Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generation and validation of a zebrafish model of EAST (epilepsy, ataxia, sensorineural deafness and tubulopathy) syndrome

SUMMARY Recessive mutations in KCNJ10, which encodes an inwardly rectifying potassium channel, were recently identified as the cause of EAST syndrome, a severe and disabling multi-organ disorder consisting of epilepsy, ataxia, sensorineural deafness and tubulopathy that becomes clinically apparent with seizures in infancy. A Kcnj10 knockout mouse shows postnatal mortality and is therefore not suitable for drug discovery. Because zebrafish are ideal for in vivo screening for potential therapeutics, we tested whether kcnj10 knockdown in zebrafish would fill this need. We cloned zebrafish kcnj10 and demonstrated that its function is equivalent to that of human KCNJ10. We next injected splice- and translation-blocking kcnj10 antisense morpholino oligonucleotides and reproduced the cardinal symptoms of EAST syndrome – ataxia, epilepsy and renal tubular defects. Several of these phenotypes could be assayed in an automated manner. We could rescue the morphant phenotype with complementary RNA (cRNA) encoding human wild-type KCNJ10, but not with cRNA encoding a KCNJ10 mutation identified in individuals with EAST syndrome. Our results suggest that zebrafish will be a valuable tool to screen for compounds that are potentially therapeutic for EAST syndrome or its individual symptoms. Knockdown of kcnj10 represents the first zebrafish model of a salt-losing tubulopathy, which has relevance for blood pressure control.
Prosodic constraints on allophonic distribution in adult L2 acquisition

Data from three American teenagers acquiring German during an exchange year show uneven acquisition patterns with respect to allophonic variation. Acquisition of [ ç ] / [ x ], as in [ dıç ] dich 'you' and [bax] Bach 'stream', is early, but acquisition of final obstruent devoicing is not acquired at all during the data collection period. In pairs of words exhibiting alternations, such as [ kınt ] ~ [ kındɐ ] Kind / Kinder 'child / children' the final /d/ is either realized as *[ d ] or the obstruent is voiceless in both positions: [ kınt ] ~ *[ kıntɐ ]. Factors such as markedness (Eckman, 1977) and similarity (Flege, e.g., 1995) fail to account for these acquisition patterns. An account based on learners' transfer of their American English intervocalic flapping (of /t/ and /d /) captures these facts and tentatively provides evidence in support of the Asymmetry Hypothesis (Young-Scholten, 1994). Flapping itself is not necessarily transferred in a direct way, but the domain of application larger than that of final devoicing is; transfer is thus taken to have the indirect effect of leading learners to erroneously surmise that a voiced alvealor stop in the input could be derived from underlying /t/. That the [ kınt ] ~ *[ k*ıntɐ] pattern is found only for alvealor stops supports this conclusion.
Human laughter, social play, and play vocalizations of non-human primates: an evolutionary approach

It has been hypothesized that the evolutionary origin of human laughter lies in the facial play signals of non-human primates. Recent studies dealing with human laughter have stressed the importance of the acoustic component of this nonverbal behaviour. In this study, we analysed the occurrence and some acoustic parameters, such as interval durations and fundamental frequency, of Barbary macaque and chimpanzee play vocalizations and human laughter during tickling. Play vocalizations occurred most often during play with close bodily contact, i.e. wrestling and tickling. In both Barbary macaques and chimpanzees, they were serially organized and had a high intra-bout variability in their acoustic parameters. These are characteristic features of human laughter which are crucial for deciding whether a given utterance will be classified as laughter in humans. Besides intra-bout variability, there was substantial intraindividual variability which was as high or higher than the interindividual variability in all three species. Interval durations of Barbary macaque and chimpanzee play vocalizations and human laughter during tickling lay in a similar range. These results provide further evidence for the hypothesis that human laughter evolved from a play signal of non-human primates and raise questions about the importance of and the relationship between facial and vocal play signals in the evolution of human laughter.
Effects of 9/11 on individuals and organizations: down but not out!

Purpose – The purpose of this introduction is to review some of the major issues that arose after 9/11 and set the stage for the articles that follow.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review was undertaken using both academic and mass media sources.Findings – The events of 9/11 have produced potentially positive as well as negative consequences, some anticipated and others unforeseen.Research limitations/implications – Relatively little research has been conducted on the events following 9/11, making it difficult to arrive at solid conclusions at this time.Practical implications – This special issue links the events of 9/11 with the management of organizations, a topic that has received little attention, and hopefully will encourage more scholarship in this area.Originality/value – It is important to more fully understand why 9/11 happened and what measures need to be taken to reduce the likelihood of future terrorist attacks, as well as improve the resiliency of both citizens and their organizat.
Recent Advances and Applications of Molecular Docking to G Protein-Coupled Receptors

The growing number of studies on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) family are a source of noticeable improvement in our understanding of the functioning of these proteins. GPCRs are responsible for a vast part of signaling in vertebrates and, as such, invariably remain in the spotlight of medicinal chemistry. A deeper insight into the underlying mechanisms of interesting phenomena observed in GPCRs, such as biased signaling or allosteric modulation, can be gained with experimental and computational studies. The latter play an important role in this process, since they allow for observations on scales inaccessible for most other methods. One of the key steps in such studies is proper computational reconstruction of actual ligand-receptor or protein-protein interactions, a process called molecular docking. A number of improvements and innovative applications of this method were documented recently. In this review, we focus particularly on innovations in docking to GPCRs.
Logical Representation and Analysis for RC-Arguments

An argument is seen as reason in favour of a claim. It is made of three parts: a set of premises representing the reason, a conclusion representing the supported claim, and a connection showing how the premises lead to the conclusion. Arguments are frequently exchanged by human agents in natural language (spoken or written) in discussion, debate, negotiation, persuasion, etc. They may be very different in that their three components may have various forms. In this paper, we propose a language for representing such arguments. We show that it is general enough to capture the various forms of arguments encountered in natural language, and that it is possible to represent attack and support relations between arguments as formulas of the same language.
Tourism and cultural encounters in ‘the last frontiers’

Host-guest encounters often play a key role within tourist experiences of culture and heritage. However, these encounters have increasingly been seen to shape and negatively influence local culture. In his report from early 2011, Shackel presents an example of the cultural encounter between local residents and one-day tourists arriving to the Eastern Greenlandic village of Kulusuk. While much of his account revolves around the covert resistance of locals, he also critically addresses the validity of authentic tourist experiences. This brief note attempts to elaborate on the concept of authenticity, and suggests some issues to consider when discussing tourist experiences, local resistance and future tourism developments in a place like Kulusuk.
Randomized manipulation planning for a multi-fingered hand by switching contact modes

This paper presents a randomized manipulation planner for a multi-fingered hand by switching contact modes. Manipulation planning for such a system should consider changing kinematics and dynamics of the system according to the contact modes. We derive the conditions that would be satisfied in manipulation planning, based on the kinematical properties of a manipulation system. The conditions allow the planner to assign more contact modes than those corresponding to the relative motion of contact points restricted by constraint forces. Consequently, this enables dextrous manipulation. In addition, the conditions give the restrictions of feasible contact modes and the number of contact points. Inspired by randomized motion planning techniques, we propose a new algorithm for manipulation planning in order to explore object configuration space, SE(3), rapidly and uniformly. The basis for this approach is for the construction of exploring random trees. Simulation examples for 3-D manipulation by switching contact modes are presented to verify the planner's effectiveness.
Breaking the Spell: Combating Multidrug Resistant ‘Superbugs’

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have become a severe threat to community wellbeing. Conventional antibiotics are getting progressively more ineffective as a consequence of resistance, making it imperative to realize improved antimicrobial options. In this review we emphasized the microorganisms primarily reported of being resistance, referred as ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacteriaceae) accentuating their capacity to “escape” from routine antimicrobial regimes. The upcoming antimicrobial agents showing great potential and can serve as alternative therapeutic options are discussed. We also provided succinct overview of two evolving technologies; specifically network pharmacology and functional genomics profiling. Furthermore, In vivo imaging techniques can provide novel targets and a real time tool for potential lead molecule assessment. The employment of such approaches at prelude of a drug development process, will enables more informed decisions on candidate drug selection and will maximize or predict therapeutic potential before clinical testing.
High telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) messenger RNA level correlates with tumor recurrence in patients with favorable histology Wilms' tumor.

Telomerase is a reverse transcriptase that maintains chromosome ends, compensating for the progressive loss of DNA that occurs during replication. High telomerase enzyme activity is an unfavorable prognostic feature for several types of cancers. We investigated whether telomerase level predicts outcome for patients with the pediatric renal malignancy Wilms' tumor. In a case-cohort study of 78 patients with favorable histology Wilms' tumor, we compared tumor telomerase levels in patients with and without eventual recurrence. Three measures of telomerase were used: (a) telomerase enzyme activity; (b) expression of hTR, the RNA component of telomerase; and (c) mRNA expression of hTERT, the gene that encodes the catalytic component of the enzyme. Of the evaluable samples, 81% had detectable telomerase activity, 97% had detectable hTERT transcript, and 100% had detectable hTR. Weak correlations were observed between telomerase activity and hTR level (r = 0.34, P = 0.02) and between telomerase activity and hTERT mRNA level (r = 0.32, P = 0.04). Of the variables assessed, only hTERT mRNA expression correlated with outcome. The median hTERT mRNA level in tumors with recurrence was higher than that in tumors without recurrence (1.42 versus 0.97 units, P = 0.023, Wilcoxon). Univariate analysis of hTERT mRNA level as a continuous variable suggested that each unit increase in hTERT mRNA level increased the risk of recurrence (RR) by a factor of 1.66 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.2-2.3; P < 0.005]. Compared with tumors with hTERT mRNA levels of 0-1 units, tumors with hTERT mRNA levels of 1-2 units had a RR of 2.72 (95% CI, 0.91-8.13; P = 0.074), and tumors with hTERT mRNA levels >2 units had a RR of 6.40 (95% CI, 1.49-27.67, P = 0.013). Multivariate analysis of hTERT mRNA level as a predictor of recurrence, adjusted for tumor stage and age at diagnosis, revealed a RR of 1.48 (95% CI, 0.9-2.6; P = 0.16). Measurement of hTERT mRNA level may, therefore, enable clinicians to identify a population of patients at high risk for recurrence and to adjust their therapy accordingly. A larger study will be necessary to determine whether hTERT expression is an independent prognostic indicator. Further biological investigation is warranted to discern whether the link between high hTERT expression and unfavorable prognosis is causative or correlative.
Gender Differences in Adjustment to Bereavement: An Empirical and Theoretical Review

The loss of a marital partner results in substantial increases in morbidity and mortality among both men and women, but the effects are relatively greater for widowers than for widows in the acute grieving period. Evidence is reviewed, and explanations of the pattern are examined. An interpretation in terms of gender differences in social support (cf. M. Stroebe & W. Stroebe, 1983), although plausible, has not yet been empirically confirmed. Likewise, with respect to gender differences in coping styles, women are more confrontive and expressive of their emotions than men, but there has been little validation of the generally accepted grief work hypothesis (working through grief by women brings about their better recovery). Cognitive processes underlying effective coping with bereavement are analyzed, and a stressor-specific framework, the dual-process model of coping with loss, is suggested to help explain gender differences in health outcomes.
Past, Present and Future in Ethnomusicology: The Computational challenge

Ethnomusicology has changed its paradigm over the years, but the core of this field is mainly related to non-Western and folk music studies. It combines an anthropological and musicological point of view, not only studying the sound itself, but also its context. The MIR community is evincing interest in non-Western traditions, but this interest is still very recent. During the late break session at ISMIR 2012 (Porto), several researchers joined the session on ethnomusicology and some ideas were proposed, sketched in this paper. First, it was suggested the necessity of creating a web site or wiki page for the publication of content related to the field. Second, it was stressed the importance of the creation of an international research network. Third, the connection between MIR researchers and ethnomusicologists was emphasized once more.
A SIMPLIFIED GEOMETRIC AND TOPOLOGICAL MODELING OF 3D BUILDINGS: COMBINATION OF SURFACE-BASED AND SOLID-BASED REPRESENTATIONS

This paper focuses on the field of 3D data modeling within Geographical Information System (GIS). CSG (Constructive Solid Geometry) and B-Rep (Boundary Representation) methods have been combined to define a simplified geometric and topological conceptual 3D model for buildings. As a building is composed of a set of walls, the geometric and topological representation will be based essentially on the concept of wall object. In this work, we consider that the same urban object can be modeled differently depending on the Level Of Detail (LOD) and the further operations on the 3D model. For example, a wall can be modeled as a simple surface, but if more details are required, it can be modeled as a solid having a non negligible thickness. Therefore, we propose a 3D model for urban objects that dynamically change appearance according to the level of detail or the level of zoom. This can bring more realism and flexibility when representing such 3D objects. In addition to data visualization and interrogation, data storage optimization is one of the most important points of interest for us in this project. The proposal consists in the storage of the minimum of data in the database. Then, the complete 3D model is obtained by interpretation of complementary parameters related to the initial dataset, i.e. solid interpretation from a surface and a thickness. The originality of the proposed work consists in an algorithm that allows an automatic passage from surface-based representation to solid-based representation. The conceptual model has been translated into a PostgreSQL database. To create the final 3D model, the data are queried from the database using a Java platform. Some samples are described to illustrate the implementation of the work concepts.
Fast Deep Packet Inspection with a Dual Finite Automata

Deep packet inspection, in which packet payloads are matched against a large set of patterns, is an important algorithm in many networking applications. Nondeterministic Finite Automaton (NFA) and Deterministic Finite Automaton (DFA) are the basis of existing algorithms. However, both NFA and DFA are not ideal for real-world rule sets: NFA has the minimum storage, but the maximum memory bandwidth; while DFA has the minimum memory bandwidth, but the maximum storage. Specifically, NFA and DFA cannot handle the presence of character sets, wildcards, and repetitions of character sets or wildcards in real-world rule sets. In this paper, we propose and evaluate a dual Finite Automaton (dual FA) to address these shortcomings. The dual FA consists of a linear finite automaton (LFA) and an extended deterministic finite automaton (EDFA). The LFA is simple to implement, and it provides an alternative approach to handle the repetition of character sets and wildcards (which could otherwise cause the state explosion problem in a DFA) without increasing memory bandwidth. We evaluate the automaton in real-world rule sets using different synthetic payload streams. The results show that dual FA can reduce the number of states up to five orders of magnitude while their memory bandwidth is close to minimum.
Gibbs states and the set of solutions of random constraint satisfaction problems

An instance of a random constraint satisfaction problem defines a random subset 𝒮 (the set of solutions) of a large product space XN (the set of assignments). We consider two prototypical problem ensembles (random k-satisfiability and q-coloring of random regular graphs) and study the uniform measure with support on S. As the number of constraints per variable increases, this measure first decomposes into an exponential number of pure states (“clusters”) and subsequently condensates over the largest such states. Above the condensation point, the mass carried by the n largest states follows a Poisson-Dirichlet process. For typical large instances, the two transitions are sharp. We determine their precise location. Further, we provide a formal definition of each phase transition in terms of different notions of correlation between distinct variables in the problem. The degree of correlation naturally affects the performances of many search/sampling algorithms. Empirical evidence suggests that local Monte Carlo Markov chain strategies are effective up to the clustering phase transition and belief propagation up to the condensation point. Finally, refined message passing techniques (such as survey propagation) may also beat this threshold.
Discrete polynomial moments and the extraction of 3-D embossed digits for recognition

We extend the theory of polynomial moments by proving their spectral behavior with respect to Gaussian noise. This opens the door to doing computations on the signal-to-noise ratios of polynomial filters and with this, the comparability to classical filters is made possible. The compactness of the information in the polynomial and Fourier spectra can be compared to determine which solution will give the best performance and numerical efficiency. A general formalism for filtering with orthogonal basis functions is proposed. The frequency response of the polynomials is determined by analyzing the projection onto the basis functions. This reveals the tendency of polynomials to oscillate at the boundaries of the support; the resonant frequency of this oscillation can be determined. The new theory is applied to the extraction of 3-D embossed digits from cluttered surfaces. A three-component surface model is used consisting of a global component, corresponding to the surface; a Gaussian noise component, and local anomalies corresponding to the digits. The extraction of the geometric information associated with the digits is a preprocessing step for digit recognition. It is shown that the discrete polynomial basis functions are better suited than Fourier basis functions to fulfill this task.
Expectations and Job Satisfaction of Local-Government Professionals

Based on theories of job satisfaction and the motivating potential of professional work, we would expect public-sector professionals to express a level of satisfaction higher than that of other workers, yet this is not clearly the case. While some previous research has found that professionals have higher levels of job satisfaction than lower-level workers, other studies indicate that publicsector professionals are less satisfied than their private-sector counterparts and are no more satisfied than blue-collar workers. This study surveys local-government professionals (N = 125) in Colorado to determine their job satisfaction and their expectations of intrinsic satisfaction from work. They rated their work much higher in motivating potential than comparable groups of professionals and expressed significantly higher job satisfaction. Although most said their expectations for interesting work were more than met on the job, a major fraction expressed unmet expectations for power and authority and for recognition. The findings confirm previous research showing the importance of social relations and intrinsic factors in predicting job satisfaction but fail to support the generalization that public-sector professionals experience problematically low job satisfaction or that they find their jobs relatively low in motivating potential.
Book Review: Gender and Planning: A Reader

the book’s hybrid research design, which combines qualitative, interpretive data analysis at the level of each case study plus a systematic attempt to report data on a common set of explanatory variables and outcome measures across cases. While these chapters do a fine job of recapping the major findings from each case, they generate few new patterns or insights, a nonresult that in hindsight might be expected from an analysis of a small number of cases purposefully sampled to maximize variation on a large number of key variables. The book’s greatest success is in demonstrating the wide diversity of collaborative initiatives in terms of their structure and decision-making arrangements; their size, scope, and duration; and the types of outputs and outcomes they are capable of producing. Overall, this is an excellent text for students being introduced to collaborative planning for the first time; for scholars, mediators, or planners whose work is topically related to one of the six cases; or for stakeholders in government or the private sector who are contemplating a new partnership and need to apprise themselves of the full range of opportunities and risks that collaboration entails.