Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fatty acid binding sites of serum albumin as membrane receptor analogs for streptococcal lipoteichoic acid

The ability of bovine serum albumin to inhibit the binding of group A streptococcal lipoteichoic acid (LTA) to human cells was investigated. Albumin blocked the ability of LTA to sensitize erythrocytes to agglutinate in the presence of anti-LTA in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of LTA binding to erythrocytes was demonstrated directly with radiolabeled LTA. At an albumin/LTA molar ratio of 1.5:1, albumin binding of the radiolabeled LTA at erythrocytes was inhibited by 45%. Analysis of the binding of radiolabeled LTA to erythrocytes in the presence of albumin indicated that albumin competitively inhibited the binding of LTA to putative cell membrane receptors, indicating that albumin and erythrocytes both bind to the same moiety on the LTA molecule.
Risk as politics, culture as power

The cultural theory of risk has been misinterpreted in recent years. Most significantly, the grid–group typology, which was originally developed as a heuristic device, embedded in a much deeper sociological theory, has been taken out this original context. Both the ontological foundations and the epistemological implications of cultural theory have been misunderstood in a significant number of cases. This paper provides a summary of the neo‐Durkheimian institutional theory from which the typology was derived and suggests a number of relatively unexplored avenues for risk research.
Semantic Polarity of Adjectival Predicates in Online Reviews

Web users produce more and more documents expressing opinions. Because these have become important resources for customers and manufacturers, many have focused on them. Opinions are often expressed through adjectives with positive or negative semantic values. In extracting information from users' opinion in online reviews, exact recognition of the semantic polarity of adjectives is one of the most important requirements. Since adjectives have different semantic orientations according to contexts, it is not satisfying to extract opinion information without considering the semantic and lexical relations between the adjectives and the feature nouns appropriate to a given domain. In this paper, we present a classification of adjectives by polarity, and we analyze adjectives that are undetermined in the absence of contexts. Our research should be useful for accurately predicting semantic orientations of opinion sentences, and should be taken into account before relying on an automatic methods.
L'imagerie cérébrale à l'épreuve de la psychanalyse

L’article propose d’interroger, a partir de la psychanalyse, quelques interactions possibles avec les neurosciences. Il s’agit de specifier la particularite de l’investigation psychanalytique de la technique, notamment de l’imagerie cerebrale, pour en questionner les presupposes. Ce que revele la prise en compte de toutes les dimension du dispositif, c’est qu’une methodologie interdisciplinaire permet de circonscrire les limites de ce qui est observe. L’hypothese du « nouvel inconscient » telle que la developpe Lionel Naccache est discutee a cette occasion et mise a l’epreuve de ce qu’enseigne la clinique. L’argumentation de cet article propose l’idee que le dialogue entre psychanalyse et neurosciences apparait particulierement fecond si la delimitation des champs et des methodes se cherche et se precise, sans ambiguite.
A wideband linear amplitude modulator for polar transmitters based on the concept of interleaving delta modulation

A wideband amplitude modulator for use with an RF polar transmitter is based on interleaving delta modulation to improve linearity and reduce switching loss, filter size, and EMI. A 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS 0.35 mm/sup 2/ chip verifies the iDM concept.
A Situated Practice for (Re)Situating Selves: Trainee Counsellors and the Promise of Counselling

Geographies of care and welfare have neglected to consider a group of interrelated practices including counselling, psychotherapy, and psychoanalysis, which are found in many different settings within modern welfare systems. In a number of influential studies, these psychological therapies have been described as self-oriented, narcissistic, and intensely individualistic. However, these commentaries fail to consider the specificity of particular practices. Counselling, for example, is a situated practice, shaped by particular contexts and values. The views of people just beginning a counselling training programme can be read as describing the practice as a relational means to individualistic ends. However, analysis of their stories about themselves suggests more complex understandings of self as shaped and reshaped in relation to others and as illustrating the feminist concept of relational autonomy. Their accounts suggest that counselling offers the promise of a practice through which both practitioners' selves and clients' selves may be reshaped and resituated.
Extending OpenVMS for 64-bit Addressable Virtual Memory

ported a 32-bit virtual address space that maximized compatibility for OpenVMS VAX users as they ported their applications from the VAX platform to the Alpha platform. Providing access to the 64-bit virtual memory capability defined by the Alpha architecture was always a goal for the OpenVMS operating system. An early consideration was the eventual use of this technology to enable a transition from a purely 32-bitoriented context to a purely 64-bit-oriented native context. OpenVMS designers recognized that such a fundamental transition for the operating system, along with a 32-bit VAX compatibility mode support environment, would take a long time to implement and could seriously jeopardize the migration of applications from the VAX platform to the Alpha platform. A phased approach was called for, by which the operating system could evolve over time, allowing for quicker time-to-market for significant features and better, more timely support for binary compatibility. In 1989, a strategy emerged that defined two fundamental phases of OpenVMS Alpha development. Phase 1 would deliver the OpenVMS Alpha operating system initially with a virtual address space that faithfully replicated address space as it was defined by the VAX architecture. This familiar 32-bit environment would ease the migration of applications from the VAX platform to the Alpha platform and would ease the port of the operating system itself. Phase 1, the OpenVMS Alpha version 1.0 product, was delivered in 1992. For Phase 2, the OpenVMS operating system would successfully exploit the 64-bit virtual address capacity of the Alpha architecture, laying the groundwork for further evolution of the OpenVMS system. In 1989, strategists predicted that Phase 2 could be delivered approximately three years after Phase 1. As planned, Phase 2 culminated in 1995 with the delivery of OpenVMS Alpha version 7.0, the first version of the OpenVMS operating system to support 64-bit virtual addressing. This paper discusses how the OpenVMS Alpha Operating System Development group extended the OpenVMS virtual address space to 64 bits. Topics covered include compatibility for existing applications, the options for extending the address space, the
Pavlovian conditioning with ethanol: sign-tracking (autoshaping), conditioned incentive, and ethanol self-administration.

BACKGROUND Conditioned incentive theories of addictive behavior propose that cues signaling a drug's reinforcing effects activate a central motivational state. Incentive motivation enhances drug-taking and drug-seeking behavior. We investigated the behavioral response to cues associated with ethanol and their interaction with operant self-administration of ethanol. METHODS In two experiments, rats received operant training to press a lever for a sweetened ethanol solution. After operant training, the animals were given Pavlovian pairings of a brief and localized cue light with the sweetened ethanol solution (no lever present). Lever pressing for ethanol was then re-established, and the behavioral effects of the cue light were tested during an ethanol self-administration session. RESULTS The conditioned responses resulting from pairing cue lights with the opportunity to ingest ethanol had three main effects: (1) induction of operant behavior reinforced by ethanol, (2) stimulation of ethanol-seeking behavior (magazine entries), and (3) signal-directed behavior (i.e., autoshaping, or sign-tracking). Signal-directed behavior interacted with the other two effects in a manner predicted by the location of the cue light. These conditioned responses interact with operant responding for ethanol reinforcement. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate the importance of Pavlovian conditioning effects on ethanol self-administration and are consistent with conditioned incentive theories of addictive behavior.
An Analysis of New-Tech Agglomeration in Beijing: A New Industrial District in the Making?

Industrial districts are usually referred to as spatially concentrated networks of small and medium-sized firms. These have been seen in Europe and North America, but, so far, have been almost undiscovered in developing countries. Based on the assumption of the strong embedding of the stable and ‘pure’ district model, in this paper we examine a new-tech agglomeration in Beijing, as a variant of such districts in the making, and explain it with the use of concepts adopted from the industrial districts school. The Beijing case represents an experiment in the conscious public creation of new industrial spaces founded on the spontaneous action of key individuals. Initially it progressed as an embryonic industrial district that, in its early development, appeared to contain all three elements of entrepreneurship: small firms, new firm formation, and innovativeness. However, it has eventually been stranded by a unique combination of weaknesses. These include strong hierarchical restraints from the state-owned institutions or firms on local networking, and direct global linkages with the multinationals, which expose local economies to volatile world competition. We pinpoint the necessity for a developing country to rest its development of industrial districts on self-sustained innovativeness, and highlights the difficulties encountered in such a process.
Caspase‐8 functions as a key mediator of inflammation and pro‐IL‐1β processing via both canonical and non‐canonical pathways

Caspase‐8 is an apical component of cell death pathways. Activated caspase‐8 can drive classical caspase‐dependent apoptosis and actively inhibits cell death mediated by RIPK3‐driven necroptosis. Genetic deletion of Casp8 results in embryonic lethality as a result of uncontrolled necroptosis. This lethality can be rescued by simultaneous deletion of Ripk3. Recently, caspase‐8 has been additionally connected to inflammatory pathways within the cell. In particular, caspase‐8 has been shown to be crucially involved in the induction of pro‐IL‐1β synthesis and processing via both non‐canonical and canonical pathways. In this review, we bring together current knowledge regarding the role of caspase‐8 in cellular inflammation with a particular emphasis on the interplay between caspase‐8 and the classical and non‐canonical inflammasomes.
Urinary catalytic iron in obesity.

INTRODUCTION Obesity precedes the development of many cardiovascular disease risk factors, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. Catalytic iron, which has been associated with these chronic diseases, may be one of the links between obesity and these multifactorial diverse disorders. OBJECTIVE We investigated whether urinary catalytic iron is increased in obese individuals without DM and overt kidney disease. STUDY DESIGN We measured urinary catalytic iron using established methods in 200 randomly selected individuals without DM [100 who were obese (body mass index ≥30 kg/m(2)) and 100 who were nonobese (body mass index ≤27)]. Participants were selected from an outpatient clinic and community setting and were part of an ongoing cross-sectional study of obesity in individuals between the ages of 18 and 70 years. RESULTS There was a significant difference in mean (95% CI) urinary catalytic iron excretion between the obese participants and the nonobese participants, 463 (343-582) nmol/mg [52.3 (38.8-65.8) nmol/μmol] vs 197 (141-253) nmol/mg [22.3 (15.9-28.6) nmol/μmol]; P < 0.001. The significant predictors of increased urinary catalytic iron were obesity (P = 0.001) and waist-to-hip ratio (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Our study results demonstrate that obesity and waist-to-hip ratio are associated with increased urinary catalytic iron, which may be a useful marker of oxidative stress. Additional studies are needed to determine the role of catalytic iron in increased cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease associated with obesity.
Algebraic Shifting and Exterior and Symmetric Algebra Methods

We define and study Cartan–Betti numbers of a graded ideal J in the exterior algebra over an infinite field which include the usual graded Betti numbers of J as a special case. Following ideas of Conca regarding Koszul–Betti numbers over the symmetric algebra, we show that Cartan–Betti numbers increase by passing to the generic initial ideal and the squarefree lexsegement ideal, respectively. Moreover, we characterize the cases where the inequalities become equalities. As combinatorial applications of the first part of this note and some further symmetric algebra methods we establish results about algebraic shifting of simplicial complexes and use them to compare different shifting operations. In particular, we show that each shifting operation does not decrease the number of facets, and that the exterior shifting is the best among the exterior shifting operations in the sense that it increases the number of facets the least.
A correction in "distributed adaptive power allocation for wireless relay networks"

In this comment, we give a detailed proof to get the power allocation solution for an amplify-and-forward cooperative communication system with n relay nodes, which is based on analyzing. Our conclusions show that the solution with "+" sign is optimal although the solution with "-" sign is also valid for equations (41) and (42) in.
Comparative evaluation of virtual and real humanoid with robot-oriented psychology scale

The aim of this study was to compare a robot designed using a virtual reality (VR) system (termed VR robot) with a real robot by using a psychological evaluation to investigate whether the VR robot can be used in the same manner as a real robot. To make the direct comparison between a VR and real robots possible, the same designed robots in both VR and real are used in the experiment. For evaluating the robots on a psychological basis, we focused on six basic dimensions (Utility, Clumsiness of motion, Possibility of communication, Controllability, Vulnerability, and Objective hardness) that ordinary people generally use to perceive robots. Sixty-one participants observed and evaluated a real and VR humanoid robots using a psychological scale. Results show that the real robot was evaluated to have higher scores for Utility, Possibility of communication, and Objective hardness and lower ones for Controllability as compared to a VR robot. The Vulnerability scores of the real robot and the VR robot were not significantly different. The usability of a VR robot is discussed in the paper.
Pea Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Have Diurnal Rhythms When Raised Independently of a Host Plant

Seasonal timing is assumed to involve the circadian clock, an endogenous mechanism to track time and measure day length. Some debate persists, however, and aphids were among the first organisms for which circadian clock involvement was questioned. Inferences about links to phenology are problematic, as the clock itself is little investigated in aphids. For instance, it is unknown whether aphids possess diurnal rhythms at all. Possibly, the close interaction with host plants prevents independent measurements of rhythmicity. We reared the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) on an artificial diet, and recorded survival, moulting, and honeydew excretion. Despite their plant-dependent life style, aphids were independently rhythmic under light–dark conditions. This first demonstration of diurnal aphid rhythms shows that aphids do not simply track the host plant’s rhythmicity.
The Product of a Developmental Gene, crgA, That Coordinates Reproductive Growth in Streptomyces Belongs to a Novel Family of Small Actinomycete-Specific Proteins

ABSTRACT On solid media, the reproductive growth of Streptomyces involves antibiotic biosynthesis coincident with the erection of filamentous aerial hyphae. Following cessation of growth of an aerial hypha, multiple septation occurs at the tip to form a chain of unigenomic spores. A gene, crgA, that coordinates several aspects of this reproductive growth is described. The gene product is representative of a well-conserved family of small actinomycete proteins with two C-terminal hydrophobic-potential membrane-spanning segments. In Streptomyces avermitilis, crgA is required for sporulation, and inactivation of the gene abolished most sporulation septation in aerial hyphae. Disruption of the orthologous gene in Streptomyces coelicolor indicates that whereas CrgA is not essential for sporulation in this species, during growth on glucose-containing media, it influences the timing of the onset of reproductive growth, with precocious erection of aerial hyphae and antibiotic production by the mutant. Moreover, CrgA subsequently acts to inhibit sporulation septation prior to growth arrest of aerial hyphae. Overexpression of CrgA in S. coelicolor, uncoupling any nutritional and growth phase-dependent regulation, results in growth of nonseptated aerial hyphae on all media tested, consistent with a role for the protein in inhibiting sporulation septation.
Cybernetic Immortality and its Discontents

Abstract Of all the research programs investigating radical life extension, cybernetic immortality is, by definition, the most ambitious. Several models fall within this category. While some include the possibility of “re-corporealizing” either as machine, biological entity, or hybrid, all models have several essentials in common. They require the ability to construct a non-biological (e.g., electronic) substrate that can model the functioning human brain, including the ability for consciousness (self-awareness) and a means for uploading into this artificial mind the contents of one's mortal life experiences. The individuals who have speculated most comprehensively on this include Ted Chu, Raymond Kurzweil, and Martine Rothblatt.1
Overview Use in Multiple Visual Information Resolution Interfaces

In interfaces that provide multiple visual information resolutions (VIR), low-VIR overviews typically sacrifice visual details for display capacity, with the assumption that users can select regions of interest to examine at higher VI Rs. Designers can create low VIRs based on multi-level structure inherent in the data, but have little guidance with single-level data. To better guide design tradeoff between display capacity and visual target perceivability, we looked at overview use in two multiple-VIR interfaces with high-VIR displays either embedded within, or separate from, the overviews. We studied two visual requirements for effective overview and found that participants would reliably use the low-VIR overviews only when the visual targets were simple and had small visual spans. Otherwise, at least 20% chose to use the high-VIR view exclusively. Surprisingly, neither of the multiple-VIR interfaces provided performance benefits when compared to using the high-VIR view alone. However, we did observe benefits in providing side-by-side comparisons for target matching. We conjecture that the high cognitive load of multiple-VIR interface interactions, whether real or perceived, is a more considerable barrier to their effective use than was previously considered.
Beyond the Rhetoric of Student Voice: new departures or new constraints in the transformation of 21st century schooling?

MICHAEL FIELDING In the final contribution to this special issue, Michael Fielding, Reader in Education at the University of Sussex and FORUM Editorial Board member, develops a framework for evaluating the conditions for student voice. He draws on each of the contributors' articles and other research to explore some of the key issues beginning to emerge in a movement that has the dual capacity to either keep us even more securely in our current way of doing things, or develop genuinely transformative practices that offer the possibility of more creative, more fulfilling alternatives. Email contact: m.fielding@sussex.ac. uk
Phase‐sensitive, dual‐acquisition, single‐slab, 3D, turbo‐spin‐echo pulse sequence for simultaneous T2‐weighted and fluid‐attenuated whole‐brain imaging

Conventional T2‐weighted turbo/fast spin echo imaging is clinically accepted as the most sensitive method to detect brain lesions but generates a high signal intensity of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), yielding diagnostic ambiguity for lesions close to CSF. Fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery can be an alternative, selectively eliminating CSF signals. However, a long time of inversion, which is required for CSF suppression, increases imaging time substantially and thereby limits spatial resolution. The purpose of this work is to develop a phase‐sensitive, dual‐acquisition, single‐slab, three‐dimensional, turbo/fast spin echo imaging, simultaneously achieving both conventional T2‐weighted and fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery–like high‐resolution whole‐brain images in a single pulse sequence, without an apparent increase of imaging time. Dual acquisition in each time of repetition is performed, wherein an in phase between CSF and brain tissues is achieved in the first acquisition, while an opposed phase, which is established by a sequence of a long refocusing pulse train with variable flip angles, a composite flip‐down restore pulse train, and a short time of delay, is attained in the second acquisition. A CSF‐suppressed image is then reconstructed by weighted averaging the in‐ and opposed‐phase images. Numerical simulations and in vivo experiments are performed, demonstrating that this single pulse sequence may replace both conventional T2‐weighted imaging and fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery. Magn Reson Med 63:1422–1430, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
POTORI: a passive optical top-of-rack interconnect architecture for data centers

Several optical interconnect architectures inside data centers (DCs) have been proposed to efficiently handle the rapidly growing traffic demand. However, not many works have tackled the interconnects at top-of-rack (ToR), which have a large impact on the performance of the data center networks (DCNs) and can introduce serious scalability limitations due to their high cost and power consumption. In this paper, we propose a passive optical ToR interconnect architecture (POTORI) to replace the conventional electronic packet switch (EPS) in the access tier of DCNs. In the data plane, POTORI relies on a passive optical coupler to interconnect the servers within the rack and interfaces toward the aggregation/core tiers. The POTORI control plane is based on a centralized rack controller responsible for managing the communications among the servers in the rack. We propose a cycle-based medium access control (MAC) protocol to efficiently manage the exchange of control messages and the data transmission inside the rack. We also introduce and evaluate a dynamic bandwidth allocation algorithm for POTORI, namely largest first (LF). Extensive simulation results show that, with the use of fast tunable optical transceivers, POTORI and the proposed LF strategy are able to achieve an average packet delay below 10 μs under realistic DC traffic scenarios, outperforming conventional EPSs. On the other hand, with slower tunable optical transceivers, a careful configuration of the network parameters (e.g., maximum cycle time of the MAC protocol) is necessary to obtain a good network performance in terms of the average packet delay.