Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Photon-Upconverting Ionic Liquids: Effective Triplet Energy Migration in Contiguous Ionic Chromophore Arrays.

Inspired by the bicontinuous ionic-network structure of ionic liquids (ILs), we developed a new family of photofunctional ILs which show efficient triplet energy migration among contiguously arrayed ionic chromophores. A novel fluorescent IL, comprising an aromatic 9,10-diphenylanthracene 2-sulfonate anion and an alkylated phosphonium cation, showed pronounced interactions between chromophores, as revealed by its spectral properties. Upon dissolving a triplet sensitizer, the IL demonstrated photon upconversion based on triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA-UC). Interestingly, the TTA-UC process in the chromophoric IL was optimized at a much lower excitation intensity compared to the previous nonionic liquid TTA-UC system. The superior TTA-UC in this IL system is characterized by a relatively high triplet diffusion constant (1.63×10(-6) cm(2) s(-1)) which is ascribed to the presence of ionic chromophore networks in the IL.
Fashion, Fiction, Function: Mediating Wearable Design through Fashion Film

Fashion technology is an expanding field, yet the question of how technology can be considered fashionable remains unexplored. According to fashion theories, mediation plays a fundamental role in transforming clothing items into fashionable garments. In this study, we explored how fashion films, as one of the most important fashion media in the industry today, could make wearable design concepts fashionable by merging aesthetics, experience and fiction. By synthesizing research in fashion studies and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), we sketch out a framework for producing fashion film for wearables. We then describe our own process of making a fashion film for a fictional concept, and reflect on our process of using the framework. The contribution of the study includes: 1) proposing fashion films as means of mediating wearable design concepts; 2) advocating a balance between fashion, fiction and function in fashion technology mediation; and 3) foregrounding the discussion of design mediation as part of the design process broadly. RELATIONS
Proposal of a GaN/SiC Hybrid Field-Effect Transistor for Power Switching Applications

A GaN/SiC hybrid field-effect transistor (HyFET) is proposed as a high-voltage power device that provides a high-mobility lateral AlGaN/GaN channel to reduce the channel resistance and a vertical SiC drift region to sustain the high OFF-state voltage. The performance of the HyFET is evaluated by numerical device simulations. Compared with the conventional SiC MOSFET, the HyFET exhibits a greatly reduced R<sub>ON</sub> together with a low C<sub>GD</sub> and low gate charges. The figures of merit Q<sub>G</sub> × R<sub>ON</sub> and Q<sub>GD</sub> × R<sub>ON</sub> of the HyFET are dramatically improved.
Transient suppression of tinnitus by transcranial magnetic stimulation

It has been proposed that tinnitus is associated with an irregular activation of the temporoparietal cortex. If this activity is a functionally relevant component of the tinnitus‐related network, a virtual temporary lesion of this area should result in transient reduction of tinnitus. To test this hypothesis, we applied 10Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to eight scalp and four control positions in 14 patients with chronic tinnitus. Stimulation of left temporoparietal cortex significantly reduced tinnitus (Friedman analysis of variance, p < 0.05; compared with control), indicating that secondary auditory areas can be critical for tinnitus perception, perhaps as a consequence of maladaptive cortical reorganization. Ann Neurol 2003
Thyroid function in normals: influences on the electroencephalogram and cognitive performance.

Recently it has been suggested that thyroid function may influence neuropsychological processes not only as a result of thyroid disease but also through normal neurophysiologic adaptive mechanisms. In 69 normal university students, levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3) were assayed in blood samples and related to measures of cognitive performance and to spectral measures of the EEG recorded during cognitive performance. Significant relationships were found between T3 levels and delta power in the EEG from occipital leads, with higher T3 associated with less EEG power in the left hemisphere and greater power in the right hemisphere. Higher T3 levels were associated with poorer performance on several cognitive tasks, particularly for males, although the males with higher T3 levels also showed faster correct responses on a word fluency task. These results seem to support the hypothesis that an individual's characteristic level of thyroid function is relevant to normal neuropsychological processes.
DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE FORM OF INFORMATION SERVICES

: The article studies the development and complexity of information technology (IT). The dependence of modern businesses on the extent and efficiency of applying IT is argued. On this basis, attention is brought to problems related to the orientation of information services (IS) towards the provision of services. Grounds are given that it is based on and is determined by the achievements of IT service management (ITSM). Different approaches to improving IS are presented and the trend towards transforming current IS divisions into ones offering services is outlined.
Outcome of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding after capsule endoscopy: report of 100 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a promising diagnostic tool for the study of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. However, the diagnostic yield of this technique has not been adequately studied. We evaluated sensitivity and specificity of CE and the outcome after CE in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS One hundred consecutive patients (all with recent negative upper and lower endoscopy; 26 with ongoing overt bleeding [group A], 31 with previous overt bleeding [group B], and 43 with guaiac-positive stools and iron-deficiency anemia [group C]) underwent CE. RESULTS The yield of positive findings on CE was 92.3% in group A, 12.9% in group B, and 44.2% in group C (P < 0.0001, A vs. B, A vs. C). Angiodysplasia (29%) and Crohn's disease (6%) were the most common diagnoses. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of CE were 88.9%, 95%, 97%, and 82.6%, respectively. CE results led to treatments resolving the bleeding in 86.9% of patients undergoing the procedure while actively bleeding. Capsule retention because of unsuspected stenosis occurred in 5 patients and required surgery, which resolved the clinical problem, in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS CE is an effective diagnostic tool for patients with obscure GI bleeding. The best candidates for the procedure are those with ongoing obscure-overt bleeding or with obscure-occult bleeding. If done early in the course of the workup, CE could shorten considerably the time to diagnosis, lead to definitive treatment in a relevant proportion of patients, and spare a number of alternative investigations with low diagnostic yield.
Towards Reactive and Robust Manipulation Tasks using Behavior Trees

The applications of manipulation tasks will soon move from caged robots in assembly lines to the more challenging household and collaborative ones that have to operate in dynamic and unpredictable environments. Due to the uncertainty of such environments, it is preferable to perform tasks in a reactive and robust fashion. Classic task execution architectures fail to do so in reasonable complexity, which suggests considering alternative execution architectures. In this paper, we outline how to achieve reactive and robust manipulation by encoding the task as a Behavior Tree (BT). To demonstrate our approach, we illustrate an example of a manipulation task and how the BT deals with external disturbance and failures at the task level. We provide a preliminary comparison with Finite State Machines and State Charts.
Evaluación del clustering de páginas web mediante funciones de peso y combinación heurística de criterios

Web page clustering can help in the evaluation and search of the results of search engines, among other things. The different term weighting functions applied to the selected features to represent web pages is a main aspect in clustering task. In this paper, seven different term weighting functions are evaluated by means of the results of a partitioning clustering algorithm, with a reference web page collection. In addition, two feature reduction methods are applied. Five of them are well-known term weighting functions from text content analysis; the other two are based on a heuristic criteria combination, which consider HTML mark-up information. These two representations have been proposed in previous works by one of the authors. We have verified that the best results are obtained when the term weighting function based on a fuzzy criteria combination is used.
Evening chronotype and sleepiness predict impairment in executive abilities and academic performance of adolescents

ABSTRACT The study aim was to better understand sleep and sleep-related factors affecting everyday executive capacities and academic performance among healthy adolescents. A cross-sectional survey on sleep, phase preference, academic performance and executive functions of high-school students was conducted. Female gender, grade status, sleepiness and evening chronotype accounted for approximately 25–30% of the variance in daily executive ability. Sleep duration was a weak predictor of executive skills. Lower school grades were associated with increased sleepiness, evening preference and poorer executive skills. These findings support the need for health education on ways to attenuate sleepiness and delayed phase in this population.
Preface Respiratory syncytial

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was first isolated from chimpanzees in 1955, and shortly thereafter from young children, and recognized as an important cause of serious lower respiratory tract disease in infants and young children, i.e., pneumonia and bronchiolitis. Shortly after its discovery efforts to develop a vaccine began. It is now over 50 years since its discovery and no safe and effective vaccine is yet available. The fact that the peak of disease occurs in young infants despite the presence of maternally acquired antibody and that humans have multiple diseaseassociated infections througout life, foretell the challenge in inducing protective immunity with a vaccine. The first RSV vaccine, formalin-inactivated tissue culture grown virus (FI-RSV) formulated with alum, was ineffective, associated with enhanced respiratory disease, and raised concerns that other vaccines might also predispose to FI-RSV vaccine enhanced respiratory disease. Older children did not experience FI-RSV vaccine enhanced respiratory disease suggesting that prior infection establishes a safe immune response pattern. Therefore, development of RSV vaccines for the RSV naïve infant has focused on live-attenuated RSV or other live viruses expressing RSV genes, while other types of vaccines are being developed for older children and adults. Subsequent to the FI-RSV vaccine trial, a number of live-attenuated RSV strains, live virus and other gene expression systems, and protein subunit vaccines in different platforms have been developed and tested in animals and a few have also being studied in humans. No vaccine has yet shown sufficient promise to move toward licensure. However, the prospects for many candidate vaccines, as well as different vaccine platforms, will remain unknown until clinical trials in the selected target population for the vaccine are performed. Though the lack of success to date highlights the biological difficulties in developing an RSV vaccine, the efficacy of immune prophylaxis suggests a safe and effective vaccine is achievable. The availability of ever more powerful tools to study the immune response and pathogenesis of disease and ability to construct a wide variety of vaccines using different vaccine platforms suggest that an RSV vaccine should be within reach. Caren Hall who made so many contributions to our understanding of RSV wisely noted in a poem one of the ongoing challenges to achieving an RSV vaccine (Anderson and Heilman 1995).
Coengagement of CD2 with LFA‐1 or VLA‐4 by bispecific ligand fusion proteins primes T cells to respond more effectively to T cell receptor‐dependent signals

To examine the effects of ligand engagement and accessory molecule juxtaposition on T cell receptor (TCR) signaling, we prepared LFA‐3/ICAM‐1 Rg and LFA‐3/VCAM‐1 Rg bispecific immunoglobulin fusion proteins (Rg, recombinant globulin). These novel fusion proteins allowed us to examine the effects of ligand driven co‐engagement of T cell proteins CD2 and LFA‐1 or CD2 and VLA‐4 on TCR‐dependent mobilization of intracellular Ca2+. We observed that preincubation of resting T cells with LFA‐3/ICAM‐1 Rg or LFA‐3/VCAM‐1 Rg fusion proteins resulted in significantly enhanced mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ following TCR‐accessory molecule cross‐linking relative to T cells preincubated with each of the monospecific Rgs alone or with combinations of the monospecific Rg fusion proteins. In addition, such coengagement stimulated TCR‐dependent activation and tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cγ1 (PLCγ1). These results suggest that when T cells interact with antigen presenting cells the engagement of multiple cell adhesion molecules such as CD2, LFA‐1, and VLA‐4 primes the T cell to respond more effectively to signals delivered through the TCR. J. Leukoc. Biol. 56: 444–452; 1994.
Occurrence of aflatoxin M1 in retail milk samples from Bogotá, Colombia

A study was conducted to establish the occurrence and levels of contamination of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in retail milk from Bogotá, Colombia. A total of 241 samples were analysed during 2004 and 2005. Samples were cleaned up by an immunoaffinity column and AFM1 was quantified by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. A total of 69.2 and 79.4% of the samples analysed during 2004 and 2005, respectively, were found to contain levels of AFM1 above 10 ng l−1. Levels of contamination ranged from 10.7 to 213.0 ng l−1 in 2004, and from 10.6 to 288.9 ng l−1 in 2005. Despite the high incidence of AFM1 found in the milk samples analysed, all samples complied with current local regulations, which allow AFM1 content in milk up to 400 ng l−1. However, due to the high incidence of AFM1 in milk found in the present study, it is recommended that a permanent surveillance programme be established for milk consumed in Bogotá in order to prevent milk lots containing levels above the regulatory level entering the food chain.
Deletion of kasB in Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes loss of acid-fastness and subclinical latent tuberculosis in immunocompetent mice

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, has two distinguishing characteristics: its ability to stain acid-fast and its ability to cause long-term latent infections in humans. Although this distinctive staining characteristic has often been attributed to its lipid-rich cell wall, the specific dye-retaining components were not known. Here we report that targeted deletion of kasB, one of two M. tuberculosis genes encoding distinct β-ketoacyl- acyl carrier protein synthases involved in mycolic acid synthesis, results in loss of acid-fast staining. Biochemical and structural analyses revealed that the ΔkasB mutant strain synthesized mycolates with shorter chain lengths. An additional and unexpected outcome of kasB deletion was the loss of ketomycolic acid trans-cyclopropanation and a drastic reduction in methoxymycolic acid trans-cyclopropanation, activities usually associated with the trans-cyclopropane synthase CmaA2. Although deletion of kasB also markedly altered the colony morphology and abolished classic serpentine growth (cording), the most profound effect of kasB deletion was the ability of the mutant strain to persist in infected immunocompetent mice for up to 600 days without causing disease or mortality. This long-term persistence of ΔkasB represents a model for studying latent M. tuberculosis infections and suggests that this attenuated strain may represent a valuable vaccine candidate against tuberculosis.
Illuminant direction determination for multiple light sources

In this paper, a novel scheme of extracting multiple illuminant directions from an image of a Lambertian sphere of known size is proposed. The illuminant direction detection process is based on the concept of critical points introduced in the paper. We show that the illuminant directions have a close relationship to those critical points and that, by identifying those critical points as many as possible, illuminate direction may be recovered if certain conditions are satisfied. Our preliminary, experimental results show that illumination information can be obtained accurately.
Effect of Barley Fibres and Barley Intake on the Ileal Endogenous Nitrogen Losses in Piglets

Abstract Ileal endogenous N losses (ENL) were measured, using the 15 N isotope dilution technique, in piglets (17 kg) fed different barley genotypes (naked, spring, winter with low/high beta -glucan content) or diets containing 330, 530, 730 or 930 g of a blend of barleys/kg diet. The apparent protein and amino acid digestibilities of the naked variety and the winter variety with a high beta -glucan content were, on average, significantly higher than those for the other two varieties. The ENL were inversely correlated ( p p >0·05). The ENL increased linearly with the inclusion level of barley in a N-free basal diet (2 mg endogenous N/g barley). Isolated hulls added to a N-free diet at the rate of 100 or 200 g/kg diet exerted no significant effect on the ENL (1·80 g endogenous N/kg diet in both cases vs. 1·76 g for the basal level). On the contrary, the effect of isolated bran, measured under similar conditions, was significantly higher and dependent on fibre intake (2·59 and 3·31 g N/kg diet, respectively). It is concluded that the ENL are affected by the insoluble bran fibre but not by the hulls, nor by the level of beta -glucan.
Stein's density approach for discrete distributions and information inequalities

We inscribe Stein's density approach for discrete distributions in a new, flexible framework, hereby extending and unifying a large portion of the relevant literature. We use this to derive a Stein identity whose power we illustrate by obtaining a wide variety of so-called inequalities between probability metrics and information functionals. Whenever competitor in- equalities are available in the literature, the constants in ours are better. We also argue that our inequalities are local versions of the famous Pinsker inequality.
Magic Input: A Multi-user Interaction System for SAGE Based Large Tiled-display Environment

In a large tiled-display environment, it is important to support multi-user interaction with juxtaposed applications for collaborative work. Although a few multi-user interaction systems have been developed by researchers, they often require modifications to desktop applications to become simultaneously accessible for multiple users. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-user interaction system for large tiled-display environments which needs no customizations to applications. To enable multiple users to cooperate within one application, three basic interaction strategies are introduced for different situations. Our experiment results show that this system not only enables users to interact with applications smoothly just like what they feel on their desktops but also presents them with more collaborative and immersive experience in a large tiled-display environment.
The effects of trait and state affect on diurnal cortisol slope among children affected by parental HIV/AIDS in rural China

ABSTRACT Affect is believed to be one of the most prominent proximal psychological pathway through which more distal psychosocial factors influence physiology and ultimately health. The current study examines the relative contributions of trait affect and state affect to the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity, with particular focus on cortisol slope, in children affected by parental HIV/AIDS. A sample of 645 children (8–15 years old) affected by parental HIV/AIDS in rural China completed a multiple-day naturalistic salivary cortisol protocol. Trait and state affect, demographics, and psychosocial covariates were assessed via self-report. Hierarchical linear modeling was used for estimating the effects of trait affect and state affect on cortisol slope. Confidence intervals for indirect effects were estimated using the Monte Carlo method. Our results indicated that both trait and state negative affect (NA) predicted flatter (less “healthy”) diurnal cortisol slopes. Subsequent analyses revealed that children’s state NA mediated the effect of their trait NA on diurnal cortisol slope. The same relationships did not emerge for trait and state positive affect. These findings provide a rationale for future interventions that target NA as a modifiable antecedent of compromised health-related endocrine processes among children affected by parental HIV/AIDS.
Homologous recombination repair is essential for repair of vosaroxin-induced DNA double-strand breaks

Vosaroxin (formerly voreloxin) is a first-in-class anticancer quinolone derivative that intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II, inducing site-selective double-strand breaks (DSB), G2 arrest and apoptosis. Objective responses and complete remissions were observed in phase 2 studies of vosaroxin in patients with solid and hematologic malignancies, and responses were seen in patients whose cancers were resistant to anthracyclines. The quinolone-based scaffold differentiates vosaroxin from the anthracyclines and anthracenediones, broadly used DNA intercalating topoisomerase II poisons. Here we report that vosaroxin induces a cell cycle specific pattern of DNA damage and repair that is distinct from the anthracycline, doxorubicin. Both drugs stall replication and preferentially induce DNA damage in replicating cells, with damage in G2 / M > S >> G1. However, detectable replication fork collapse, as evidenced by DNA fragmentation and long tract recombination during S phase, is induced only by doxorubicin. Furthermore, vosaroxin induces less overall DNA fragmentation. Homologous recombination repair (HRR) is critical for recovery from DNA damage induced by both agents, identifying the potential to clinically exploit synthetic lethality.
Toward an evolutionary history of female sociosexual variation.

Considerable progress has been made in behavioral genetics toward providing theoretical accounts of individual differences. One theoretical ask, however, has been largely neglected—that of constructing evolutionary accounts of behaviorally relevant genetic variance. We attempt to address this ask with respect to the genetic variance underlying sociosexuality, that is, the differences in the implicit prerequisites (in terms of time, attachment, commitment, etc.) to entering a sexual relationship. Specifically, we argue that genetic variance on this trait for females could have been maintained through frequency-dependent selection. In our evolutionary past, restricted females—those who require relatively more time, attachment, and commitment—could have benefited through paternal investment in their offspring. Unrestricted females—those who require relatively less time, attachment, and commitment—could have benefited through the quality of their mate's genes passed onto their sons. Moreover, the value of these alternate "strategies" could have been frequency-dependent. One prediction that follows from this evolutionary history is tested and supported in three studies. Those females genetically predisposed to be unrestricted are found to produce relatively more sons than females predisposed to be restricted. Additional predictions are offered and alternative accounts are discussed.