Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Novel Algorithm for Mining High Utility Itemsets

The utility based itemset mining approach has been discussed widely in recent years. There are many algorithms mining high utility itemsets by pruning candidates based on estimated utility values, and based on transaction-weighted utilization values. These algorithms aim to reduce search space. Besides, candidate pruning based on transaction-weighted utilization value is better than other strategies. In this paper, we propose TWU-Mining, a novel algorithm based-on WIT-tree for improving the cost of time and search space. Experiments show that the proposed algorithm is more effective on the testing databases.
Verification of Energy Efficient Optimized Link State Routing Protocol using Petri net

Self-organizing ad hoc networks need development of efficient routing protocols in terms of reliable routing and energy conservation. For dense ad hoc networks, Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol is suitable due to its multipoint relaying (MPR) feature. We have tried to make the OLSR energy efficient by making effective neighbor selection based on residual battery energy of a node and traffic conditions that influence the drain rate of the node in the network. We have considered the multipath and source routing concept for route selection and a route recovery technique to tackle mobility issue efficiently. Modifications make the protocol energy efficient and at the same time achieve balancing of network load. Simulation results of OLSR and the modified protocol, show improvement in ‘Number of nodes alive’ against variation in pause time, speed, node density and simulation time. The work describes modified protocol verification using Petri net for future instances.
Four Distinct Patterns of Memory CD8 T Cell Responses to Chronic Murine Cytomegalovirus Infection1

CMVs are β herpesviruses that establish lifelong latent infection of their hosts. Acute infection of C57BL/6 mice with murine CMV elicits a very broad CD8 T cell response, comprising at least 24 epitopes from 18 viral proteins. In contrast, we show here that the CD8 T cell response in chronically infected mice was dominated by only five epitopes. Altogether, four distinct CD8 T cell kinetic patterns were evident. Responses to some epitopes, including M45, which dominates the acute response, contracted sharply after day 7 and developed into stable long-term memory. The response to m139 underwent rapid expansion and contraction, followed by a phase of memory inflation, whereas the response to an M38 epitope did not display any contraction phase. Finally, responses against two epitopes encoded by the immediate early gene IE3 were readily detectable in chronically infected mice but near the limit of detection during acute infection. CD8 T cells specific for the noninflationary M45 epitope displayed a classic central memory phenotype, re-expressing the lymph node homing receptor CD62L and homeostatic cytokine receptors for IL-7 and IL-15, and produced low levels of IL-2. Responses to two inflationary epitopes, m139 and IE3, retained an effector memory surface phenotype (CD62Llow, IL-7Rα−, IL-15Rβ−) and were unable to produce IL-2. We suggest that immunological choices are superimposed on altered viral gene expression profiles to determine immunodominance during chronic murine CMV infection.
NK but Not CD1-Restricted NKT Cells Facilitate Systemic Inflammation during Polymicrobial Intra-Abdominal Sepsis1

Evidence suggests that NK and NKT cells contribute to inflammation and mortality during septic shock caused by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). However, the specific contributions of these cell types to the pathogenesis of CLP-induced septic shock have not been fully defined. The goal of the present study was to determine the mechanisms by which NK and NKT cells mediate the host response to CLP. Control, NK cell-deficient, and NKT cell-deficient mice underwent CLP. Survival, cytokine production, and bacterial clearance were measured. NK cell trafficking and interaction with myeloid cells was also studied. Results show that mice treated with anti-asialoGM1 (NK cell deficient) or anti-NK1.1 (NK/NKT cell deficient) show less systemic inflammation and have improved survival compared with IgG-treated controls. CD1 knockout mice (NKT cell deficient) did not demonstrate decreased cytokine production or improved survival compared with wild type mice. Trafficking studies show migration of NK cells from blood and spleen into the inflamed peritoneal cavity where they appear to facilitate the activation of peritoneal macrophages (F4-80+GR-1−) and F4-80+Gr-1+ myeloid cells. These findings indicate that NK but not CD1-restricted NKT cells contribute to acute CLP-induced inflammation. NK cells appear to mediate their proinflammatory functions during septic shock, in part, by migration into the peritoneal cavity and amplification of the proinflammatory activities of specific myeloid cell populations. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms used by NK cells to facilitate acute inflammation during septic shock.
Towards a general theory of optimal testing

In Pericchi and Pereira [1] it is argued against the traditional way on which testing is based on fixed significance level, either using p-values (with fixed levels of evidence, like the 5% rule) or α values. We instead, follow an approach put forward by [2], on which an optimal test is chosen by minimizing type I and type II errors. Morris DeGroot in his authoritative book [2], Probability and Statistics 2nd Edition, stated that it is more reasonable to minimize a weighted sum of Type I and Type II error than to specify a value of type I error and then minimize Type II error. He showed it beyond reasonable doubt, but only in the very restrictive scenario of simple VS simple hypothesis, and it is not clear how to generalize it. We propose here a very natural generalization for composite hypothesis, by using general weight functions in the parameter space. This was also the position taken by [3, 4, 5]. We show, in a parallel manner to DeGroot's proof and Pereira's discussion, that the optimal test statisti.
Qme! : A Speech-based Question-Answering system on Mobile Devices

Mobile devices are becoming the dominant mode of information access despite being cumbersome to input text using small keyboards and browsing web pages on small screens. We present Qme! , a speech-based question-answering system that allows for spoken queries and retrieves answers to the questions instead of web pages. We present bootstrap methods to distinguish dynamic questions from static questions and we show the benefits of tight coupling of speech recognition and retrieval components of the system.
Effects of Abnormal-Sterol Accumulation onUstilago maydis Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Stoichiometry and Polypeptide Pattern

ABSTRACT Accumulation of 14α-methylated sterols or Δ8-sterols in Ustilago maydis affected three aspects of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase. Proton transport was reduced in Δ8-sterol-accumulating samples, due to an altered H+/ATP stoichiometry. ATP hydrolytic activity was increased, but no direct correlation with the extent or type of abnormal sterol accumulated could be drawn. Finally, Western blot analysis with antibodies against yeast PMA1 revealed a second lighter band (99-kDa band) in all samples from abnormal-sterol-accumulating sporidia. The conclusions are that the 99-kDa band and a reduced stoichiometry are directly linked to the presence of abnormal sterols, while changes in hydrolytic activity are linked only indirectly.
Educational Reform in Japan in the 1990s: 'Individuality' and other uncertainties

Despite overseas' observers praise for Japanese education over the last 20 years, within Japan the school system has become the focus of increasing discontent because of its supposed rigidity, uniformity, and exam-centredness. This discontent has given impetus to a series of educational reform proposals and policy measures during the late 1980s and 1990s. These reforms have gone under the slogan of 'stress on individuality' (kosei j shi), and are purportedly aimed at encouraging creativity by introducing more freedom and choice into the education system. However, critics have alleged that the emphasis on 'individuality' masks a neo liberal agenda driven by business demands. This article analyses the reform measures and the surrounding debate. It concludes that Japan's Ministry of Education remains cautious in its approach to reform. The main reform measures to date have favoured a progressive rather than a neoliberal direction.
Ordinary Spiritual Experience: Qualitative Research, Interpretive Guidelines, and Population Distribution for the Daily Spiritual Experience Scale

The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES) is an instrument designed to provide researchers with a self-report measure of spiritual experiences as an important aspect of how religiousness/spirituality is expressed in daily life for many people. The sixteen-item scale includes constructs such as awe, gratitude, mercy, sense of connection with the transcendent, compassionate love, and desire for closeness to God. It also includes measures of awareness of discernment/inspiration and transcendent sense of self. This measure was originally developed for use in health studies, but has been increasingly used more widely in the social sciences, for program evaluation, and for examining changes in religious/spiritual experiences over time. It has been included on the U.S. General Social Survey (GSS), and the items have shown high prevalence in that population. The challenge of identifying items that tap the underlying constructs was addressed through qualitative methods, both in the development and testing of the instrument. Translations have been made into Spanish, Korean, Hebrew, Vietnamese, and French, and the scale has been effectively used outside the United States. Detailed discussion of item construction based on qualitative work is given to assist in use, interpretation and translation development. Options for scoring and suggestions for exploring correlations with other variables using individual items and subgroups are also presented.
Variants of Gender Differentiation in Somatic Disorders of Sex Development: Recommendations for Version 7 of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health's Standards of Care

ABSTRACT Many individuals born with genital ambiguity and related conditions (recently recategorized as disorders of sex development [DSD]) experience gender uncertainty or gender dysphoria, and some may undergo self-initiated gender change. Whether these phenomena are sufficiently similar to the presentations of gender identity variants (GIVs) in non-DSD persons (gender identity disorder [GID] in current psychiatric terminology) to warrant the application of identical diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches is under debate. This review takes the position that the differences in phenomena, context of presentation, etiology, and treatment settings are so large that identical diagnoses and treatment approaches are not justified and may be detrimental to the individuals in need of care, although more systematic comparisons are needed for definitive conclusions. On the other hand, there is increasing overlap of DSD and non-DSD individuals with gender problems in professional care personnel, assessment methods, aspects of medical and psychosocial management, and support groups and gender activism. Thus, a comprehensive revision of the Standards of Care (SOC) needs to include pertinent material on DSD, and clinicians caring for individuals with GIV should be acquainted with the key clinical issues in both. The remainder of this article summarizes the limited information available for DSD on the issues addressed in the sixth edition of the SOC for non-DSD GIV.
Organization of the nitrergic neuronal system in the primitive bony fishes Polypterus senegalus and Erpetoichthys calabaricus (Actinopterygii: Cladistia)

Cladistians are a group of basal actinopterygian fishes that constitute a good model for studying primitive brain features, most likely present in the ancestral bony fishes. The analysis of the nitrergic neurons (with the enzyme nitric oxide synthase; NOS) has helped in understanding important aspects of brain organization in all vertebrates studied. We investigated the nitrergic system of two cladistian species by means of specific antibodies against NOS and NADPH‐diaphorase (NADPH‐d) histochemistry, which, with the exception of the primary olfactory and terminal nerve fibers, labeled only for NADPH‐d, yielded identical results. Double immunohistochemistry was conducted for simultaneous detection of NOS with tyrosine hydroxylase, choline acetyltransferase, calbindin, calretinin, and serotonin, to establish accurately the localization of the nitrergic neurons and fibers and to assess possible interactions between these neuroactive substances. The pattern of distribution in both species showed only subtle differences in the density of labeled cells. Distinct groups of NOS‐immunoreactive cells were observed in pallial and subpallial areas, paraventricular region, tuberal and retromammillary hypothalamic areas, posterior tubercle, prethalamic and thalamic areas, optic tectum, torus semicircularis, mesencephalic tegmentum, interpeduncular nucleus, superior and middle reticular nuclei, magnocellular vestibular nucleus, solitary tract nucleus, nucleus medianus magnocellularis, the spinal cord and amacrine cells in the retina. Large neurons in cranial nerve sensory ganglia were also labeled. The comparison of these results with those from other vertebrates, using a neuromeric analysis, reveals a conserved pattern of organization of the nitrergic system from this primitive fish group to amniotes, including mammals. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:1770–1804, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intracellular and extracellular Hsp70 chaperone as a target for cancer therapy

Abstract Purpose: Heat shock protein 70 (HSPA family) is a multi-functional protein which protects individual cells from proteotoxic shock and the whole organism from microbial, viral and oncogenic pathogens. These diverse functions may depend upon ‘chaperone’ activity that allows Hsp70 to regulate the mechanism of damaged protein recovery or utilisation inside a cell and to be a potent adjuvant, stimulating immune activity against a variety of viral or tumour antigens. The aim of this review is to present recent data on specific roles of intracellular and extracellular Hsp70 in cancerous tissue. Conclusion: The data presented in this paper show that endogenous Hsp70 protects cancer cells of different origins from a variety of cytotoxic threats including cancer cell therapeutics. In contrast, however, Hsp70 released from stressed cancer cells can serve as a danger signal or may recruit cells responsible for the generation of innate and adaptive immune responses against tumour cells.
Age and Attitudes

THIS EDITION of Pulse of the Public probes the relationship between age and attitudes by comparing the responses of 18- to 29-year-olds with those of people 50 and older. Of course, we cannot establish causation beyond doubt, but one would suspect that the differences identified are related, to some extent, to the recency of the respondents' contact with schools. The Biggest Problem When asked to identify the biggest problem facing local schools, those 50 and older place discipline at the top of the list. Discipline is mentioned by 23% of this older group, as compared to just 7% of 18- to 29-year-olds. If discipline and fighting/violence/gangs are taken to be synonymous terms, then the difference shrinks, as 15% of the younger group mention fighting/violence/gangs, while just 6% of those 50 and older do so. The top problem for the younger group is finance, mentioned by 20%, but the difference between the two groups is not great, since finance is also mentioned by 18% of those 50 and older. Overcrowding is mentioned by 15% of 18- to 29-year-olds, as compared to just 8% of those 50 and older. Regarding use of drugs and getting and keeping good teachers -- the last two of the top six problems noted by the entire sample -- there is little difference between the groups. They attract a smaller but uniform number of mentions from both groups. Grading the Public Schools The two groups assign similar grades to the public schools. The percentage giving A's and B's is 47% for the younger group and 44% for those 50 and older. The breakout of specific grades is reflected in Table 1. These high grades may help explain why, when asked to indicate whether improvement should come by reforming the existing public school system or through finding an alternative to that system, reform of the existing system is the strong choice of both age groups. Among those 50 and older, 68% choose reforming the existing system, while 25% would seek an alternative. The corresponding figures for those 18 to 29 are 60% and 38%. Asked to choose between strengthening the existing public schools and offering vouchers for parents to use in having their children attend private or church-related schools, 72% of 18- to 29- year-olds and 70% of those 50 and older choose strengthening the existing schools. The percentages favoring the voucher option are 26% and 28% respectively. Propensity for Change The fact that both groups favor improvement through the existing public schools should not be allowed to mask the fact that those in the 18- to 29-year-old group are more receptive to change. In the poll question asking about permitting parents to send their children to private schools at public expense, a majority of both groups express opposition, but 46% of 18- to 29-year-olds favor this option, while only 31% of those 50 and older do so. And in the companion question, in which choosing a public school is an option along with private and church-related schools, 58% of those in the 18- to 29-year-old group are in favor, compared to just 37% of those 50 and older. …
Pollution Reduction, Environmental Uncertainty, and the Irreversibility Effect

This paper analyses the decision to invest to reduce the emissions of a stock pollutant under environmental uncertainty. It shows that this decision depends on the type and level of uncertainty. When uncertainty is small, there is no simple irreversibility effect because of the tension between environmental irreversibility (the stock of pollutant causes costly long-term social damages), and investment irreversibility (pollution abatement investments are sunk). When uncertainty is large enough, however, pollutant emissions should be curbed immediately. A continuous time formulation based on real options illustrates the link between flexibility and option value. These results have implications for global warming.
The two coiled coils in the isolated rod domain of the intermediate filament protein desmin are staggered. A hydrodynamic analysis of tetramers and dimers.

Desmin protofilaments and the proteolytically derived alpha-helical rod domain have been characterized by high-resolution gel permeation chromatography (GPC) using columns calibrated for the determination of viscosity radii. Additional characterization by chemical cross-linking and the determination of sedimentation values allowed the calculation of the molecular dimensions of the molecular species isolated. In dilute buffers GPC separated desmin rod preparations into two complexes: a dimer species (single coiled coil) with a length of 50 +/- 5 nm and a tetramer species (two coiled coils) with a length of 65 +/- 5 nm. Thus the two coiled coils in the tetramer are staggered by approximately 15 nm. The hydrodynamically derived lengths of the rod dimer and tetramer are supported by electron microscopy after metal shadowing. The hydrodynamic properties of desmin protofilaments follow that of the rod tetramer. The data on the hydrodynamic analysis of the rod tetramer of desmin in solution are in full agreement with the structural information recently deduced from paracrystals of the rod of glial fibrillary acid protein [Stewart, M. , Quinlan, R.A. & Moir, R.D. (1989) J. Cell Biol. 109, 225-234]. Our results explain the inhomogeneity of molecules encountered in previous electron microscopical analyses.
Genomic expression of mesenchymal stem cells to altered nanoscale topographies

The understanding of cellular response to the shape of their environment would be of benefit in the development of artificial extracellular environments for potential use in the production of biomimetic surfaces. Specifically, the understanding of how cues from the extracellular environment can be used to understand stem cell differentiation would be of special interest in regenerative medicine. In this paper, the genetic profile of mesenchymal stem cells cultured on two osteogenic nanoscale topographies (pitted surface versus raised islands) are compared with cells treated with dexamethasone, a corticosteroid routinely used to stimulate bone formation in culture from mesenchymal stem cells, using 19k gene microarrays as well as 101 gene arrays specific for osteoblast and endothelial biology. The current studies show that by altering the shape of the matrix a cell response (genomic profile) similar to that achieved with chemical stimulation can be elicited. Here, we show that bone formation can be achieved with efficiency similar to that of dexamethasone with the added benefit that endothelial cell development is not inhibited. We further show that the mechanism of action of the topographies and dexamethasone differs. This could have an implication for tissue engineering in which a simultaneous, targeted, development of a tissue, such as bone, without the suppression of angiogenesis to supply nutrients to the new tissue is required. The results further demonstrate that perhaps the shape of the extracellular matrix is critical to tissue development.
Conjunctive combined causal rules mining

Discovering causal relationships among a set of observed variables is a very important and essential problem in science. In many fields, predicting causes can help to avoid harmful consequences. Learning Bayesian network (BN), and Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) play a major role in Causal discovery. Existing algorithms fail to discover causal relationships on non-fixed structures, the cost of these algorithms is very high, and they are employed to discover only single cause rules from certain data. In this paper, we are interested in reducing the cost of Causal discovery by employing the study of frequent itemsets mining to discover conjunctive combined Causal rules from uncertain data. We propose an algorithm called CCCRUD for this problem and evaluate it on real datasets. We believe that this is the first work that address the problem of discovering casual rules in the context of uncertain data and conjunctive targets.
Conductance-Based Integrate-and-Fire Models

A conductance-based model of Na+ and K+ currents underlying action potential generation is introduced by simplifying the quantitative model of Hodgkin and Huxley (HH). If the time course of rate constants can be approximated by a pulse, HH equations can be solved analytically. Pulse-based (PB) models generate action potentials very similar to the HH model but are computationally faster. Unlike the classical integrate-and fire (IAF) approach, they take into account the changes of conductances during and after the spike, which have a determinant influence in shaping neuronal responses. Similarities and differences among PB, IAF, and HH models are illustrated for three cases: high-frequency repetitive firing, spike timing following random synaptic inputs, and network behavior in the presence of intrinsic currents.