Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Designs of Experiments for Accurate Approximation of a Target Region

This paper addresses the issue of designing experiments for a metamodel that needs to be accurate for a certain level of the response value. Such situation is encountered in particular in constrained optimization and reliability analysis. Here, we propose an iterative strategy to build designs of experiments, which is based on an explicit trade-off between reduction of global uncertainty and exploration of the regions of interest. The method is illustrated on several test-problems. It is shown that a substantial reduction of error can be achieved in the crucial regions, with reasonable loss on the global accuracy. The method is finally applied to a reliability analysis problem; it is found that the adaptive designs significantly outperform classical space-filling designs.
WEAVE: a system for visually linking 3-D and statistical visualizations applied to cardiac simulation and measurement data

WEAVE (Workbench Environment for Analysis and Visual Exploration) is an environment for creating interactive visualization applications. WEAVE differs from previous systems in that it provides transparent linking between custom 3D visualizations and multidimensional statistical representations, and provides interactive color brushing between all visualizations. The authors demonstrate how WEAVE can be used to rapidly prototype a biomedical application, weaving together simulation data, measurement data, and 3D anatomical data concerning the propagation of excitation in the heart. These linked statistical and custom three-dimensional visualizations of the heart can allow scientists to more effectively study the correspondence of structure and behavior.
Alterations in prostaglandin production in spontaneously hypertensive rat smooth muscle cells.

We have characterized angiotensin binding sites in cultured smooth muscle cells obtained from the aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. In both strains of rats the binding of 125I-angiotensin II (125I-Ang II) in smooth muscle cells was time dependent and reached a maximum at 60 minutes. Scatchard analysis revealed a single binding site in both strains with equilibrium constants (KD) of 5.35 nmol/L in SHR and 3.47 nmol/L in WKY rats. Binding capacities (Bmax) in smooth muscle cells averaged 270 and 150 fmol/mg protein in SHR and WKY rats, respectively. Angiotensin peptides competed for 125I-Ang II binding with an order of potency of Ang II > angiotensin-(1-7) = angiotensin I. In smooth muscle cells of the SHR, basal prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostacyclin (prostaglandin I2 [PGI2]) release were threefold and 15-fold lower than that found in WKY rat smooth muscle cells. Ang II as well as angiotensin-(1-7) stimulated PGE2 and PGI2 release in WKY rat smooth muscle cells. In smooth muscle cells from SHR, Ang II increased the production of both PGE2 and PGI2, whereas angiotensin-(1-7) enhanced only PGE2 but not PGI2 release. There was no significant difference between Ang II-stimulated PGE2 and PGI2 release or angiotensin-(1-7)-stimulated PGE2 production in SHR and WKY rat smooth muscle cells. However, angiotensin-(1-7)-stimulated PGI2 release was significantly lower (p < 0.0005) in SHR compared with WKY smooth muscle cells. Collectively, the data suggest that smooth muscle cells of SHR contain a higher number of angiotensin binding sites. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Alkaline activation of ClC-K2 chloride channels switches renal cells from reabsorbing to secreting

The ClC-K2 chloride channel has long been known to robustly express in the basolateral plasma membranes of epithelial cells lining the thick ascending limb, distal convoluted tubule, and distal nephron (including the collecting duct system; [Stauber et al., 2012][1]; [Jentsch, 2015][2]). Our
English-Hindi Transliteration Using Context-Informed PB-SMT: the DCU System for NEWS 2009

This paper presents English---Hindi transliteration in the NEWS 2009 Machine Transliteration Shared Task adding source context modeling into state-of-the-art log-linear phrase-based statistical machine translation (PB-SMT). Source context features enable us to exploit source similarity in addition to target similarity, as modelled by the language model. We use a memory-based classification framework that enables efficient estimation of these features while avoiding data sparseness problems.We carried out experiments both at character and transliteration unit (TU) level. Position-dependent source context features produce significant improvements in terms of all evaluation metrics.
AGING AND TURNOVER OF STAFF IN AGRICULTURAL R&D A Case Study on the Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute

During 2001–10 the Senegalese Agricultural Research Institute (ISRA) experienced very high rates of staff departures, primarily due to resignations, temporary re-assignments to other government entities, and retirements. The primary impediment is the Institute’s ability to compete with the higher education and private sectors, as well as regional and international organizations, on the basis of low salary levels and less than optimal working conditions. The purpose of this case study is to provide stakeholders with information to facilitate future decisionand policymaking to address this situation and to provide inputs into a more broad-based assessment of similar phemona in other countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Time-Reversal UWB positioning beacon for railway application

This paper studies a new localization system for railway transport using Ultra Wideband (UWB) radio and Time Reversal (TR) techniques. UWB radio has the potential to offer good performance in terms of localization precision. Time Reversal channel pre-filtering facilitates signal detection and also helps increasing the received energy in a targeted area. In this paper, we study the characteristics of time reversal temporal and spatial focusing. We analyze the contribution of time reversal associated with UWB in terms of localization error. To perform this study, a deterministic channel model, consisting of several reflected paths combined with the direct path is modeled. In terms of localization error, the simulation results show that TR-UWB technique delivers improved performance over the UWB alone localization approach.
Fat and Wingless signaling oppositely regulate epithelial cell-cell adhesion and distal wing development in Drosophila

Development of organ-specific size and shape demands tight coordination between tissue growth and cell-cell adhesion. Dynamic regulation of cell adhesion proteins thus plays an important role during organogenesis. In Drosophila, the homophilic cell adhesion protein DE-Cadherin (DE-Cad) regulates epithelial cell-cell adhesion at adherens junctions (AJs). Here, we show that along the proximodistal (PD) axis of the developing wing epithelium, apical cell shapes and expression of DE-Cad are graded in response to Wingless (Wg), a morphogen secreted from the dorsoventral (DV) organizer in distal wing, suggesting a PD gradient of cell-cell adhesion. The Fat (Ft) tumor suppressor, by contrast, represses DE-Cad expression. In genetic tests, ft behaves as a suppressor of Wg signaling. Cytoplasmic pool of β-catenin/Arm, the intracellular transducer of Wg signaling, is negatively correlated with the activity of Ft. Moreover, unlike that of Wg, signaling by Ft negatively regulates the expression of Distalless (Dll) and Vestigial (Vg). Finally, we show that Ft intersects Wnt/Wg signaling, downstream of the Wg ligand. Fat and Wg signaling thus exert opposing regulation to coordinate cell-cell adhesion and patterning along the PD axis of Drosophila wing.
Geodesic Based Similarities for Approximate Spectral Clustering

Spectral clustering has been successfully used in various applications, thanks to its properties such as no requirement of a parametric model, ability to extract clusters of different characteristics and easy implementation. However, it is often infeasible for large datasets due to its heavy computational load and memory requirement. To utilize its advantages for large datasets, it is applied to the dataset representatives (either obtained by quantization or sampling) rather than the data samples, which is called approximate spectral clustering. This necessitates novel approaches for defining similarities based on representatives exploiting the data characteristics, in addition to the traditional Euclidean distance based similarities. To address this challenge, we propose similarity measures based on geodesic distances and local density distribution. Our experiments using datasets with varying cluster statistics show that the proposed geodesic based similarities are successful for approximate spectral clustering with high accuracies.
Social media mixed with news in political candidate judgment: Order effects on knowledge and affect

In the context of politics, emotions and facts work together to shape opinions about political candidates. While there is considerable research on motivated reasoning about political issues, there is less attention to how affect and rationality combine in the hybrid world of new media. This study examined the interaction of social media comments about politicians with more traditional information sources. Participants were exposed to political candidates’ Facebook news feeds, to news articles about the candidates, and to a political speech. The order of exposure was varied and measures of both knowledge and emotion were taken. When social media was encountered before news about a political candidate, it influenced feelings toward the candidate but did not influence personal mood or perceived knowledge. In contrast, when social media was encountered before information unrelated to the candidates, it negatively influenced all dependent measures. The findings are discussed in terms of motivated reasoning theories, Papacharissi’s concept of “affective publics,” and the implications for civic participation in the new media era.
Costs and benefits of cold tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana

Cold tolerance in plants is an ecologically important trait that has been under intensive study for basic and applied reasons. Determining the fitness benefits and costs of cold tolerance has previously been difficult because cold tolerance is normally an induced trait that is not expressed in warm environments. The recent creation of transgenic plants constitutively expressing cold tolerance genes enables the investigation of the fitness consequences of cold tolerance in multiple temperature environments. We studied three genes from the CBF (C‐repeat/dehydration responsive element binding factor) cold tolerance pathway, CBF1, 2 and 3, in Arabidopsis thaliana to test for benefits and costs of constitutive cold tolerance. We used multiple insertion lines for each transgene and grew the lines in cold and control conditions. Costs of cold tolerance, as determined by fruit number, varied by individual transgene. CBF2 and 3 overexpressers showed costs of cold tolerance, and no fitness benefits, in both environments. CBF1 overexpressing plants showed no fitness cost of cold tolerance in the control environment and showed a marginal fitness benefit in the cold environment. These results suggest that constitutive expression of traits that are normally induced in response to environmental stress will not always lead to costs in the absence of that stress, and that the ecological risks of CBF transgene escape should be assessed prior to their use in commercial agriculture.
4‐Hydroxynonenal: A membrane lipid oxidation product of medicinal interest

A comprehensive focus on 4‐hydroxynonenal (HNE) as candidate molecule in a variety of pathophysiological conditions occurring in humans is here provided. Despite an active, now well characterized, metabolism in most cells and tissues, HNE can be easily detected and quantified by means of several methods, although with different sensitivity. Measurements of HNE and/or stable metabolites in biological fluids are already applied as lipid peroxidation/oxidative stress markers in a huge number of human disease processes, often sustained by inflammatory reactions. A primary involvement of this aldehydic product of membrane lipid oxidation in inflammation‐related events, as well as in regulation of cell proliferation and growth, in necrotic or apoptotic cell death, appears supported by its marked ability to modulate several major pathways of cell signaling and, consequently, gene expression. The actual knowledge of HNE reactivity, metabolism, signaling and modulatory effect in the various human organs should provide a solid background to the investigation of the aldehyde's contribution to the pathogenesis of human major chronic diseases and would likely promote advanced and oriented applications not only in diagnosis and prevention but also in molecular treatment of human diseases. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 28, No. 4, 569–631, 2008
Finite Element Modeling of THOR-LX and Its Application

The first part of this paper introduces a FE modeling effort of the lower extremity of Thor dummy, Thor-Lx Hybrid III retrofit. The FE model consists of 9,800 nodes and 8,300 elements, of which 2,900 are deformable solid elements. Three kinematic ankle joint elements are respectively used to represent dorsiflexion, inversion/eversion, and internal/external rotation of the foot. In addition to kinematic joint elements which represent the initial linear resistance developed by continuous joint stop, sliding contact interfaces are also defined between neoprene rubber and rotating center blocks for the subsequent non-linear stage. This two-stage joint definition then provides the precise description of ankle joint characteristics both in loading and unloading phases. The simulated outcomes of FE model have been validated for the performance of the ankle under different rotation motions and showed good agreement with both quasi-static and dynamic test results. The second part of the paper deals with a practical application of the FE Thor-Lx model. Numerical simulations of a NCAP frontal 40% offset crash with a small size sedan are performed. A sub-structuring scheme for isolating the occupant compartment from the full car crash simulation is then adopted in order to facilitate the parametric study in which the various levels of structural deformations are attempted. The FE model of Hybrid III 50th percentile male upper body including knees and femurs is utilized to mount Thor-Lx and Hybrid III leg for the quantitative and comparative analyses of both legs. The Hybrid III leg mostly produces higher tibia index values than Thor-Lx due to its simple ankle joint structure which might result in steep increase of moments at the end of the range of motion. The paper concludes with the improved capabilities of Thor-Lx for the injury risk assessment compared with Hybrid III leg.
Normal tissue complication probability modelling of tissue fibrosis following breast radiotherapy

Cosmetic late effects of radiotherapy such as tissue fibrosis are increasingly regarded as being of importance. It is generally considered that the complication probability of a radiotherapy plan is dependent on the dose uniformity, and can be reduced by using better compensation to remove dose hotspots. This work aimed to model the effects of improved dose homogeneity on complication probability. The Lyman and relative seriality NTCP models were fitted to clinical fibrosis data for the breast collated from the literature. Breast outlines were obtained from a commercially available Rando phantom using the Osiris system. Multislice breast treatment plans were produced using a variety of compensation methods. Dose–volume histograms (DVHs) obtained for each treatment plan were reduced to simple numerical parameters using the equivalent uniform dose and effective volume DVH reduction methods. These parameters were input into the models to obtain complication probability predictions. The fitted model parameters were consistent with a parallel tissue architecture. Conventional clinical plans generally showed reducing complication probabilities with increasing compensation sophistication. Extremely homogenous plans representing idealized IMRT treatments showed increased complication probabilities compared to conventional planning methods, as a result of increased dose to areas receiving sub-prescription doses using conventional techniques.
Representations of Dialogue State for Domain and Task Independent Meta-Dialogue

We propose a representation of local dialogue context motivated by the need to react ap propriately to meta dialogue such as various sorts of corrections to the sequence of an in struction and response action Such context in cludes at least the following aspects the words and linguistic structures uttered the domain correlates of those linguistics structures and plans and actions in response Each of these is needed as part of the context in order to be able to correctly interpret the range of corrections Partitioning knowledge of dialogue structure in this way may lead to an ability to represent generic dialogue structure e g in the form of axioms which can be particularized to the do main topic and content of the dialogue
Minimax regret based elicitation of generalized additive utilities

We describe the semantic foundations for elicitation of generalized additively independent (GAI) utilities using the minimax regret criterion, and propose several new query types and strategies for this purpose. Computational feasibility is obtained by exploiting the local GAI structure in the model. Our results provide a practical approach for implementing preference-based constrained configuration optimization as well as effective search in multiattribute product databases.
Distinct roles for Mind bomb, Neuralized and Epsin in mediating DSL endocytosis and signaling in Drosophila

Ligands of the Delta/Serrate/Lag2 (DSL) family must normally be endocytosed in signal-sending cells to activate Notch in signal-receiving cells. DSL internalization and signaling are promoted in zebrafish and Drosophila, respectively, by the ubiquitin ligases Mind bomb (Mib) and Neuralized (Neur). DSL signaling activity also depends on Epsin, a conserved endocytic adaptor thought to target mono-ubiquitinated membrane proteins for internalization. Here, we present evidence that the Drosophila ortholog of Mib (Dmib) is required for ubiquitination and signaling activity of DSL ligands in cells that normally do not express Neur, and can be functionally replaced by ectopically expressed Neur. Furthermore, we show that both Dmib and Epsin are required in these cells for some of the endocytic events that internalize DSL ligands, and that the two Drosophila DSL ligands Delta and Serrate differ in their utilization of these Dmib- and Epsin-dependent pathways: most Serrate is endocytosed via the actions of Dmib and Epsin, whereas most Delta enters by other pathways. Nevertheless, only those Serrate and Delta proteins that are internalized via the action of Dmib and Epsin can signal. These results support and extend our previous proposal that mono-ubiquitination of DSL ligands allows them to gain access to a select, Epsin-dependent, endocytic pathway that they must normally enter to activate Notch.
Tail morphology controls DNA release in two Salmonella phages with one lipopolysaccharide receptor recognition system

Bacteriophages use specific tail proteins to recognize host cells. It is still not understood to molecular detail how the signal is transmitted over the tail to initiate infection. We have analysed in vitro DNA ejection in long‐tailed siphovirus 9NA and short‐tailed podovirus P22 upon incubation with Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We showed for the first time that LPS alone was sufficient to elicit DNA release from a siphovirus in vitro. Crystal structure analysis revealed that both phages use similar tailspike proteins for LPS recognition. Tailspike proteins hydrolyse LPS O antigen to position the phage on the cell surface. Thus we were able to compare in vitro DNA ejection processes from two phages with different morphologies with the same receptor under identical experimental conditions. Siphovirus 9NA ejected its DNA about 30 times faster than podovirus P22. DNA ejection is under control of the conformational opening of the particle and has a similar activation barrier in 9NA and P22. Our data suggest that tail morphology influences the efficiencies of particle opening given an identical initial receptor interaction event.
Kriging by partition: case of Ciurug Quartz Gold Vein

This paper presents the calculation of reserves gold distribution using ordinary kriging with regional partition on the clustering of distribution zone base. The calculations of resources or reserves in mining industry depend, among other things on sample point accuracy prediction. As a part of geostatistics,kriging is a good and unbiased predictor which is based on robust semivariogram, and fitting here using ordinary least squares (OLS). However, this need foresight in determining method or pattern of sorts which is more appropriate to be used. Based on the partitioning method, it found that gold grade average is higher than the original base as shown in each of the mean value.
Prolonged mitotic arrest triggers partial activation of apoptosis, resulting in DNA damage and p53 induction

ETOC: Despite the use of antimitotic drugs, our understanding of the stress response, especially during mitotic arrest, is lacking. We report a molecular mechanism resulting in DNA damage during mitotic arrest that occurs via the apoptotic machinery but in the absence of cell death; this mechanism triggers p53 induction after cells slip from mitotic arrest.
Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy confirm ochre residues on 71 000‐year‐old bifacial tools from Sibudu, South Africa

Micro-residue analysis of stone tools is generally performed with optical light microscopy and the visual observations are then compared with experimental, replicated pieces. This paper complements such archaeological research by providing physico-chemical evidence. Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy have been used to confirm the presence of hematite on red-stained medial and proximal parts of 71 000-year-old Still Bay bifacial tools from Sibudu Cave. Our results confirm the conclusion from optical light microscopy that the tools were hafted with an ochre-loaded adhesive. However, we point to some instances when hematite residues are incidental or may be inclusions in the rock used to make the stone tools.
“Try something else!” — When users change their discursive behavior in human-robot interaction

This paper investigates the influence of feedback provided by an autonomous robot (BIRON) on users' discursive behavior. A user study is described during which users show objects to the robot. The results of the experiment indicate, that the robot's verbal feedback utterances cause the humans to adapt their own way of speaking. The changes in users' verbal behavior are due to their beliefs about the robots knowledge and abilities. In this paper they are identified and grouped. Moreover, the data implies variations in user behavior regarding gestures. Unlike speech, the robot was not able to give feedback with gestures. Due to the lack of feedback, users did not seem to have a consistent mental representation of the robot's abilities to recognize gestures. As a result, changes between different gestures are interpreted to be unconscious variations accompanying speech.