three concentrates on corporate networks and the structure of the market order in the transitional economies. The type of capitalism that is evolving in these countries in some ways resembles Western managerial capitalism, but with certain significant differences. Privatization created a relatively high concentration of ownership. There is no clear-cut separation of ownership and control, but rather a balance of power between managers and owners.
Energy Efficient Networking Protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks

Energy efficiency is widely regarded as one of the major challenges for wireless sensor networks. In the literature, the issue is normally addressed from the viewpoint of a specific protocol layer or functionality, such as medium access control (MAC) or routing. In this paper, energy conservation in wireless sensor networks is treated with a holistic approach and examined across all protocol layers and functionalities including MAC, topology management, routing and sensor protocols. The advantages and disadvantages of different protocols for different layers are reviewed and discussed. Some recommendations on the employment of protocols for small, medium and large scale wireless sensor networks are presented.