Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The interstellar medium of the Antennae galaxies

To study the properties of the interstellar medium in the prototypical merging system of the Antennae galaxies (NGC 4038 and NGC 4039), we have obtained 12 CO (1–0), (2–1) and (3–2) line maps, as well as a map of the 870 μ m continuum emission. Our results are analysed in conjunction with data from X-ray to radio wavelengths. In order to distinguish between exact coincidence and merely close correspondence of emission features, we compare the morphological structure of the different emission components at the highest available angular resolution. To constrain the physical state of the molecular gas, we apply models of photon dominated regions (PDRs) that allow us to fit CO and [Cii] data, as well as other indicators of widespread PDRs in the Antennae system, particularly within the super giant molecular cloud (SGMC) complexes of the interaction region (IAR) between the two galaxies. The modeled clouds have cores with moderately high gas densities up to $4\times 10^4$ cm-3 and rather low kinetic temperatures ( ≤ 25 K). At present, all these clouds, including those near the galactic nuclei, show no signs of intense starburst activity. Thermal radio or mid-infrared emission are all observed to peak slightly offset from the molecular peaks. The total molecular gas mass of the Antennae system adds up to ~10 10 $M_{\odot}$. In the vicinity of each galactic nucleus, the molecular gas mass, $1{-}2\times 10^9~M_{\odot}$, exceeds that of the Galactic centre region by a factor of almost 100. Furthermore, the gas does not seem to deviate much from the $N_{\rm H_2}$/ I CO ratio typical of the disk of our Galaxy rather than our Galactic centre. Alternative heating mechanisms with respect to PDR heating are discussed.
Targeting A3 and A2A adenosine receptors in the fight against cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction: There is a vicious cycle of tumor hypoxia, high adenosine levels, immune suppression and cancer growth that involves the use of adenosine receptor ligands in tumors. After several years of research, the candidates emerging as promising new anticancer drugs are A3 adenosine receptor agonists and A2A receptor antagonists. Areas covered: The authors give an updated overview of the field related to A3 receptor agonists and A2A receptor antagonists in cancer and propose their perspectives on the status of these compounds in oncology. The rationale for the modulation of adenosine receptors in cancer is addressed, starting from the first in vitro evidence of their efficacy up to the animal and clinical studies. Expert opinion: A3 and A2A receptors are attractive targets in oncologic therapy due to their involvement in cancer progression and immune-resistance. Of relevance, the A3 subtype is also a tumor marker to be used in a personalized drug treatment program while the A2A receptor, playing a non-redundant role in immunomodulation, may be blocked in combination with checkpoint inhibitors to improve their efficacy. The future will reveal how successful this approach is in the fight against cancer.
Perspectives on static analysis of mobile apps (invited talk)

The use and development of mobile apps is growing at a tremendous rate in the last years. Even if this growth is making the mo- bile apps market very attractive for software developers, it is also continuously presenting new challenges. Indeed, mobile platforms are rapidly and continuously changing, with the addition of diverse capabilities like the support for new sensors, APIs, programming abstractions, etc. In this respect, a number of static analysis methods and techniques have been proposed in research as a powerful instrument for developing more qualitative mobile apps.In this invited talk we report on the results of a preliminary survey we con- ducted on static analysis methods and techniques of mobile apps.
Assessment of Kidney Safety Parameters Among Hiv-Infected Patients Starting a Tenofovir-Containing Antiretroviral Therapy

To better evaluate the renal safety profile of tenofovir, we performed a retrospective study of HIV-infected naive patients starting a first antiretroviral therapy between July 2005 and July 2008, and followed-up for 24 months. On the whole, 324 patients were enrolled: 201 tenofovir-exposed patients were compared with 123 tenofovir-unexposed subjects. In both unadjusted and adjusted analysis, tenofovir-exposed subjects had a significantly greater decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and a significantly higher incidence of proximal tubular dysfunction through 24 months. Reduced glomerular and tubular functions were significantly associated with older age, diabetes, hypertension, and concomitant therapy with a HIV protease inhibitor.
Super-resolution in Phase Space

This work considers the problem of super-resolution. The goal is to resolve a Dirac distribution from knowledge of its discrete, low-pass, Fourier measurements. Classically, such problems have been dealt with parameter estimation methods. Recently, it has been shown that convex-optimization based formulations facilitate a continuous time solution to the super-resolution problem. Here we treat super-resolution from low-pass measurements in Phase Space. The Phase Space transformation parametrically generalizes a number of well known unitary mappings such as the Fractional Fourier, Fresnel, Laplace and Fourier transforms. Consequently, our work provides a general super-resolution strategy which is backward compatible with the usual Fourier domain result. We consider low-pass measurements of Dirac distributions in Phase Space and show that the super-resolution problem can be cast as Total Variation minimization. Remarkably, even though are setting is quite general, the bounds on the minimum separation distance of Dirac distributions is comparable to existing methods.
Performance Evaluation of a Self-Organising Scheme for Multi-Radio Wireless Mesh Networks

Multi-radio wireless mesh networks (MR-WMN) can substantially increase the aggregate capacity of the wireless mesh networks (WMN) if the channels are assigned to the nodes in an intelligent way so that the overall interference is limited. We propose a generic self-organisation algorithm that addresses the two key challenges of scalability and stability in a WMN. The basic approach is that of a distributed, light-weight, co-operative multiagent system that guarantees scalability. The usefulness of our algorithm is exhibited by the performance evaluation results that are presented for different MR-WMN node densities and typical topologies. In addition, our work complements the Task Group 802.11s extended service set (ESS) mesh networking project work that is in progress.
Double—double radio galaxies: remnants of merged supermassive binary black holes

The activity of active galaxies may be triggered by the merging of galaxies, and present-day galaxies are probably the product of successive minor mergers. The frequent galactic mergers at high redshift imply that active galaxies harbour supermassive unequal-mass binary black holes at their centre at least once during their lifetime. The secondary black hole interacts and becomes coplanar with the accretion disc around the primary, inwardly spiralling toward their mass centre owing to the loss of orbital angular momentum to the disc mass outside the orbit of the secondary and/or to gravitational radiation. The binary black holes finally merge and form a more massive (post-merged) black hole at the centre. In this paper it is shown that the recently-discovered double-lobed FR II radio galaxies are the remnants of such supermassive binary black holes. The inwardly spiraling secondary black hole opens a gap in the accretion disc that increases with time when the loss of the orbital angular momentum via gravitational radiation becomes dominant. When the supermassive black holes merge, the inner accretion disc disappears and the gap becomes a big hole of several hundreds of Schwarzschild radii in the vicinity of the post-merged supermassive black hole, leading to an interruption of jet formation. When the outer accretion disc slowly refills the big hole on a viscous time-scale, jet formation restarts and the interaction of the recurrent jets and the inter-galactic medium forms a secondary pair of lobes. The model is applied to a particular double-lobed radio source -B 1834+620 - which has an interruption time-scale ∼Myr. It is shown that the orbit of the secondary in B1834+620 is elliptical with a typical eccentricity e≃ 0.68 and that the ratio q of the mass of the secondary to that of the primary is 0.01 ≤ q ≤ 0.4. The accretion disc is a standard α-disc with 0.01 ≤ α ≤ 0.04 and the ratio of disc half height H to radius r is δ ≃ 0.01. The model predicts that double-lobed radio structures form only in FR II or borderline FR I/FR II radio galaxies and that the detection rate of double-lobed radio sources among FR II radio sources is about one per cent.
A family of flexible NLMS-type adaptive filter algorithms

The LMS adaptive filter algorithm can be viewed as the application of a simple iterative linear equation solver to an estimated time variant Wiener-Hopf equation. With this interpretation we can utilize the "bag-of-tricks" available in numerical linear algebra in devising new adaptive filter algorithms. Making use of the preconditioning paradigm, we present in this paper a new family of NLMS-type adaptive filter whose performance can be tailored to possible a priori knowledge of the autocorrelation properties of the input signal. The design of circulant preconditioning matrices for such adaptive filter algorithms is the main contribution of the paper.
Conceptualizing Measures of Required Software Functionality

Software functionality expressed in user requirements is a key element for the measurement and planning of the software process. As such, it is important to have an upper model of existing function analysis models as those provided in function point counting methods. This paper discusses an ontological analysis of the concepts related to the specifications of functionality, in the context of existing ontological work on Software Engineering. Concepts from well-known function measurement methods are mapped to existing formal definitions, and the main conceptual pitfalls and fuzzy issues are analyzed.
Universal Bufferless Packet Switching

A packet-switching algorithm specifies the actions of the nodes in order to deliver packets in the network. A packet-switching algorithm is universal if it applies to any network topology and for any batch communication problem on the network. A long-standing open problem has concerned the existence of a universal packet-switching algorithm with near-optimal performance guarantees for the class of bufferless networks where the buffer size for packets in transit is zero. We give a positive answer to this question. In particular, we give a universal bufferless algorithm which is within a polylogarithmic factor from optimal for arbitrary batch problems: ${\cal T}=O\left({\cal T}^*\cdot \log^3(n+N)\right)$, where ${\cal T}$ is the packet delivery time of our algorithm, ${\cal T}^*$ is the optimal delivery time, n is the size of the network, and $N$ is the number of packets. At the heart of our result is a new deterministic technique for constructing a universal bufferless algorithm by emulating a store-and-forward algorithm on a transformation of the network. The main idea is to replace packet buffering in the transformed network with packet circulation in regions of the original network. The cost of the emulation on the packet delivery time is proportional to the buffer sizes used by the store-and-forward algorithm. We obtain the advertised result by using a store-and-forward algorithm with logarithmic sized buffers. The resulting bufferless algorithm is constructive and can be implemented in a distributed way.
Viabilidad del “Modelo de Aceptación de la Tecnología” en las empresas mexicanas: Una aproximación a las actitudes y percepciones de los usuarios de las tecnologías de la información

In recent years, more and more Mexican companies interested in the quality of information systems for businesses, which are developed to achieve greater competitiveness in the market and hence higher performance within the organization, companies have realized the need to integrate information technology with those based on business. However, the behavior of users to this type of system has not been thoroughly evaluated and understood, as companies decide to deploy and already, so to get more experience about human behavior in the environment Mexican companies, we suggest using the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) which is a strong theoretical model and a study that will provide a more intensive acceptance of information technology within the software development companies or not and users of the services of the company through e-business and e-commerce as an important step towards a better understanding of user behavior in the environment of the company and a media acceptance model of software by users services company
The Chromosomal Arsenic Resistance Genes of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans Have an Unusual Arrangement and Confer Increased Arsenic and Antimony Resistance to Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT The chromosomal arsenic resistance genes of the acidophilic, chemolithoautotrophic, biomining bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans were cloned and sequenced. Homologues of four arsenic resistance genes, arsB, arsC,arsH, and a putative arsR gene, were identified. The T. ferrooxidans arsB (arsenite export) andarsC (arsenate reductase) gene products were functional when they were cloned in an Escherichia coli ars deletion mutant and conferred increased resistance to arsenite, arsenate, and antimony. Therefore, despite the fact that the ars genes originated from an obligately acidophilic bacterium, they were functional in E. coli. Although T. ferrooxidansis gram negative, its ArsC was more closely related to the ArsC molecules of gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, a functionaltrxA (thioredoxin) gene was required for ArsC-mediated arsenate resistance in E. coli; this finding confirmed the gram-positive ArsC-like status of this resistance and indicated that the division of ArsC molecules based on Gram staining results is artificial. Although arsH was expressed in an E. coli-derived in vitro transcription-translation system, ArsH was not required for and did not enhance arsenic resistance in E. coli. The T. ferrooxidans ars genes were arranged in an unusual manner, and the putative arsR andarsC genes and the arsBH genes were translated in opposite directions. This divergent orientation was conserved in the four T. ferrooxidans strains investigated.
Caspase-14 reveals its secrets

Caspase-14 is a unique member of the evolutionarily conserved family of cysteinyl aspartate–specific proteinases, which are mainly involved in inflammation and apoptosis. However, recent evidence also implicates these proteases in proliferation and differentiation. Although most caspases are ubiquitously expressed, caspase-14 expression is confined mainly to cornifying epithelia, such as the skin. Moreover, caspase-14 activation correlates with cornification, indicating that it plays a role in terminal keratinocyte differentiation. The determination of in vitro conditions for caspase-14 activity paved the way to identifying its substrates. The recent development of caspase-14–deficient mice underscored its importance in the correct degradation of (pro)filaggrin and in the formation of the epidermal barrier that protects against dehydration and UVB radiation. Here, we review the current knowledge on caspase-14 in skin homeostasis and disease.
Characterization of the Verticillium dahliae Exoproteome Involves in Pathogenicity from Cotton-Containing Medium

Verticillium wilt, caused by the Verticillium dahliae phytopathogen, is a devastating disease affecting many economically important crops. Previous studies have shown that the exoproteome of V. dahliae plays a significant role in this pathogenic process, but the components and mechanisms that underlie this remain unclear. In this study, the exoproteome of V. dahliae was induced in a cotton-containing C’zapek-Dox (CCD) medium and quantified using the high-throughput isobaric tag technique for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). Results showed that the abundance of 271 secreted proteins was affected by the CCD medium, of which 172 contain typical signal peptides generally produced by the Golgi/endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These enhanced abundance proteins were predominantly enriched in carbohydrate hydrolases; 126 were classified as carbohydrate-active (CAZymes) and almost all were significantly up-regulated in the CCD medium. Results showed that CAZymes proteins 30 and 22 participate in pectin and cellulose degradation pathways, corresponding with the transcription levels of several genes encoded plant cell wall degradation enzyme activated significantly during cotton infection. In addition, targeted deletion of two pectin lyase genes (VdPL3.1 and VdPL3.3) impaired wilt virulence to cotton. This study demonstrates that the V. dahliae exoproteome plays a crucial role in the development of symptoms of wilting and necrosis, predominantly via the pathogenic mechanisms of plant cell wall degradation as part of host plant infection.
Design of the Artificial: lessons from the biological roots of general intelligence

Our desire and fascination with intelligent machines dates back to the antiquity's mythical automaton Talos, Aristotle's mode of mechanical thought (syllogism) and Heron of Alexandria's mechanical machines and automata. However, the quest for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is troubled with repeated failures of strategies and approaches throughout the history. This decade has seen a shift in interest towards bio-inspired software and hardware, with the assumption that such mimicry entails intelligence. Though these steps are fruitful in certain directions and have advanced automation, their singular design focus renders them highly inefficient in achieving AGI. Which set of requirements have to be met in the design of AGI? What are the limits in the design of the artificial? Here, a careful examination of computation in biological systems hints that evolutionary tinkering of contextual processing of information enabled by a hierarchical architecture is the key to build AGI.
Platelet-rich Plasmas: Growth Factor Content and Roles in Wound Healing

Platelet-rich plasmas (PRPs) are used in a variety of clinical applications, based on the premise that higher growth factor content should promote better healing. In this study, we have determined the effects of calcium and thrombin on the release of EGF, TGF-α, IGF-1, Ang-2 and IL-1β from PRPs, and assessed the mitogenic potential of PRP supernatants on osteoblast and endothelial cell division. ELISA assays indicate that (i) mean growth factor concentrations vary from traces (TGF-α) to 5.5 ng/mL (IGF-1), (ii) there are significant variations in growth factor concentrations between individuals, and (iii) calcium and thrombin regulate growth factor release, synthesis, and/or degradation in stereotyped patterns that are specific to each growth factor. PRP supernatants promote strong osteoblast and endothelial cell divisions, supporting the concept that PRPs may be beneficial in wound healing. Abbreviations: PRPs, platelet-rich plasmas; GFs, growth factors; EGF, epidermal growth factor; TGF-α, transforming growth factor-alpha; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor-1; Ang-2, angiopoietin-2; IL-1β, interleukin-1 beta; HUVECs, human umbilical vein endothelial cells; hFOB 1.19, human fetal osteoblasts; and FBS, fetal bovine serum.
Complicating our understanding of environmental migration and displacement: The case of drought-related human movement in Kenya

The social work profession is increasingly concerned with human movement due to environmental changes and has issued a call to develop appropriate interventions to support the vulnerable groups that tend to migrate. However, the scholarship in this area is lacking. In this brief note, we explore a case of environmental migration that was linked to drought in Kenya. We found that their experiences tend to be different than those that are highlighted or warned about in the literature. Through considering these differences, we propose several avenues for social work to support this population appropriately and ethically.
Analysis of gender recognition methods' robustness

A lot of studies are conducted in the area of gender recognition, new methods are constantly proposed for image alignment, feature extraction and classification. But the vast majority of the publications have a certain shortcoming: they only evaluate the methods' performance on a fixed set of images, often of a constant good quality, and pay little or no attention to how it would perform under different, more realistic conditions. The problem of methods robustness is of importance when defining areas of application for known methods and choosing a method to use in a particular situation. This paper aims to encourage more research attention to the problem of robustness and presents a study on several methods' performance in presence of some simple complicating factors such as alignment error or noise. The results show that the method demonstrating the best results on an initial image base proves to be more sensitive to input quality than others and thus loses the competition which proves the importance of such research.
Social Capital Considerations in Transition for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities

Students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) continue to have poor transition outcomes despite the continued advancement of evidence-based transition planning practices. Strategies tailored to the specific needs of students with EBD must be researched and disseminated to practitioners. A social capital approach to transition planning for students with EBD is one way to target this population. Social capital, or the power of relationships and networks to provide resources and support, has been linked to improved academic, employment, and independent living outcomes. This article (a) defines social capital as it relates to relationships, networks, and social skills, (b) presents steps for a social capital approach to transition, and (c) discusses a graphic organizer to assist students and transition teams to track social capital over time.
Trajectoires d’adaptation face au changement climatique : analyse et transformation du système de gouvernance du massif ardennais

Les Ardennes sont un massif forestier au cœur de l’Europe. Il est fondamental pour ce massif de pouvoir anticiper le changement climatique et ses impacts prevus. Dans cet article, nous nous interessons particulierement au systeme de gouvernance des Ardennes. Nous mobilisons d’abord les methodes de recherche transformationnelle en matiere de durabilite par le biais d’un cadre methodologique qui integre differentes methodes. Dans ce contexte, nous procedons avec une analyse diagnostique de la durabilite du systeme de gouvernance ardennais. Cette analyse a ete developpee a partir d’une version du cadre general pour l’analyse de la durabilite des systemes socio-ecologiques developpe par Ostrom. Elle a ete adaptee a un systeme de grandes dimensions et applique dans le cadre d’un processus de recherche participative. Cela a permis d’identifier trois vulnerabilites principales : l’absence d’un observatoire du systeme socio-ecologique dans son ensemble, l’absence d’un dialogue intersectoriel structure et la capacite d’agir limitee des collectivites territoriales et de la societe civile. Nous suggerons donc de mettre en place des analyses prospectives et retrospectives afin d’identifier des trajectoires d’adaptation du systeme de gouvernance par rapport au changement climatique. Cela devrait permettre de concevoir et experimenter des interventions pour transformer la gouvernance de ce systeme socio-ecologique de grandes dimensions vers une plus grande durabilite.