Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chimeric Rhinoviruses Displaying MPER Epitopes Elicit Anti-HIV Neutralizing Responses

Background The development of an effective AIDS vaccine has been a formidable task, but remains a critical necessity. The well conserved membrane-proximal external region (MPER) of the HIV-1 gp41 glycoprotein is one of the crucial targets for AIDS vaccine development, as it has the necessary attribute of being able to elicit antibodies capable of neutralizing diverse isolates of HIV. Methodology/Principle Findings Guided by X-ray crystallography, molecular modeling, combinatorial chemistry, and powerful selection techniques, we designed and produced six combinatorial libraries of chimeric human rhinoviruses (HRV) displaying the MPER epitopes corresponding to mAbs 2F5, 4E10, and/or Z13e1, connected to an immunogenic surface loop of HRV via linkers of varying lengths and sequences. Not all libraries led to viable chimeric viruses with the desired sequences, but the combinatorial approach allowed us to examine large numbers of MPER-displaying chimeras. Among the chimeras were five that elicited antibodies capable of significantly neutralizing HIV-1 pseudoviruses from at least three subtypes, in one case leading to neutralization of 10 pseudoviruses from all six subtypes tested. Conclusions Optimization of these chimeras or closely related chimeras could conceivably lead to useful components of an effective AIDS vaccine. While the MPER of HIV may not be immunodominant in natural infection by HIV-1, its presence in a vaccine cocktail could provide critical breadth of protection.
The role of system identity threat in conspiracy theory endorsement

Conspiracy theories (CTs) about government officials and the institutions they represent are widespread, and span the ideological spectrum. In this study, we test hypotheses suggesting that system identity threat, or a perception that society’s fundamental, defining values are under siege due to social change, will predict conspiracy thinking. Across two samples (N = 870, N = 2,702), we found that system identity threat is a strong predictor of a general tendency toward conspiracy thinking and endorsement of both ideological and non-ideological CTs, even after accounting for numerous covariates. We also found that the relationship between systemidentity threat and conspiracy-theory endorsement is mediated by conspiracy thinking. These results suggest that conspiracy-theory endorsement may be a compensatory reaction to perceptions that society’s essential character is changing.
Service-Oriented Robotic Architecture Supporting a Lunar Analog Test

During the last 18 months, the Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) of NASA Ames has transitioned its rover software from a classic ad hoc system to a ServiceOriented Robotic Architecture (SORA). Under SORA, rover controller functionalities are encapsulated as a set of services. The services interact using two distinct modalities depending on the need: remote method invocation or data distribution. The system strongly relies on middleware that offers advanced functionalities while guaranteeing robustness. This architecture allows IRG to meet three critical space robotic systems requirements: flexibility, scalability and reliability. SORA was tested during summer 2007 at an analog lunar site: Haughton Crater (Devon Island, Canada). Two rovers were operated from a simulated habitat and remote ground control centers, allowing a full-scale evaluation of our system.
A progressive edge growth algorithm for bit mapping design of LDPC coded BICM schemes

In this paper, we consider the design of the bit mapping in low-density parity-check (LDPC) coded bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) schemes. We introduce a two-layer bipartite graph to represent the LDPC coded BICM scheme where a new bit mapping graph linking sub-channels to variable nodes (VNs) is added to the conventional Tanner graph. We propose a progressive edge growth (PEG) algorithm to design the bit mapping for the BICM scheme. The design paradigm is to provide more protections to the VNs that are allocated to the sub-channels with the lowest mutual information. We define a novel concept of unreliable depth profile to classify the reliability of the VNs. By connecting more reliable edges to the least reliable VNs, we can significantly improve the reliable edge distribution for the unreliable VNs, thus improve the extrinsic information in the iterative decoding. The proposed bit mapping algorithm is employed for the design of the LDPC coded BICM with 64-QAM and 256-QAM. Simulation results show that the proposed design can considerably improve the error performance, compared to the conventional consecutive bit mapping strategy.
Readiness to practice social work in Aotearoa New Zealand: perceptions of students and educators

ABSTRACT The readiness to practice of newly qualified social workers in Aotearoa New Zealand is a contested subject. In recent years, criticism by public figures including government ministers and the New Zealand government-appointed Children’s Commissioner have stimulated debate within the profession. Media critique of social work practice has highlighted many of the challenges faced by social workers. Significant policy developments, in particular a substantive government review of child protection services, have also increased the scrutiny of the capabilities of social workers. A timely 3-year multi-phase project ‘Enhancing readiness to practise’ is the first large study of social work education to be funded in Aotearoa New Zealand. The findings reported here have been derived from data collected in a series of focus group interviews with social work educators and students, in which they reflected on curricula in their programs and explored their perceptions of readiness to practice. Overall, educators were positive about the preparedness of their graduating students but held concerns over the organizational environments they would enter. Students were more ambivalent about their readiness, but hopeful and committed to ongoing learning. Development of programs to support graduates to transition to employment is recommended.
Morphologic and Clinical Outcome of Intracranial Aneurysms after Treatment Using Flow Diverter Devices: Mid-Term Follow-Up

Flow diverters (FDs) are designed for the endovascular treatment of complex intracranial aneurysm configurations. From February 2009 to March 2013 28 patients (22 females, 6 males) were treated with FD; mean age was 57 years. Data, including aneurysm features, clinical presentation, history of previous bleeding, treatment, and follow-up results, are presented. Early postinterventional neurological deficits (transient: n = 3/enduring: n = 1) appeared in 4/28 patients (14%), and early improvement of neurological symptoms was observed in 7 patients with previous restriction of cranial nerve function. The overall occlusion rate was 20/26 (77%; 59% after 3 months). 77% achieved best results according to O'Kelly-Marotta score grade D with no contrast material filling (70% of those after 3 months). In 4/6 patients who did not achieve grade D, proximal and/or distal stent overlapping ≥5 mm was not guaranteed sufficiently. During follow-up we did not detect any aneurysm recurrence or haemorrhage. In-stent stenosis emerged as the most frequent complication (4/27; 15%) followed by 2 cases of vascular obliteration (AICA/VA). In conclusion endovascular reconstruction using a FD represents a modern and effective treatment in those aneurysms that are not suitable for conventional interventional or surgical treatment. The appearance of severe complications was rare.
Walkthrough in large environments using concatenated panoramas

Recently panorama-based virtual reality systems have a key issue that is how to achieve continuous walkthrough between the two adjacent panoramas. In order to solve this issue, we firstly take images in the sampling points of the transition path, and then the coefficients of image transformations among these images are estimated directly from these images. Finally, the images in the non-sampling points are synthesized from those images in the sampling points using image transformation techniques. The architecture and Scheduling mechanism of the prototype concatenated panorama system are also described in this paper.
Anytime reliable transmission of real-valued information through digital noisy channels

Motivated by distributed sensor networks scenarios, we consider a problem of state estimation under communication constraints, in which a real-valued random vector needs to be reliably transmitted through a digital noisy channel. Estimations are sequentially updated by the receiver, as more and more channel outputs are observed. Assuming that no channel feedback is available at the transmitter, we study the rates at which the mean squared error of the estimation can be made to converge to zero with time. First, simple low-complexity schemes are considered, and trade-offs between performance and encoder/decoder complexity are found. Then, information-theoretic bounds on the best achievable error exponent are obtained.
Automated tuning of LQG cost function weightings: Scalar case

A simple method of selecting the LQG dynamic weighting functions is proposed. This involves minimizing the traditional variance-based cost function but with a controller structure that is determined by a dynamic weighting LQG problem. This effectively forces a controller structure that has traditional integral action and controller roll-off terms. The methodology is similar to the so-called restricted-structure controller design used for optimal tuning of low-order controllers. The proposed algorithm is applied to a simulated model of a continuous-time process plant with transport delay
Why Adopt Transparency? The Publication of Central Bank Forecasts

Recently, several central banks have abandoned the usual secrecy in monetary policy and become very transparent. This paper provides an explanation for this puzzling fact, focusing on the disclosure of central bank forecasts. It shows that transparency reduces the inflationary bias and gives the central bank greater flexibility to respond to shocks in the economy. Furthermore, it makes it easier for a central bank to build reputation. To achieve these benefits of transparency it is generally necessary to publish the conditional central bank forecasts for both inflation and output.
Invariant manifolds as boundaries for event-driven control systems

In event-driven control approaches, control updates are triggered by event conditions that are often characterized by different types of boundaries defined in the state-space domain. In this paper we define an event-driven control approach where boundaries are manifolds characterized as invariant sets. With such a boundary, a control update will only be activated when the system trajectory intersects the boundary. And the system trajectory must intersect again the boundary to activate the next control update. For linear systems, we derive an scaling property for these boundaries that permit to regulate the accuracy of the control without altering the timing offered by the scaled boundary.
High Resolution Analysis of Meiotic Chromosome Structure and Behaviour in Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Reciprocal crossing over and independent assortment of chromosomes during meiosis generate most of the genetic variation in sexually reproducing organisms. In barley, crossovers are confined primarily to distal regions of the chromosomes, which means that a substantial proportion of the genes of this crop rarely, if ever, engage in recombination events. There is potentially much to be gained by redistributing crossovers to more proximal regions, but our ability to achieve this is dependent upon a far better understanding of meiosis in this species. This study explores the meiotic process by describing with unprecedented resolution the early behaviour of chromosomal domains, the progression of synapsis and the structure of the synaptonemal complex (SC). Using a combination of molecular cytogenetics and advanced fluorescence imaging, we show for the first time in this species that non-homologous centromeres are coupled prior to synapsis. We demonstrate that at early meiotic prophase the loading of the SC-associated structural protein ASY1, the cluster of telomeres, and distal synaptic initiation sites occupy the same polarised region of the nucleus. Through the use of advanced 3D image analysis, we show that synapsis is driven predominantly from the telomeres, and that new synaptic initiation sites arise during zygotene. In addition, we identified two different SC configurations through the use of super-resolution 3D structured illumination microscopy (3D-SIM).
Specific Duplication and Dorsoventrally Asymmetric Expression Patterns of Cycloidea-Like Genes in Zygomorphic Species of Ranunculaceae

Floral bilateral symmetry (zygomorphy) has evolved several times independently in angiosperms from radially symmetrical (actinomorphic) ancestral states. Homologs of the Antirrhinum majus Cycloidea gene (Cyc) have been shown to control floral symmetry in diverse groups in core eudicots. In the basal eudicot family Ranunculaceae, there is a single evolutionary transition from actinomorphy to zygomorphy in the stem lineage of the tribe Delphinieae. We characterized Cyc homologs in 18 genera of Ranunculaceae, including the four genera of Delphinieae, in a sampling that represents the floral morphological diversity of this tribe, and reconstructed the evolutionary history of this gene family in Ranunculaceae. Within each of the two RanaCyL (Ranunculaceae Cycloidea-like) lineages previously identified, an additional duplication possibly predating the emergence of the Delphinieae was found, resulting in up to four gene copies in zygomorphic species. Expression analyses indicate that the RanaCyL paralogs are expressed early in floral buds and that the duration of their expression varies between species and paralog class. At most one RanaCyL paralog was expressed during the late stages of floral development in the actinomorphic species studied whereas all paralogs from the zygomorphic species were expressed, composing a species-specific identity code for perianth organs. The contrasted asymmetric patterns of expression observed in the two zygomorphic species is discussed in relation to their distinct perianth architecture.
Can a scalable system be built to capture web page thumbnails

Hirzalla, Feras M. M.S., Purdue University, December 2010, Can a Scalable System be Built to Capture Web Page Thumbnails? Major Professor: John Springer. Screenshots of web pages are a novel user interface improvement that can be used in various systems. Several software packages can be used to generate a visual representation of a web page, but none of these packages are designed to capture web pages in a scalable way. The goal of this research is to build and test a web page thumbnailer that can simultaneously capture screenshots of multiple web pages using multiple threads, thus maximizing the throughput of web pages that can be processed per unit of time. From the data collected during tests, thread count usage recommendations can be made. To test the thumbnailer, the author used a sample set of 30,000 web pages. Web page sizes were collected from the sample set, and 10,000 web pages were assigned to small, medium, and large categories. The thumbnailer was timed for different thread counts for each of the size categories. The data showed that as more capture threads were added, the time it took to generate visual representations of web pages decreased.
Majority-Inverter Graph: A New Paradigm for Logic Optimization

In this paper, we propose a paradigm shift in representing and optimizing logic by using only majority (MAJ) and inversion (INV) functions as basic operations. We represent logic functions by majority-inverter graph (MIG): a directed acyclic graph consisting of three-input majority nodes and regular/complemented edges. We optimize MIGs via a new Boolean algebra, based exclusively on majority and inversion operations, that we formally axiomatize in this paper. As a complement to MIG algebraic optimization, we develop powerful Boolean methods exploiting global properties of MIGs, such as bit-error masking. MIG algebraic and Boolean methods together attain very high optimization quality. Considering the set of IWLS'05 benchmarks, our MIG optimizer (MIGhty) enables a 7% depth reduction in LUT-6 circuits mapped by ABC while also reducing size and power activity, with respect to similar and-inverter graph (AIG) optimization. Focusing on arithmetic intensive benchmarks instead, MIGhty enables a 16% depth reduction in LUT-6 circuits mapped by ABC, again with respect to similar AIG optimization. Employed as front-end to a delay-critical 22-nm application-specified integrated circuit flow (logic synthesis + physical design) MIGhty reduces the average delay/area/power by 13%/4%/3%, respectively, over 31 academic and industrial benchmarks. We also demonstrate delay/area/power improvements by 10%/10%/5% for a commercial FPGA flow.
Occlusable corneas in toadfishes: light transmission, movement and ultrastruture of pigment during light- and dark-adaptation

SUMMARY The toadfishes Tetractenos hamiltoni and Torquigener pleurogramma (Tetraodontidae) possess occlusable yellow corneas. We examine the light transmission and location of the yellow/orange pigment throughout the cornea, the temporal properties of pigment migration and the ultrastructure of the pigmented processes during light- and dark-adaptation. Each species was dark-adapted during the day and light-adapted during the night and then exposed to either sun illumination or darkness for different lengths of time (0–70 min). Movement of corneal pigment could be induced in both species regardless of time of day or night. The pigment was able to migrate in a dorsal or ventral direction and changed from minimal to maximal pigmentation within 60 min. Three types of transmission curves were found with varying degrees of transmission in the 400–500 nm waveband, indicating that the pigment distribution is not uniform across the cornea; some areas of the cornea transmit near UV light, while others absorb blue light. The gradual change of the transmission characteristics in different areas of the cornea indicates the presence of different concentrations of a single type of pigment. Ultrastructural examination of the corneas showed that the layer containing the pigment is situated within the scleral cornea either surrounding (T. pleurogramma) or abutting (T. hamiltoni) an iridescent layer. Long sheet-like processes or chromatophores extending centrally from dorsal and ventral reservoirs are filled with pigment during the light-adapted state but empty in the dark-adapted state.
Towards Fully Optimized BICM Transmissions

Bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) was introduced in 1992 as a new coded modulation (CM) scheme particularly well suited for fading channels and is nowadays considered the de facto CM scheme in wireless standards (HSPA, IEEE 802.11a/g/n, DVB-T2/S2/C2, etc.). A typical BICM configuration is based on a convolutional code, a single bit-level interleaver (S-interleavers), and an equally spaced quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) input alphabet. In this thesis, we investigate the design of these three building blocks and show that traditional configurations are suboptimal. The main contribution of this thesis is to formally study the design of BICM systems in fading and nonfading channels and to propose new BICM designs. First, the use of multiple interleavers (M-interleavers) in BICM and BICM with iterative decoding (BICM-ID) is formally studied. For BICM, equally spaced QAM input alphabets labeled by the binary reflected Gray code are analyzed. Analytical bounds on the bit error rate (BER) are developed and based on these bounds, the optimum interleaver design is presented. It is shown that in both BICM and BICM-ID, M-interleavers outperform S-interleavers. Furthermore, the asymptotical optimality of BICM-ID with M-interleavers over BICM-ID with S-interleavers is proven. It is also shown that the use of M-interleaver redefines the optimality of the codes used in BICM and BICM-ID. The selection of these optimal codes is also studied in this thesis. A new BICM scheme based on nonequally spaced (hierarchical) QAM input alphabets, a bit-level multiplexer, and M-interleavers is also proposed in this thesis. It is shown that this new scheme outperforms previous BICM designs in fading and nonfading channels. Analytical bounds on the BER are developed and used to optimize the design of the system. The results show that, compared to traditional BICM designs, gains of a few decibels can be obtained. Finally, we study the use of BICM when the interleaver takes a trivial form (BICM-T), i.e., when it does not interleave the bits at all. An analytical model based on a new type of distance spectrum for convolutional codes is developed. This model is used to explain why BICM-T offers considerable gains compared to previous BICM configurations. It is also shown that properly designed BICM-T systems can be asymptotically as good as TCM.
Simplifying gene expression microarray comparative analysis.

Gene Expression Comparative Analysis allows bioinformatics researchers to discover the conserved or specific functional regulation of genes. This is achieved through comparisons between quantitative gene expression measurements obtained in different species on different platforms to address a particular biological system. Comparisons are made more difficult due to the need to map orthologous genes between species, pre-processing of data (normalization) and post-analysis (statistical and correlation analysis). In this paper we introduce a web-based software package called EXP-PAC which provides on line interfaces for database construction and query of data, and makes use of a high performance computing platform of computer clusters to run gene sequence mapping and normalization methods in parallel. Thus, EXP-PAC facilitates the integration of gene expression data for comparative analysis and the online sharing, retrieval and visualization of complex multi-specific and multi-platform gene expression results.
The Essential Principles of Practice-Based Learning

Vocational education faces a number of challenges, in which one of the biggest issues is skills mismatch. Skills mismatch occurs when workers have either fewer or more skills than jobs require. Some mismatch is inevitable, as the labor market involves complex decisions of employers and workers, and depends on many external factors. Skills mismatch has become more prominent in the global economic crisis. Practice-based learning can be considered to overcome this issue. This paper is offered as an introduction to practice-based learning. The nature of practice-based learning is defined and its essential principles are introduced. The paper concludes with some of the advantages of practice-based learning along with some of its drawbacks. Keywords— practice-based learning; curriculum practices; vocational education
A nonlinear estimator for the activity of neuronal populations in the hippocampus

Abstract We present an estimator design to reconstruct the mean membrane potential of individual neuronal populations from a single channel simulated electroencephalographic signal based on a model of the hippocampus. The robustness of the estimator against variations in the synaptic gains of the neuronal populations and disturbances in the input and measurement is studied. Our results are further illustrated in simulations.
Dynamic Software Birthmarks to Detect the Theft of Windows Applications

This paper proposes dynamic software birthmarks which can be extracted during execution of Windows applications. Birthmarks are unique and native characteristics of software. For a pair of software p and q, if q has the same birthmarks as p’s, q is suspected as a copy of p. Our security analysis showed that the proposed birthmark has good tolerance against various kinds of program transformation attacks.