Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Technique for Avoiding Plateaus of Greedy Best-First Search in Satisficing Planning

Greedy best-ﬁrst search (GBFS) is a popular and effective algorithm in satisﬁcing planning and is incorporated into high-performance planners. GBFS in planning decides its search direction with automatically generated heuristic functions. However, if the heuristic functions evaluate nodes inaccurately, GBFS may be misled into a valueless search direction, thus resulting in performance degradation. This paper presents a simple but effective algorithm considering a diversity of search directions to avoid the errors of heuristic information. Experimental results in solving a variety of planning problems show that our approach is successful.
NUCLEAR ARCHITECTURE AND GENE REGULATION IN MAMMALIAN CELLS

tion of gene expression and other nuclear functions — namely the architecture of the nucleus as a whole. In particular, we describe evidence for a compartmentalized nuclear architecture in the mammalian cell nucleus based on chromosome territories (CTs) and an interchromatin compartment (IC) that contains macromolecular complexes that are required for replication, transcription, splicing and repair (summarized in FIG. 1). Other nuclear components, such as the nucleolus, nuclear lamina and pores, are not reviewed here (for reviews, see REFS 15,16), and although the focus of this review is the mammalian nucleus, the nuclear architecture of other organisms will be mentioned where appropriate. During the past two decades, various new methods have expanded the cell biologist’s ‘toolkit’ for the study of nuclear architecture and function (BOX 1). These methods have provided the basis for detailed studies of CTs, as well as for studies of the topology and dynamics of non-chromatin domains in the nucleus of fixed and, more recently, living cells. Computer simulations of CTs and nuclear architecture are also being used to make quantitative predictions that can be tested experimentally. On the basis of Despite all the celebrations associated with the sequencing of the human genome, and the genomes of other model organisms, our abilities to interpret genome sequences are quite limited. For example, we cannot understand the orchestrated activity — and the silencing — of many thousands of genes in any given cell just on the basis of DNA sequences, such as promoter and enhancer elements. How are the profound differences in gene activities established and maintained in a large number of cell types to ensure the development and functioning of a complex multicellular organism? To answer this question fully, we need to understand how genomes are organized in the nucleus, the basic principles of nuclear architecture and the changes in nuclear organization that occur during cellular differentiation. During recent years, EPIGENETIC mechanisms of gene regulation, such as DNA methylation and histone modification, have entered the centre stage of chromatin research. Modifications of DNA and nucleosomes, however, as well as boundaries and insulators, that affect gene regulation at the chromatin level are not the focus of this article. Instead, we review experimental data and models for a higher level of the regulaCHROMOSOME TERRITORIES, NUCLEAR ARCHITECTURE AND GENE REGULATION IN MAMMALIAN CELLS
No-cloning theorem for a single POVM

Cloning of statistics of general quantum measurement is discussed. The presented ap-proach is connected with the known concept of observable cloning, but differs in someessential respects. The reasons are illustrated within some variety of the B92 protocol.As it is shown, there exist pairs of states such that the perfect cloning of given POVM isnot possible. We discuss some properties of these intolerant sets. An example allowingthe perfect cloning is presented as well.
Evaluating the Use of Synthetic Replicas for SEM Identification of Bloodstains (with Emphasis on Archaeological and Ethnographic Artifacts)

Abstract Some archaeological or ethnographic specimens are unavailable for direct examination using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) due to methodological obstacles or legal issues. In order to assess the feasibility of using SEM synthetic replicas for the identification of bloodstains (BSs) via morphology of red blood cells (RBCs), three fragments of different natural raw material (inorganic, stone; plant, wood; animal, shell) were smeared with peripheral human blood. Afterwards, molds and casts of the bloodstained areas were made using vinyl polysiloxane (VPS) silicone impression and polyurethane (PU) resin casting material, respectively. Then, the original samples and the resulting casts were coated with gold and examined in secondary-electron mode using a high-vacuum SEM. Results suggest that PU resin casts obtained from VPS silicone molds can preserve RBC morphology in BSs, and consequently that synthetic replicas are feasible for SEM identification of BSs on cultural heritage specimens made of natural raw materials. Although the focus of this study was on BSs, the method reported in this paper may be applicable to organic residues other than blood, as well as to the surface of other specimens when, for any reason, the original is unavailable for an SEM.
Mental contamination and the debiasing problem.

People do not have access to or control over the recipe of their impressions, feelings, and attitudes. There exists a vast, adaptive unconscious that does much of the work of sizing up and evaluating the world (Nisbett & Wilson, 1977b; Wilson, 2001); people often know the final product with no awareness of exactly how it was formed. Consider Ms. Green, a partner in a prestigious law firm, who is interviewing candidates for the position of associate in her firm. When she interviews Mr. Jones, a young African-American attorney, she has an immediate negative impression, finding him to be arrogant and lacking the kind of brilliance she looks for in new associates. Ms. Green decides that her impression of Mr. Jones was accurate and at a meeting of the partners, argues against hiring him. She wonders, however, whether her negative evaluation was influenced by Mr. Jones' race. Ms. Green may have suffered from mental contamination, which Wilson and Brekke (1994) defined as unconscious or uncontrollable mental processing that results in unwanted judgments, emotions, or behavior. Her dilemma illustrates the difficulty of knowing whether one's responses are contaminated, and if so, how to correct them. In this chapter, we review and update the arguments made by Wilson and Brekke (1994) concerning mental contamination, and also address several questions about the ways in which people try to protect their minds from unwanted influences.
Calcium-activated chloride current in rabbit coronary artery myocytes.

Whole-cell patch-clamp techniques were used to study enzymatically dispersed epicardial coronary artery smooth muscle cells. Depolarizing voltage pulses of 500-millisecond duration from -60 mV (118 mmol/L CsCl, 22 mmol/L tetraethylammonium chloride, and 5 mmol/L EGTA pipette solution) elicited inward L-type calcium currents (ICa). When EGTA was omitted from the pipette solution, an outward current was superimposed on the calcium current, and repolarizing voltage steps produced an inward tail current (IT). The amplitude of these inward currents was proportional to the ICa amplitude from -30 to +50 mV. The time course of decay of the current was well fit by a single exponential equation. The time constant (tau) of this equation did not change with the size of IT but was clearly voltage dependent (shorter at more negative potentials). Changing the chloride reversal potential from -1.3 to -39.7 mV by anion substitution using methanesulfonate as the chloride replacement in the pipette solution shifted the zero current level of IT from 0.9 +/- 0.56 to -33.1 +/- 0.85 mV. The tail current was blocked by nifedipine (10(-6) mol/L) and by isosmolar calcium substitution with barium in the bath solution and was enhanced by the dihydropyridine agonist Bay K 8644 (10(-6) mol/L). IT was also blocked by the chloride channel blockers DIDS (10(-4) mol/L) and niflumic acid (10(-5) mol/L). Caffeine (10(-2) mol/L), which releases intracellular calcium stores, caused an inward current at holding potentials (-60 mV), which was inhibited by DIDS. Caffeine also inhibited subsequent attempts to elicit IT by depolarizing pulses (88% reduction in IT). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
No Band Color Effects on Male Courtship Rate or Body Mass in the Zebra Finch: Four Experiments and a Meta-Analysis

Replication of experiments is essential for distinguishing real effects from type 1 errors and idiosyncrasies. One of the most replicated experiments in behavioral ecology is the presumed manipulation of male attractiveness in zebra finches by adding red or green color bands. Red-banded males were found to have higher fitness than green-banded males, and most empirical evidence suggests that this effect is mediated by female mating preferences rather than by male-male competition. A recent study, however, reported that color bands affected male courtship rate and body mass independently of female behavior. If this effect was real, some earlier findings of female preferences and maternal effects on offspring traits could potentially be reinterpreted as being mediated indirectly via effects on male behavior. This new perspective seems appealing also in light of a growing interest in bi-directional feedback mechanisms between endocrinology and ornamentation. However, here we report four independent failures to replicate this effect of color bands on courtship rate and body mass. Combining this new experimental data with all the published evidence in a meta-analysis shows that color bands seem to affect neither male courtship rate (average effect size d = 0.02) nor male body mass (d = −0.07). The present case is a reminder that replication of experiments lies at the heart of distinguishing between real effects and false positive findings.
bioA mutant of Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows severe growth defect and imparts protection against tuberculosis in guinea pigs

Owing to the devastation caused by tuberculosis along with the unsatisfactory performance of the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine, a more efficient vaccine than BCG is required for the global control of tuberculosis. A number of studies have demonstrated an essential role of biotin biosynthesis in the growth and survival of several microorganisms, including mycobacteria, through deletion of the genes involved in de novo biotin biosynthesis. In this study, we demonstrate that a bioA mutant of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtbΔbioA) is highly attenuated in the guinea pig model of tuberculosis when administered aerogenically as well as intradermally. Immunization with MtbΔbioA conferred significant protection in guinea pigs against an aerosol challenge with virulent M. tuberculosis, when compared with the unvaccinated animals. Booster immunization with MtbΔbioA offered no advantage over a single immunization. These experiments demonstrate the vaccinogenic potential of the attenuated M. tuberculosis bioA mutant against tuberculosis.
Historical Typewritten Document Recognition Using Minimal User Interaction

Recognition of low-quality historical typewritten documents can still be considered as a challenging and difficult task due to several issues i.e. the existence of faint and degraded characters, stains, tears, punch holes etc. In this paper, we exploit the unique characteristics of historical typewritten documents in order to propose an efficient recognition methodology that requires minimum user interaction. It is based on a pre-processing stage in order to enhance the quality and extract connected components, on a semi-supervised clustering for detecting the most representative character samples and on a segmentation-free recognition stage based on a template matching and cross-correlation technique. Experimental results prove that even with minimum user interaction, the proposed method can lead to promising accuracy results.
Natural variation in cold tolerance in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus: the role of genotype and environment

ABSTRACT Low temperature is a primary determinant of growth and survival among organisms and almost all animals need to withstand temperature fluctuations in their surroundings. We used the hermaphroditic nematode Pristionchus pacificus to examine variation in cold tolerance in samples collected from 18 widespread locations. Samples were challenged by exposure to both direct and gradual low temperature after culture in the laboratory at 20°C. A short-term acclimation treatment was also applied to assess cold tolerance following a pre-exposure cold treatment. Finally, genotype-by-environment (G × E) analysis was performed on a subset of samples cultured at two additional temperatures (15°C and 25°C). P. pacificus displayed a high degree of natural variation in cold tolerance, corresponding to the presence of three distinct phenotypic classes among samples: cold tolerant, non-cold tolerant, cold tolerant plastic. Survival of gradual cold exposure was significantly higher than survival of direct exposure to low temperature and a cold exposure pre-treatment significantly enhanced cold tolerance in some samples. By focusing on a sub-set of well-sampled locations from tropical La Réunion Island, we found evidence of significant effects of genotype and environment on cold tolerance, and we also showed that, within the different Réunion locations sampled, all three phenotypic classes are generally well represented. Taken together, our results show that P. pacificus exhibits a highly plastic tolerance to cold exposure that may be partly driven by differential trait sensitivity in diverse environments.
Intravenous endothelin-1 triggers pulmonary hypertension syndrome (ascites) in broilers

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of endothelin-1(ET-1) on pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS, ascites) morbidity in broilers. Two hundred and seventy of one-day-old Arbor Acre commercial broiler chickens were randomly allocated into two experiments. In Experiment 1, 40 broilers (28 days of age) were intravenously with five different dose groups of ET-1, and the PAP was measured from time 0 to 30 min. The results indicated that the PAP increased from time 0.5 to 5 min after the broilers were injected with ET-1 at concentrations of 24 ng/kg (Group T1), 120 ng/kg (Group T2), and 240 ng/kg (Group T3). When the broilers were injected with ET-1 at a concentration of 360 ng/kg (Group T4), the PAP decreased immediately from time 0 to 0.5 min but increased from time 0.5 to 10 min. The change from baseline (at time 0, before the injection) of PAP values from the four treatment groups were statistically compared with that from the control group (Group C). The statistical analysis has demonstrated that there is no significant difference of the changes from the baseline between Group T1 or Group T2 and control group (Group C). How- ever, there are significant differences in the changes between Group T3 or Group T4 and control group (Group C). In Experiment 2, 230 broilers were divided into four groups: a control group (Group C, n = 50) and three treat - ment groups (Groups A, B, and D). The chickens in the two treatment groups (Groups A and B, n = 60 each) were intravenously injected with ET-1 at 240 ng/kg and 360 ng/kg, respectively. Those in Group D ( n = 60) were exposed to cool temperatures (10°C to 14°C). The PHS morbidity, right/total ventricular weight (RV/TV) ratio, PCV, plasma nitric oxide (NO), and PAP were recorded and statistically compared. The results showed that PHS mortality did not occur in Group C, and trends toward increases in PHS mortality in Groups A, B and D were not significant. The RV/TV ratio and PAP were higher in groups A, B and D than in group C. The values for PCV and plasma nitric oxide (NO) followed the same tendencies as the RV/TV ratio. The results suggest that ET-1 at higher doses (240 ng/kg to 360 ng/kg) can initiate pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy, leading to PHS in broilers.
KNOWING THE NATURAL WORLD: THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EVOLUTION IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

Evolution is a central underlying concept to a significant number of discourses in civilized society, but the complexity of understanding basic tenets of this im portant theory is just now coming to light. A number of misconceptions have been described, including the process of developing new traits, the role of variation, and the transformation of species. Research into strategies to overcome these misconc eptions has been equivocal, however. As part of a curriculum that used a nature program as a surrogate to help students explicitly recognize their cognitive illusions, we dev loped specific teaching tools that elicited the diversity of concepts held by individual s. One tool required students respond to four incorrect prepared alternative statements a bout the co-evolution of orchids and their pollinators. Students’ responses indicated they simultaneously held a number of misconceptions, proximate conceptions, and evolutionary conceptions. Indeed, students’ “conceptual ecologies” were highly d verse, diversity that scaled with the abstract nature of the concepts associat ed w th evolutionary theory. Students with more evolutionary conceptions included fewer misconceptions in their responses than students with few or no evolutionary conceptions. The composition of conceptual ecologies suggested that students may shift to a conceptual ecolog y dominated by proximate conceptions prior to incorporating evolutionary conceptions, then return to an ecology that incorporates both misconceptions and proximate
Na+/Ca2+ exchanger overexpression impairs frequency- and ouabain-dependent cell shortening in adult rat cardiomyocytes.

The Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) may influence cardiac function depending on its predominant mode of action, forward mode or reverse mode, during the contraction-relaxation cycle. The intracellular Na(+) concentration ([Na(+)](i)) and the duration of the action potential as well as the level of NCX protein expression regulate the mode of action of NCX. [Na(+)](i) and NCX expression have been reported to be increased in human heart failure. Nevertheless, the consequences of altered NCX expression in heart failure are still a matter of discussion. We aimed to characterize the influence of NCX expression on intracellular Ca(2+) transport in rat cardiomyocytes by adenoviral-mediated gene transfer. A five- to ninefold (dose dependent) overexpression of NCX protein was achieved after 48 h by somatic gene transfer (Ad.NCX.GFP) versus control (Ad.GFP). NCX activity, determined by Na(+) gradient-dependent (45)Ca(2+)-uptake, was significantly increased. The protein expressions of sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase, phospholamban, and calsequestrin were unaffected by NCX overexpression. Fractional shortening (FS) of isolated cardiomyocytes was significantly increased at low stimulation rates in Ad.NCX. GFP. After a step-wise enhancing frequency of stimulation to 3.0 Hz, FS remained unaffected in Ad.GFP cells but declined in Ad.NCX. GFP cells. The positive inotropic effect of the cardiac glycoside ouabain was less effective in Ad.NCX. GFP cells, whereas the positive inotropic effect of beta-adrenergic stimulation remained unchanged. In conclusion, NCX overexpression results in a reduced cell shortening at higher stimulation frequencies as well as after inhibition of sarcolemmal Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, i.e., in conditions with enhanced [Na(+)](i). At low stimulation rates, increased NCX expression enhances both intracellular systolic Ca(2+) and contraction amplitude.
Picnics, Kittens And Wigs: Using Scenarios For The Sentence Competition Task

This paper describes a program for filling in blank spaces in sentences which are given to elementary school children to test reading comprehension. The paper discusses the knowledge structure needed to represent what is being described In the sentences. As part of the structure, scenarios of classes of events are described. These scenarios contain general information about how the event occurs, who the likely actors are, and when the subparts of the event occur. The description of the scenario includes the use of free variables and the embedding of one scenario within another. Implementation of these characteristics of the scenario is described in some detail.
Antigenic targets for renal cell carcinoma immunotherapy

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been shown to respond to immunotherapeutic intervention, thus fostering continued interest in exploiting the ability of the immune system to recognise and eradicate renal malignancy. Considerable progress in the characterisation of tumour-associated antigens, coupled with the appreciation that dendritic cells act as master regulators of immunity and tolerance, has opened new possibilities for immunotherapeutic intervention against human cancer. However, in contrast to other tumour systems, clinically relevant antigens expressed by RCC have not yet been identified. Therefore, most RCC vaccine trials have employed unfractionated antigens derived from tumour cells, with the goal of eliciting T cell responses against many unknown antigens expressed by the tumour. The recent discovery of genes with critical roles in oncogenesis has facilitated the identification of novel, more universal targets that may make cancer vaccines more practical, applicable and, potentially, more effective. In addition, immunisation against tumour antigens can be combined with tumour stroma-associated targets, thereby exerting a synergistic antitumour effect. Continued identification of molecular targets, in concert with more effective vaccination protocols, is likely to produce vaccination strategies with clinical impact.
General Type Error Diagnostics Using MaxSMT

Automatic type inference is a popular feature of functional programming languages. Unfortunately, if the compiler cannot infer a correct typing of a program, the produced error message does not always help the programmer to fix the error. The compiler typically reports a single program location in the error message. This location is the point where the type inference failed, but not necessarily the actual cause of the error. Other potential error causes are not even considered. Hence, the compiler often misses the true error cause and, consequently, increases debugging time for the programmer. The goal of this work is to provide high quality type error diagnostics that can help speed up the software development process.
A prática educativa baseada em evidências: contribuições na formação de docentes interdisciplinares.

The article proposes a reflection on the scientific movement of analysis of educational evidence-based practices that began in the health field. Based on a group of authors, the paper argues on the fundamentals of this practice, shedding light on decision making, educational policies and practices in an educational institution. The term "evidence-based" implies search, application and critical evaluation of the available evidences on research, implementation of evidences in practice and evaluation of the information available. Sharing with colleagues implies an institutional proposal involving the academic collective into the possibility of an interdisciplinary practice.
A Kernel of Truth

This paper first proposes a (to the author’s limited knowledge) novel extension to the OpenIE paradigm, to allow the expression of recursive relations, and presents a fully implemented extension to the EXEMPLAR system, uncreatively referred to as Recursive-EXEMPLAR, to extract recursive n-ary relations automatically and with very high precision. It then explores the possibility of a "concept kernel" over the output of Recursive-EXEMPLAR to allow arbitrary learning over the ideas expressed in raw text inputs, and discusses computational considerations.