Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Technological Infrastructure in Nomadic Practices of a Social Activist Community

Infrastructure is undoubtedly a key resource for people engaged in technologically-mediated nomadicity. Tech-Nomads rely on technological infrastructure components, such as Wi-Fi availability, to mobilise their workplaces and effectively accomplish their productive activities. In this paper, we introduce findings from an investigation focusing on how technological infrastructures are re-instantiated according to emerging demands. We focus particularly on the European Social Forum (ESF) (an activists’ platform) and the problems faced by the members of this network in mobilising its infrastructure, stressing findings from the literature about the importance of making infrastructure visible for nomadic practices, which have not yet been sufficiently explored. We suggest that infrastructure (re-) design methods would be a relevant resource for Tech-Nomads engaged in activities such as the ones from ESF. Aparecido Fabiano Pinatti de Carvalho et al.
Harnessing Virtual Reality Exergames and Physical Fitness Sensing to Create a Personalised Game and Dashboard

Exercise is important for health and well-being. However, for many people, it can be hard to find the time or motivation to get the recommended amount of exercise. It has recently become apparent that virtual reality exergames, have the potential to address this problem, by helping people stay motivated to exercise. This research explores how to harness the motivating power of virtual reality exergames to support long-term physical activity. We do this by creating an infrastructure that captures data from virtual reality games, with physical data captured by sensors, then using this to provide a personal dashboard of in-game exertion and measures of fitness.
The Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Anchored Variable Region of Llama Heavy Chain-Only Antibody JM4 Efficiently Blocks both Cell-Free and T Cell-T Cell Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

ABSTRACT The variable regions (VHHs) of two heavy chain-only antibodies, JM2 and JM4, from llamas that have been immunized with a trimeric gp140 bound to a CD4 mimic have been recently isolated (here referred to as VHH JM2 and VHH JM4, respectively). JM2 binds the CD4-binding site of gp120 and neutralizes HIV-1 strains from subtypes B, C, and G. JM4 binds gp120 and neutralizes HIV-1 strains from subtypes A, B, C, A/E, and G in a CD4-dependent manner. In the present study, we constructed glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored VHH JM2 and JM4 along with an E4 control and transduced them into human CD4+ cell lines and primary CD4 T cells. We report that by genetically linking the VHHs with a GPI attachment signal, VHHs are targeted to the lipid rafts of the plasma membranes. Expression of GPI-VHH JM4, but not GPI-VHH E4 and JM2, on the surface of transduced TZM.bl cells potently neutralizes multiple subtypes of HIV-1 isolates, including tier 2 or 3 strains, transmitted founders, quasispecies, and soluble single domain antibody (sdAb) JM4-resistant viruses. Moreover, transduction of CEMss-CCR5 cells with GPI-VHH JM4, but not with GPI-VHH E4, confers resistance to both cell-free and T cell-T cell transmission of HIV-1 and HIV-1 envelope-mediated fusion. Finally, GPI-VHH JM4-transduced human primary CD4 T cells efficiently resist both cell-free and T cell-T cell transmission of HIV-1. Thus, we conclude that VHH JM4, when targeted to the lipid rafts of the plasma membrane, efficiently neutralizes HIV-1 infection via both cell-free and T cell-T cell transmission. Our findings should have important implications for GPI-anchored antibody-based therapy against HIV-1. IMPORTANCE Lipid rafts are specialized dynamic microdomains of the plasma membrane and have been shown to be gateways for HIV-1 budding as well as entry into T cells and macrophages. In nature, many glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins localize in the lipid rafts. In the present study, we developed GPI-anchored variable regions (VHHs) of two heavy chain-only antibodies, JM2 and JM4, from immunized llamas. We show that by genetically linking the VHHs with a GPI attachment signal, VHHs are targeted to the lipid rafts of the plasma membranes. GPI-VHH JM4, but not GPI-VHH JM2, in transduced CD4+ cell lines and human primary CD4 T cells not only efficiently blocks diverse HIV-1 strains, including tier 2 or 3 strains, transmitted founders, quasispecies, and soluble sdAb JM4-resistant strains, but also efficiently interferes T cell-T cell transmissions of HIV-1 and HIV-1 envelope-mediated fusion. Our findings should have important implications in GPI-anchored antibody-based therapy against HIV-1.
The Anopheles gambiae complex in the Federal Islamic Republic of Comoros (Indian Ocean): some cytogenetic and biometric data.

Samples of adult females of the Anopheles gambiae complex from thirteen localities of three islands of the Comoro Archipelago (Anjouan, Grande Comore and Moheli) were identified by analysis of ovarian polytene chromosomes as An. gambiae s.s. The samples showed only the inversion polymorphism 2La, the mean frequency of the inverted arrangement being 38%. A significantly higher frequency of the inverted arrangement 2La was observed in the localities with a lower annual rainfall. Similarities between the chromosomal polymorphism of the samples from Comoros and that of coastal eastern African countries suggest a probable continental origin of the An. gambiae s.s. populations in the Comoro Archipelago. A biometric analysis was carried out on the palpal index and the number of coeloconic sensilla, two characters partially diagnostic between fresh- and salt-water members of the gambiae complex. The palpal index of the 2La homozygous inverted females of An. gambiae s.s. was found to be significantly higher than the index of standard homozygotes and heterozygotes, suggesting a relation between the inversion and this biometric character. No An. merus was identified, although larvae of An. gambiae s.l. were observed breeding in brackish water.
Scientific evidence of vestibular rehabilitation in primary health care : a systematic review Evidências científicas da reabilitação vestibular na atenção primária à saúde : uma revisão sistemática

Purpose: Investigate in the literature the effectiveness of treatments used for vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in PHC. Research strategy: The search of publications on VR in PHC was carried out in electronic databases MEDLINE (access by PubMed), PEDro and Web of Science. Selection criteria: Controlled clinical trials were selected in English, Spanish and Portuguese. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the PEDro scale. The analysis of the results was examined through a critical review of the contents. Results: Five studies were reviewed in their entirety, with the participants’ age group being equal to or older than 18 years (n = 5). The Vertigo Symptom Scale and (60%) and Visual Analog Scale (40%) were the instruments used to evaluate the subjective perception of the symptomatology of vestibular dysfunction. The PEDro Scale revealed that two articles presented a good quality design for conducting the experimental study. The most used intervention proposal was the Yardley Exercises (60%). Conclusion: Controlled studies provide evidence of positive effects of VR on PHC, with improvements in postural control, functional capacity and quality of life of participants.
Interpretations of embodied cognition 1

The concept of embodied cognition (EC) is not a settled one. A variety of theorists have attempted to outline different approaches and meanings related to this concept. They range from radical embodiment to minimal embodiment, and a number of positions in between. In addition, a variety of approaches to the study of cognition have been closely associated with the notion of embodiment – including enactive, embedded, and extended or distributed cognition approaches. Within these different perspectives there is no strong consensus on what weight to give to the concept of embodiment. Moreover, contrary to what some may think, not all EC approaches share a common opposition to the classical computational model of cognition. In this chapter I want to map out the landscape of these various senses of embodied cognition.
GLM models and OLS regression

This chapter introduces generalized linear models (GLMs) and shows how they can be used to model continuous, ordered and unordered data (the three basic scales of data described in Chapter 1). The object is to provide a coherent introduction to data modeling rather than provide a comprehensive coverage of all techniques under the GLM umbrella. GLMs enable descriptive and predictive models to be built that are sufficiently general to be applicable to much social science data. They can be used to model data collected from survey and experimental studies and can replace many of the more traditional hypothesis tests that are still in common use. Of particular importance is the unified theoretical framework that the method offers, as this enables certain ‘economies of scale’ to be realised that allow a whole range of data to be analysed using similar techniques.
Psychopathological Stability of Personality Disorders in Substance Abuse Patients Treated in a Therapeutic Community

The objective of this study is to explore the stability of personality dimensions in a selection of psychoactive substance abuse patients during treatment in therapeutic communities. The baseline assessment was conducted 15 to 20 days from the start of therapeutic community treatment, and the second assessment was conducted 3 months after admission. The Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III was used to assess personality dimensions. At 3 months, a reduction was observed in the mean severity scores of most personality dimensions in both patterns and clinical syndromes. Caution should be exercised when assessing and diagnosing personality disorders in a drug addict population because one must consider the presence of abuse concomitant factors that may erroneously increase the comorbidity of personality disorders and related substance abuse disorders.
A novel evaluation method for perceptual hash algorithm in authentication mode

Perceptual hash is an important research branch of multimedia security, while the evaluation of performance of a perceptual hash algorithm is not well studied so far. The traditional performance of a perceptual hash algorithm is robustness and discriminability. Such evaluation criterion is not good enough to judge an algorithm, especially for a perceptual hash algorithm working in authentication mode. In this paper, anew evaluation method is proposed to evaluate an authentication oriented perceptual hash algorithm by the capability of distinguish the malicious tamper from content preserving operations. A new performance, Identical Perceptual Distance, is also defined to quantize the ability. The thorough test on several representative published perceptual hash algorithms shows the feasibility of the proposed evaluation method.
Aeroacousticâs Investigation on High-Lift Device by using a ModernHybrid RANS/LES-Model

This study focuses on the development, validation and application of the interdisciplinary computational fluid dynamics/computational aeroacoustics (CFD/CAA) method with the name Flight-Physics Simulator AEOLus (FPSAEOLus). FPS-AEOLus is based on enhanced conservative, anisotropic, hybrid Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes/ Large-Eddy Simulation (RANS/LES) techniques to solve an aerodynamic flow field by applying the unsteady, compressible, hyperbolic Navier–Stokes equations of second order. The two-layer SSG/LRR- ω differential Reynolds stress turbulence model presented, combining the Launder- Reece-Rodi (LRR) model near walls with the Speziale-Sarkar-Gatski (SSG) model further apart by applying Menter's blending function F1. Herein, Menter's baseline ω-equation is exploited for supplying the length scale. Another emphasis is put on the anisotropic description of dissipation at close distance to the solid wall or in wake area for describing the friction-induced surface-roughness behaviour in viscous fluid physics and swirling wake effects. For that purpose, the SSG/LRR-ω seven-equations Reynolds stress turbulence model with anisotropic extension was realized, therefor the theory is described in general. Beyond that, a modified delayed detached-eddy simulation (MDDES) and a scale adaptive simulation (SAS) correction to capture the stochastic character of a large-eddy-type unsteady flow with massive flow separations in the broad band is implemented. To demonstrate the time-dependent noise propagation having wave interference a linearized Euler equation (LEE) model using a combined Momentum- and Lamb-vector source have been applied into the CFD/CAA - method. The DLR 15 wing, a High-Lift device in landing configuration having a deployed slat and landing flap is studied experimentally and numerically. The first part of the application deals with the steady flow investigation; however, the same turbulence model is used for the unsteady flow case without the enclosed time derivatives. The second part concentrates on unsteady modelling for the Navier–Stokes and Linearized Euler field. With this new combined CFD/CAA - method, steady and unsteady numerical studies for the high-lift wing configuration for discovering the aerodynamic and –acoustic propagation effects are shown, discussed and when experimental data were available validated. The High-Lift wing has a constant sweep angle of Λ=30° to investigate possible cross-flow; to realize this, periodic boundary conditions were set in spanwise direction
ChIP‐based methods for the identification of long‐range chromatin interactions

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is an important technique for studying protein–DNA interactions. Whole genome ChIP methods have enjoyed much success, but are limited in that they cannot uncover important long‐range chromatin interactions. Chromosome conformation capture (3C) and related methods are capable of detecting remote chromatin interactions, but are tedious, have low signal‐to‐noise ratios, and are not genome‐wide. Although the addition of ChIP to 3C (ChIP–3C) would conceivably reduce noise and increase specificity for chromatin interaction detection, there are concerns that simple mixing of the ChIP and 3C protocols would lead to high levels of false positives. In this essay, we dissect current ChIP‐ and 3C‐based methodologies, discuss the models of specific as opposed to non‐specific chromatin interactions, and suggest approaches to separate specific chromatin complexes from non‐specific chromatin fragments. We conclude that the combination of sonication‐based chromatin fragmentation, ChIP‐based enrichment, chromatin proximity ligation and Paired‐End Tag ultra‐high‐throughput sequencing will be a winning implementation for genome‐wide, unbiased and de novo discovery of long‐range chromatin interactions, which will help to establish an emerging field for studying human chromatin interactomes and genome regulation networks in three‐dimensional spaces. J. Cell. Biochem. 107: 30–39, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Innate immunity in insects: surface‐associated dopa decarboxylase‐dependent pathways regulate phagocytosis, nodulation and melanization in medfly haemocytes

Phagocytosis, melanization and nodulation in insects depend on phenoloxidase (PO) activity. In this report, we demonstrated that these three processes appear to be also dependent on dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) activity. Using flow cytometry, RNA interference, immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence, we demonstrated the constitutive expression of Ddc and its strong association with the haemocyte surface, in the medfly Ceratitis capitata. In addition, we showed that Escherichia coli phagocytosis is markedly blocked by small interfering RNA (siRNA) for Ddc, antibodies against Ddc, as well as by inhibitors of Ddc activity, namely carbidopa and benzerazide, convincingly revealing the involvement of Ddc activity in phagocytosis. By contrast, latex beads and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) did not require Ddc activity for their uptake. It was also shown that nodulation and melanization processes depend on Ddc activation, because antibodies against Ddc and inhibitors of Ddc activity prevent haemocyte aggregation and melanization in the presence of excess E. coli. Therefore, phagocytosis, melanization and nodulation depend on haemocyte‐surface‐associated PO and Ddc. These three unrelated mechanisms are based on tyrosine metabolism and share a number of substrates and enzymes; however, they appear to be distinct. Phagocytosis and nodulation depend on dopamine‐derived metabolite(s), not including the eumelanin pathway, whereas melanization depends exclusively on the eumelanin pathway. It must also be underlined that melanization is not a prerequisite for phagocytosis or nodulation. To our knowledge, the involvement of Ddc, as well as dopa and its metabolites, are novel aspects in the phagocytosis of medfly haemocytes.
DEFICITS FORCES THE PRODUCTION OF GRIP DOWN SYNDROME

Down syndrome (DS) and control individuals were examined as to their ability to adapt grip forces to changes in the properties of lifted objects. The DS group generated substantially greater grip forces than the controls in all tests and failed to adapt normally to changes in the frictional properties of the objects. Their greater grip forces were not due to greater slipperiness of the skin of their fingers. These results are consistent with other findings of subtle deficits in DS individuals' use of somatosensory information for controlling movement and posture.
Mesoscale Modelling of the Chloride Diffusion in Cracks and Cracked Concrete

In service, cracks or microcracks are usually present in concrete as a result of several mechanisms, for example the drying shrinkage, thermal gradients, freezing-thawing cycles, alkali-aggregate reaction and external loading. It has been realized that cracking can significantly accelerate the ingress of chlorides into concrete since it provides preferential flow channels and allow more chlorides to penetrate. But it is also believed that cracking plays an important role on the penetration speed of chloride. The objective of this paper is to quantify the diffusion coefficient of chloride through cracks of concrete with different crack widths by means of the mesoscale modelling method based on the available experimental results from literatures. In the numerical models, the position and opening width of cracks are artificially prescribed based on geometrical layout of the samples used in test. Additionally, the Voronoi diagram technique is adopted to discrete the domain of a specimen in order to reduce the mesh bias. On the Voronoi diagram, a randomly distributed lattice network is constructed to represent the transport process of chlorides. The range of investigated crack width is from 20 to 600 μm covering the data in experimental program. The diffusion coefficients of chloride through cracks of different width, Dcr, are numerically determined by the trial and error method. It is concluded that chloride can penetrate into cracks with a much higher speed than that in free water. When the crack width is lager than a critical value, Dcr is determined as 10000 mm 2 /h and independent of the crack width.
Éleveurs et agriculteurs du nord du Cameroun face à la violence et aux insécurités : Entre adaptation et impuissance

Les insecurites et la violence qui affectent les populations rurales de la province du Nord (Cameroun) trouvent leur origine dans l’histoire et la crise economique qui touche ce pays depuis plus de 20 ans, ainsi que dans les crises politico-militaires frequentes dans les pays voisins (Tchad, Republique centrafricaine). Les systemes de production agropastoraux sont aujourd’hui fragilises par l’insecurite fonciere et fiscale et, plus recemment par des faits de banditisme arme. Les eleveurs Mbororo sedentarises sont les plus touches. La difficulte a resoudre les differentes formes d’insecurite provient, d’une part, de l’affaiblissement de l’administration qui ne recoit pas assez de moyens de l’Etat et, d’autre part, du manque d’organisation de la societe civile et des organismes de producteurs ruraux pour y faire face.
Die Entwicklung kollektiver Verhandlungen in Großbritannien: ein historischer Überblick

Im Laufe des 20. Jahrhunderts waren die Kollektivverhandlungsstrukturen in Grosbritannien einem betrachtlichen Wandel unterworfen. Wahrend die Bedeutung kollektiver Verhandlungen bis Ende der 70er Jahre zugenommen hat, ist der Deckungsgrad kollektiver Verhandlungen seit 1980 drastisch zuruckgegangen. Dies ist verbunden mit einem Ubergang von kollektiven zu individuellen Regelungsmechanismen fur die Arbeitgeber- Arbeitnehmer-Beziehung. Dieser Artikel liefert zunachst einen Uberblick uber die Entwicklung der Kollektivverhandlungsstrukturen zwischen 1895 und 1998. Es folgt eine Diskussion von sieben Perioden der Kollektivverhandlungsgeschichte Grosbritanniens zwischen 1780 und 2000. Zu guter letzt zeigt der Artikel, dass die Entstehung und Entwicklung kollektiver Verhandlungsstrukturen in Grosbritannien eng mit der Entwicklung staatlicher Politik sowie der Entstehung und Entwicklung der Gewerkschaften und der Arbeitgeberverbande verbunden ist.
Synaptic localization of the glutamate receptor subunit GluR2 in the rat nucleus tractus solitarii

The GluR2 subunit controls several key features of the alpha amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionate (AMPA)‐type glutamate receptor including calcium permeability, rectification and gating. In the present study, electrophysiological recordings and immunocytochemistry were used to document the synaptic localization of GluR2 in the rat nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS). Synaptic responses recorded in NTS neurons exhibited linear current–voltage relationships suggestive of GluR2‐containing AMPA receptor responses. Furthermore, after antigen retrieval GluR2 immunolabelling in the NTS mainly consisted of small puncta. Double‐labelling experiments showed that these GluR2 puncta were apposed to glutamatergic synaptic terminals identified by type II vesicular glutamate transporter immunoreactivity. These results indicate that NTS glutamatergic synapses are endowed with AMPA receptors which contain the GluR2 subunit and are therefore likely to be both calcium‐impermeable and slowly desensitizing.
cDNA Cloning of Human Retinoic Acid-metabolizing Enzyme (hP450RAI) Identifies a Novel Family of Cytochromes P450 (CYP26)*

Retinoids, including all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) and its stereoisomer 9-cis-RA play important roles in regulating gene expression, through interactions with nuclear receptors, during embryonic development and in the maintenance of adult epithelial tissues (Chambon, P. (1995) Rec. Prog. Horm. Res. 50, 317–32; Mangelsdorf, D. J., and Evans, R. M. (1995)Cell 83, 841–850; Petkovich, M. (1992) Annu. Rev. Nutr. 12, 443–471). Evidence suggests that 4-hydroxylation of RA inside the target cell limits its biological activity and initiates a degradative process of RA leading to its eventual elimination. However, 18-hydroxylation and glucuronidation may also be important steps in this process. In this paper, we describe the cloning and characterization of the first mammalian retinoic acid-inducible retinoic acid-metabolizing cytochrome P450 (hP450RAI), which belongs to a novel class of cytochromes (CYP26). We demonstrate that hP450RAI is responsible for generation of several hydroxylated forms of RA, including 4-OH-RA, 4-oxo-RA, and 18-OH-RA. We also show that hP450RAI mRNA expression is highly induced by RA in certain human tumor cell lines and further show that RA-inducible RA metabolism may correlate with P450RAI expression. We conclude that this enzyme plays a key role in RA metabolism, functioning in a feedback loop where RA levels are controlled in an autoregulatory manner.