Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Preference Mapping Methods on Commodity Foods with Challenging Groups of Low‐Variance Attributes: Sliced Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Example

Traditional preference mapping methods can suffer where groups of attributes with larger variances dominate the analysis, thus, detracting attention from attributes of potential importance as drivers of liking. This study compared traditional external preference mapping methods (PLS and PREFMAP) with a new method called PrefHMFA which is designed to control dominance of groups of high variance attributes. Twenty-five sliced whole wheat breads were profiled by descriptive analysis (DA) for flavor, appearance (crust and crumb groups) and texture (oral, hand) attributes. Breads were subsequently presented to adult bread consumers (n = 360). Data were also subjected to path analysis (PATH-PLS) and three different preference mapping analyses (PLS and PREFMAP and PrefHMFA). Traditional methods (PLS/PREFMAP) showed broad ideal points. PrefHMFA partial axes showed that the main hedonic dimensions were aligned with higher sensory dimensions. PrefHMFA revealed the greater importance of appearance and hand-perceived texture attributes for liking. Path-PLS confirmed the importance of sensory liking and family drivers of purchase intent for sliced sandwich bread. Practical Applications External preference mapping is used to relate analytical sensory data to consumer acceptance. Traditional techniques have been criticized since groups of attributes with large variances can dominate the traditional PCA or PLS-based methods. New preference mapping techniques of PrefMFA and PrefHMFA have been suggested to account for attribute dominance. These techniques will aid in determining drivers of liking for commodity-type foods and other product or situations where attribute dominance poses a problem with traditional methods.
Partial Reversible Gates(PRG) for Reversible BCD Arithmetic

IEEE 754r is the ongoing revision to the IEEE 754 floating point standard and a major enhancement to the standard is the addition of decimal format. Furthermore, in the recent years reversible logic has emerged as a promising computing paradigm having its applications in low power CMOS, quantum computing, nanotechnology, and optical computing. The major goal in reversible logic is to minimize the number of reversible gates and garbage outputs. Thus, this paper proposes the novel concept of partial reversible gates that will satisfy the reversibility criteria for specific cases in BCD arithmetic. The partial reversible gate is proposed to minimize the number of reversible gates and garbage outputs, while designing the reversible BCD arithmetic circuits.
Greedy Heuristic Algorithms to Generate Variable Strength Combinatorial Test Suite

Combinatorial testing is a practical software testing approach that has been widely used in practice. Most research and applications of such approach focus on N-way combinatorial testing that provides a minimum coverage of all N-way interactions among factor. However, the strengths of different interactions may not be a fixed integer N, but a variable. Therefore, variable strength combinatorial testing approach is necessary in applications. Existing variable strength combinatorial testing, which allows some interactions have a higher strength than others, has a limitation that such higher-strength interactions must be disjoint. To avoid such a limitation, an improved variable strength combinatorial testing approach, which makes a more sufficient consideration on actual interaction relationship, is proposed in this article. Furthermore, two greedy heuristic algorithms are also proposed to generate combinatorial test suite. Compared to some existing algorithms and tools, the proposed algorithms have advantages on both the execution effectiveness and the optimality of generated test suite. Experimental results can prove such advantages.
A hyperplane-based algorithm for the digital co-channel communications problem

The relationship between the blind digital co-channel communications problem and the problem of finding a separating hyperplane in IR/sup d/ is explored. A simple model for the blind digital co-channel communications problem is X=AS, where X is a known IR/sup d/spl times/N/ matrix. A is an unknown full-rank IR/sup d/spl times/d/ matrix, and S is an unknown full-rank d/spl times/N matrix with elements drawn from a multiple-amplitude-shift-keying (M-ASK) alphabet S. An algorithm with proof is given that solves for A and S up to a simple matrix factor. The algorithm is extended to the complex quadrature-amplitude modulation (QAM) alphabet. The key step in this algorithm involves finding a separating hyperplane parallel to one of the hyperplanes defining the received signal vectors. The geometric interpretation of this relationship is discussed. Examples with noisy data are presented and refinements to the algorithm are discussed.
Effect of Carvedilol on the Morbidity of Patients With Severe Chronic Heart Failure: Results of the Carvedilol Prospective Randomized Cumulative Survival (COPERNICUS) Study

Background—&bgr;-Blocking agents improve functional status and reduce morbidity in mild-to-moderate heart failure, but it is not known whether they produce such benefits in severe heart failure. Methods and Results—We randomly assigned 2289 patients with symptoms of heart failure at rest or on minimal exertion and with an ejection fraction <25% (but not volume-overloaded) to double-blind treatment with either placebo (n=1133) or carvedilol (n=1156) for an average of 10.4 months. Carvedilol reduced the combined risk of death or hospitalization for a cardiovascular reason by 27% (P =0.00002) and the combined risk of death or hospitalization for heart failure by 31% (P =0.000004). Patients in the carvedilol group also spent 27% fewer days in the hospital for any reason (P =0.0005) and 40% fewer days in the hospital for heart failure (P <0.0001). These differences were as a result of both a decrease in the number of hospitalizations and a shorter duration of each admission. More patients felt improved and fewer patients felt worse in the carvedilol group than in the placebo group after 6 months of maintenance therapy (P =0.0009). Carvedilol-treated patients were also less likely than placebo-treated patients to experience a serious adverse event (P =0.002), especially worsening heart failure, sudden death, cardiogenic shock, or ventricular tachycardia. Conclusion—In euvolemic patients with symptoms at rest or on minimal exertion, the addition of carvedilol to conventional therapy ameliorates the severity of heart failure and reduces the risk of clinical deterioration, hospitalization, and other serious adverse clinical events.
Supplementation of sodium butyrate protects mice from the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)

Abstract Overnutrition, insulin resistance and an impaired intestinal barrier function are discussed as critical factors in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Not only butyrate-producing probiotics as well as supplementation of sodium butyrate (SoB) have been suggested to bear protective effects on liver damage of various aetiologies. However, whether an oral consumption of SoB has a protective effect on Western-style diet (WSD)-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and if so molecular mechanism involved has not yet been determined. Eight-week-old C57BL/6J mice were pair-fed either a liquid control or WSD±0·6 g/kg body weight SoB. After 6 weeks, markers of liver damage, inflammation, toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 signalling, lipid peroxidation and glucose as well as lipid metabolism were determined in the liver tissue. Tight junction protein levels were determined in the duodenal tissue. SoB supplementation had no effects on the body weight gain or liver weight of WSD-fed mice, whereas liver steatosis and hepatic inflammation were significantly decreased (e.g. less inflammatory foci and neutrophils) when compared with mice fed only a WSD. Tight junction protein levels in duodenum, hepatic mRNA expression of TLR-4 and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c were altered similarly in both WSD groups when compared with controls, whereas protein levels of myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88, inducible nitric oxide synthase, 4-hydroxynonenal protein adducts and F4/80 macrophages were only significantly induced in livers of mice fed only the WSD. In summary, these data suggest that an oral supplementation of SoB protects mice from inflammation in the liver and thus from the development of WSD-induced NASH.
Synthesis of oligonucleotides and thermal stability of duplexes containing the beta-C-nucleoside analogue of Fapy*dG.

The formamidopyrimidine lesions (Fapy.dA, Fapy.dG) are formed in significant amounts when DNA is exposed to oxidative stress. These lesions are unusual in that they readily epimerize in solution. The distribution of configurational isomers in DNA is unknown. Nonepimerizable, nonhydrolyzable analogues are useful probes for investigating the configuration of Fapy lesions in DNA and as potential enzyme inhibitors. The beta-C-nucleoside of Fapy.dG has been prepared and introduced sight-specifically into oligonucleotides via its respective beta-cyanoethyl phosphoramidite. The phosphoramidite was prepared via a Wittig reaction between a protected form of deoxyribose and a suitably functionalized pyrimidine. The pyrimidine contained methyl and 2-propyl groups at the O4 and O2 positions, respectively, to differentiate between them following C-nucleoside formation. The formamide was derived from a nitro group at C5. The phosphoramidite coupled in 80% yield via a single 15-min coupling using tetrazole as activator. Oligonucleotides as long as 36 nucleotides were prepared and characterized by ESI-MS.
Parasite variation and the evolution of virulence in a Daphnia-microparasite system

SUMMARY Understanding genetic relationships amongst the life-history traits of parasites is crucial for testing hypotheses on the evolution of virulence. This study therefore examined variation between parasite isolates (the bacterium Pasteuria ramosa) from the crustacean Daphnia magna. From a single wild-caught infected host we obtained 2 P. ramosa isolates that differed substantially in the mortality they caused. Surprisingly, the isolate causing higher early mortality was, on average, less successful at establishing infections and had a slower growth rate within hosts. The observation that within-host replication rate was negatively correlated with mortality could violate a central assumption of the trade-off hypothesis for the evolution of virulence, but we discuss a number of caveats which caution against premature rejection of the trade-off hypothesis. We sought to test if the characteristics of these parasite isolates were constant across host genotypes in a second experiment that included 2 Daphnia host clones. The relative growth rates of the two parasite isolates did indeed depend on the host genotype (although the rank order did not change). We suggest that testing evolutionary hypotheses for virulence may require substantial sampling of both host and parasite genetic variation, and discuss how selection for virulence may change with the epidemiological state of natural populations and how this can promote genetic variation for virulence.
A Generic Frame Work for Image Data Clustering Via Weighted Clustering Ensemble

This paper has a further exploration and study of visual feature extraction. Image retrieval based on multi-feature fusion is achieved by using normalized Euclidean distance classifier. According to the HSV (Hue, Saturation, Value) color space, the work of color feature extraction is finished, the process is as follows: quantifying the color space in non-equal intervals, constructing one dimension feature vector and representing the color feature by cumulative histogram. Similarly, the work of texture feature extraction is obtained by using gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) or color cooccurrence matrix (CCM). using color feature ,and texture feature based algorithms clustering temporal data process is very complex. Combining the low-level visual features and highlevel concepts, the proposed approach fully explores the similarities among images in database, using such clustering algorithm and optimizes the relevance results from traditional image retrieval system by firstly clustering the similar images in the images database to improve the efficiency of images retrieval system ,to reduce the complexity to cluster image data ,we propose a dynamic algorithm, weighted ensemble learning approach to image data clustering which combines image data .
Real-time Gesture Recognition with the Perseus System

Interpersonal communication involves more than simply spo ken information. Gestures are commonly used to more efficiently and precisely communicate. An impor tant gesture because of its descriptive power and frequency of use is pointing. To produce a more natural an d powerful human-robot interface, we have developed a purposive visual architecture called Perseus and have used it to locate objects a person is pointing to. With Perseus, in real-time, we are able to determine when a pe rson enters the scene, track the relevant parts of the person including the hands and head, and recogni ze when she is pointing. Once the person points, the object pointed to is located. The Perseus archit e ture allows knowledge about the task and context to be used at all levels of visual analysis for improved perfo rmance. This knowledge is explicitly represented in the Perseus system to facilitate the extension of Perseus to other tasks and environments. In this paper we describe Perseus and how it is used to solve th is task. Previous work on Perseus is extended by describing a more sophisticated representatio of the person and superior segmenting and tracking methods. Experiments showing the success of the Perseus system with numerous naive users in varied environments is presented. The University of Chicago Computer Science Department supp orted this work.
Effect of carcinogen dose and age at administration on induction of mammary carcinogenesis by 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea.

The objective of the work reported in this paper was to determine if the tumorigenic response to 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU) in the mammary gland varied with age of administration and was dose dependent when the carcinogen was injected prior to 50 days of age. Using a recently developed method for mammary tumor induction, MNU was injected i.p. at doses ranging from 25 to 75 mg/kg at 35 days of age or 50 mg/kg at 28, 35 or 42 days of age. Treatment with MNU resulted in induction of both benign and malignant mammary tumors. The incidence of mammary gland adenocarcinomas was 100% at and above the 50 mg/kg dose of MNU, irrespective of the age at which carcinogen was administered. The number of cancers increased in proportion to carcinogen dose, whereas cancer latency decreased as the MNU dose increased. In rats injected with 50 mg MNU/kg body weight at 28, 35 or 42 days of age, differences among groups in cancer incidence, number or latency were not statistically significant. Metastases of mammary neoplasms to lung, liver and spleen were observed in rats injected with MNU at 35 or 42 days of age. These data indicate (i) the dose responsiveness of MNU-induced mammary carcinogenesis in rats initiated prior to 50 days of age; (ii) the lack of effect of age at initiation if prior to 50 days on final tumor outcome; and (iii) that the age at which MNU is injected may affect the metastatic potential of the mammary carcinomas that are induced.
Characterization of crystallization pathways during cholesterol precipitation from human gallbladder biles: identical pathways to corresponding model biles with three predominating sequences.

In model biles, five crystallization sequences are present as functions of bile salt/lecithin (egg yolk) ratio and their positions on phase diagrams are influenced by bile salt hydrophobicity, temperature, and total lipid concentration (D. Q-H. Wang and M.C. Carey. J. Lipid Res. 1996.37: 606-630). To determine whether the same pathways occur ex vivo during cholesterol precipitation from human gallbladder biles, we examined 22 cholesterol gallstone (CSI = 1.56 +/- 0.26), 4 pigment gallstone (0.69 +/- 0.06), and 4 control biles (0.85 +/- 0.22) by microscopy and lipid analytic techniques for 30 days. Temperature was varied (4-45 degrees C) to move relative compositions into adjacent pathways or supersaturated zones to test whether the same bile could be forced to crystallize in different sequences. Sequences in native bile were identical to those in model systems composed of mixed bile salts-lecithin-cholesterol mixtures, and three corresponding pathways (B, C, D; op. cit.) were observed at 37 degrees C. With increasing lecithin content, we found i) B: plate-like cholesterol monohydrate crystals appeared before arc-shaped (putatively anhydrous cholesterol) crystals which transformed via helices and tubules into plate-like crystals and no liquid crystals formed; ii) C: lamellar liquid crystals, typified by birefringent multilamellar vesicles, were detected before cholesterol monohydrate crystals, and subsequently arc, helical and tubular crystals appeared; and iii) D: precipitation of lamellar liquid crystals was followed by cholesterol monohydrate crystals and no arc crystals were detected. Added EDTA prevented calcium bilirubinate formation, but crystallization sequences in these biles were identical to those without EDTA. We conclude that i) cholesterol crystallization pathways and sequences in human gallbladder biles are identical to model biles matched for appropriate physical-chemical conditions; ii) three of the five sequences observed in model biles were found in native bile; and iii) calcium bilirubinates neither promote biliary cholesterol crystallization nor influence crystal growth.
Design, Synthesis and In Vitro Activity of Anticancer Styrylquinolines. The p53 Independent Mechanism of Action

A group of styrylquinolines were synthesized and tested for their anti-proliferative activity. Anti-proliferative activity was evaluated against the human colon carcinoma cell lines that had a normal expression of the p53 protein (HCT116 p53+/+) and mutants with a disabled TP53 gene (HCT116 p53-/-) and against the GM 07492 normal human fibroblast cell line. A SAR study revealed the importance of Cl and OH as substituents in the styryl moiety. Several of the compounds that were tested were found to have a marked anti-proliferative activity that was similar to or better than doxorubicin and were more active against the p53 null than the wild type cells. The cellular localization tests and caspase activity assays suggest a mechanism of action through the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in a p53-independent manner. The activity of the styrylquinoline compounds may be associated with their DNA intercalating ability.
Effect of Strenuous Exercise on Platelet Activation State and Reactivit

BackgroundIt has been hypothesized that platelets are activated, or made more activatible, by strenuous exercise and that these changes may play a role in the genesis of exercise-induced coronary ischemia. Previous studies have yielded conflicting results but have used assays (eg, platelet aggregation, plasma platelet factor 4, and plasma (-thromboglobulin) that are subject to methodological problems. Methods and ResultsIn the present study, a whole blood flow cytometric method was used to study the platelet activation state and reactivity of 12 physically active and 12 sedentary individuals before and after standardized treadmill exercise testing. The peptide gly-pro-arg-pro (GPRP) was included in this assay to prevent fibrin polymerization and platelet aggregation, thus allowing the measurement of the reactivity to thrombin of individual platelets in the physiological milieu of whole blood. A panel of fluorescent-labeled monoclonal antibodies was used to monitor activation-dependent platelet surface changes: downregulation of glycoprotein (GP) Ib (6D1) and upregulation of GMP-140 (S12), the GPIIb-IIIa complex (PAC1), and GPIV (OKM5). In samples obtained before exercise, platelets not exposed to thrombin showed no evidence of in vitro activation. In the sedentary subjects, exercise caused a consistent and significant augmentation of the platelet activation state and reactivity as judged by the binding of 6D1 in the presence of thrombin 0.05 U/mL (P<.001), 0.005 U/mL (P=.001), and 0 U/mL (P=.004) and by the binding of OKM5 in the presence of thrombin 0.05 U/mL (P<.001), 0.005 U/mL (P=.029), and 0 U/mL (P=.035). Exercise increased the binding of PAC1 at only a single thrombin concentration (0.005 U/mL, P=.027) and did not alter the binding of S12 at any thrombin concentration. In contrast, in the physically active subjects, exercise failed to cause a consistent alteration in either platelet activation state or platelet reactivity. No significant differences were found between the 12 male and 12 female volunteers. ConclusionsStrenuous exercise in sedentary subjects but not physically active subjects resulted in both platelet activation and platelet hyperreactivity. These changes were more readily detected with monoclonal antibodies directed against GPIb (6D1) and, to a lesser extent, GPIV (OKM5) rather than those directed against the GPIIb-IIIa complex (PAC1) and GMP-140 (S12). Platelet activation by thrombin, generally regarded as the most physiologically important agonist, can be studied in whole blood in a clinical setting through the use of the peptide GPRP.
Telescopes as mechatronic systems

The system design of telescopes is usually dominated by the aspects of the optics and receiving instruments. The telescope structure, mechanic and control are "only" aids to position these elements to the celestial target, but their quality has a big impact on the final performance. The paper describes an integrated design approach to these "mechatronic" telescope subsystems.
Identification and quantification of ageing mechanisms in Lithium-ion batteries using the EIS technique

Ageing diagnosis in Lithium-ion batteries is essential to ensure their reliability and optimum performance over time. The Battery Management System (BMS) usually monitors battery ageing with the aid of two metrics: capacity and power fade. However, these metrics do not identify the main root causes of battery ageing. Using the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy technique, this work proposes a novel method to identify and quantify ageing mechanisms over time. The method is applied to four parallelised Lithium-ion cells cycled with a constant driving profile for 500 cycles. As a result, Loss of Active Material (LAM) and Loss of Lithium Ions (LLI) were found to be the most pertinent ageing mechanisms over time for the four cells. Identification and quantification of ageing mechanisms will support novel battery lifetime control strategies within the BMS, so that potential failures during normal operation are prevented.
Location-dependent information appliances for the home

Ethnographic studies of the home revealed the fundamental roles that physical locations and context play in how household members understand and manage conventional information. Yet we also know that digital information is becoming increasingly important to households. The problem is that this digital information is almost always tied to traditional computer displays, which inhibits its incorporation into household routines. Our solution, location-dependent information appliances, exploit both home location and context (as articulated in ethnographic studies) to enhance the role of ambient displays in the home setting; these displays provide home occupants with both background awareness of an information source and foreground methods to gain further details if desired. The novel aspect is that home occupants assign particular information to locations within a home in a way that makes sense to them. As a device is moved to a particular home location, information is automatically mapped to that device along with hints on how it should be displayed.