Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Supporting the evolution of design artifacts with representations of context and intent

The design of complex artifacts is essentially an evolu tionary process that reqUires collaboration among stakeholders. Domain-oriented design environments (DODEs) support the evolution of artifacts both by in dividual designers and by designers participating in long term, indirect colIaboration. DODEs provide represen tations for generic and specific levels of context. This con text supports individual designers by making the infor mation space relevant to the current design intent, and long term collaboration among designers by allowing them to ground their communication around design artifacts. We demonstrate our approach using the KID (Knowing-in Design) system, articulate principles for representations of context and intent, and discuss various approaches to represent intent and context in design environments.
GAD treatment and insulin secretion in recent-onset type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND The 65-kD isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is a major autoantigen in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. This trial assessed the ability of alum-formulated GAD (GAD-alum) to reverse recent-onset type 1 diabetes in patients 10 to 18 years of age. METHODS We randomly assigned 70 patients with type 1 diabetes who had fasting C-peptide levels above 0.1 nmol per liter (0.3 ng per milliliter) and GAD autoantibodies, recruited within 18 months after receiving the diagnosis of diabetes, to receive subcutaneous injections of 20 microg of GAD-alum (35 patients) or placebo (alum alone, 35 patients) on study days 1 and 30. At day 1 and months 3, 9, 15, 21, and 30, patients underwent a mixed-meal tolerance test to stimulate residual insulin secretion (measured as the C-peptide level). The effect of GAD-alum on the immune system was also studied. RESULTS Insulin secretion gradually decreased in both study groups. The study treatment had no significant effect on change in fasting C-peptide level after 15 months (the primary end point). Fasting C-peptide levels declined from baseline levels significantly less over 30 months in the GAD-alum group than in the placebo group (-0.21 vs. -0.27 nmol per liter [-0.62 vs. -0.81 ng per milliliter], P=0.045), as did stimulated secretion measured as the area under the curve (-0.72 vs. -1.02 nmol per liter per 2 hours [-2.20 vs. -3.08 ng per milliliter per 2 hours], P=0.04). No protective effect was seen in patients treated 6 months or more after receiving the diagnosis. Adverse events appeared to be mild and similar in frequency between the two groups. The GAD-alum treatment induced a GAD-specific immune response. CONCLUSIONS GAD-alum may contribute to the preservation of residual insulin secretion in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes, although it did not change the insulin requirement. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00435981.)
Projection-free Online Learning

The computational bottleneck in applying online learning to massive data sets is usually the projection step. We present efficient online learning algorithms that eschew projections in favor of much more efficient linear optimization steps using the Frank-Wolfe technique. We obtain a range of regret bounds for online convex optimization, with better bounds for specific cases such as stochastic online smooth convex optimization. Besides the computational advantage, other desirable features of our algorithms are that they are parameter-free in the stochastic case and produce sparse decisions. We apply our algorithms to computationally intensive applications of collaborative filtering, and show the theoretical improvements to be clearly visible on standard datasets.
Multimodal aspects of positive and negative responses in Polish task-oriented dialogues

The paper reports on a multimodal analysis of short positive and negative responses in a corpus of Polish task-oriented dialogues. In the present task, responses most frequently functioned as realisations of affirmative and negative feedback and confirmation/disconfirmation. We describe prosodic and visual cues, namely intonation, head movement and smile that may distinguish between the main dialogue act functions in the studied corpus. Integrating our findings, we present a preliminary multimodal picture of this class of dialogue contributions in Polish.
The Open University ’ s repository of research publications and other research outputs Towards safer composition Conference Item

Determining whether a set of features can be composed, or safe composition, is a hard problem in software product line engineering because the number of feature combinations can be exponential. We argue that synergies between current approaches to safe composition should be exploited and propose a combined approach. At the heart of our proposal is a merge operation that creates a behavioural description for the entire product family from a feature diagram and descriptions of individual feature behaviour. As a result, we intend to verify more efficiently safe composition for an exponential number of feature combinations.
Isolation and characterization of the major proteins of ram seminal plasma

Mammalian seminal plasma contains among others, two major families of proteins, namely spermadhesins and those proteins that contain fibronectin type II domains. Spermadhesins are the major proteins of boar and stallion seminal plasma and homologous proteins have been identified in the bull. These proteins appear to be involved in capacitation and sperm–egg interaction. In bovine seminal plasma, proteins containing fibronectin type II domains are the major proteins and are designated BSP proteins. These proteins play a role in sperm capacitation. In this study, we present the isolation and characterization of the major proteins of ram seminal plasma. Precipitated proteins from Suffolk ram seminal plasma were loaded onto a gelatin–Agarose column. The unadsorbed (fraction A) and retarded proteins (fraction B) were removed by washing the column with phosphate buffered‐saline and the adsorbed proteins (fraction C) were eluted with 5M urea. SDS–PAGE of fraction B indicated the presence of a 15.5 kDa protein, which is the major protein of ram seminal plasma (∼45% of total protein by weight) and was identified as a spermadhesin by N‐terminal sequencing. SDS–PAGE analysis of fraction C revealed the presence of four proteins, which represented ∼20% of total ram seminal plasma proteins by weight, and were identified as proteins of the BSP family and named RSP proteins. These RSP proteins were designated RSP‐15 kDa, RSP‐16 kDa, RSP‐22 kDa, and RSP‐24 kDa. Only RSP‐15 kDa and ‐16 kDa proteins cross‐reacted with antibodies against BSP proteins. Ram spermadhesin and RSP proteins interact with heparin but only RSP proteins bind to hen's egg yolk low‐density lipoprotein. In conclusion, spermadhesin is the major protein of ram seminal plasma and other major proteins belong to the BSP protein family. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of size dependence of ceramic fiber and whisker strength

The strengths of ceramic fibers and whiskers have been observed to increase with decreasing fiber diameter and length. Typically, both surface flaws and volume flaws exist in ceramic fibers and whiskers, which makes it impossible to characterize the strength dependence of both the diameter and the length with a single-modal Weibull distribution function. Our data also show that the single-modal Weibull distribution is inadequate to characterize the strength of fibers with varying diameters even in the case of a constant fiber length. In addition, experimental data also show that, for sapphire whiskers whose surface flaws were removed by chemical polishing, the whisker strength has a much stronger size dependence on diameter than predicted by the single-modal Weibull function, which indicates that factors other than those characterized by the Weibull function also play a role in the strength of sapphire whiskers. In this paper, the factors affecting the strengths of ceramic fibers and whiskers are analyzed in terms of Weibull statistics, fracture mechanics, and flaw size density variation with varying fiber diameters. A three-parameter modified Weibull distribution, which combines the above strength-affecting factors, is proposed to characterize both the diameter and the length dependence for ceramic fibers and whiskers with or without surface flaws. Characterization of the strength data of sapphire whiskers and Nicalon SiC fibers with varying diameters shows the validity of the modified Weibull distribution function.
Periodic Sorting Using Minimum Delay, Recursively Constructed Merging Networks

Let $\alpha$ and $\beta$ be a partition of $\{1,\ldots,n\}$ into two blocks. A merging network is a network of comparators which allows as input arbitrary real numbers and has the property that, whenever the input sequence $x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_n$ is such that the subsequence in the positions $\alpha$ and the subsequence in the positions $\beta$ are each sorted, the output sequence will be sorted. We study the class of "recursively constructed" merging networks and characterize those with delay $\lceil\log_2 n\rceil$ (the best possible delay for all merging networks). When $n$ is a power of 2, we show that at least $3^{n/2-1}$ of these nets are log-periodic sorters; that is, they sort any input sequence after $\log_2n$ passes through the net. (Two of these have appeared previously in the literature.)
A novel triple-feed I-shaped slot antenna for an RFID tag designed for metallic objects

In this paper, a triple-feed, I-shaped slot RFID tag antenna is proposed. The design methodology as well as simulation results of the proposed RFID tag antenna are also presented in this paper. The maximum read range of the three cases implemented with different RFID chips mounted at the designed locations, have been found to be 3.6 m, 3.2m and 4.8 m for Chip0, Chip1 and Chip2, respectively, with a 1.259 W EIRP and the RFID reader system located in free space. The special design of the proposed RFID tag, can be fabricated by directly punching out an I-shaped slot in a metallic foil or a plate, and then combined with one of the three RFID chips with different characteristics. The RFID tag, so designed can be directly mounted on objects made with metal plate. An important advantage of the design is that the RFID tag does not require an increase in the thickness as a conventional tag could to isolate it from metallic objects.
A 32 000 r/min Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Machine for Energy Storage With Mechanical Stress Analysis

This paper focuses on the design and analysis of a high-speed axial flux permanent magnet (PM) machine for an aerospace flywheel energy storage system. The design target is to experimentally verify the sinusoidal back electromotive force (EMF) considering the mechanical stress limitation of the machine at a speed of 32 000 r/min. Two machine models based on ferrite and SmCo PMs have been proposed. First, the back EMF analysis using a 3-D finite-element method is performed to determine the performance of the two models. Second, the mechanical stress analysis is performed to check the durability of the rotor strength. Finally, the selected model utilizing the ferrite PMs has been manufactured and tested at 32 000 r/min to validate its effectiveness at high-speed operation.
Associations between tissue-specific DNA alkylation, DNA repair and cell proliferation in the colon and colon tumour yield in mice treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine.

Putative risk factors (DNA damage) and risk modifying factors (DNA repair and cell proliferation) were examined in an experimental mouse model in which treatment with dimethylhydrazine (6.8 mg/kg DMH i.p. once weekly) for up to 20 weeks induces colon tumours in a site specific manner with 0, 43 and 87% of animals having proximal, mid and distal colon tumours respectively at the highest cumulative dose. Levels of the pro-carcinogenic DNA adduct, O(6)-methylguanine (O(6)-MeG), in colonic DNA were found to vary with time after final treatment and with location within the colon but not with total DMH dose. O(6)-MeG levels were generally lowest in proximal colon DNA and highest in distal colon DNA. Steady state O(6)-MeG levels were obtained at the highest cumulative DMH dose with O(6)-MeG levels in mid and distal colon DNA being 5 and 10 times higher those in proximal colon DNA. O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase (MGMT) activity, and cell proliferation indices in the colon were also found to vary with time after final treatment but not with either location within the colon or total DMH dose. O(6)-MeG levels, MGMT activity and cell proliferation indices at specific time points as well as basal MGMT activity were not associated with differences in tumour yield within the colon. However tumour yield was associated with the cumulative amount of O(6)-MeG present in DNA over the treatment period and with the treatment induced cumulative increase in cell proliferation, particularly within regions of the colon crypt where stem cells reside but not with cumulative changes in MGMT activity. Results are consistent with an increased cancer risk arising from an increased mutation load in the target stem cell population due to increased adduct formation/persistence and cell proliferation but also suggest that other cell specific factors may help to determine tumourigenic response.
The Protean Toxicities of Lead: New Chapters in a Familiar Story

Many times in the history of lead toxicology the view that “the problem” has been solved and is no longer a major health concern has prevailed, only to have further research demonstrate the prematurity of this judgment. In the last decade, an extraordinary amount of new research on lead has illustrated, all too clearly, that “the problem” has not disappeared, and that, in fact, it has dimensions never before considered. Recent risk assessments have concluded that research has yet to identify a threshold level below which lead can be considered “safe. ” Although children’s intelligence has traditionally been considered to be the most sensitive endpoint, and used as the basis for risk assessment and standard setting, increased lead exposure has been associated with a wide variety of other morbidities both in children and adults, in some cases at biomarker levels comparable to those associated with IQ deficits in children. In adults, these endpoints include all-cause mortality and dysfunctions in the renal, cardiovascular, reproductive, central nervous systems. In children, IQ deficits are observed at blood lead levels well below 10 μg/dL, and the dose-effect relationship appears to be supra-linear. Other health endpoints associated with greater early-life lead exposure in children include ADHD, conduct disorder, aggression and delinquency, impaired dental health, and delayed sexual maturation. Studies employing neuroimaging modalities such as volumetric, diffusion tensor, and functional MRI are providing insights into the neural bases of the cognitive impairments associated with greater lead exposure.
Horizontal Gene Transfers Link a Human MRSA Pathogen to Contagious Bovine Mastitis Bacteria

Background Acquisition of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance by many clinically important bacteria can be traced to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between related or evolutionarily distant microflora. Comparative genomic analysis has become an important tool for identifying HGT DNA in emerging pathogens. We have adapted the multi-genome alignment tool EvoPrinter to facilitate discovery of HGT DNA sequences within bacterial genomes and within their mobile genetic elements. Principal Findings EvoPrinter analysis of 13 different Staphylococcus aureus genomes revealed that one of the human isolates, the hospital epidemic methicillin-resistant MRSA252 strain, uniquely shares multiple putative HGT DNA sequences with different causative agents of bovine mastitis that are not found in the other human S. aureus isolates. MRSA252 shares over 14 different DNA sequence blocks with the bovine mastitis ET3 S. aureus strain RF122, and many of the HGT DNAs encode virulence factors. EvoPrinter analysis of the MRSA252 chromosome also uncovered virulence-factor encoding HGT events with the genome of Listeria monocytogenes and a Staphylococcus saprophyticus associated plasmid. Both bacteria are also causal agents of contagious bovine mastitis. Conclusions EvoPrinter analysis reveals that the human MRSA252 strain uniquely shares multiple DNA sequence blocks with different causative agents of bovine mastitis, suggesting that HGT events may be occurring between these pathogens. These findings have important implications with regard to animal husbandry practices that inadvertently enhance the contact of human and livestock bacterial pathogens.
High-frequency transfer of a naturally occurring chromosomal tetracycline resistance element in the ruminal anaerobe Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens

Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens strains resistant to tetracycline were isolated from the bovine rumen. Two of three Tcr B. fibrisolvens tested were able to donate tetracycline resistance at frequencies ranging from 10(-7) to 10(-1) per donor cell in anaerobic filter matings to a rifampin-resistant mutant of the type strain of B.fibrisolvens, 2221R. The recipient strain 2221R exhibited rapid autoaggregation, which might be a factor in the high transfer rates observed. Tcr transconjugants of B. fibrisolvens 2221R were also capable of further transferring tetracycline resistance to a fusidic acid-resistant mutant, 2221F. Comparison of genomic DNAs by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis demonstrated altered band profiles in transconjugants, consistent with the acquisition of a large mobile chromosomal element. The transferable elements from the two B. fibrisolvens donors 1.23 and 1.230 (TnB123 and TnB1230, respectively) showed the same preferred insertion site in the B. fibrisolvens 2221R chromosome and are likely to be similar, or identical, elements. Hybridization experiments showed no close relationship between TnB1230 and int-xis regions from Tn916 or Tn5253. Although DNA from the B. fibrisolvens donor strains hybridized with probes carrying tet(M) or tet(O) sequences, transconjugants were found to have acquired a distinct band that hybridized only weakly with these probes, suggesting that a second, distantly related Tcr determinant had been transferred.
Approaches to biology teaching and learning: understanding the wrong answers--teaching toward conceptual change.

Underpinning science education reform movements in the last 20 years—at all levels and within all disciplines—is an explicit shift in the goals of science teaching from students simply creating a knowledge base of scientific facts to students developing deeper understandings of major concepts within a scientific discipline. For example, what use is a detailed working knowledge of the chemical reactions of the Krebs cycle without a deeper understanding of the relationship between these chemical reactions of cellular respiration and an organism’s need to harvest energy from food? This emphasis on conceptual understanding in science education reform has guided the development of standards and permeates all major science education reform policy docu
Differences in history of sexual behavior between patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and patients with squamous cell carcinoma at other head and neck sites

An emerging epidemic of human papillomavirus (HPV)‐associated oropharyngeal cancer has been proposed. The purpose of this study was for us to compare the sexual behaviors of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (SCCOP) and patients with squamous cell carcinoma of non‐oropharyngeal (SCCNOP) head and neck sites to expand our understanding of sexual behavior as a risk factor for HPV‐associated head and neck cancer.
Intrusion Detection System For Wireless

DOS (Denial-of-Service) attacks, and jamming are a threat to wire or wireless networks because they are at the same time easy to mount and difficult to detect and stop. I discuss intrusion detection system for wireless network in which each node monitors the traffic flow on the network and collects relevant statistics about it. By collaborating each node’s. I able to tell if (and which type of) an attack happened on our network any wireless network open the possibility of misuse. However, this system closes the possibility for misuse. I discuss the impact of the misuse on the system and the provide security for each user.
The Virtual Storyteller : story generation by simulation

The Virtual Storyteller is a multi-agent framework that generates stories based on a concept called emergent narrative. In this paper, we describe the motivation and approach of the Virtual Storyteller, and give an overview of the computational processes involved in the story generation process. We also discuss some of the challenges posed by our chosen approach.
On assigning place names to geography related web pages

In this paper, we attempt to give spatial semantics to Web pages by assigning them place names. The entire assignment task is divided into three sub-problems, namely place name extraction, place name disambiguation and place name assignment. We propose our approaches to address these subproblems. In particular, we have modified GATE, a well known named entity extraction software, to perform place name extraction using a US Census gazetteer. A rule-based place name disambiguation method and a place name assignment method capable of assigning place names to Web page segments have also been proposed. We have evaluated our proposed disambiguation and assignment methods on a Web page collection referenced by the DLESE metadata collection. The results returned by our methods are compared with manually disambiguated place names and place name assignment. It is shown that our proposed place name disambiguation method works well for geo/geo ambiguities. The preliminary results of our place name assignment method indicate promising results given the existence of geo/non-geo ambiguities among place names
Development Strategy for Demand of ICTs in Business- Teaching of CRHEIs

State education business institutes are believed as catalyst for the economic progress (especial for commerce) of any country. In China, many regional higher education institutes (mainly be regional university) have been founded from 1998. From 2006, most of those regional higher education institutes, such as regional university, promoted to be comprehensive regional higher education institutes (CRHEIs) in succession. Now more andmore students studying in those CRHEIs, and then the quality of teaching should be improved. In this paper, we analyses ICT (Information and communication technology)–based teaching and learning issues at CRHEIs level and old higher education institutes (ORHEs) level. Using normative Delphi method, we discussed ICT-based issues and get that ICT integration in CRHE need to be in lined with proper strategy in order to get their true benefits.