Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Communication and democracy : exploring the intellectual frontiers in agenda-setting theory

Contents: Prologue: "The Game Is Afoot. " Part I: The Pictures in Our Heads. S. Ghanem, Filling in the Tapestry: The Second Level of Agenda-Setting. T. Takeshita, Exploring the Media's Roles in Defining Reality: From Issue-Agenda-Setting to Attribute-Agenda- Setting. P-T. King, The Press, Candidate Images, and Voter Perceptions. A. First, Television and the Construction of Social Reality: An Israeli Case Study. L. Willnat, Agenda-Setting and Priming: Conceptual Links and Differences. Part II: The Agenda-Setting Process. J-H. Zhu, W. Boroson, Susceptibility to Agenda-Setting: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis of Individual Differences. M. Roberts, Political Advertising's Influence on News, the Public, and Their Behavior. D.J. Blood, P.C. B. Phillips, Economic Headline News on the Agenda: New Approaches to Understanding Causes and Effects. W.J. Gonzenbach, L. McGavin, A Brief History of Time: A Methodological Analysis of Agenda-Setting. W. Wanta, The Messenger and the Message: Differences Across News Media. Part III: News Agendas and Social Systems. D.L. Lasorsa, Media Agenda-Setting and Press Performance: A Social System Approach for Building Theory. E. Caudill, An Agenda-Setting Perspective on Historical Public Opinion. A. Rodriquez, Cultural Agendas: The Case of Latino-Oriented U.S. Media. H.A. Semetko, A. Mandelli, Setting the Agenda for Cross-National Research: Bringing Values Into the Concept. D.L. Shaw, B.J. Hamm, Agendas for a Public Union or for Private Communities? How Individuals Are Using Media to Reshape American Society.
Molecular Mechanisms of TLR2-Mediated Antigen Cross-Presentation in Dendritic Cells

Cross-presentation is a key function of dendritic cells (DCs), which present exogenous Ags on MHC class I molecules to prime CTL responses. The effects of TLR triggering on the cross-presentation of exogenous Ags by DCs remain unclear. In this study, we used synthetic dipalmitoylated peptides and TLR2 agonist–conjugated peptides as models to elucidate the mechanisms of TLR2-mediated cross-presentation. We observed that the internalization of dipalmitoylated peptides by bone marrow–derived DCs was facilitated by TLR2 via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The administration of these dipalmitoylated peptide-pulsed bone marrow–derived DCs eliminated established tumors through TLR2 signaling. We further demonstrated that the induction of Ag-specific CTL responses and tumor regression by dipalmitoylated peptides was TAP independent. In addition, presentation of dipalmitoylated peptides by MHC class I molecules was blocked in the presence of an endosomal acidification inhibitor (chloroquine) or a lysosomal degradation inhibitor (Z-FL-COCHO). The endocytosed dipalmitoylated peptide also passed rapidly from early endosome Ag-1–positive endosomes to RAS-related GTP-binding protein 7 (Rab7)–associated late endosomes compared with their nonlipidated counterparts. Furthermore, we found that dipalmitoylated peptide–upregulated Rab7 expression correlated with Ag presentation via the TLR2/MyD88 pathway. Both JNK and ERK signaling pathways are required for upregulation of Rab7. In summary, our data suggest that TLR2-mediated cross-presentation occurs through the upregulation of Rab7 and a TAP-independent pathway that prime CTL responses.
Seasonal variations in energy balance among agriculturalists in central Mali: compromise or adaptation?

OBJECTIVE This paper considers whether seasonal variations in the energy balance of adult agriculturalists in Central Mali exceed acceptable risk, or whether they represent a short-term adaptive response without functional consequence. DESIGN Prospective/longitudinal study design. SETTING Agricultural village in rural Mali. SUBJECTS From a total population of 166 adults aged > or = 16 years, two cohorts of 63 men and 73 non-pregnant women with complete records were retained for analysis. INTERVENTIONS Over a 12-month period, monthly anthropometry and biweekly retrospective assessments of morbidity were made on every adult in the sample. Direct measures of household food consumption were collected twice in harvest, dry and rainy seasons respectively. Continuous 15-h observations of time-use and work intensity were conducted on a sub-sample of active adults and used to calculate mean seasonal energy expenditure. RESULTS Energy balance as measured by body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) declines significantly in the rainy season (P < 0.01), corresponding to a seasonal weight loss of 2-3 kg. A similar seasonal trend in % body fat (P < 0.0001) suggests that most of this loss represents adipose tissue. A rainy season increase in arm muscle area (AMA) implies that there is no seasonal compromise in lean tissue. Among men and women with BMI > 18.5, seasonal fat loss is significantly greater than their leaner counterparts. Considering the likely determinants of variations in energy balance, an increase in the duration and incidence of adult morbidity is observed; however, no significant intercorrelations exist between it and seasonal nutritional indices. Comparing trends in energy expenditure and intake, a disturbance in energy homeostasis is apparent as energy expenditure increases in the rainy season relative to constant household food consumption across seasons. While seasonal variations in energy expenditure are not as dramatic in the female sample, they appear to have less opportunity to recover from so-called 'heavy' levels of expenditure experienced in successive dry and rainy seasons. Periods of 'light' activity in both harvest and dry seasons provide the male sample with a reasonable length of time in which to reconstitute energy stores after the physical demands of the rainy season. CONCLUSIONS In the year of study, the modest loss of body fat recorded in the rainy season (< 5% body mass) represents a successful physiological response to energy imbalance, and is unlikely to compromise adult productive and reproductive function.
A thermal dysregulation problem after breast cancer surgery; what could be?

Rationale: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complicated disorder characterized by severe fatigue that is not relieved with rest and associated with physical symptoms such as sleep problems, headache, muscle pain, or joint pain. Patient concerns: Forty-one year old patient complained from feeling cold after breast cancer surgery. Diagnoses: The diagnoses of fibromyalgia, depression, neurological, psychiatric, and vascular disorders were excluded by appropriate clinical and laboratory investigations. She was diagnosed as CFS. Interventions: The patient was treated successfully via aerobic exercise therapy that scheduled for 30 min at least 3 days per week. Outcomes: At 6-month follow-up, her complaints were almost resolved and the patient regained her physical health and mental attitude. Lessons: A thermal dysregulation should be taken into consideration as one of the symptoms of CFS.
Not all minds that wander are lost: the importance of a balanced perspective on the mind-wandering state

The waking mind is often occupied with mental contents that are minimally constrained by events in the here and now. These self-generated thoughts—e.g., mind-wandering or daydreaming—interfere with external task performance and can be a marker for unhappiness and even psychiatric problems. They also occupy our thoughts for upwards of half of the time, and under non-demanding conditions they (i) allow us to connect our past and future selves together, (ii) help us make successful long-term plans and (iii) can provide a source of creative inspiration. The lengths that the mind goes to self-generate thought, coupled with its apparent functionality, suggest that the mind places a higher priority on such cognition than on many other mental acts. Although mind-wandering may be unpleasant for the individual who experiences it and disruptive to the tasks of the moment, self-generated thought allows consciousness freedom from the here and now and so reflects a key evolutionary adaptation for the mind. Here we synthesize recent literature from cognitive and clinical psychology and propose two formal hypotheses that (1) highlight task context and thought content as critical factors that constrain the costs and benefits of self-generated thought and (2) provide direction on ways to investigate the costs and benefits from an impartial perspective.
A preliminary study of a novel approximate UTD ray solution of an oblique EM diffraction by an impedance discontinuity in a planar surface

This paper presents a preliminary study of a novel approximate UTD ray solution of an oblique electromagnetic (EM) diffraction by an impedance discontinuity in a planar surface. The proposed solution is heuristically obtained from the Weiner-Hopf (W-H) solution. This leads the proposed solution relatively simple and closed form expression which is suitable for engineering applications. The comparison between the proposed solution and the W-H solution also preformed and shows good agreement for all the co and cross-polarizations.
Leg length, cognitive impairment and cognitive decline in an African‐Caribbean population

Shorter leg length is associated with an adverse environment in early childhood and has been found to be associated with a variety of disorders occurring in mid‐ to late‐life, including dementia in a Korean population. In a community population of African‐Caribbean elders, in whom leg length had been measured, we sought to compare associations with cognitive impairment at baseline and cognitive decline over a three‐year follow‐up period.
Iop Publishing Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering Real-time Measurement of the Three-axis Contact Force Distribution Using a Flexible Capacitive Polymer Tactile Sensor

In this paper, we report real-time measurement results of various contact forces exerted on a new flexible capacitive three-axis tactile sensor array based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). A unit sensor consists of two thick PDMS layers with embedded copper electrodes, a spacer layer, an insulation layer and a bump layer. There are four capacitors in a unit sensor to decompose a contact force into its normal and shear components. They are separated by a wall-type spacer to improve the mechanical response time. Four capacitors are arranged in a square form. The whole sensor is an 8 × 8 array of unit sensors and each unit sensor responds to forces in all three axes. Measurement results show that the full-scale range of detectable force is around 0–20 mN (250 kPa) for all three axes. The estimated sensitivities of a unit sensor with the current setup are 1.3, 1.2 and 1.2%/mN for the x-, y-and z-axes, respectively. A simple mechanical model has been established to calculate each axial force component from the measured capacitance value. Normal and shear force distribution images are captured from the fabricated sensor using a real-time measurement system. The mechanical response time of a unit sensor has been estimated to be less than 160 ms. The flexibility of the sensor has also been demonstrated by operating the sensor on a curved surface of 4 mm radius of curvature.
RAGE and TGF-β1 Cross-Talk Regulate Extracellular Matrix Turnover and Cytokine Synthesis in AGEs Exposed Fibroblast Cells

AGEs accumulation in the skin affects extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover and triggers diabetes associated skin conditions and accelerated skin aging. The receptor of AGEs (RAGE) has an essential contribution to cellular dysfunction driven by chronic inflammatory responses while TGF-β1 is critical in both dermal homeostasis and inflammation. We investigated the contribution of RAGE and TGF-β1 to the modulation of inflammatory response and ECM turnover in AGEs milieu, using a normal fibroblast cell line. RAGE, TGF-β1, collagen I and III gene and protein expression were upregulated after exposure to AGEs-BSA, and MMP-2 was activated. AGEs-RAGE was pivotal in NF-κB dependent collagen I expression and joined with TGF-β1 to stimulate collagen III expression, probably via ERK1/2 signaling. AGEs-RAGE axis induced upregulation of TGF-β1, TNF-α and IL-8 cytokines. TNF-α and IL-8 were subjected to TGF-β1 negative regulation. RAGE’s proinflammatory signaling also antagonized AGEs-TGF-β1 induced fibroblast contraction, suggesting the existence of an inhibitory cross-talk mechanism between TGF-β1 and RAGE signaling. RAGE and TGF-β1 stimulated anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-2 and IL-4 expression. GM-CSF and IL-6 expression appeared to be dependent only on TGF-β1 signaling. Our data also indicated that IFN-γ upregulated in AGEs-BSA milieu in a RAGE and TGF-β1 independent mechanism. Our findings raise the possibility that RAGE and TGF-β1 are both involved in fibrosis development in a complex cross-talk mechanism, while also acting on their own individual targets. This study contributes to the understanding of impaired wound healing associated with diabetes complications.
Insights into Mechanisms Used by Staphylococcus aureus to Avoid Destruction by Human Neutrophils1

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs, or neutrophils) are critical for human innate immunity and kill most invading bacteria. However, pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus avoid destruction by PMNs to survive, thereby causing human infections. The molecular mechanisms used by pathogens to circumvent killing by the immune system remain largely undefined. To that end, we studied S. aureus pathogenesis and bacteria-PMN interactions using strains originally isolated from individuals with community-acquired (CA) and hospital-acquired infections. Compared with strains from hospital infections (COL and MRSA252), strain MW2 and a methicillin-susceptible relative, MnCop, were significantly more virulent in a mouse model of S. aureus infection, and caused the greatest level of pathology in major vital organs. Although phagocytosis of each strain triggered production of reactive oxygen species and granule-phagosome fusion, those from CA infections were significantly more resistant to killing by human PMNs and caused greater host cell lysis. Microarray analysis of the strains during neutrophil phagocytosis identified genes comprising a global S. aureus response to human innate host defense. Genes involved in capsule synthesis, gene regulation, oxidative stress, and virulence, were up-regulated following ingestion of the pathogen. Notably, phagocytosis of strains from CA infections induced changes in gene expression not observed in the other strains, including up-regulation of genes encoding virulence factors and hypothetical proteins. Our studies reveal a gene transcription program in a prominent human pathogen that likely contributes to evasion of innate host defense.
Predicting community evolution based on time series modeling

Communities in real life are usually dynamic and community structures evolve over time. Detecting community evolution provides insight into the underlying behavior of the network. A growing body of study is devoted in studying the dynamics of communities in evolving social networks. Most of them provide an event-based framework to characterize and track the community evolution. A part of these studies take a step further and provide a predictive model of the events by exploiting community features. However, the proposed models require the community extraction and computing the community features relevant to the time point to be predicted. In this paper, we proposed a new approach for predicting events by estimating feature values related to the communities in a given network. An event-based framework is used to characterize community behavior patterns. Then, a time series ARIMA model is used to predict how particular community features will change in the following time period. Distinct time windows are examined in constituting and analyzing time series. Our proposed approach efficiently tracks similar communities and identifies events over time. Furthermore, community feature values are forecasted with an acceptable error rate. Event prediction using forecasted feature values substantially match up with actual events.
Model-driven development of a standard-compliant Customer Energy Manager

This paper describes a model-driven implementation of a standard-compliant Customer Energy Manager (CEM). The advantage of the proposed implementation methodology over conventional techniques is the automatic support of standard data models and the possibility to express CEMS logic in a protocol-independent way. In particular, the logic can be expressed as a state machine, with language constructs automatically derived from the input data models. The standards considered in this implementation are IEEE 2030.5 and OpenADR 2.0b.
What is the Space of Attenuation Coefficients in Underwater Computer Vision?

Underwater image reconstruction methods require the knowledge of wideband attenuation coefficients per color channel. Current estimation methods for these coefficients require specialized hardware or multiple images, and none of them leverage the multitude of existing ocean optical measurements as priors. Here, we aim to constrain the set of physically-feasible wideband attenuation coefficients in the ocean by utilizing water attenuation measured worldwide by oceanographers. We calculate the space of valid wideband effective attenuation coefficients in the 3D RGB domain and find that a bound manifold in 3-space sufficiently represents the variation from the clearest to murkiest waters. We validate our model using in situ experiments in two different optical water bodies, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Moreover, we show that contradictory to the common image formation model, the coefficients depend on the imaging range and object reflectance, and quantify the errors resulting from ignoring these dependencies.
Prestige in Academia - A Glance At The Gender Distribution

The acquiring of prestige is essential for succeeding at a career in academia. Also, the distribution of prestige between men and women may help explain the low representation of women in full professor positions. The author sets out to disprove the widely accepted notion that universities are based on a pure meritocratic system. The book compounds extensive survey studies of Swedish professors as well as focus group interviews with male and female professors. It was found that women were not discriminated against in the transferring of merit to prestige. Additionally it was revealed that professors feel the status of the profession has decreased, but that female professors were more satisfied with the current status of professors. Not surprisingly it was also found that the prestige of Swedish professors is not based alone on merit. Instead relational factors play a role in the assignment of prestige. Poulsen introduces the term ? consecrating moment? to explain the relational nature of assigning prestige. The concept refutes the widely accepted idea that a career in academia is made up of a long and continual flow of good performance. In doing so, it discusses sociology of education, feminist theory and the theory developed by Robert K. Merton and his followers.
Exploration-based high-level synthesis of linear analog systems operating at low/medium frequencies

This paper presents a methodology for high-level synthesis of continuous-time linear analog systems. Synthesis results are architectures of op-amps, sized resistors and capacitors such that their ac behavior and total silicon area are optimized. Bounds for op-amp dc gain, unity-gain frequency, input, and output impedances are found as a byproduct of synthesis. Subsequently, a circuit synthesis tool can be used to synthesize the op-amps of an architecture. The paper details the architecture generation technique. Architecture generation produces alternative architectures for a system specification using the tabu search heuristic. Its main advantages over traditional methods is that it is application independent, does not require a library of block connection patterns, and is simple to implement. The paper also discusses the hierarchical, two-step parameter optimization that guides architecture generation. Experiments showed that linear analog systems operating at low/medium frequencies (like telecommunication systems and filters) can be synthesized in a reasonably long time and with reduced effort.
Detection and interpretation of metabolite–transcript coresponses using combined profiling data

Motivation: Studying the interplay between gene expression and metabolite levels can yield important information on the physiology of stress responses and adaptation strategies. Performing transcriptomics and metabolomics in parallel during time-series experiments represents a systematic way to gain such information. Several combined profiling datasets have been added to the public domain and they form a valuable resource for hypothesis generating studies. Unfortunately, detecting coresponses between transcript levels and metabolite abundances is non-trivial: they cannot be assumed to overlap directly with underlying biochemical pathways and they may be subject to time delays and obscured by considerable noise. Results: Our aim was to predict pathway comemberships between metabolites and genes based on their coresponses to applied stress. We found that in the presence of strong noise and time-shifted responses, a hidden Markov model-based similarity outperforms the simpler Pearson correlation but performs comparably or worse in their absence. Therefore, we propose a supervised method that applies pathway information to summarize similarity statistics to a consensus statistic that is more informative than any of the single measures. Using four combined profiling datasets, we show that comembership between metabolites and genes can be predicted for numerous KEGG pathways; this opens opportunities for the detection of transcriptionally regulated pathways and novel metabolically related genes. Availability: A command-line software tool is available at http://www.cin.ufpe.br/~igcf/Metabolites. Contact: henning@psc.riken. jp; igcf@cin.ufpe.br Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Segmentation Standard for Chinese Natural Language Processing

This paper proposes a segmentation standard for Chinese natural language processing. The standard is proposed to achieve linguistic felicity, computational feasibility, and data uniformity. Linguistic felicity is maintained by defining a segmentation unit to be equivalent to the theoretical definition of word, and by providing a set of segmentation principles that are equivalent to a functional definition of a word. Computational feasibility is ensured by the fact that the above functional definitions are procedural in nature and can be converted to segmentation algorithms, as well as by the implementable heuristic guidelines which deal with specific linguistic categories. Data uniformity is achieved by stratification of the standard itself and by defining a standard lexicon as part of the segmentation standard.