Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stress exposure in early post-natal life reduces telomere length: an experimental demonstration in a long-lived seabird

Exposure to stressors early in life is associated with faster ageing and reduced longevity. One important mechanism that could underlie these late life effects is increased telomere loss. Telomere length in early post-natal life is an important predictor of subsequent lifespan, but the factors underpinning its variability are poorly understood. Recent human studies have linked stress exposure to increased telomere loss. These studies have of necessity been non-experimental and are consequently subjected to several confounding factors; also, being based on leucocyte populations, where cell composition is variable and some telomere restoration can occur, the extent to which these effects extend beyond the immune system has been questioned. In this study, we experimentally manipulated stress exposure early in post-natal life in nestling European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in the wild and examined the effect on telomere length in erythrocytes. Our results show that greater stress exposure during early post-natal life increases telomere loss at this life-history stage, and that such an effect is not confined to immune cells. The delayed effects of increased telomere attrition in early life could therefore give rise to a ‘time bomb’ that reduces longevity in the absence of any obvious phenotypic consequences early in life.
Segmentation-Aware Deformable Part Models

In this work we propose a technique to combine bottom-up segmentation, coming in the form of SLIC superpixels, with sliding window detectors, such as Deformable Part Models (DPMs). The merit of our approach lies in "cleaning up" the low-level HOG features by exploiting the spatial support of SLIC superpixels, this can be understood as using segmentation to split the feature variation into object-specific and background changes. Rather than committing to a single segmentation we use a large pool of SLIC superpixels and combine them in a scale-, position- and object-dependent manner to build soft segmentation masks. The segmentation masks can be computed fast enough to repeat this process over every candidate window, during training and detection, for both the root and part filters of DPMs. We use these masks to construct enhanced, background-invariant features to train DPMs. We test our approach on the PASCAL VOC 2007, outperforming the standard DPM in 17 out of 20 classes, yielding an average increase of 1.7% AP. Additionally, we demonstrate the robustness of this approach, extending it to dense SIFT descriptors for large displacement optical flow.
Dopamine Modulation of Membrane Excitability in Striatal Spiny Neurons is Altered in DARPP-32 Knockout Mice

The phosphoprotein DARPP-32 (dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein 32 kDa) plays a central role in mediating the actions of a variety of neurotransmitters in medium spiny neurons of the striatum (Greengard, 1990; Fienberg et al., 1998). This study examines D1 and D2 dopamine (DA) agonist effects on the membrane properties of identified striatal neurons recorded in slices obtained from wild-type and DARPP-32-knockout mice. In wild-type spiny cells, DA D1 receptor activation decreased cell excitability, causing a 58.8 ± 13.5% increase in rheobase current required to evoke spike discharge. In contrast, D1 agonist administration did not alter cell excitability when applied to spiny cells in slices prepared from the DARPP-32 knockout mice. D2 agonist administration decreased cell excitability in both wild-type and knockout mice. The response produced by combined D1 and D2 agonist stimulation was dependent on the sequence of agonist administration. Thus, the D1 agonist-induced decrease in excitability was reversed to a facilitation of spiking upon subsequent D2 agonist administration. In contrast, D2 agonist applied simultaneously with the D1 agonist only produced a reduction in excitability. This type of D1-dependent modulation was not present in slices from the DARPP-32 knockout mice.
Proving wire-wise correctness for Handel-C hardware compilation in HOL

The compilation of Handel-C programs into net-list descriptions of hardware components has been extensively used in commercial tools but never formally verified. In this paper we first introduce a variation of the existing semantic model for Handel-C compilation that is amenable for mechanical proofs and detailed enough to analyse properties about the generated hardware. We then use this model to prove the correctness of the wiring schema used to interconnect the different components at the hardware level and propagate control signals among them. Finally, we present the most interesting aspects of the mechanisation of the model and the correctness proofs in the HOL theorem prover.
Decentralized fast-MPC path planner for automated vehicles

Safe path-planning in an environment subject to the presence of other vehicles or obstacles in general is a crucial task for autonomous vehicle development. A complete control scheme is designed in order to test a decentralized fast MPC path planner algorithm. The proposed control scheme is composed by a receding replanner based on a fast numerical implementation of a nonlinear optimization problem and PIDs as trajectory tracker. A detailed description of the control problem formulation is provided as well as the mathematical models of vehicle considered. Numerical simulations of the control are discussed and finally conclusions are drawn.
2-(Mesitylmethylsulfanyl)pyridine N-oxide–18-crown-6 (2/1)

In the title compound, 2C15H17NOS·C12H24O6, the asymmetric unit consists of one N-oxide derivative and one-half of the 18-crown-6 ether, which lies on an inversion centre. In the crown ether, the O—C—C—O torsion angles indicate a gauche conformation of the ethyleneoxy units, while the C—O—C—C torsion angles indicate planarity of these segments. In the N-oxide unit, the dihedral angle between the pyridine and benzene rings is 85.88 (12)°. The crystal packing is stabilized by weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and C—H⋯π interactions.
Persistent disruption of ciliated epithelium following paediatric lung transplantation

It is unclear whether ciliary function following lung transplantation is normal or not. Our aim was to study the ciliary function and ultrastructure of epithelium above and below the airway anastomosis and the peripheral airway of children following lung transplantation. We studied the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and beat pattern, using high speed digital video imaging and ultrastructure by transmission electron microscopy, of bronchial epithelium from above and below the airway anastomosis and the peripheral airway of 10 cystic fibrosis (CF) and 10 non-suppurative lung disease (NSLD) paediatric lung transplant recipients. Compared to epithelium below the anastomosis, the epithelium above the anastomosis in the CF group showed reduced CBF (median (interquartile range): 10.5 (9.0–11.4) Hz versus 7.4 (6.4–9.2) Hz; p<0.01) and increased dyskinesia (median (IQR): 16.5 (12.9–28.2)% versus 42.2 (32.6–56.4)%; p<0.01). In both CF and NSLD groups, compared with epithelium above the anastomosis, the epithelium below the anastomosis showed marked ultrastructural abnormalities (median duration post-transplant 7–12 months). Ciliary dysfunction is a feature of native airway epithelium in paediatric CF lung transplant recipients. The epithelium below the airway anastomosis shows profound ultrastructural abnormalities in both CF and NSLD lung transplant recipients, many months after transplantation.
Comment on Cai and Betensky (2003), On the Poisson Approximation for Hazard Regression

Cai and Betensky (2003, Section 5.1) consider hazard regression for right-censored survival data. For any log-linear parametrization of the baseline hazard, they provide a Poisson approximation of the proportional hazards model. However, the derivation of their approximation is flawed, resulting in substantial bias that does not vanish with increasing sample size n. Indeed, the difference to the log-likelihood from the correct and consistent Poisson approximation given below is of order O(n). Hence the Cai and Betensky (2003) approximation produces completely different estimates than the exact likelihood. To spot the error, consider ordered survival times ti with censoring indicators δi, i = 1, . , n. Under the proportional hazards assumption, the cumulative hazard i(t) for the ith individual factors into the cumulative baseline hazard 0(t) = ∫ t 0 λ0(s) ds and the contribution exp(x T i β) of the covariates xi, i(t) = 0(t) exp(xTi β). If we write λ0(t) = exp{z(t)T γ} in terms of a basis z(t), the log-likelihood is
Une approche orientée domaine pour la composition de services

L'approche a services propose de construire des applications a partir d'entites logicielles qui peuvent etre fournies par des organisations tierces. Ces entites sont nommees services. Un service fournit une fonctionnalite qui, pour etre mise a disposition, est specifiee, de facon syntaxique et/ou semantique, par une description de services. La description de services permet aux eventuels clients de rechercher, decouvrir et par la suite appeler un service. Parmi les preoccupations impliquees dans une approche a services, nous avons aborde celle relative a la realisation des applications qui integrent des fonctionnalites fournies par des services. Le mecanisme permettant la realisation de ces applications est nomme composition de services. La realisation d'une composition de services est actuellement une activite tres technique et de longue duree. Les mecanismes de composition sont etroitement lies a la technologie a services support et leur apprentissage est couteux. Les developpeurs d'applications a services doivent avoir l'expertise technique de ces technologies. Au lieu de se concentrer sur la logique metier de leur application, ils doivent gerer aussi les aspects lies a la decouverte, a la selection et la configuration des services necessaires. Nous proposons une approche centree sur le domaine pour l'automatisation des compositions de services. Le developpement d'une composition de services doit etre simple, rapide et automatise. Il est donc besoin d'eliminer la complexite technique des differentes technologies impliquees mais aussi d'eliminer, le plus possible, la difficulte metier caracteristique du domaine applicatif considere. Pour cela, notre approche reutilise des principes issus des approches generatives dont la preoccupation principale est la reutilisation de la connaissance metier pour permettre le developpement automatise des applications. Cette approche a ete implementee par un environnement de developpement de compositions de services, appele DoCoSOC, valide dans le cadre du projet RNRT PISE (Passerelle Internet SEcurisee) pour l'automatisation du develoooement des aoolications DOur la distribution electriaue.
Gauss images of hyperbolic cusps with convex polyhedral boundary

We prove that a 3-dimensional hyperbolic cusp with convex poly- hedral boundary is uniquely determined by its Gauss image. Furthermore, any spherical metric on the torus with cone singularities of negative curvature and all closed contractible geodesics of length greater than 2π is the metric of the Gauss image of some convex polyhedral cusp. This result is an analog of the Rivin-Hodgson theorem characterizing compact convex hyperbolic polyhedra in terms of their Gauss images. The proof uses a variational method. Namely, a cusp with a given Gauss image is identified with a critical point of a functional on the space of cusps with cone-type singularities along a family of half-lines. The functional is shown to be concave and to attain maximum at an interior point of its domain. As a byproduct, we prove rigidity statements with respect to the Gauss image for cusps with or without cone-type singularities. In a special case, our theorem is equivalent to existence of a circle pattern on the torus, with prescribed combinatorics and intersection angles. This is the genus one case of a theorem by Thurston. In fact, our theorem extends Thurston's theorem in the same way as Rivin-Hodgson's theorem extends An- dreev's theorem on compact convex polyhedra with non-obtuse dihedral angles. The functional used in the proof is the sum of a volume term and curvature term. We show that, in the situation of Thurston's theorem, it is the potential for the combinatorial Ricci flow considered by Chow and Luo. Our theorem represents the last special case of a general statement about isometric immersions of compact surfaces.
Demand Response in Smart Distribution System With Multiple Microgrids

In this paper, an agent based intelligent energy management system is proposed to facilitate power trading among microgrids and allow customers to participate in demand response. The proposed intelligence uses demand response, and diversity in electricity consumption patterns of the customers and availability of power from distributed generators as the vital means in managing power in the system. A new priority index is proposed for customers participating in the market based on frequency and size of load participating in demand response. In order to validate the proposed method, a case study with two interconnected microgrids is simulated. Based on extensive simulation results of the system developed using Java Agent DEvelopment framework (JADE), it has been found that multi-agent based demand response is successful in reducing the system peak in addition to cost benefit for the customers with high priority index.
A Real-Time Programmer's Tour of General-Purpose L4 Microkernels

L4-embedded is a microkernel successfully deployed in mobile devices with soft real-time requirements. It now faces the challenges of tightly integrated systems, in which user interface, multimedia, OS, wireless protocols, and even software-defined radios must run on a single CPU. In this paper we discuss the pros and cons of L4-embedded for real-time systems design, focusing on the issues caused by the extreme speed optimisations it inherited from its general-purpose ancestors. Since these issues can be addressed with a minimal performance loss, we conclude that, overall, the design of real-time systems based on L4-embedded is possible, and facilitated by a number of design features unique to microkernels and the L4 family.
Starting Framework for Analog Numerical Analysis for Energy-Efficient Computing

The focus of this work is to develop a starting framework for analog numerical analysis and related algorithm questions. Digital computation is enabled by a framework developed over the last 80 years. Having an analog framework enables wider capability while giving the designer tools to make reasonable choices. Analog numerical analysis concerns computation on physical structures utilizing the real-valued representations of that physical system. This work starts the conversation of analog numerical analysis, including exploring the relevancy and need for this framework. A complexity framework based on computational strengths and weaknesses builds from addressing analog and digital numerical precision, as well as addresses analog and digital error propagation due to computation. The complimentary analog and digital computational techniques enable wider computational capabilities.
Molecular dynamics simulation of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) crystalline and amorphous solids

An empirically fitted atomic potential allows a classical molecular dynamics study of the static and dynamic properties of both crystalline and amorphous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with typical dilute Y2O3 concentrations (i.e. 3.0–12.0 mol% Y2O3) in the temperature range 300–1400 K. Based on the rigid ion model approximation, we find, regardless of the distinctly different geometries, that the oxygen ionic conductivity shows a maximum at ∼ 8.0 mol% Y2O3, close to the experimental maximum. A lower absolute ionic conductivity is found for the high density YSZ amorphous solid, relative to crystalline YSZ, consistent with the trends observed in crystalline and stabilized amorphous thin films of YSZ reported in experiments. Different from YSZ crystals, intriguing features of mutual diffusion among the heavy cations and mobile anions are found in the amorphous phase.
The perceptual and verbal analogical reasoning in children with specific language impairment (SLI)

Address for correspondence: Sandrine Leroy, Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of Liege, Rue de l’Aunaie, 30, B38, 4000 Liege, BELGIUM, E-mail: Sandrine.Leroy@ulg.ac. be References: Bybee, J. (2010). Language, Usage and Cognition. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. Markman, A. B. , & Gentner, D. (1993). Structural alignment during similarity comparisons. Cognitive Psychology, 25(4), 431-467. Thibaut, J.-P., French, R. , & Vezneva, M. (2010). The development of analogy making in children: Cognitive load and executive functions. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 106(1), 1-19. INTRODUCTION
THE ROLE OF CARBONIC ANHYDRASE IN CERTAIN IONIC EXCHANGES INVOLVING THE ERYTHROCYTE

1. The acceleration by bicarbonates of the swelling and hemolysis of erythrocytes in solutions of ammonium salts, first reported by Ørskov, is strikingly dependent upon carbonic anhydrase, being almost abolished by inhibitors of this enzyme such as KCN and sulfanilamide, and under suitable conditions being enhanced by its addition to the external solution. This behavior gives support to the theory of "catalyzed diffusion" as an explanation of the Ørskov effect. 2. The inhibitory effects of both sulfanilamide and KCN seem to be capable of complete reversal on washing the erythrocytes in isotonic salt solutions. The full effect of KCN appears almost instantly; that of sulfanilamide requires a period measured in seconds, or possibly even in minutes, to reach its maximum, the delay presumably being due to the slower penetration of the erythrocyte by this substance. Under favorable conditions the effect of concentrations of sulfanilamide of a few hundredths of a milligram per cent can be demonstrated. No similar effects have been obtained with sulfapyridine. 3. Bicarbonates also have a "catalytic" effect on the response of the internal pH of erythrocytes to changes in that of their surroundings. The resulting volume changes of the cell, which otherwise frequently require many minutes for their completion, may take place within a few seconds in the presence of low concentrations of bicarbonates. At a given pH value the effect of the latter substances is chiefly on the rate of the change and only to a minor extent on its magnitude. It may be further accelerated under appropriate conditions by the addition to the cell suspension of carbonic anhydrase, and can be almost abolished by KCN and by sulfanilamide. 4. Volume changes of erythrocytes associated with exchanges of Cl' for SO4'' ions are greatly accelerated by low concentrations of bicarbonates, this effect being likewise dependent upon carbonic anhydrase. There is some evidence that in this case the exchange takes place, at least in part, in two steps: Cl' for HCO3' and HCO3' for SO4''.
An evolutionary approach to understanding social facilitation:Energy expenditure and exercise motivation

The current research draws on evolutionary and life history theory to understand social facilitation of human energy expenditure, and test predictions focused on when and for whom increases in energetic effort are more likely to occur. Two studies tested the premise that cues of mates and/or competitors for mates can modify perceptions of the socio-ecological context of energy expenditure, and thereby change short-term energetic effort and exercise motivation and selfefficacy. Tests of psychological and physiological mediators and moderators were performed. Results provide preliminary support for the utilization of evolutionary theory to understand social facilitation by demonstrating significant effects of primes on immediate performance in tests of muscular strength, and exercise motivation and self-efficacy, particularly among men. These findings may have implications for efforts to increase energy expenditure and exercise behavior.
Drug Resistance Profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex and Factors Associated with Drug Resistance in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon

Background Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance continues to be a major obstacle to tuberculosis (TB) control programmes with HIV being a major risk factor in developing TB. We investigated anti-TB drug resistance profiles and the impact of socioeconomic as well as behavioural factors on the prevalence of TB and drug resistance in two regions of Cameroon with such data paucity. Methods This was a hospital-based study in which 1706 participants, comprising 1133 females and 573 males consecutively enrolled from selected TB and HIV treatment centres of the Northwest and Southwest regions. Demographic, clinical and self-reported risk behaviours and socioeconomic data were obtained with the consent of participants using questionnaires. Culture and drug resistance testing were performed according to standard procedures. Results The prevalence of resistance to at least one anti-TB drug was 27.7% and multi-drug resistance was 5.9%. Smoking, concurrent alcohol consumption and smoking, being on antiretroviral therapy for ≤ 12 months and previous household contact with TB patient were independently associated with tuberculosis prevalence, while only previous tuberculosis infection was associated with drug resistance in a univariate analysis. Conclusion The study showed a high prevalence of drug resistance TB in the study population with only previous TB infection associated with drug resistance in a univariate analysis. It also provides evidence in our context, of the role of alcohol and smoking in increasing the risk of developing TB, which is more likely in people living with HIV/AIDS. Therefore, it is important for public health authorities to integrate and intensify alcohol/smoking abstention interventions in TB and HIV control programs in Cameroon.
Factors influencing the distribution of large mammals within a protected central African forest

This paper presents the analyses of data obtained from eight permanent 20 km transects to determine the relative effect of local human populations and ecological factors on the distribution of large mammals within the Dzanga sector of the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park and the adjacent area of the Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Special Reserve in south-west Central African Republic. Principal component analysis indicated that human activities significantly influence the distribution of large mammals, even within this protected area. Distance from the village and the main road as well as the distance from secondary roads appeared to have the greatest influence. Elephants in particular were significantly less common in areas related to human use. Our study showed that poachers use roads, both primary and secondary, to penetrate into the National Park. Thus increasing anti-poaching efforts along these roads could be an effective protection measure.
Performance of the MagNA Pure LC Robot for Extraction of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae DNA from Urine and Swab Specimens

ABSTRACT DNA from uncentrifuged urines (n = 195 and n = 202) and cervical swabs (n = 221 and n = 601) was extracted by the MagNA Pure LC robot and the Amplicor method to validate the robot's extraction for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae testing by Roche PCR. The robot provided a highly sensitive and specific method of DNA extraction.