Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Integration of Hydrothermal Carbonisation with Anaerobic Digestion; Opportunities for Valorisation of Digestate

Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) has been identified as a potential route for digestate enhancement producing a solid hydrochar and a process water rich in organic carbon. This study compares the treatment of four dissimilar digestates from anaerobic digestion (AD) of agricultural residue (AGR); sewage sludge (SS); residual municipal solid waste (MSW), and vegetable, garden, and fruit waste (VGF). HTC experiments were performed at 150, 200 and 250 °C for 1 h using 10%, 20%, and 30% solid loadings of a fixed water mass. The effect of temperature and solid loading to the properties of biocoal and biochemical methane potential (BMP) of process waters are investigated. Results show that the behaviour of digestate during HTC is feedstock dependent and the hydrochar produced is a poor-quality solid fuel. The AGR digestate produced the greatest higher heating value (HHV) of 24 MJ/kg, however its biocoal properties are poor due to slagging and fouling propensities. The SS digestate process water produced the highest amount of biogas at 200 °C and 30% solid loading. This study concludes that solely treating digestate via HTC enhances biogas production and that hydrochar be investigated for its use as a soil amender.
Directed-graph epidemiological models of computer viruses

The strong analogy between biological viruses and their computational counterparts has motivated the authors to adapt the techniques of mathematical epidemiology to the study of computer virus propagation. In order to allow for the most general patterns of program sharing, a standard epidemiological model is extended by placing it on a directed graph and a combination of analysis and simulation is used to study its behavior. The conditions under which epidemics are likely to occur are determined, and, in cases where they do, the dynamics of the expected number of infected individuals are examined as a function of time. It is concluded that an imperfect defense against computer viruses can still be highly effective in preventing their widespread proliferation, provided that the infection rate does not exceed a well-defined critical epidemic threshold. <<ETX>>
An Investigation of the Effect of Higher Education Student ’ s Perception on their Readiness for E-Learning Adoption : The Case of Egypt Eng

Implementing e-learning in a country like Egypt, with over 80 million, needs clear understanding of the Egyptian students' characteristics, perception, and cultural aspects. E-learning can serve a great number of students regardless of the class capacity; a fact that highlighted the role of and the necessity for e-learning as it can serve a great number of students regardless of the class capacity specially in Egypt where the large number of students per class and limited number of universities available in higher education is a major problem. This paper will focus on the Egyptian students as the customer in the e-learning process. It will try to identify the students' preference mode, perception regarding e-learning and its effect on their readiness foe e-learning adoption by answering the following question:  What is the effect of higher education student’s perception on their readiness for e-learning adoption? A structured questionnaire was designed and administered to target higher education students both in Alexandria and Cairo as the two main cities in Egypt. Data collected was statistically analyzed using SPSS. Findings enabled the researchers to make conclusions and recommendations regarding e-learning implementation in Egypt
Sequestering CP Violation and GIM-Violation with Warped Extra Dimensions

We propose a model of spontaneous CP violation to address the strong CP problem in warped extra dimensions that relies on sequestering flavor and CP violation. We assume that brane-localized Higgs Yukawa interactions respect a U(3) flavor symmetry that is broken only by bulk fermion mass and Yukawa terms. All CP violation arises from the vev of a CP-odd scalar field localized in the bulk. To suppress radiative corrections to , the doublet quarks in this model are localized on the IR brane. We calculate constraints from flavor-changing neutral currents (FCNCs), precision electroweak measurements, CKM unitarity, and the electric dipole moments in this model and predict to be at least about 10? 12.
A Predictive Metric Based on Discriminant Statistical Analysis

The purpose of this paper is to put forward a methodology based on discriminant statistical analysis, which, by evaluating a series of structural parameters of a program, is able to predict its risk level, namely how prone it is to containing faults. The metric was constructed in an experimental context in which the high number of available observations (almost 350,000 lines of code) allowed us to divide the body of data into two parts, one for the effective creation ofthe model, the other as an objective, statistical means by which the proposed methodology could be evaluated. The conclusions we have reached allow us to assert that the basic assumption holds true, and that this particular type of analysis can be used in a fixed environment, during the release and testing sf software as a predictive metric for the early identification of dangerous programs.
Cygnus X-2: The Descendant of an Intermediate-Mass X-Ray Binary

The X-ray binary Cygnus X-2 (Cyg X-2) has recently been shown to contain a secondary that is much more luminous and hotter than is appropriate for a low-mass subgiant. We present detailed binary-evolution calculations which demonstrate that the present evolutionary state of Cyg X-2 can be understood if the secondary had an initial mass of around 3.5 M☉ and started to transfer mass near the end of its main-sequence phase (or, somewhat less likely, just after leaving the main sequence, as recently suggested independently by A. R. King & H. Ritter). Most of the mass of the secondary must have been ejected from the system during an earlier rapid mass transfer phase. In the present phase, the secondary has a mass of around 0.5 M☉ with a nondegenerate helium core. It is burning hydrogen in a shell, and mass transfer is driven by the advancement of the burning shell. Cyg X-2 therefore is related to a previously little studied class of intermediate-mass X-ray binaries (IMXBs). We suggest that perhaps a significant fraction of X-ray binaries presently classified as low-mass X-ray binaries may be descendants of IMXBs and discuss some of the implications.
An Improved Model for the hTERT Promoter Quadruplex

Mutations occur at four specific sites in the hTERT promoter in >75% of glioblastomas and melanomas, but the mechanism by which the mutations affect gene expression remains unexplained. We report biophysical computational studies that show that the hTERT promoter sequence forms a novel G-quadruplex structure consisting of three contiguous, stacked parallel quadruplexes. The reported hTERT mutations map to the central quadruplex within this structure, and lead to an alteration of its hydrodynamic properties and stability.
Three player oligopoly model to evaluate the economic impact of cognitive radio

ii Abstract (in Finnish) . iii Preface . iv
Reply to Bonacich1

Some of the points that I have made do appear in Ethnic Entrepreneurs, but they are typically inserted as asides. The overall thrust ofthe book is to endorse ethnic entrepreneurship and to play down its exploitative and conflict-generating aspect. The reality of the Thai-owned garment shop is missing from their presentation. I hope, in this short essay, to have presented a glimpse of the other side of ethnic entrepreneurship.
The Universal Kaehler Modulus in Warped Compactifications

We construct the effective theory of the universal Kaehler modulus in warped compactifications using the Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity. The spacetime dependent 10d solution is constructed at the linear level for both the volume modulus and its axionic partner, and nontrivial cancellations of warping effects are found in the dimensional reduction. Our main result is that the Kaehler potential is not corrected by warping, up to an overall shift in the background value of the volume modulus. We extend the analysis beyond the linearized approximation by computing the fully backreacted 10d metric corresponding to a finite volume modulus fluctuation. Also, we discuss the behavior of the modulus in strongly warped regions and show that there are no mixings with light Kaluza-Klein modes. These results are important for the phenomenology and cosmology of flux compactifications.
Catenaccio: interactive information retrieval system through drawing

The Catenaccio system integrates information retrieval with sketch manipulations. The system is designed especially for pen-based computing and allows users to retrieve information by simple pen manipulations such as drawing a picture. When a user draws a circle and writes a keyword, information nodes related to the keyword are collected automatically inside the circle. In addition, the user can create a Venn diagram by repeatedly drawing circles and keywords to form more complex queries. Thus, the user can retrieve information both interactively and visually without complex manipulations. Moreover, the sketch interaction is so simple that it is possible to combine it with other types of data such as images and real-world information for information retrieval. In this paper, we describe our Catenaccio system and how it can be effectively applied.
Management Buy-out Pricing Model: A Fairness Preference Perspective

In order to determine the effective and reasonable management buyout price, considered of asymmetric infor- mation, this paper investigated the shareholders' decision-making behavior during the management buyout pricing proc- ess under a fairness preferences perspective. The conclusions in this paper were�1) The greater the value of the option, the smaller the critical probability of management buy-out success, namely smaller posteriori probability of the original shareholders to the management; and 2) MBO share is affected by inequity aversion. In order to enhance utility, manage- ment with higher degree of inequity aversion would increase the probability of cheating and moral hazard. The contribu- tions of this paper were: the signal display principle of option value has been found; and studied the fairness preference during the process, psychological disutility produced by fairness preference has a crowding-out effect on managerial own- ership's incentive contracts.
Process Documentation, Operational Alignment, and Flexibility in IT Outsourcing Relationships: A Knowledge-Based Perspective

What is the impact of process documentation on the relationship between operational alignment and IT provider flexibility in IT outsourcing relationships? Drawing on a sample of application management outsourcing relationships from the German banking industry, we analyze the connections between interorganizational alignment of IT and business domains and IT provider flexibility. Results show that provider’s tacit knowledge about the client’s business domain is a strong enabler of flexibility on the provider side. If the client’s business processes are poorly documented, tacit knowledge is also the main element that fosters trust, acceptance, and respect (the cognitive dimension of operational alignment) on the client side. However, when extended upto-date business process documentation is available, tacit knowledge, while still enabling flexibility, becomes irrelevant for fostering cognitive linkages between client and provider. Instead, IT provider flexibility becomes the main driver for the cognitive dimension of operational alignment.
No Evidence that Social Desirability Response Set Explains the General Factor of Personality and Its Affective Correlates

Abstract In two studies, the General Factor of Personality (GFP) remained intact after controlling for the Lie scale from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, despite the Lie Scale showing significant correlations with the GFP defining traits. In Study 1, a re-analysis of 29 self-ratings from 322 pairs of twins (644 individuals) yielded a GFP both before and after controlling for social desirability. In Study 2, four measures of affect in 133 university students loaded on a GFP both before and after controlling for social desirability such that those high on the GFP were high in self-esteem and positive affect and low in depression and negative affect. These results join those from other studies failing to find evidence that the GFP is merely an artifact of evaluative bias.
Segmentation of Terahertz images using 3D graph-cuts

In this paper, we describe a novel technique for the extraction of object shapes from Terahertz images using a 3D graph-cut segmentation scheme. This approach to segmentation includes images in temporal domain by creating nodes and edges between consecutive images in order to obtain improved segmentation results and compensate for the high levels of noise in the Terahertz images. The foreground and background pixels are defined to provide hard constraints for segmentation. Graph cuts are thus used to extract the object shapes in absence of any other direct mean of object identification.
Ramp metering based on on-line ADHDP (λ) controller

Increasing dependence on car-based travel has led to the daily occurrence of freeway congestions around the world. In order to improve the worse and worse traffic congestion situation and solve the problems brought with it, a new kind of effective, fast, and robust method should be presented. Ramp metering has been developed as a traffic management strategy to alleviate congestion on freeways. But, it doesnpsilat work well in uncertainty situations. In this paper, in order to solve the problems in uncertainty conditions, an on-line learning control method based on the fundamental principle of reinforcement learning is proposed. The method is ADP (adaptive dynamic programming) and in order to expedite the learning rate, the concept about eligibility traces is introduced here. Then eligibility trace and ADP is combined to present a new kind of traffic responsive control method. The new method is called action-dependent heuristic dynamic programming based on eligibility traces (ADHDP (lambda)). ADHDP (lambda) is an approximate optimal ramp metering method. Simulation studies on a hypothetical freeway indicate good control performance of the proposed real-time traffic controller.
Carry-over effects of temperature and pCO 2 in multiple Olympia oyster populations

Impacts of adult exposure to elevated temperature and altered carbonate chemistry on reproduction and offspring viability were examined in the Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida). Three distinct populations of adult, hatchery-reared O. lurida, plus an additional cohort spawned from one of the populations, were sequentially exposed to elevated temperature (+4°C, at 10°C) and elevated pCO2 (+2204 μatm, at 3045 μatm) during winter months. Oysters were then induced to spawn volitionally in common conditions at ambient pCO2. Elevated winter temperature and pCO2 impacted male gonad development separately, and the two treatments acted antagonistically such that gonad stage and sex did not differ from control oysters. Male gametes were more developed after elevated temperature exposure, and less developed after high pCO2 exposure, but there was no impact on female gametes or sex ratios. Larval release occurred earlier in warm-exposed oysters, and tended to be later in high pCO2-exposed oysters. Fecundity over a 60 day collection period (in ambient conditions) was unaffected by pCO2 exposure, but winter warming conditions increased larval production. No effects on larval survival were detected in this study, but juveniles of parents exposed to elevated pCO2 had higher survival rates in the natural environment in two of the four deployment bays. These results indicate that despite impacts on gametogenesis and larval release timing, Olympia oyster fecundity in hatchery conditions is unaffected by winter warming and high pCO2, there are no significant negative effects on the offspring, and in certain environmental conditions carryover effects can be beneficial. Furthermore, persistent population-specific traits emphasize the importance of using multiple sources of test organisms in stress-response studies.
Asymptotically efficient estimation in the Wicksell problem

We consider the classical Wicksell problem of estimating an unknown distribution function G of the radii of balls, based on their observed cross-sections. It is assumed that the underlying distribution function G belongs to a Holder class of smoothness y > 1/2. We prove that for a suitable choice of the smoothing parameters, kernel-type estimators are asymptotically efficient for a large class of symmetric bowl-shaped loss functions.
Shared mushroom body circuits underlie visual and olfactory memories in Drosophila

In nature, animals form memories associating reward or punishment with stimuli from different sensory modalities, such as smells and colors. It is unclear, however, how distinct sensory memories are processed in the brain. We established appetitive and aversive visual learning assays for Drosophila that are comparable to the widely used olfactory learning assays. These assays share critical features, such as reinforcing stimuli (sugar reward and electric shock punishment), and allow direct comparison of the cellular requirements for visual and olfactory memories. We found that the same subsets of dopamine neurons drive formation of both sensory memories. Furthermore, distinct yet partially overlapping subsets of mushroom body intrinsic neurons are required for visual and olfactory memories. Thus, our results suggest that distinct sensory memories are processed in a common brain center. Such centralization of related brain functions is an economical design that avoids the repetition of similar circuit motifs. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.02395. 001
Spatial structure increases the waiting time for cancer

Cancer results from a sequence of genetic and epigenetic changes that lead to a variety of abnormal phenotypes including increased proliferation and survival of somatic cells and thus to a selective advantage of pre-cancerous cells. The notion of cancer progression as an evolutionary process has been attracting increasing interest in recent years. A great deal of effort has been made to better understand and predict the progression to cancer using mathematical models; these mostly consider the evolution of a well-mixed cell population, even though pre-cancerous cells often evolve in highly structured epithelial tissues. In this study, we propose a novel model of cancer progression that considers a spatially structured cell population where clones expand via adaptive waves. This model is used to assess two different paradigms of asexual evolution that have been suggested to delineate the process of cancer progression. The standard scenario of periodic selection assumes that driver mutations are accumulated strictly sequentially over time. However, when the mutation supply is sufficiently high, clones may arise simultaneously on distinct genetic backgrounds, and clonal adaptation waves interfere with each other. We find that in the presence of clonal interference, spatial structure increases the waiting time for cancer, leads to a patchwork structure of non-uniformly sized clones and decreases the survival probability of virtually neutral (passenger) mutations, and that genetic distance begins to increase over a characteristic length scale Lc. These characteristic features of clonal interference may help us to predict the onset of cancers with pronounced spatial structure and to interpret spatially sampled genetic data obtained from biopsies. Our estimates suggest that clonal interference likely occurs in the progression of colon cancer and possibly other cancers where spatial structure matters.
Analysis of incremental relaying protocol with RCPC in cooperative diversity systems

The incremental relaying protocol in this paper applies the idea of hybrid-ARQ with rate-compatible puncture convolutional code (RCPC) on the cooperative setting. It is shown that the incremental relaying protocol clearly achieves full diversity in the symmetric user case while still has significant performance gain over no-cooperation system in the asymmetric user case. Simulation results of bit-error rate (BER), throughput and percentage of cooperation of the protocol have been con- firmed by analytical results which yield further insight to the operation of the protocol.
Commentaries on ‘Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold’ with responses from the review author

These are commentaries on a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Douglas RM, Hemila H, Chalker E, Treacy B. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD000980. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000980. pub3. Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying EBCH Summary and Characteristics and Key Findings Tables. Copyright © 2008 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The Cochrane Collaboration
The gp120 Protein Is a Second Determinant of Decreased Neurovirulence of Indian HIV-1C Isolates Compared to Southern African HIV-1C Isolates

Regional differences in neurovirulence have been documented among subtype/clade-C HIV-1 isolates in India and Southern Africa. We previously demonstrated that a C31S substitution in Clade-C Tat dicysteine motif reduces monocyte recruitment, cytokine induction and direct neurotoxicity. Therefore, this polymorphism is considered to be a causative factor for these differences in neurovirulence. We previously reported on the genotypic differences in Tat protein between clade-C and rest of the clades showing that approximately 90% of clade-C HIV-1 Tat sequences worldwide contained this C31S polymorphism, while 99% of non-clade C isolates lacked this Tat polymorphism at C31 residue (Ranga et al. (2004) J Virol 78∶2586–2590). Subsequently, we documented intra-clade-C differences in the frequency of Tat dicysteine variants between India and Southern Africa, as the basis for differential disease severity and showed the importance of the Tat dicysteine motif for neuropathogenesis using small animal models. We have now examined if determinants of neurovirulence besides Tat are different between the clade-C HIV-1 isolates from Southern Africa and India. Envelope glycoprotein gp120 is a well-documented contributor to neurotoxicity. We found that gp120 sequences of HIV-1 isolates from these two regions are genetically distinct. In order to delineate the contribution of gp120 to neurovirulence, we compared direct in vitro neurotoxicity of HIV-infected supernatants of a representative neurovirulent US clade-B isolate with two isolates each from Southern Africa and India using primary human neurons and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Immunodepletion of gp120 of both US clade B and the Southern African clade C isolates revealed robust decreases in neurotoxicity, while that of the Indian isolates showed minimal effect on neurotoxicity. The gp120 as a cause of differential neurotoxicity was further confirmed using purified recombinant gp120 from HIV isolates from these regions. We conclude that gp120 is one of the key factors responsible for the decreased neurovirulence of Indian clade C HIV-1 isolates when compared to South African clade C HIV-1.
Privacy stories: confidence in privacy behaviors through end user programming

We describe a work in progress to study the viability of this approach for improving the usability of social network privacy configuration. As suggested in [2] we make use of analytical usability techniques to discuss the usability challenges of the current Facebook interface and to inform the design of our proposed alternative. We then report on a very small (two-user) pilot study and look at challenges that we will address in future design iterations.