Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids and Their Derivatives as Natural Antioxidants

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are water-soluble molecules that absorb UV-A and UV-B radiation and disperse the energy as heat. MAAs show great diversity in their molecular structures, which exhibit a range of molecular weights spanning 188 to 1050 Daltons. MAAs are utilized in a wide variety of organisms including prokaryotes and eukaryotic micro-organisms that inhabit aquatic, terrestrial, and marine environments. These features suggest that MAAs are stable and fundamental molecules that allow these organisms to live under UV irradiation. MAAs are thought to have been greatly important to ancient forms of life on Earth, functioning as a primary sunscreen to reduce short-wavelength light. Structurally different MAAs might have been developed in MAA-producing organisms during their environmental adaptation. Harmful irradiation directly damages biomolecules, including lipids, proteins and DNA, and induces oxidative stress through radical-propagating processes. Thus, MAAs are expected to play an additional role in the antioxidant system. This review focuses on MAAs with radical scavenging activities. To cover all the reported MAAs known thus far, we surveyed the CAS database and have summarized the structures and the chemical and physical properties of these MAAs, including their antioxidant activities.
Non-preemptive queueing-based performance analysis of dynamic spectrum access for vehicular communication system over TV White Space

Recently Television White Spaces are used without license according to FCC rule. It is based on dynamically selection of available TV spectrum (white spaces). It gives a possibility of new sets of applications. In vehicular wireless communication system, these white spaces can easily be used on an opportunistic base. To model a multi-access multiuser architecture and analyze network performances in both wired and wireless system queueing theory has been massively used. In this paper we modeled a vehicular dynamic spectrum access (VDSA) system by using queueing theory which uses vacant TV channels for communication. Dynamically assigned allowed available channels are modeled as servers. To efficient use of these limited number of channels we defined some non-preemptive priority classes among users. The availability of servers is occurred in a time-location phenomenon. This paper examined the feasibility analysis of vehicular dynamic spectrum access performance through TV white spaces via multi server multi priority non-preemptive queueing theory. Both M/M/m and M/G/m models are employed to evaluate the probability of all channels are busy, the amount of channel utilizations by different priority class users and also to calculate the transmission latencies.
The Stress Response Factors Yap6, Cin5, Phd1, and Skn7 Direct Targeting of the Conserved Co-Repressor Tup1-Ssn6 in S. cerevisiae

Maintaining the proper expression of the transcriptome during development or in response to a changing environment requires a delicate balance between transcriptional regulators with activating and repressing functions. The budding yeast transcriptional co-repressor Tup1-Ssn6 is a model for studying similar repressor complexes in multicellular eukaryotes. Tup1-Ssn6 does not bind DNA directly, but is directed to individual promoters by one or more DNA-binding proteins, referred to as Tup1 recruiters. This functional architecture allows the Tup1-Ssn6 to modulate the expression of genes required for the response to a variety of cellular stresses. To understand the targeting or the Tup1-Ssn6 complex, we determined the genomic distribution of Tup1 and Ssn6 by ChIP-chip. We found that most loci bound by Tup1-Ssn6 could not be explained by co-occupancy with a known recruiting cofactor and that deletion of individual known Tup1 recruiters did not significantly alter the Tup1 binding profile. These observations suggest that new Tup1 recruiting proteins remain to be discovered and that Tup1 recruitment typically depends on multiple recruiting cofactors. To identify new recruiting proteins, we computationally screened for factors with binding patterns similar to the observed Tup1-Ssn6 genomic distribution. Four top candidates, Cin5, Skn7, Phd1, and Yap6, all known to be associated with stress response gene regulation, were experimentally confirmed to physically interact with Tup1 and/or Ssn6. Incorporating these new recruitment cofactors with previously characterized cofactors now explains the majority of Tup1 targeting across the genome, and expands our understanding of the mechanism by which Tup1-Ssn6 is directed to its targets.
Modular Robot Manipulators with Precision Control

Modular robot manipulators have many advantages over conventional integrated robot manipulators, including flexibility, re-configurability, versatility, and low-cost with massive production. However, the lack of control precision has been a long standing drawback in MRM applications until now. In this paper, a VDC-based control and communication system using embedded FPGA (field programmable gate array) logic devices is outlined. This solution is able to push the control precision to a new level without needing joint torque measurements. A test case on a three-module robot using harmonic drives demonstrated that the ratio of the maximum position tracking error to the maximum velocity reached 0.00012 (s).
Towards a national implementation of the electronic locum record: Analysis of a regional approach in the Netherlands

New technology enables an increase in the possibilities within the health care industry. However, many developed countries are making little progress in this field and yet there is a lot to improve upon. This paper will focus on the development of the electronic locum record (ELR), which is used among health care providers to exchange data in the Netherlands. This research includes an analysis of a regional approach of data exchange that proved to be successful in the Twente region. The adoption process will be investigated by analysing several interviews with general practitioners (GPs) and experts in the region combined with a literature review. This paper analyses the future development of the national service, which has already been established but most of the Dutch citizens are not aware of this, although they have to give permission before their data can be exchanged. Therefore, this paper has identified and described the factors that play an important role in the adoption process of the ELR. Trust, perceived risks and social influence have shown to be important. The role of change agents, type of innovation decisions and monetary incentives have also proved to influence the rate of adoption of the ELR in Twente.
Nearest Neighbor Search in Multidimensional SpacesDepth Oral ReportPanayiotis TsaparasDepartment of Computer ScienceUniversity of Torontotsap

The Nearest Neighbor Search problem is deened as follows: given a set P of n points, preprocess the points so as to eeciently answer queries that require nding the closest point in P to a query point q. If we are willing to settle for a point that is almost as close as the nearest neighbor, then we can relax the problem to the approximate Nearest Neighbor Search. Nearest Neighbor Search (exact or approximate) is an integral component in a wide range of applications that include multimedia databases, computational biology, data mining, and information retrieval. The common thread in all these applications is similarity search: given a database of objects, we want to return the object in the database that is most similar to a query object. The objects are mapped onto points in a high dimensional metric space , and similarity search reduces to a nearest neighbor search. The dimension of the underlying space may be in the order of a few hundreds, or thousands; therefore, we require algorithms that perform eeciently even for spaces of high dimension. Due to its importance, the Nearest Neighbor Search problem has been a subject of research for many decades, and in many diierent elds. In this work we survey some of the past and recent results that marked the evolution of the problem. The report starts with the optimal solutions for low-dimensional spaces, then it goes through the solutions for the exact and approximate problem for spaces of arbitrary dimension, and then it nishes oo with the recent attempts to prove lower bounds in order to specify the hardness of the problem. We also investigate the problem from the practitioner's point of view, and we provide an overview of the indexing problem for Nearest Neighbor Queries. Finally, we identify some open questions, and interesting problems.
Disjoint eager execution: an optimal form of speculative execution

In this paper we present experimental evidence showing that a significant number of program variables are short-lived in the sense that their live ranges span only a few instructions. In dynamically scheduled superscalar processors using mechanisms like the reorder buffer, the live ranges for these short-lived variables may occur entirely within the reorder buffer. Therefore, there should be no need to retire (commit) the values produced by these live ranges to the register file. On the basis of this observation, we have proposed a scheme that includes a compiler analysis and a simple architecture extension to avoid the useless commits of the values generated for these short-lived variables. Moreover we have proposed an extension to the existing register allocation mechanism that does not assign these short-lived variables to locations in the register file. Analyses and results are presented.
Unbiased Regional Congestion Aware Selection Function for NoCs

Adaptive routing in Network-on-Chip (NoC) selects paths for packets according to network state to reduce packet latency and balance network load. Existing adaptive routing schemes can degrade network performance due to their dependency on either inadequate or outdated network information. We present an adaptive routing scheme in which a router is provided adequate and timely congestion information of the network. A low-complexity routing selection function that considers regional congestion status is proposed. The selection function is unbiased as it considers the same amount of congestion information on both admissible directions. Proposed selection function achieves 18% lower packet latency than local congestion aware selection under realistic workloads. It also reduces regional congestion aware selection logic area and power overhead by 73% and 35% on an 8×8 mesh network.
Identifying the Need for Teaching Ethics in Professional Legal Education.

This paper describes how the Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board (MCLE) of the Supreme Court of New Mexico used the "MacCrate Report" to start a proce3s of identifying the need for practical training in ethics 'education for legal professionals. The report, "Legal Education and Professional Development--An Educational Continuum" (1992), better known as the MacCrate Report, has as a primary emphasis a section on fundamental lawyering skills and values of the profession as well as the continuum nature of professional legal education. Based on the report, a training needs assessment instrument concerning fundamental lawyering skills was developed. Contrary to some expectations, the instrument did not include a section pertaining to self-assessment of "competence in values. " This controversy started a review to determine the extent to which ethics is taught in legal education, both in the law school and continuing legal education programs. Ethics was found to be extremely neglected in both settings. (Contains 18 references.) (DB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ***********************************************************************
Identifying the human-machine differences in complex binaural scenes: what can be learned from our auditory system

Previous comparisons of human speech recognition (HSR) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) focused on monaural signals in additive noise, and showed that HSR is far more robust against intrinsic and extrinsic sources of variation than conventional ASR. The aim of this study is to analyze the man-machine gap (and its causes) in more complex acoustic scenarios, particularly in scenes with two moving speakers, reverberation and diffuse noise. Responses of nine normal-hearing listeners are compared to errors of an ASR system that employs a binaural model for direction-of-arrival estimation and beamforming for signal enhancement. The overall man-machine gap is measured in terms for the speech recognition threshold (SRT), i.e., the signal-to-noise ratio at which a 50 % recognition rate is obtained. The comparison shows that the gap amounts to 16.7 dB SRT difference which exceeds the difference of 10 dB found in monaural situations. Based on cross comparisons that use oracle knowledge (e.g., the speakers’ true position), incorrect responses are attributed to localization errors (7 dB) or missing spectral information to distinguish between speakers with different gender (3 dB). The comparison hence identifies specific ASR components that can profit from learning from binaural auditory signal processing.
Hierarchical Effector Protein Transport by the Salmonella Typhimurium SPI-1 Type III Secretion System

Background Type III secretion systems (TTSS) are employed by numerous pathogenic and symbiotic bacteria to inject a cocktail of different “effector proteins” into host cells. These effectors subvert host cell signaling to establish symbiosis or disease. Methodology/Principal Findings We have studied the injection of SipA and SptP, two effector proteins of the invasion-associated Salmonella type III secretion system (TTSS-1). SipA and SptP trigger different host cell responses. SipA contributes to triggering actin rearrangements and invasion while SptP reverses the actin rearrangements after the invasion has been completed. Nevertheless, SipA and SptP were both pre-formed and stored in the bacterial cytosol before host cell encounter. By time lapse microscopy, we observed that SipA was injected earlier than SptP. Computer modeling revealed that two assumptions were sufficient to explain this injection hierarchy: a large number of SipA and SptP molecules compete for transport via a limiting number of TTSS; and the TTSS recognize SipA more efficiently than SptP. Conclusions/Significance This novel mechanism of hierarchical effector protein injection may serve to avoid functional interference between SipA and SptP. An injection hierarchy of this type may be of general importance, allowing bacteria to precisely time the host cell manipulation by type III effectors.
Greece’s European Policy Making

The paper examines the pattern of Greece’s European Union policy making in a historical perspective. It starts by presenting the phases of EU Policymaking of successive Greek governments since the 1980s, and considers the persistent deficiencies of the Greek public administration vis-a-vis EU law transposition and implementation. Then it turns to the different models for EU policymaking and introduces the Finnish case as a successful example. The final section outlines relevant policy proposals, taking into account the changing Greek and Eurozone environment amidst the ongoing crisis.
Towards a Theory of the Regulated Fishery

This paper develops a model of a modern regulated fishery in which direct biological controls such as gear restrictions and shortened seasons are used to control allowable harvest. Individual fishermen are assumed to make decisions regarding potential fishing and capacity in light of how they anticipate fellow fishermen and regulators to act. An equilibrium occurs in which there is excess capacity that is controlled at the fishery level to ensure aggregate harvest targets are not exceeded. Some discussion of alternative mechanisms such as direct limitations or taxes on potential effort and on individual fishermen is also presented.
C-reactive protein levels in combination with abdominal CT scans is a useful tool to predict the macroscopic appearance in late-stage EPS patients prior to surgery

Background Diagnosis of encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is based on clinical symptoms, radiologic findings, and macroscopic or histological criteria. Two diagnostic scores for radiologic findings in computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with EPS have been established in the past (by Tarzi et al and Vlijm et al). The macroscopic appearance of EPS has previously been separated into three types. The use of CT scan as a tool to predict different macroscopic phenotypes, leading to specific surgical techniques and different medical treatment, has not yet been investigated. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 30 patients with late-stage EPS who underwent major surgery with peritonectomy and enterolysis. The preoperative CT scans were scored according to the two aforementioned established diagnostic CT scores. The macroscopic phenotype, surgical procedure, and laboratory values at the time of surgery were evaluated. CT findings in the different macroscopic phenotypes were analyzed. Results All patients had highly predictive CT scores for EPS. The macroscopic Type III had significantly higher CT scores compared with the other macroscopic phenotypes. Patients with macroscopic Type I had significantly higher C-reactive protein values compared to EPS Type III. Operation time was significantly longer, and repeated surgery and intraoperative complications were more frequent in EPS Type I compared with EPS Type III (P<0.05). Using the CT score and CRP level, the sensitivities for prediction of EPS I and III were 78% and 87% with corresponding specificities of 67% and 93%. Conclusion Abdominal CT scans might help to identify patients with a higher risk of complications and provide important information for the surgical intervention prior to surgery.
Formation of a chondro-osseous rudiment in micromass cultures of human bone-marrow stromal cells

Bone-marrow stromal cells can differentiate into multiple mesenchymal lineages including cartilage and bone. When these cells are seeded in high-density `pellet culture', they undergo chondrogenesis and form a tissue that is morphologically and biochemically defined as cartilage. Here, we show that dual chondro-osteogenic differentiation can be obtained in the same micromass culture of human bone-marrow stromal cells. Human bone-marrow stromal cells were pellet cultured for 4 weeks in chondro-inductive medium. Cartilage `beads' resulting from the micromass culture were then subcultured for further 1-3 weeks in osteo-inductive medium. This resulted in the formation of a distinct mineralized bony collar around hyaline cartilage. During the chondrogenesis phase, type I collagen and bone sialoprotein were produced in the outer portion of the cartilage bead, which, upon subsequent exposure to β-glycerophosphate, mineralized and accumulated extracellular bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin. Our modification of the pellet culture system results in the formation of a chondro-osseous `organoid' structurally reminiscent of pre-invasion endochondral rudiments, in which a bony collar forms around hyaline cartilage. The transition from a cell culture to an organ culture dimension featured by our system provides a suitable model for the dissection of molecular determinants of endochondral bone formation, which unfolds in a precisely defined spatial and temporal frame
Natural Language Generation as an Intelligent Activity (Proposal for Dissertation Research)

In this proposal, I outline a generator conceived of as part of a general intelligent agent. The generator's task is to provide the overall system with the ability to use communication in language to serve its purposes, rather than to simply encode information in language. This requires that generation be viewed as a kind of goal-directed action that is planned and executed in a dynamically changing environment. In addition, the generator must not be dependent on domain or problem-specific information but rather on a general knowledge base . that it shares with the overall system. These requirements have specific consequences for the design of the generator and the representation it uses. In particular, the text planner and the low-level linguistic component must be able to interact and negotiate over decisions that involve both high-level and low-level constraints. Also, the knowledge representation must allow for the varying perspective that an intelligent agent will have on the things it talks about; the generator must be able to appropriately vary how it describes things as the system's perspective on them changes. The generator described here will demonstrate how these ideas work in practice and develop them further.
A uniform semantic-based access model for realtime interactive systems

This research presents a uniform semantic simulation state representation and access model for realtime interactive systems (RIS) in the field of Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality. The role of this model is to provide a uniform interface to a centralized virtual world state, and simple mechanisms to manage all simulation components acting on it. It addresses the low maintainability and reusability of the traditional non-uniform world access schemes. The proposed model is based on two fundamental requirements: sharing a common simulation state and updating it via events. The state is structured around an entity-model, which is combined with a central registry that provides symbol-based semantic access.
RNA polymerase II-mediated transcription at active loci does not require histone H3S10 phosphorylation in Drosophila

JIL-1 is the major kinase controlling the phosphorylation state of histone H3S10 at interphase in Drosophila. In this study, we used three different commercially available histone H3S10 phosphorylation antibodies, as well as an acid-free polytene chromosome squash protocol that preserves the antigenicity of the histone H3S10 phospho-epitope, to examine the role of histone H3S10 phosphorylation in transcription under both heat shock and non-heat shock conditions. We show that there is no redistribution or upregulation of JIL-1 or histone H3S10 phosphorylation at transcriptionally active puffs in such polytene squash preparations after heat shock treatment. Furthermore, we provide evidence that heat shock-induced puffs in JIL-1 null mutant backgrounds are strongly labeled by antibody to the elongating form of RNA polymerase II (Pol IIoser2), indicating that Pol IIoser2 is actively involved in heat shock-induced transcription in the absence of histone H3S10 phosphorylation. This is supported by the finding that there is no change in the levels of Pol IIoser2 in JIL-1 null mutant backgrounds compared with wild type. mRNA from the six genes that encode the major heat shock protein in Drosophila, Hsp70, is transcribed at robust levels in JIL-1 null mutants, as directly demonstrated by qRT-PCR. Taken together, these data are inconsistent with the model that Pol II-dependent transcription at active loci requires JIL-1-mediated histone H3S10 phosphorylation, and instead support a model in which transcriptional defects in the absence of histone H3S10 phosphorylation are a result of structural alterations of chromatin.