Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Community Transitions to Low Carbon Futures in the Transition Towns Network (TTN)

This paper examines the use of ‘community’ rhetoric in the Transition Town Network (TTN). This is seen in both its external and internal context. Externally, TTN has emerged against the backdrop of an increasing use of ‘community’ rhetoric in environmental governance, for example, in renewable energy projects. Internally, the use of ‘community’ language and ‘community’ ways of operating are crucial for understanding this movement, in how it sees itself and the lineage it builds upon. Particularly, TTN builds upon the polysemic, subjective nature of the word, fused with their unique permaculture inspired meaning. TTN have emerged as an important response to climate change and peak oil (Bailey et al. 2010; Mason and Whitehead 2011). This paper attempts to address their crucial, if neglected, focus on ‘community’. In the wide sweep of writing on ‘community’, what distinctive, if anything, can TTN add to current understandings and practices of ‘community’?
Modeling 1-3 composite piezoelectrics: hydrostatic response

A simple physical model of 1-3 composite piezoelectrics that was advanced for the material properties relevant to thickness-mode oscillations is extended to address the hydrostatic response. The model is valid when the lateral spatial scale of the composite is sufficiently fine that the composite can be treated as an effective homogeneous medium. Expressions are derived for the composite's material parameters in terms of the volume fraction of piezoelectric ceramic and the properties of the constituent piezoelectric ceramic and passive polymer. The results are similar to those derived by Haun and Newnham (1983, 1986) using a parallel-series connectivity model. The model is illustrated by analyzing composites made from conventional PZT5 and anisotropic modified lead titanate piezoelectric ceramics. For PZT5, the composite structure enhances its hydrostatic charge coefficient, hydrostatic voltage coefficient, hydrophone figure of merit, and hydrostatic coupling coefficient, while three of these quantities fall short of their pure ceramic values in the modified lead titanate composites. The shortfall is due to an enhanced composite that arises from lateral stress on the polymer being transferred to a longitudinal stress along the ceramic rods by the Poisson effect in the polymer, thus producing a charge through the ceramic's d/sub 33/. <<ETX>>
Waste and hydrogenation lower omega-3 and omega-6 fat intake estimates for soybean oil.

REFERENCES 1. Mathieu ME, Kakinami L. Active video games could be the solution to the increased energy intake reported with sedentary video games. Am J Clin Nutr 2011; (in press). 2. Chaput JP, Visby T, Nyby S, et al. Video game playing increases food intake in adolescents: a randomized crossover study. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;93:1196–203. 3. Chaput JP, Sharma AM. Is physical activity in weight management more about ‘‘calories in’’ than ‘‘calories out’’? Br J Nutr (in press). 4. Maddison R, Foley L, Mhurchu CN, et al. Effects of active video games on body composition: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2001;94:156–63. 5. Bowler DE, Buyung-Ali LM, Knight TM, Pullin AS. A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health 2010;10:456. 6. Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute. The 2009-10 Canadian Physical Activity Levels Among Youth (CANPLAY) survey. Ottawa, Canada: Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, 2010.
HPLC identification and determination of myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol and total flavonoids in herbal drugs

A new and rapid HPLC method for identification and determination of myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol and total flavonoids in ten herbal drugs of Macedonian origin is presented. Preparation of samples (Uvae ursi folim, Pruni spinosae flos, Sambuci flos, Betulae folim, Primulae flos, Herniariae herba, Centaurii herba, Tiliae flos, Robiniae pseudoacaciae flos, Bursae pastoris herba) included hydrolysis of glycosides and extraction of total aglycones with ethyl acetate. HPLC analysis with UV-diode array detection was carried out on RP C18 column, using 5% acetic acid and acetonitrile in agradient elution mode and column temperature of 30 C. The monitoring of the elution is performed in the whole UV-range and the acquisition of data for quantitative analysis at 367 nm. Screening of the extracts showed presence of quercetin in nine, kaempferol in seven and myricetin in only one sample. The quantitative analysis showed that the content of quercetin ranged from 0.026-0.506 % (m/m), while for kaempferol it was from traces to 1.246 %. Uvaeursi folium and Pruni spinosae flos were rich in content of quercetin (0.482 % and 0.506 %, respectively), while Pruni spinosae flos and Robiniae pseudoaccaciae flos contained the highest amounts of kaempferol (1.246 % and 0.892 %, respectively). Myricetin was identified and determined only in Betulae folium (0.102 %). The content of total flavonoids in the investigated samples expressed in terms of quercetin ranged from 0.040 to 1.680 %. The proposed HPLC method is convenient for use in routine analysis of myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol, as well as for estimation of total flavonoids content in herbal drugs.
Attacks target Web server logic and prey on XCS weaknesses

A s y s t e m Is secure only if the entire system is secure. While this may sound obvious, achieving total security throughout a system is rarely trivial when you consider many real-world systems are constantly evolving. In the following paper , " The Emergence of Cross Channel Scripting " (XCS), Hristo Bojinov, Elie Bursztein, and Dan Boneh highlight this problem. The systems examined in the paper are embedded Web servers that have become prevalent for system management and configurations of consumer electronic devices like digital photo frames, wireless routers, and network-attached storage (NAS) appliances. Web applications have long suffered cross site scripting (XSS) vul-nerabilities. XSS vulnerabilities of a Web application allows an attacker to inject attacking scripts into the Web application and then the attacking scripts execute with the privilege of the Web site on browsers. A particularly damaging type of XSS is persistent XSS in which the injected script persists beyond a browsing session and across different browsing users. For example, the infamous Samy worm exploits an XSS vulnerability in MySpace.com and the attacker (Samy, in this case) injected a script as part of Samy's (persistent) user profile. People who viewed Samy's profile found their profiles infected as did the viewers of their profiles, and so on. The XSS problem is amplified in the embedded Web server setting where Web servers co-locate with other services , sharing the underlying device resources, like the file system. For example , several NAS appliances both expose a Web interface for system management and allow file uploading through FTP, SMB, or a P2P service. Because the file system is shared between the Web server and these other file uploading services, an attacker can upload a file with a specially crafted file name that contains a malicious JavaScript. Later, when an administrator of the device configures the device through the Web interface, the malicious file is loaded in the address bar and the malicious JavaScript executes. For a device with such co-location of services, even if each of the services is secure on its own, running them together creates new security holes because each service has not had the assumption that the global state (such as the file system) is shared with others. To make things worse, if any of the services has a security hole, all services can be affected. Here, the authors talk about reverse XCS vulnerabilities where a …
Scalable Spatial Notch Suppression in Spatio-Spectral-Filtering MIMO Receiver Arrays for Digital Beamforming

Large-scale multiple-input-multiple-output(MIMO) technology is drawing significant interest for the next-generation wireless networks. Traditional MIMO receiver architectures use multiple parallel receiver front ends with digitization at every element to support digital space-time array processing. The absence of analog/RF spatial interference mitigation in traditional digital MIMO receiver arrays results in a high dynamic-range requirement, and consequently, power-hungry analog and RF receiver front ends and analog-to-digital converters. This paper presents a scalable 65 nm CMOS 0.1-1.7 GHz spatio-spectral-filtering four-element MIMO receiver array with spatial notch suppression that protects the analog/RF circuits and analog-to-digital converters from spatial interference early in the signal chain. The combination of spatial and spectral filtering results in more than 19 dB rejection irrespective of the frequency at which the spatial blocker is located. The proposed spatial notch suppression technique improves the measured in-band OIP3 from -10 to +24 dBV, and the measured out-of-band IIP3 from +11 to +18 dBm. Furthermore, turning on the spatial notch suppression leads to minimal noise figure degradation. The proposed chip architecture is scalable on board without the need for RF interconnections. A wireless imaging demo shows two of the implemented integrated circuits tiled on board to form an eight-element MIMO receiver array that is able to detect a weak desired signal in the presence of an in-band 15 dB stronger spatial blocker.
Numerical Simulation of the Characteristics of Heavy Particles in Bar-Plate DC Positive Corona Discharge Based on a Hybrid Model

An improved, multicomponent, and 2-D hybrid model is presented in detail for the simulation of bar-plate dc corona discharge in dry air (O<sub>2</sub>:N<sub>2</sub>=1:4). The model is based on plasma hydrodynamics, and chemical models in which 12 species (e, O, O<sub>2</sub>, O<sub>3</sub>, O<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup>, O<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>, O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup>, O<sup>-</sup>, N<sub>2</sub>, N<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup>, N<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>, and N<sub>2</sub> O<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup>) and 32 collision reactions between such species are considered. In addition, the photoionization and secondary electron emission effects are also incorporated within the model. The simulation is established with a bar-plate electrode configuration with an interelectrode gap of 5.0 mm, where the positive dc voltage applied to the bar is 3.0 kV, the pressure in air discharge is fixed at 1.0 atm, and the gas temperature is assumed to be a constant (300 K). Using individual discharge current waveform and V-I curve, the effectiveness of this developed model is validated by experimental results. With this hybrid model, electric field distribution and net space charge distribution at four representative time points during a pulse are discussed. Moreover, the composition and distribution of particles are analyzed emphatically. The obtained results show that, among all reactions, the reaction rate of R<sub>1</sub>, which is the collision reaction between electron and N<sub>2</sub> is maximal, whereas the N<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup> density is significantly less than O<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> and O<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup>. O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup> has the largest number of negative ions and thus restrains the electron collision process significantly. In addition to N<sub>2</sub> and O<sub>2</sub>, O is the major neutral particle, but owing to the small quantity of neutral particles, the effect is relatively weak. The obtained results will provide valuable insights into the physical mechanism of positive corona discharge in air.
Effect of valsartan on the expression of angiotensin II receptors in the lung of chronic antigen exposure rats.

BACKGROUND Many studies have suggested that angiotensin II (Ang II) and its receptors may be involved in the development of asthma. However, the expression of angiotensin II receptors (AGTR) is not clear in the lung tissue of chronic asthmatics. This study was designed to determine the relationship between airway remodeling, dysfunction and the expression of AGTRs in a rat model of asthma. METHODS Rats were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) for 2 weeks. Sixty minutes before an inhalation challenge, the rats were pretreated either with valsartan (15, 30, 50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) or saline intragastrically. Then the rats received an OVA challenge for 30 alternative days. Acetylcholine (Ach)-induced bronchoconstriction was measured after the final antigen challenge. White cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and morphological changes in the airways were then assessed. The levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta(1)) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in BALF were detected by ELISA. The levels of AGTR1 and AGTR2 mRNA and protein in lung tissues were measured by RT-PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS AGTR1 mRNA and protein levels in repeatedly OVA-challenged rats were significantly increased as compared with negative controls. The AGTR1 mRNA expression versus white cell counts of BALF and airway wall thickness (mainly in small airways) in lungs of chronic antigen-exposed rats were positively correlated. Valsartan decreased the level of AGTR1 in repeatedly OVA-challenged rats. However, AGTR2 mRNA and protein levels in the OVA-challenged rats and high-dose valsartan-treated rats (50 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1)) were also increased. Valsartan significantly decreased inflammatory cell accumulation and attenuated Ach-evoked bronchoconstriction in repeatedly antigen-challenged rats. Valsartan also decreased allergen-induced structural changes in rat airway (including total airway wall thickness and smooth muscle area) and the levels of TGF-beta(1) and PDGF in BALF. CONCLUSIONS AGTR1 expression is potentially associated with airway remodeling and dysfunction in asthma. Ang II and AGTR1 may participate in airway inflammation and airway remodeling of chronic antigen-exposed rats. Valsartan, a AGTR1 antagonist, could inhibit AGTR1 expression and partially inhibits structural airway changes as well as airway inflammation in chronic OVA-exposed rats.
Research on a Novel Hybrid Five-level DC-DC converter

A novel hybrid five-level DC-DC converter is proposed, which utilized two series connection bidirectional switch and two flying capacitors to provided middle electrical levels. With proper controlling, the volume of output inductance can be reducing to 1/8 compared with traditional full bridge DC-DC converter. The principle of operation and the dc characteristics of the new converter are analyzed and verified on a experimental prototype
Enhanced Figure of Merit in Fano Resonance-Based Plasmonic Refractive Index Sensor

Surface plasmon (SP) modes possesses an intriguing feature of confining light beyond diffraction limit, which makes it very attractive for sensing applications. Here, we theoretically investigated an ultra compact SP sensor using metal-insulator- metal (MIM) waveguide geometry. MIM waveguide is coupled to a pair of stub resonators and both the stub resonators are loaded with a metallic nanoslit of silver. The stubs and the MIM waveguide are filled with liquid/gaseous material which is to be sensed. The Fano resonance, which is very sensitive to any change in refractive index of the material, is excited in the structure by breaking marginal symmetry. The structure is numerically simulated by the finite difference time-domain method (FDTD), and the result shows that the resonance wavelength has a linear relation with refractive index of the material under sensing. In the optimum design of the proposed sensor, the maximum sensitivity is obtained as high as S = 1060 nm/refractive index unit with a large value of figure of merit (FOM = 176.7) and an ultra narrow linewidth Aλ = 6 nm. Thus, the device is well suited for designing on-chip optical sensors.
Endothelin-1 Stimulation of Proteoglycan Synthesis in Vascular Smooth Muscle is Mediated by Endothelin Receptor Transactivation of the Transforming Growth Factor-β Type I Receptor

We utilized human vascular smooth muscle cells to address the question if a G-protein-coupled receptor, the endothelin (ET) receptor, could transactivate a serine/threonine kinase receptor, specifically the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β receptor, TβRI. Functionality of the interaction was addressed by studying endothelin-1-stimulated proteoglycan synthesis. Signaling molecules were assessed by Western blotting and proteoglycan synthesis by [35S]sulfate and 35S-met/cys incorporation and molecular size by SDS-PAGE. Endothelin-1 treatment led to a time- and concentration-dependent increase in cytosolic phosphoSmad2C, which was inhibited by the mixed endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan and the TβRI antagonist SB431542. Endothelin-1 treatment led to a time-dependent increase in nuclear phosphoSmad2C. Endothelin-1-stimulated proteoglycan synthesis was partially inhibited (40%) by SB431542 and completely blocked by bosentan. The effect of endothelin-1 to stimulate an increase in glycosaminoglycan size on biglycan was also blocked in a concentration-dependent manner by SB431542. These data extend the current paradigm of G-protein coupled receptor signaling to include the transactivation of the serine kinase receptor for TGF-β (TβRI). This response should be considered in the context of response to endothelin-1, and the options for therapeutically targeting endothelin-1 are accordingly broadened to include downstream signaling otherwise associated with TGF-β receptor activation.
ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION AND BIOTYPING OF BRUCELLA SPP. FROM MILK PRODUCT AT BASRAH PROVINCE

Three hundred milk product samples were collected from different locations of Basrah province. By using enrichment broth technique and Brucella selective medium nine isolates (8 from soft cheese and one from cream) where isolated. No Brucella strain was isolated from icecream. The species and biotypes of these isolates were determined and it was found that 4 isolates of Brucella abortus biotype 4 and 5 isolates of B. melitensis biotype 2. Antibiotic sensitivity test showed that all isolates were sensitive to streptomycin, gentamycin, kanamycin, rifampicin, trimethoprim, trimethoprim with sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline, some strains showed resistance to doxycyclin, cephalexin, ampicillin and erythromycin. Brucella isolates also showed growth in different range of temperature and pH.
Annular Groove Phase Mask Coronagraph

We present a new phase mask coronagraph consisting in an optical vortex induced by a space-variant surface relief subwavelength grating. Phase mask coronagraphy is a recent technique aiming at accommodating both high dynamic and high angular resolution imaging of faint sources around bright objects such as exoplanets orbiting their parent stars or host galaxies of active galactic nuclei. Subwavelength gratings are known to be artificially birefringent. Their unique dispersive characteristics can be controlled through the grating geometry in order to synthesize achromatic phase shifters. We show that implementing them in a ring-shaped way produces a fully symmetric and achromatic coronagraph without any gap or "dead zone. " The practical manufacturing of the device is also discussed.
Location Based Sentiment Mapping of Topics Detected in Social Media

Social media connects people creating a virtual environment where there is no high up to dictate their posts. They feel free to appreciate or criticize the actions of others. Thus social media posts present true reflection of the public feelings over any social event. This sort of intrinsic social media content has great attraction for many stakeholders to explore public reaction on any incident or activity. This paper proposes a technique to visualize location based public sentiment on any event within specific locality. This research work harvests public posts from social media Twitter’s stream; extracts spatial, topical and sentimental information from the posts; performs statistical analysis and maps the results on geographic map. It provides stakeholders an unsupervised, quick and easy way to assess public opinion within a specific area.
Complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Hawaii

Abstract We analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of the small hive beetle Aethina tumida, a major honeybee pest that was accidentally transported to the Hawaii Islands, USA. The mitochondrial genome of A. tumida was identified as a 15,198 bp circular molecule containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes, along with one A + T-rich control region. The average AT content was found to be 76.2%. The heavy strand was predicted to have nine protein-coding and 14 tRNA genes; while the light strand was predicted to contain four protein-coding, eight tRNA, and two rRNA genes. Among the 13 PCGs, the initiation codon ATT was found in five, ATA in three, ATG in four, and TTG in one gene. Six PCGs used TAA as the stop codon, whereas three PCGs used TAG as the stop codon. Incomplete stop codon TA (COIII, ND5, and ND4) and T (COII) were identified. We found that the genetic distance between A. tumida from Hawaii and the beetles’ natural home South Africa, was small, indicating that the Hawaii population may have originated for the South Africa region.
Das Kino als politische Integrationsagentur Afro-amerikanische Identitätsangebote im Hollywood-Film der 90er Jahre

Am Ende dieses Jahrtausends ist ein langgehegter Traum vieler Afro-Amerikaner endlich Wirklichkeit geworden: An der Spitze der grosten Demokratie dieser Welt residiert mit Prasident Beck erstmals ein Mann mit schwarzer Hautfarbe im Weisen Haus. Dieser Politiker, ein agiler und sympathischer alterer Herr, erweist sich dann auch in der Stunde groster Not als ein kluger und umsichtiger Fuhrer. Durch ein effektives Notprogramm gelingt es ihm, im Angesicht eines auf die Vereinigten Staaten zurasenden gigantischen Asteroiden viele Menschenleben durch den Bau sicherer Bunkeranlagen zu retten. Nicht nur die Schwarzen, sondern alle Amerikaner sind in dieser Situation stolz auf ihren Reprasentanten. Dieses Szenario, mit dem der Film Deep Impactl im Jahre 1998 die amerikanischen Kinokassen flillte, bietet mit dem schwarzen Mann im Weisen Haus eine politische Utopie, die den Traum von der potentiell egalitaren Demokratie auch fllr die African Americans greifbar macht. Eine solche unterhaltende Utopie, die vor allem durch die intensive Emotionalitat einer professionell aufbereiteten Filmasthetik ihre Wirkung entfaltet,2 ist trotz der erkennbaren Fiktionalitat durchaus wirklichkeitsrelevant, da sie im entspannenden Modus der Medienunterhaltung attraktive politische Identitatsmodelle unterbreitet. Was Deep Impact im Genre des Science-fiction-Films bietet, wurde in den 80er Jahren bereits im Bereich des Prime Time-Fernsehens vorexerziert: Die Cosby Show war die bis dahin erfolgreichste Serie, die jemals im amerikanischen Fernsehen lief. In dieser Situationskomodie des Schopfers, Hauptdarstellers (und promovierten Padagogen) Bill Cosby war von 1984 bis 1992 am Beispiel der schwarzen Familie Huxtable auf vergnugliche Weise gezeigt worden, wie zwei akademisch gebildete, in gut bezahlten Berufen tatige Eltern integriert und harmonisch mit ihren fllnf Kindern zusammenleben. Die Huxtables hatten die Basiserzahlung des American Dream, den Tellerwaschennythos, in neuer Fonn inszeniert: Jeder kann