Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Smart Electronic Tagging System Based on Context Awareness and Machine-to-Machine Interworking

The existing electronic tagging system traces the location of a sex offender using triangulation by communicating with Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites and mobile phone base stations. The acquired location information is used to prevent the offenders from perpetrating repeat crimes. However, the battery resources of such a system are inadequate as it has to trace the location of the moving target in real time and consumes a large amount of battery power while communicating with GPS satellites and mobile phone base stations. In addition, the systems cannot infer the mental state of the targets or detect their alcohol consumption levels, which may be necessary for the prevention of a repeat crime. The purpose of this study is to connect the Ubiquitous System Network (USN), which consumes little electricity, and Android mobile platforms, which are commonly used for machine-to-machine communication. Thus, this system will legally facilitate the protection of minors by providing information only about the target's approach to certain facilities. In addition, the system uses an Android platform to process data measured by the USN's sensors, which can also detect alcohol intake and infer the mental state of the target, and then initiates the corresponding real-time context-awareness services.
Abstraction in Interactive Computational Visualization

In this paper we introduce the notion that visualizations have a number of points in common with abstract data types . In particular, visualizations must be designed such that certain questions which users frequently have or have with a high probability must be answerable quickly and easily. Furthermore, it is recognized that for a given visualization, only certain questions can be answered. This leads to the definition of the process of abstraction to render images which cater to the information needs of users. The paper gives an overview of theoretical concepts and practical results pertaining to abstraction in interactive computational visualization
Digital processing and communication with molecular switches

The tremendous pace in the development of information technology is rapidly approaching a limit. Alternative materials and operating princlples for the elaboration and communication of data in electronic circults and optical networks must be identified. Organic molecules are promising candidates for the realization of future digital processors. Their attractive features are the miniaturized dimensions and the high degree of control on molecular design possible in chemical synthesis. Indeed, nanostructures with engineered properties and specific functions can be assembled relying on the power of organic synthesis. In particular, certain molecales can be designed to switch from one state to another, when addressed with chemical, electrical, or optical stimulations, and to produce a detectable signal in response to these transformations. Binary data can be enceded on the input stimulations and output signals employing logic conventions and assumptions similar to those ruting digital electronics. Thus, binary inputs can be transduced into binary outputs relying on molecular switches. Following these design principles, the three basic logic operations (AND, NOT, and OR) and more complex logic functions (EOR, INH, NOR, XNOR, and XOR) have been reproduced already at the molecular level. Presently, these simple "molecular processors" are far from any practical application. However, these encouraging results demonstrate already that chemical systems can process binary data with designed logic protocols. Further fundamental studies on the various facets of this emerging area will reveal if and how molecular switches can become the basic components of furture logic devices. After all, chemical computers are available atready. We all carry one in our head!
Cognitive Remediation for the Treatment of Cognitive Dysfunction in the Early Course of Psychosis

AbstractThe development of cognitive remediation programs has been a key step toward the creation of a treatment approach to address the cognitive-symptom domain in psychosis. Studies support the efficacy of cognitive remediation in producing moderate effects on cognition at the group level in patients with schizophrenia. Cognitive remediation may harness neuroplasticity in relevant systems that underpin the cognitive functions being addressed. Since neuroplasticity may be greater in people who (1) are younger and (2) have not yet experienced the consequences of long-term psychosis, cognitive remediation may be particularly effective in people in the early course of illness or in the prodrome, prior to the onset of frank symptoms. The present article reviews the evidence for implementing cognitive remediation in patients with recent-onset psychosis and people identified as being at high risk for developing schizophrenia, and also the evidence for cognitive remediation to modify neural targets. Promising findings suggest that cognitive remediation may be useful in addressing cognitive deficits in early-course and prodromal participants. Additionally, a growing literature using neuroimaging techniques demonstrates the ability of cognitive remediation paradigms to engage neural targets.
Analysis and control of a cascaded doubly-fed induction generator

Due to the recent interest in renewable energy systems (windmills, small-scale hydropower) and embedded applications (more electric aircraft and vehicle), control of variable speed constant frequency (VSCF) generators has become a very important research topic. Among the possible types of VSCF generators, a good candidate is the cascaded doubly-fed induction generator (CDFIG). This brushless robust structure is also driven by a low power converter in comparison to the power provided to the grid. However, because of its inherent complexity, an efficient control design methodology is needed. The presented paper proposes to establish a rigorous design methodology based on the inversion of the dynamical model of the system. It also uses an original representation of the system called dynamical equivalent circuit. This method has been successfully applied to two cases: a CDFIG connected to a utility grid and a CDFIG connected to an isolated grid in the presence of a significant amount of nonlinear load.
Analysis of Aiming Performance for Games using Mapping Method of Corneal Reflections Based on Two Different Light Sources

Fundamental motivation of this paper is how gaze estimation can be utilized effectively regarding an application to games. In games, precise estimation is not always important in aiming targets but an ability to move a cursor to an aiming target accurately is also significant. Incidentally, from a game producing point of view, a separate expression of a head movement and gaze movement sometimes becomes advantageous to expressing sense of presence. A case that panning a background image associated with a head movement and moving a cursor according to gaze movement can be a representative example. On the other hand, widely used technique of POG estimation is based on a relative position between a center of corneal reflection of infrared light sources and a center of pupil. However, a calculation of a center of pupil requires relatively complicated image processing, and therefore, a calculation delay is a concern, since to minimize a delay of inputting data is one of the most significant requirements in games. In this paper, a method to estimate a head movement by only using corneal reflections of two infrared light sources in different locations is proposed. Furthermore, a method to control a cursor using gaze movement as well as a head movement is proposed. By using game-like-applications, proposed methods are evaluated and, as a result, a similar performance to conventional methods is confirmed and an aiming control with lower computation power and stressless intuitive operation is obtained.
User Preferences for Features in Back of Book Indexes

A survey of 255 librarians and college professors obtained their opinions of three elements of back of book indexes. Both groups overwhelmingly preferred line‐by‐line subheadings to the run‐on arrangement, even though many books use the latter format. Almost all librarians preferred word‐by‐word alphabetization to the letter‐by‐letter method, but only about two thirds of the professors shared this preference. Strongest disagreement between the two groups occurred when most of the librarians preferred see references to duplicate entries, while most professors selected duplicate entries instead of see references. Indexers and developers of indexing standards should consider the preferences of index users. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Contrôle et Organisation Atelier Recherche Jeudi 13 mars 2008 15 h à 17 h Thème : “ Creating Dynamic Continuous Improvement Capabilities Using Accounting Data : From Managing Optimal Processes to Identifying Feasible Improvements ”

When the transition of operational activities is framed not as an instantaneous optimization problem but rather a series of incremental opportunistic choices formal continuous improvement (CI) capabilities prove useful. However, despite the well documented advantages of CI management, implementation failures are discouragingly high (Jazayeri and Hopper, 1999). In the quality literature the most significant reason for reported failure is cultural resistance (Irani et al., 2003) due in part to insufficient trust (Chenhall and Langfield-Smith 2003) and learning anxiety (Busco et al.,2006). The authors suggest from this work that the introduction of accounting-based dynamic (or learning) CI capabilities could reduce this problem. This paper uses interventionist/constructivist research to design and implement a Management Control System informed by theory to provide improved dynamic CI capabilities. The researchers, consistent with a position taken by Covaleski et al. (2003), use a multiple theoretic approach as no single theory adequately addresses critical application issues. Consequently, the authors use elements from Old Institutional Economics (OIE), Design theory, Information economics, Agency and Constructivist Learning theories to introduce a model providing dynamic CI capabilities in an American factory setting. This is not to deny that different theories may explain the same phenomena, as is the case in this study, (Tolbert and Zucker, 1996) but that some may act as more informative prescriptions in the context of application. This is only a pilot study with all the difficulties and ambiguities of such. It’s value will be truly determined by future expansion and application of its insights.
The influence of environmental hazard maps on risk beliefs, emotion, and health-related behavioral intentions.

To test a theoretical explanation of how attributes of mapped environmental health hazards influence health-related behavioral intentions and how beliefs and emotion mediate the influences of attributes, 24 maps were developed that varied by four attributes of a residential drinking water hazard: level, proximity, prevalence, and density. In a factorial design, student participants (N = 446) answered questions about a subset of maps. Hazard level and proximity had the largest influences on intentions to test water and mitigate exposure. Belief in the problem's seriousness mediated attributes' influence on intention to test drinking water, and perceived susceptibility mediated the influence of attributes on intention to mitigate risk. Maps with carefully illustrated attributes of hazards may promote appropriate health-related risk beliefs, intentions, and behavior.
Exponential Admissibility and Dynamic Output Feedback Control of Switched Singular Systems with Interval Time-Varying Delay

This paper is concerned with the problems of exponential admissibility and dynamic output feedback (DOF) control for a class of continuous-time switched singular systems with interval time-varying delay. A full-order, dynamic, synchronously switched DOF controller is considered. First, by using the average dwell time approach, a delay-range-dependent exponential admissibility criterion for the unforced switched singular time-delay system is established in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Then, based on this criterion, a sufficient condition on the existence of a desired DOF controller, which guarantees that the closed-loop system is regular, impulse free and exponentially stable, is proposed by employing the LMI technique. Finally, some illustrative examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Receptor-Induced Conformational Changes of Murine Coronavirus Spike Protein

ABSTRACT Although murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) enters cells by virus-cell membrane fusion triggered by its spike (S) protein, it is not well known how the S protein participates in fusion events. We reported that the soluble form of MHV receptor (soMHVR) transformed a nonfusogenic S protein into a fusogenic one (F. Taguchi and S. Matsuyama, J. Virol. 76:950-958, 2002). In the present study, we demonstrate that soMHVR induces the conformational changes of the S protein, as shown by the proteinase digestion test. A cl-2 mutant, srr7, of the MHV JHM virus (JHMV) was digested with proteinase K after treatment with soMHVR, and the resultant S protein was analyzed by Western blotting using monoclonal antibody (MAb) 10G, specific for the membrane-anchored S2 subunit. A 58-kDa fragment, encompassing the two heptad repeats in S2, was detected when srr7 was digested after soMHVR treatment, while no band was seen when the virus was untreated. The appearance of the proteinase-resistant fragment was dependent on the temperature and time of srr7 incubation with soMHVR and also on the concentration of soMHVR. Coimmunoprecipitation indicated that the direct binding of soMHVR to srr7 S protein induced these conformational changes; this was also suggested by the inhibition of the changes following pretreatment of soMHVR with anti-MHVR MAb CC1. soMHVR induced conformational changes of the S proteins of wild-type (wt) JHMV cl-2, as well as revertants from srr7, srr7A and srr7B; however, a major proportion of these S proteins were resistant to proteinase K even without soMHVR treatment. The implications of this proteinase-resistant fraction are discussed. This is the first report on receptor-induced conformational changes of the membrane-anchored fragment of the coronavirus S protein.
Correction: Pharmacological Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Regulates T Cell Development In Vitro

There were errors in Figure 5 and Supporting Figures S4, S5, and S6. The correct versions of these Figures can be viewed here: Figure 5: Supporting Figure S4: Click here for additional data file. (15M, tif) Supporting Figure S5: Click here for additional data file. (7.9M, tif) Supporting Figure S6: Click here for additional data file. (15M, tif)
A CABAC Encoder Design of H.264/AVC with RDO Support

In this paper, a HW CABAC encoder architecture is proposed targeting H.264/A VC main profile. CABAC and rate distortion optimization (RDO) are two important coding tools that enhance coding efficiency of H.264/AVC How ever, coding speed of CABAC encoder is limited by the coding data dependence and its serial coding procedure, and RDO requires large memory resource and costs long delay of memory access to backup and restore CABAC context state data. The CABAC encoder of this paper utilizes pipeline structure at top level to reduce data dependence, and coding speed of one symbol per cycle is achieved. A context managing mechanism is designed that fully supports RDO coding of H.264/AVC encoder. It significantly reduces context memory cost and operation delay for context backup and restore. 85% of context memory resource is reduced comparing to the reference design. Synthesis result shows that the encoder can work at 620 MHz targeting 0.13 um CMOS process.
Optimal PV Inverter Reactive Power Control and Real Power Curtailment to Improve Performance of Unbalanced Four-Wire LV Distribution Networks

The rapid uptake of residential photovoltaic (PV) systems is causing serious power quality issues such as significant voltage fluctuation and unbalance that are restricting the ability of networks to accommodate further connections. Based on the latent reactive power capability and real power curtailment of single-phase inverters, this paper proposes a new comprehensive PV operational optimization strategy to improve the performance of significantly unbalanced three-phase four-wire low voltage (LV) distribution networks with high residential PV penetrations. A multiobjective optimal power flow (OPF) problem that can simultaneously improve voltage magnitude and balance profiles, while minimizing network losses and generation costs, is defined and then converted into an aggregated single-objective OPF problem using the weighted-sum method, which can be effectively solved by the global Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) approach with multiple starting points in MATLAB. Detailed simulations are performed and analyzed for various operating scenarios over 24 h on a real unbalanced four-wire LV distribution network in Perth Solar City trial, Australia. Finally, smart meter readings are used to justify the validity and accuracy of the proposed optimization model and considerations on the application of the proposed PV control strategy are also presented.
The Antiapoptotic Effects of Sulphurous Mineral Water and Sodium Hydrosulphide on Diabetic Rat Testes

Background/Aims: It is well known that diabetes mellitus is associated with the impairment of testicular function. In the present study, we aimed to study the effects of sulphurous mineral water or sodium hydrosulphide (NaHS) on apoptotic testicular damage in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Methods: Sulphurous mineral water (as drinking water) or NaHS (14 µmol/kg body weight/day, I.P.) was administered for 7 wks to rats with STZ-induced diabetes. Results: Hyperglycaemia, an overproduction of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) and a decline in serum insulin, C-peptide and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were observed in diabetic rats. A decline in the serum testosterone level and an impairment of spermatogenesis, as indicated by a histopathological examination of diabetic rats, demonstrated significant testicular damage. Sulphurous mineral water and NaHS treatment may have improved the level of testicular GSH by blocking the overexpression of some apoptosis-related regulatory proteins such as Bax/Bcl-2, cytochrome c, caspase-9 and -3, and p53. This anti-apoptotic potential was associated with an increase in serum testosterone level and the amelioration of hyperglycaemia-related biochemical parameters. The histopathological examination was in harmony with the biochemical and molecular findings. Conclusion: Our study provides the first indication that sulphurous mineral water and NaHS may have a novel anti-apoptotic potential that could be a useful treatment in preventing diabetes-induced testicular dysfunction.
NUTRITIONAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF CURCUMIN

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) belongs to the family Zingiberaceae and it has been traditionally used for centuries in Asian cuisine. India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of turmeric. Its dried and ground tuber is used worldwide as a spice (the most famous spice which contains turmeric is curry) and as an additive for a variety of products that require medically acceptable intense yellow color. The most important part of the turmeric tuber is a group of bioflavonoids, i.e. curcumins (curcumin (77%), bisdemethoxycurcumin and demethoxycurcumin). The most common method for the isolation of curcumin is extraction with organic solvents, usually ethanol, by using Soxhlet, ultrasonic and microwave extraction, and more recently, due to increased use in the food industry (food supplements), triacylglycerol. Curcumin has significant anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, chemoprotective, anticancer, and gastroprotective properties. It affects the neurosystem and it is one of the most investigated bioflavonoids. The aim of this paper is to present the dietary and health benefits of turmeric and curcumin for both humans and animals.
Sjögren's syndrome with myalgia is associated with subnormal secretion of cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

OBJECTIVE To measure in vitro cytokine release from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum cytokines in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) with and without myalgia, compared to patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls. METHODS Sixteen women with SS (8 with myalgia, 8 without pain), 15 women with RA, and 14 healthy women were studied. PBMC were isolated and cultured. Secretion of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) was measured in cell supernatants with or without stimulation with phytohemagglutinin, tetanus toxoid, or purified protein derivative (PPD). Enzyme-linked immunospot was used to enumerate interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-4-secreting cells. Serum concentrations of IL-8 and IL-18 were analyzed by ELISA. RESULTS PPD-stimulated PBMC from SS patients responded with less production of IL-10, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma compared to controls. Patients with SS and pain were hyporesponsive also with respect to IL-1 beta and IL-6. The generally subnormal cytokine release was statistically significant in myalgic patients with SS compared to healthy controls. Serum IL-18 was increased in both SS groups as well as in patients with RA, and the highest levels were found in myalgic patients with SS. Serum IL-8 was increased in RA but not in SS. CONCLUSION Patients with SS, especially those with myalgia, had diminished PBMC cytokine release and increased serum IL-18. This finding suggests that impaired cytokine regulation may have pathogenetic importance for myalgia in SS.