Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Relative Performance of Collaborative Filtering Recommender Systems

Past work on the evaluation of recommender systems indicates that collaborative filtering algorithms are accurate and suitable for the top-N recommendation task. Further, the importance of performance beyond accuracy has been recognised in the literature. Here, we present an evaluation framework based on a set of accuracy and beyond accuracy metrics, including a novel metric that captures the uniqueness of a recommendation list. We perform an in-depth evaluation of three well-known collaborative filtering algorithms using three datasets. The results show that the user-based and item-based collaborative filtering algorithms have a high inverse correlation between popularity and diversity and recommend a common set of items at large neighbourhood sizes. The study also finds that the matrix factorisation approach leads to more accurate and diverse recommendations, while being less biased toward popularity.
Involvement of Actinin-4 in the Recruitment of JRAB/MICAL-L2 to Cell-Cell Junctions and the Formation of Functional Tight Junctions

ABSTRACT Tight junctions (TJs) are cell-cell adhesive structures that undergo continuous remodeling. We previously demonstrated that Rab13 and a junctional Rab13-binding protein (JRAB)/molecule interacting with CasL-like 2 (MICAL-L2) localized at TJs and mediated the endocytic recycling of the integral TJ protein occludin and the formation of functional TJs. Here, we investigated how JRAB/MICAL-L2 was targeted to TJs. Using a series of deletion mutants, we found the plasma membrane (PM)-targeting domain within JRAB/MICAL-L2. We then identified actinin-4, which was originally isolated as an actin-binding protein associated with cell motility and cancer invasion/metastasis, as a binding protein for the PM-targeting domain of JRAB/MICAL-L2, using a yeast two-hybrid system. Actinin-4 was colocalized with JRAB/MICAL-L2 at cell-cell junctions and linked JRAB/MICAL-L2 to F-actin. Although actinin-4 bound to JRAB/MICAL-L2 without Rab13, the actinin-4-JRAB/MICAL-L2 interaction was enhanced by Rab13 activation. Depletion of actinin-4 by using small interfering RNA inhibited the recruitment of occludin to TJs during the Ca2+ switch. During the epithelial polarization after replating, JRAB/MICAL-L2 was recruited from the cytosol to cell-cell junctions. This JRAB/MICAL-L2 recruitment as well as the formation of functional TJs was delayed in actinin-4-depleted cells. These results indicate that actinin-4 is involved in recruiting JRAB/MICAL-L2 to cell-cell junctions and forming functional TJs.
Binding of DC-SIGN to the Hemagglutinin of Influenza A Viruses Supports Virus Replication in DC-SIGN Expressing Cells

Dendritic cells express lectins receptors, like DC-SIGN, which allow these cells to sense glycans that are present on various bacterial and viral pathogens. Interaction of DC-SIGN with carbohydrate moieties induces maturation of dendritic cells and promotes endocytosis of pathogens which is an important property of these professional antigen presenting cells. Uptake of pathogens by dendritic cells may lead to cross-presentation of antigens or infection of these cells, which ultimately results in activation of virus-specific T cells in draining lymph nodes. Little is known about the interaction of DC-SIGN with influenza A viruses. Here we show that a virus with a non-functional receptor binding site in its hemagglutinin, can replicate in cells expressing DC-SIGN. Also in the absence of sialic acids, which is the receptor for influenza A viruses, these viruses replicate in DC-SIGN expressing cells including human dendritic cells. Furthermore, the efficiency of DC-SIGN mediated infection is dependent on the extent of glycosylation of the viral hemagglutinin.
Perceiving Time Differences When You Should Not: Applying the El Greco Fallacy to Hypnotic Time Distortions

The way we experience and estimate time – subjective time – does not systematically correspond to objective time (the physical duration of an event). Many factors can influence subjective time and lead to mental dilation or compression of objective time. The emotional valence of stimuli or the levels of attention or expectancy are known to modulate subjective time even though objective time is constant. Hypnosis too is known to alter people’s perception of time. However, it is not known whether hypnotic time distortions are intrinsic perceptual effects, based for example on the changing rate of an internal clock, or rather the result of a response to demand characteristics. Here we distinguished the theories using the logic of the El Greco fallacy. When participants initially had to compare the duration of two successive events —with the same duration — while in “trance,” they responded that the second event was on average longer than the first event. As both events were estimated in “trance,” if hypnosis had impacted on an internal clock, they should have been affected to the same extent. Conversely, when only the first event was in “trance,” there was no difference in perceived duration. The findings conform to an El Greco fallacy effect and challenge theories of hypnotic time distortion arguing that “trance” itself changes subjective time.
Towards robust identification and tracking of nevi in sparse photographic time series

In dermatology, photographic imagery is acquired in large volumes in order to monitor the progress of diseases, especially melanocytic skin cancers. For this purpose, overview (macro) images are taken of the region of interest and used as a reference map to re-localize highly magni ed images of individual lesions. The latter are then used for diagnosis. These pictures are acquired at irregular intervals under only partially constrained circumstances, where patient positions as well as camera positions are not reliable. In the presence of a large number of nevi, correct identi cation of the same nevus in a series of such images is thus a time consuming task with ample chances for error. This paper introduces a method for largely automatic and simultaneous identi cation of nevi in di erent images, thus allowing the tracking of a single nevus over time, as well as pattern evaluation. The method uses a rotation-invariant feature descriptor that uses the local neighborhood of a nevus to describe it. The texture, size and shape of the nevus are not used to describe it, as these can change over time, especially in the case of a malignancy. We then use the Random Walks framework to compute the correspondences based on the probabilities derived from comparing the feature vectors. Evaluation is performed on synthetic and patient data at the university clinic.
Human Myoblast Fusion Requires Expression of Functional Inward Rectifier Kir2.1 Channels

Myoblast fusion is essential to skeletal muscle development and repair. We have demonstrated previously that human myoblasts hyperpolarize, before fusion, through the sequential expression of two K+ channels: an ether-à-go-go and an inward rectifier. This hyperpolarization is a prerequisite for fusion, as it sets the resting membrane potential in a range at which Ca2+ can enter myoblasts and thereby trigger fusion via a window current through α1H T channels.
Robust Direct Visual Localisation using Normalised Information Distance

We present an information-theoretic approach for direct localisation of a monocular camera within a 3D appearance prior. In contrast to existing direct visual localisation methods based on minimising photometric error, an information-theoretic metric allows us to compare the whole image without relying on individual pixel values, yielding robustness to changes in the appearance of the scene due to lighting, camera motion, occlusions and sensor modality. Using a low-fidelity textured 3D model of the environment, we synthesise virtual images at a candidate pose within the model. We use the Normalised Information Distance (NID) metric to evaluate the appearance match between the camera image and the virtual image, and present a derivation of analytical NID derivatives for the SE(3) direct localisation problem, along with an efficient GPGPU implementation capable of online processing. We present results showing successful online visual localisation under significant appearance change both in a synthetic indoor environment and outdoors with real-world data from a vehicle-mounted camera.
Ocean Acidification Effects on Atlantic Cod Larval Survival and Recruitment to the Fished Population

How fisheries will be impacted by climate change is far from understood. While some fish populations may be able to escape global warming via range shifts, they cannot escape ocean acidification (OA), an inevitable consequence of the dissolution of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in marine waters. How ocean acidification affects population dynamics of commercially important fish species is critical for adapting management practices of exploited fish populations. Ocean acidification has been shown to impair fish larvae’s sensory abilities, affect the morphology of otoliths, cause tissue damage and cause behavioural changes. Here, we obtain first experimental mortality estimates for Atlantic cod larvae under OA and incorporate these effects into recruitment models. End-of-century levels of ocean acidification (~1100 μatm according to the IPCC RCP 8.5) resulted in a doubling of daily mortality rates compared to present-day CO2 concentrations during the first 25 days post hatching (dph), a critical phase for population recruitment. These results were consistent under different feeding regimes, stocking densities and in two cod populations (Western Baltic and Barents Sea stock). When mortality data were included into Ricker-type stock-recruitment models, recruitment was reduced to an average of 8 and 24% of current recruitment for the two populations, respectively. Our results highlight the importance of including vulnerable early life stages when addressing effects of climate change on fish stocks.
TOL plasmid pWW0 in constructed halobenzoate-degrading Pseudomonas strains: prevention of meta pathway

The hybrid pathway for chlorobenzoate metabolism was studied in WR211 and WR216, which were derived from Pseudomonas sp. B13 by acquisition of TOL plasmid pWW0 from Pseudomonas putida mt-2. Chlorobenzoates are utilized readily by these strains when meta cleavage of chlorocatechols is suppressed. When WR211 utilizes 3-chlorobenzoate (3CB), the expression of catechol 2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) and the catabolic activities for chloroaromatics via the ortho pathway coexist as a consequence of inactivation of the meta cleavage activity by 3-chlorocatechol. Utilization of 4-chlorobenzoate (4CB) by WR216 presupposes the suppression of C23O by a spontaneous mutation in the structural gene, so that 4-chlorocatechol is not misrouted into the meta pathway. Such C23O- mutants were also selected when WR211 was grown continuously on 3CB. Our data explain why the phenotypic characters 3CB+ and Mtol+ (m-toluate) are compatible, whereas 4CB+ and Mtol+ are incompatible.
Epidemiology of colorectal adenomatous polyps.

7% of Americans are expected to develop this disease within their lifetime (2). Efforts to identify causes and effective preventive measures for this disease have led to the hypothesis that adenomatous polyps (adenomas), benign tumors that arise in the large bowel, are precursor lesions for the vast majority of colorectal cancers (3).
A low-power, high-resolution WTA utilizing translinear-loop pre-amplifier

This paper proposes a low-power, high-resolution Winner-Take-All (WTA) circuit basing on transistors in subthreshold operation. The WTA adapts a tree structure to reduce the effect of process variations. In addition to the traditional way of using positive feedback to improve the comparison performance, we propose to use translinear loop to amplify the difference between two inputs before comparison to achieve high resolution. The circuit has been fabricated with TSMC 0. 35µm 2P4M process. The WTA operates with input current as low as a few nano amperes and resolution as high as 0.1%. Measurement results show that the circuit has a non-negligible offset. Discussions on the source of the offset with a proposed solution are also given.
Language Attitudes and Use in a Transplanted Setting: Greek Cypriots in London

In this paper we explore language attitudes and use in the Greek Cypriot community in London, England. Our study is based on an earlier survey carried out in Nicosia, Cyprus and we compare attitudes to language and reported language use in the two communities. We thereby highlight the significance of sociolinguistic variables on similar groups of speakers. We further extend our investigation to include codeswitching practices in the London community. Analysis of language attitudes and use within the Greek-Cypriot population of London, and comparisons with findings in Nicosia, reflect symbolic forces operating in the two contexts. Despite obvious differences between the two communities, (most obviously the official languages and distinct cultural backgrounds of the two nations), the Greek Cypriot Dialect continues to play an active role in both. English is however the ‘default choice’ for young Cypriots in the UK and Standard Modern Greek occupies a much more limited role than in Cyprus. It is argued that differences in language attitudes and use can be interpreted in light of different market forces operating in the nation (i.e. Cyprus) and the Diaspora (i.e. UK).
Institutional Image and Retention

The image or `branding' issue hasbecome a strategic managerial decision forpostsecondary institutions because it impactsupon the desire of a student to persist andcomplete, or to drop out. This paper examinesthe relationship that exists between students'expectations and their lived experience asreported by students in an actual institutionalsetting. It is a case study which suggestsactionable outcomes for the particularinstitution. More importantly, the approachused here is easily replicable and may beemployed to provide useful information forimage enhancement in other university settings.
Increased β‐catenin activity in the anterior neural plate induces ectopic mid‐hindbrain characteristics

Background: The early telencephalon shares molecular features with the early mid‐hindbrain region. In particular, these two developing brain areas each have a signaling center that secretes FGFs and an adjacent one that secretes WNTs. WNTs and FGFs each play essential roles in regulating cell fates in both the telencephalon and mid‐hindbrain. Despite this similarity, telencephalic and mid‐hindbrain precursors express distinct genes and ultimately generate different cell types, tissue morphologies, and neural functions. Results: Here we show that genetically increasing the level of β‐catenin, a mediator of canonical WNT signaling, in the anterior neural plate causes a loss of telencephalic characteristics and a gain of mid‐hindbrain characteristics. Conclusion: These results, together with previous ones demonstrating that increased WNT signaling in the anterior neural plate increases FGF expression, suggest that the levels of WNT and FGF signaling regulate telencephalic versus mid‐hindbrain fates. Developmental Dynamics 241:242–246, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Propulsion Model of Creative Contributions Applied to the Arts and Letters

This article applies a propulsion model of creative contributions to the arts and letters. The basic notion is that creative contributions differ not only in the amounts of creativity they display but also in the types of creative contributions they make. The article opens with a general discussion of creative contributions and next considers some existing models of creative contributions. It then describes the propulsion model for understanding creative contributions and suggests eight types of contributions that follow from the propulsion model. Next the article describes some contributions in the arts and letters and shows how the propulsion model can be applied to understanding them. Finally the article discusses why such a model can be useful in evaluating the status of creative work, of individuals, and of a domain.
Linear Programming-Based Converses for Finite Blocklength Lossy Joint Source-Channel Coding

A linear programming (LP)-based framework is presented for obtaining converses for finite blocklength lossy joint source-channel coding problems. The framework applies for any loss criterion, generalizes certain previously known converses, and also extends to multi-terminal settings. The finite blocklength problem is posed equivalently as a nonconvex optimization problem and using a lift-and-project-like method, a close but tractable LP relaxation of this problem is derived. Lower bounds on the original problem are obtained by the construction of feasible points for the dual of the LP relaxation. A particular application of this approach leads to new converses, which recover and improve on the converses of Kostina and Verdú for finite blocklength lossy joint source-channel coding and lossy source coding. For finite blocklength channel coding, the LP relaxation recovers the converse of Polyanskiy, Poor and Verdú and leads to a new improvement on the converse of Wolfowitz, showing thereby that our LP relaxation is asymptotically tight with increasing blocklengths for channel coding, lossless source coding, and joint source-channel coding with the excess distortion probability as the loss criterion. Using a duality-based argument, a new converse is derived for finite blocklength joint source-channel coding for a class of source-channel pairs. Employing this converse, the LP relaxation is also shown to be tight for all blocklengths for the minimization of the expected average symbolwise Hamming distortion of a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$q$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-ary uniform source over a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$q$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-ary symmetric memoryless channel for any <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$q\in {\mathbb {N}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. The optimization formulation and the lift-and-project method are extended to networked settings and demonstrated by obtaining an improvement on a converse of Zhou <italic>et al.</italic> for the successive refinement problem for successively refinable source-distortion measure triplets.
Jogging Reduces Obesity and Hypertension in Obese/SHR 1

Abstract Young Obese/SHR, genetically destined to become obese were made to run three times daily, averaging 2740 ft/day. Siblings of these young Obese/SHR which were allowed to remain sedentary, developed voracious appetites, massive obesity, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, hyperadrenocorticism, muscle wasting, kidney stones, thin skin, and accelerated aging. The Obese/SHR that exercised did not become obese, their blood lipid, glucose, BUN, blood pressure, and hyperadrenocorticism were reduced, but their testes and ovaries became prematurely atrophic.
LAX CONSTRAINTS IN SEMISIMPLE LIE GROUPS

Instead of studying Lax equations as such, a solution Z of a Lax equation is assumed to be given. Then Z is regarded as defining a constraint on a non-autonomous linear differential equation associated with the Lax equation. In generic cases, quadrature and sometimes algebraic formulae in terms of Z are then proved for solution x of the linear differential equation, and examples are given where these formulae lead to new results in higher-order variational problems for curves in general semisimple Lie groups G, extending results previously obtained by different methods for the case where G has dimension 3. The new construction is explored in detail for G = SU(m).
Machine Psychology : Autonomous Behavior , Perceptual Categorization and Conditioning in a Brain-based Device

not possible simultaneously to analyze all levels of control from molecular events to motor responses. To provide insights into how levels of control interact, we have carried out synthetic neural modeling using a brain-based real-world device. We describe here the design and performance of such a device, designated Darwin VII, which is guided by computer-simulated analogues of cortical and subcortical structures. All levels of Darwin VII’s neural architecture can be examined simultaneously as the device behaves in a real environment. Analysis of its neural activity during perceptual categorization and conditioned behavior suggests neural mechanisms for invariant object recognition, experience-dependent perceptual categorization, first-order and second-order conditioning, and the effects of different learning rates on responses to appetitive and aversive events. While individual Darwin VII exemplars developed similar categorical responses that depended on exploration of the environment and sensorimotor adaptation, each showed highly individual patterns of changes in synaptic strengths. By allowing exhaustive analysis and manipulation of neuroanatomy and largescale neural dynamics, such brain-based devices provide valuable heuristics for understanding cortical interactions. These devices also provide the groundwork for the development of intelligent machines that follow neurobiological rather than computational principles in their construction.
Iterative Learning Control for multiple point-to-point tracking

A framework is developed which enables a general class of linear Iterative Learning Control (ILC) algorithms to be applied to tracking tasks which require the plant output to reach given points at predetermined time instants, without the need for intervening reference points to be stipulated. It is shown that superior convergence and robustness properties are obtained compared with those associated with using the original class of ILC algorithm to track a prescribed arbitrary reference trajectory satisfying the point-to-point position constraints.
Applying an agent-based user authentication and access control model for cloud servers

Cloud computing is an emerging developed technology and the next natural step in the evolution of on-demand information technology services and products that uses concepts of virtualization, storage, processing power, and sharing. According to various researches, access control and user authentication are the most important security concerns and challenging issues in cloud-based environments. Accordingly, this paper offers an agent-based user authentication and access control algorithm based on discretionary and role-based access control model for increasing the reliability and rate of trust in cloud computing environments. The proposed model uses a cloud-based software-as-a-service application with four main agents and a client-based user authentication application. After describing the proposed model, it has been justified and evaluated for identifying the strengths and weaknesses according to defined parameters: Performance, Security, Compatibility, and Power of Intelligence. Moreover, according to the identified limitations, appropriate details have been recommended and further research has been introduced. In overall, the theoretical analysis of the proposed model shows that designing this user authentication and access control model will increase the reliability and rate of trust in cloud computing environments as an emerging and powerful technology in various industries.
Lagrangian unknottedness in Stein surfaces

We show that the space of Lagrangian spheres inside the cotangent bundle of the 2-sphere, with its canonical symplectic structure, is contractible. We then discuss the phenomenon of Lagrangian unknottedness in other Stein surfaces. There exist homotopic Lagrangian spheres which are not Hamiltonian isotopic, but we show that in a typical case all such spheres are still equivalent under a symplectomorphism.