Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
LEAF: A privacy-conscious social network-based intervention tool for IPV survivors

Destructive relationship behavior directed from one party to another in domestic relationships, both physical and emotional, is a common problem. When the behavior occurs in intimate relationships this is called intimate partner violence (IPV). There are many resources available to survivors of IPV in getting out of abusive situations, but the information is not readily available and is not always easy to find. Furthermore, once the survivor has escaped from the abusive situation, there are not many support type resources that are easily accessible, especially to people lacking transportation and to those residing in rural or suburban areas. LEAF is being created to address the issues that arise from limits in physical community support. The acronym stands for lending encouragement, affirming futures. These embody the vision for a system to provide support to those in difficult situations. The system contains three components: a web portal, a privacy-conscious social network, and a mobile app. By providing a web portal, LEAF aims to be a location where abuse survivors and others can find relevant information. The social network provides an online support community unrestricted by geographical diversity. LEAF incorporates new techniques for anonymous communication in social networks to enable information flow over distributed protected content, while safeguarding both personal information and privacy of individuals from unauthorized disclosure. We believe the outcomes of this system will have the potential for a significant impact on the use of specialized anonymous online social networks in the health care sector including the IPV support system addressed in this work.
Vasotab, a vasoactive peptide from horse fly Hybomitra bimaculata (Diptera, Tabanidae) salivary glands

SUMMARY Horse flies feed from superficial haematomas and probably rely heavily on the pharmacological properties of their saliva to find blood. Here we describe the first evidence of vasodilators in horse fly Hybomitra bimaculata (Diptera, Tabanidae) salivary gland extract and clone and express one of the active peptides (termed vasotab). Physiological tests using crude salivary gland extracts and reverse-phase HPLC fractions demonstrated positive inotropism in isolated rat hearts, vasodilatation of coronary and peripheral vessels, and Na, K-ATPase inhibition. One of the vasoactive fractions was analysed by N-terminal Edman degradation and a 47-amino-acid sequence obtained. A full-length cDNA encoding the peptide was cloned from a phage library using degenerate primer PCR and the peptide expressed in insect cells. A 20-amino-acid signal sequence precedes the mature 56-amino-acid vasotab peptide, which is a member of the Kazal-type protease inhibitor family. The peptide has a unique 7-amino-acid insertion between the third and fourth cysteine residues. The recombinant peptide prolonged the action potential and caused positive inotropism of isolated rat heart myocytes, and may be an ion channel modulator.
State-of-the-art Tools for Computational Site of Metabolism Predictions: Comparative Analysis, Mechanistical Insights, and Future Applications

In drug design, it is crucial to have reliable information on how a chemical entity behaves in the presence of metabolizing enzymes. This requires substantial experimental efforts. Consequently, being able to predict the likely site/s of metabolism in any compound, synthesized or virtual, would be highly beneficial and time efficient. In this work, six different methodologies for predictions of the site of metabolism (SOM) have been compared and validated using structurally diverse data sets of drug-like molecules with well-established metabolic pattern in CYP3A4, CYP2C9, or both. Three of the methods predict the SOM based on the ligand's chemical structure, two additional methods use structural information of the enzymes, and the sixth method combines structure and ligand similarity and reactivity. The SOM is correctly predicted in 50 to 90% of the cases, depending on method and enzyme, which is an encouraging rate. We also discuss the underlying mechanisms of cytochrome P450 metabolism in the light of the results from this comparison.
Context Sensing System Analysis for Privacy Preservation Based on Game Theory

In a context sensing system in which a sensor-equipped mobile phone runs an unreliable context-aware application, the application can infer the user’s contexts, based on which it provides personalized services. However, the application may sell the user’s contexts to some malicious adversaries to earn extra profits, which will hinder its widespread use. In the real world, the actions of the user, the application and the adversary in the context sensing system affect each other, so that their payoffs are constrained mutually. To figure out under which conditions they behave well (the user releases, the application does not leak and the adversary does not retrieve the context), we take advantage of game theory to analyze the context sensing system. We use the extensive form game and the repeated game, respectively, to analyze two typical scenarios, single interaction and multiple interaction among three players, from which Nash equilibriums and cooperation conditions are obtained. Our results show that the reputation mechanism for the context-sensing system in the former scenario is crucial to privacy preservation, so is the extent to which the participants are concerned about future payoffs in the latter one.
Structural Equation Models Assessing Relationships Among Student Activities, Ethnicity, Poverty, Parents' Education, and Academic Achievement

is an independent research and data analysis center within Seattle Pacific University. The Center began in July 2000, funded through a gift from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Our mission is to conduct sound and objective research on student learning in the public schools, and to make the research findings available for educators, policy makers, and the general public for use in the improvement of schools. We believe that sound data and appropriate data analysis are vital components for the identification of school and classroom practices related to increased student academic achievement
Modeling object pursuit for 3D interactive tasks in virtual reality

Models of interaction tasks are quantitative descriptions of relationships between human temporal performance and the spatial characteristics of the interactive tasks. Examples include Fitts' law for modeling the pointing task and Accot and Zhai's steering law for the path steering task, etc. Models can be used as guidelines to design efficient user interfaces and quantitatively evaluate interaction techniques and input devices. In this paper, we introduce a 3D object pursuit interaction task, in which users are required to continuously track a moving target in a virtual environment. The entire movement of the task is broken into a tracking phase and a correction phase. For each phase, we propose a model that has been verified by two experiments. As the experimental results show, the time for the tracking phase is fixed once a task has been established, while the time for the correction phase usually varies according to some characteristics of the task. It can be modeled as a function of path length, target width and the velocity with which the target moves. The proposed model can be used to quantitatively evaluate the efficiency of user interfaces that involve the interaction with moving objects.
An Evolutionarily Conserved Coiled-Coil Protein Implicated in Polycystic Kidney Disease Is Involved in Basal Body Duplication and Flagellar Biogenesis in Trypanosoma brucei

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma brucei is a flagellated protozoan with a highly polarized cellular structure. TbLRTP is a trypanosomal protein containing multiple SDS22-class leucine-rich repeats and a coiled-coil domain with high similarity to a mammalian testis-specific protein of unknown function. Homologues are present in a wide range of higher eukaryotes including zebra fish, where the gene product has been implicated in polycystic kidney disease. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence with antibodies against recombinant TbLRTP indicate that the protein is expressed throughout the trypanosome life cycle and localizes to distal zones of the basal bodies. Overexpression and RNA interference demonstrate that TbLRTP is important for faithful basal body duplication and flagellum biogenesis. Expression of excess TbLRTP suppresses new flagellum assembly, while reduction of TbLRTP protein levels often results in the biogenesis of additional flagellar axonemes and paraflagellar rods that, most remarkably, are intracellular and fully contained within the cytoplasm. The mutant flagella are devoid of membrane and are often associated with four microtubules in an arrangement similar to that observed in the normal flagellar attachment zone. Aberrant basal body and flagellar biogenesis in TbLRTP mutants also influences cell size and cytokinesis. These findings demonstrate that TbLRTP suppresses basal body replication and subsequent flagellar biogenesis and indicate a critical role for the LRTP family of proteins in the control of the cell cycle. These data further underscore the role of aberrant flagellar biogenesis as a disease mechanism.
Eddy Heat Flux in the Southern Ocean: Response to Variable Wind Forcing

Abstract The authors assess the role of time-dependent eddy variability in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) in influencing warming of the Southern Ocean. For this, an eddy-resolving quasigeostrophic model of the wind-driven circulation is used, and the response of circumpolar transport, eddy kinetic energy, and eddy heat transport to changes in winds is quantified. On interannual time scales, the model exhibits the behavior of an “eddy saturated” ocean state, where increases in wind stress do not significantly change the circumpolar transport, but instead enhance the eddy field. This is in accord with previous dynamical arguments, and a recent observational study. The instantaneous response to increased wind stress is to cool temperatures through increased northward Ekman transport of cool water. But, in the longer term, the enhanced eddy state is more efficient at transporting heat, leading to a warming of the ocean. The total eddy heat flux response is greater than the Ekman transport heat flux i.
Several Types of Antennas Composed of Microwave Metamaterials

We present a review of several types of microwave antennas made of metamaterials, including the resonant electrically small antennas, metamaterial-substrate patch antennas, metamaterial flat-lens antennas, and Luneburg lens antennas. In particular, we propose a new type of conformal antennas using anisotropic zero-index metamaterials, which have high gains and low sidelobes. Numerical simulations and experimental results show that metamaterials have unique properties to design new antennas with high performance.
Results Repeated Application of a Hypertonic Solution Suppressed the Subsequent Transmitter Release at the Cultured Inhibitory Synapses of Mutants

Deletion of the synapsin I genes, encoding one of the major groups of proteins on synaptic vesicles, in mice causes late onset epileptic seizures and enhanced experimental temporal lobe epilepsy. However, mice lacking synapsin I maintain normal excitatory synaptic transmission and modulation but for an enhancement of paired-pulse facilitation. To elucidate the cellular basis for epilepsy in mutants, we examined whether the inhibitory synapses in the hippocampus from mutant mice are intact by electrophysiological and morphological means. In the cultured hippocampal synapses from mutant mice, repeated application of a hypertonic solution significantly suppressed the subsequent transmitter release, associated with an accelerated vesicle replenishing time at the inhibitory synapses, compared with the excitatory synapses. In the mutants, morphologically identifiable synaptic vesicles failed to accumulate after application of a hypertonic solution at the inhibitory preterminals but not at the excitatory preterminals. In the CA3 pyramidal cells in hippocampal slices from mutant mice, inhibitory postsynaptic currents evoked by direct electrical stimulation of the interneuron in the striatum oriens were characterized by reduced quantal content compared with those in wild type. We conclude that synapsin I contributes to the anchoring of synaptic vesicles, thereby minimizing transmitter depletion at the inhibitory synapses. This may explain, at least in part, the epileptic seizures occurring in the synapsin I mutant mice.
The sensitivity of the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to acetic acid is influenced by DOM34 and RPL36A

The presence of acetic acid during industrial alcohol fermentation reduces the yield of fermentation by imposing additional stress on the yeast cells. The biology of cellular responses to stress has been a subject of vigorous investigations. Although much has been learned, details of some of these responses remain poorly understood. Members of heat shock chaperone HSP proteins have been linked to acetic acid and heat shock stress responses in yeast. Both acetic acid and heat shock have been identified to trigger different cellular responses including reduction of global protein synthesis and induction of programmed cell death. Yeast HSC82 and HSP82 code for two important heat shock proteins that together account for 1–2% of total cellular proteins. Both proteins have been linked to responses to acetic acid and heat shock. In contrast to the overall rate of protein synthesis which is reduced, the expression of HSC82 and HSP82 is induced in response to acetic acid stress. In the current study we identified two yeast genes DOM34 and RPL36A that are linked to acetic acid and heat shock sensitivity. We investigated the influence of these genes on the expression of HSP proteins. Our observations suggest that Dom34 and RPL36A influence translation in a CAP-independent manner.
Incentives for infrastructure deployment by over-the-top service providers in a mobile network: A cooperative game theory model

The success of smartphones has encouraged over-the-top service providers to seek ways in which they can have more control over the wireless service offered to their users. Google Project Fi is an example for this type of action, where control over the wireless service is achieved by either deploying own wireless infrastructure or entering into service level agreements with mobile network operators. Following this example, we construct a game theoretic model for the interaction between mobile network operators and over-the-top service providers and assess how the spatial distribution of mobile demand impacts the outcomes of cooperation, unevenly affecting the utilities achieved by the two parties. We also show how the cost of fixed infrastructure deployed by the mobile operator, if too high, may render cooperation between the two parties ineffective.
Texture transfer using geometry correlation

Texture variation on real-world objects often correlates with underlying geometric characteristics and creates a visually rich appearance. We present a technique to transfer such geometry-dependent texture variation from an example textured model to new geometry in a visually consistent way. It captures the correlation between a set of geometric features, such as curvature, and the observed diffuse texture. We perform dimensionality reduction on the overcomplete feature set which yields a compact guidance field that is used to drive a spatially varying texture synthesis model. In addition, we introduce a method to enrich the guidance field when the target geometry strongly differs from the example. Our method transfers elaborate texture variation that follows geometric features, which gives 3D models a compelling photorealistic appearance.
Managing Data-Intensive Workloads in a Cloud 1 , 2 Ph

1 Publications: a book chapter [Mian et al. '11] and a poster [Mian et al. '10] have been published based on this depth paper. Powley has reviewed a draft of the depth paper. Dr. Hussain has provided detailed feedback. Muhammad Aboelfotoh has proofread the final draft. I thank them all.ABSTRACT In current information technology era, the pace and volume of data being generated is exceeding our ability to manage and analyse it. Until recently, large data was managed in bulky repositories and analysed on high-end servers or compute clusters. However, the growing volume of data questions the continuation of this approach for many reasons such as feasibility and affordability. This requires exploring new technologies and methods to swiftly and reliably transform raw data into tangible information and hence knowledge. The promise of ―infinite‖ resources given by the cloud computing paradigm has led to recent interest in exploiting clouds for large-scale data-intensive computing. Given this supposedly infinite resource set, we need a management function that regulates application workload on these resources. Workload management, an important component of systems management, is the discipline of effectively managing, controlling and monitoring application workload across computing systems. Meanwhile, data-intensive computing presents new challenges for systems management in the cloud including diverse data processing frameworks, such as MapReduce and Dataflow-processing, and costs inherent with large data sets in distributed environments. We need to establish our current location in this landscape. Therefore, we examine the state-of-the-art of workload management for data-intensive computing in clouds. A taxonomy is presented for workload management of data-intensive computing in the cloud. We use the taxonomy to classify and evaluate current workload management mechanisms and systems.
The extracellular matrix modulates the hallmarks of cancer

The extracellular matrix regulates tissue development and homeostasis, and its dysregulation contributes to neoplastic progression. The extracellular matrix serves not only as the scaffold upon which tissues are organized but provides critical biochemical and biomechanical cues that direct cell growth, survival, migration and differentiation and modulate vascular development and immune function. Thus, while genetic modifications in tumor cells undoubtedly initiate and drive malignancy, cancer progresses within a dynamically evolving extracellular matrix that modulates virtually every behavioral facet of the tumor cells and cancer‐associated stromal cells. Hanahan and Weinberg defined the hallmarks of cancer to encompass key biological capabilities that are acquired and essential for the development, growth and dissemination of all human cancers. These capabilities include sustained proliferation, evasion of growth suppression, death resistance, replicative immortality, induced angiogenesis, initiation of invasion, dysregulation of cellular energetics, avoidance of immune destruction and chronic inflammation. Here, we argue that biophysical and biochemical cues from the tumor‐associated extracellular matrix influence each of these cancer hallmarks and are therefore critical for malignancy. We suggest that the success of cancer prevention and therapy programs requires an intimate understanding of the reciprocal feedback between the evolving extracellular matrix, the tumor cells and its cancer‐associated cellular stroma.
Blood-brain barrier permeability : quantification with computed tomography and application in acute ischemic stroke

Before the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator (NINDS rt-PA) stroke study, therapeutic options for stroke were nearly nonexistent; however, the NINDS study demonstrated the efficacy of treatment with intravenous rt-PA started within three hours of the onset of symptoms [3]. Meta-analysis of this and other major trials of IV rt-PA have confirmed the improved outcomes demonstrated by patients treated with rt-PA within the three-hour window. This also suggests that the treatment window may be widened to the potential benefit of patients [4].
Optimal Positioning in low-Dimensional control Spaces using Convex Optimization

A music analysis and control system for use in live performance is presented and demonstrated. Musical features, such as harmony, rhythmic patterning, or melodic structure, are extracted and automatically placed at appropriate locations in a control space. The control space is of low dimensionality, usually only two dimensions, wherein perceptual dissimilarity is represented as distance. The system can be viewed as a listening assistant that aids a performing computer musician with usable information about the evolving musical context so that the material under control can be adjusted to respond in interesting ways to that context. The method developed to position the points is based on a semidefinite programming relaxation of a nonconvex positioning problem and is both novel and elegant. Another novel feature of our work is an interprocess communication implementation that provides for two-way traffic between Max/MSP and MATLAB in realtime. We demonstrate the system with a harmony space and a melodic process space. The method is robust, rapid, and not plagued by problems with local minima. This successful use of convex optimization suggests that semidefinite programming may have broad application in the computer music field.
Intravenous infusion of remifentanil induces transient withdrawal hyperalgesia depending on administration duration in rats.

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that remifentanil, similar to other μ-opioid agonists, may induce hyperalgesia. We performed animal experiments to determine whether IV remifentanil infusion, the mode of administration used in clinical practice, induces hyperalgesia and the conditions in which this phenomenon occurs. We also determined whether remifentanil-induced hyperalgesia is related to extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. METHODS Remifentanil was administered through a catheter in the tail vein of male Sprague-Dawley rats for 10 minutes (30 μg · kg(-1) · min(-1)), 30 minutes (0.1, 1, and 10 μg · kg(-1) · min(-1)), or 120 minutes (0.1, 1, 3, and 10 μg · kg(-1) · min(-1)). The von Frey test and a tail-flick test were performed, followed by ERK1/2 immunohistochemistry. We examined whether intrathecal preadministration of the mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor U0126 suppresses hyperalgesia. RESULTS Remifentanil had a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect that rapidly diminished. Ten- or 30-minute remifentanil infusion did not induce hyperalgesia. However, tail-flick latency and mechanical pain threshold after infusion termination were significantly lower in the 120-minute remifentanil administration group than those in the control group, regardless of dose. Hyperalgesia duration was no longer than 60 minutes. Significantly more phospho-ERK1/2-immunoreactive neurons in the superficial spinal dorsal horn were observed in the remifentanil 120-minute groups with hyperalgesia than in the 30-minute remifentanil groups without hyperalgesia, although U0126 did not suppress hyperalgesia. CONCLUSIONS IV remifentanil induces transient withdrawal hyperalgesia soon after its termination. This hyperalgesia is strongly associated with the duration of exposure to remifentanil. Contrary to our hypothesis, ERK1/2 by itself was not the essential factor involved in the induction of the hyperalgesia.