Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MagicARTS: an interactive social journey in the art world

Considering the virtual museum visit as a group activity, in this paper we explore how to support and facilitate social interactions between visitors in the 3D environment of an interactive virtual museum, while also accounting for isolated moments of personal engagement with the cultural content. Moving towards this direction, we present the design of MagicARTS, a multi-user virtual gallery that enables groups of visitors to explore collaboratively the gallery's cultural resources. The visitors are able not only to go through narratives and informative multimedia content, but also to dive into the virtual world of the artworks, moving inside their 3D environment or watching the depicted characters come to life. Most notably, the MagicARTS visit is a social experience: visitors are empowered to talk with each other, share their feelings about the artworks, point to gallery exhibits, as well as invite other group members nearby, in a playful way.
Back To The Basics: Security of Software Downloads for Smart Objects

Smart objects will soon pervade our homes, cities, factories, plants, and hospitals and this fact will introduce widespread important risks for the society as a whole, due to unavoidable security vulnerabilities of those objects. The problem of updating the software of smart objects in order to fix vulnerabilities will thus become of crucial importance. In this work we investigate the security of current software download environments for smart objects. This investigation allows gaining important insights into the security awareness of organizations that distribute software across the web and, more broadly, on their readiness to take control of our everyday life.
Virtual laboratories in biology, biotechnology and chemistry education: a literature review

Laboratory classes are essential in Biology, Biotechnology and Chemistry, as they help learners acquire skills and understand physical phenomena in depth. To run hands-on laboratories one needs space, equipment and staff, so virtual laboratories can help reduce the total cost and still complement physical presence. This paper reviews virtual laboratories applications in a variety of educational settings, in Biology, Biotechnology and Chemistry. The results demonstrate that virtual laboratories are used in K-12 schools, undergraduate and postgraduate courses, with overall positive effects on students' cognitive load, skills development and motivation. The reviewed works overwhelmingly indicate that virtual laboratories should not substitute physical ones and their advantages are better realized when combined with traditional hands-on sessions.
Intersection types and runtime errors in the pi-calculus

We introduce a type system for the π-calculus which is designed to guarantee that typable processes are well-behaved, namely they never produce a run-time error and, even if they may diverge, there is always a chance for them to “finish their work”, i.e., to reduce to an idle process. The introduced type system is based on non-idempotent intersections, and is thus very powerful as for the class of processes it can capture. Indeed, despite the fact that the underlying property is Π20-complete, there is a way to show that the system is complete, i.e., that any well-behaved process is typable, although for obvious reasons infinitely many derivations need to be considered.
An interaction model for de-identification of human data held by external custodians

Reuse of pre-existing industry datasets for research purposes requires a multi-stakeholder solution that balances the researcher's analysis objectives with the need to engage the industry data custodian, whilst respecting the privacy rights of human data subjects. Current methods place the burden on the data custodian, whom may not be sufficiently trained to fully appreciate the nuances of data de-identification. Through modelling of functional, quality, and emotional goals, we propose a de-identification in the cloud approach whereby the researcher proposes analyses along with the extraction and de-identification operations, while engaging the industry data custodian with secure control over authorising the proposed analyses. We demonstrate our approach through implementation of a de-identification portal for sports club data.
No Silver Bullet Reloaded: Report on XP 2017 Panel Session

At XP2017 in Koln, a panel was convened to discuss the classic 1987 IEEE Software paper by Frederick P. Brooks, "No Silver Bullet: Essence and Accidents in Software Engineering. " The ideas presented in his paper have influenced several generations of software developers. Brooks emphasized the notions of essential complexity and accidental complexity, and he offered suggestions for promising approaches to software development. While his approaches are linked to what we now recognize as "agile practices," panelists offered an implicit caveat that they must be done with discipline to avoid increased accidental complexity. Panelists also observed that agile development itself is not a "silver bullet".
Automatic Data Structure Repair usingSeparation Logic

Software systems are often shipped and deployed with both known and unknown bugs. On-the-fly program repairs, which handle runtime errors and allow programs to continue successfully, can help software reliability, e.g., by dealing with inconsistent or corrupted data without interrupting the runni program. We report on our work-in-progress that repairs dat structure using separation logic. Our technique, inspired by existing works on specification-based repair, takes as input specification written in a separation logic formula and a concrete data structure that fails that specification, and performs on-thefly repair to make the data conforms with the specification. The use of separation logic allows us to compactly and precisely represent desired properties of data structures and use existing analyses in separation logic to detect and repair bugs in complex data structures. We have developed a prototype, called STARFIX, to repair invalid Java data structures violating given specifications in separation logic. Preliminary results show that tool can efficiently detect and repair inconsistent data structures including lists and trees.
Spatial distribution of the full-length members of the Grg family during embryonic neurogenesis reveals a “Grg-mediated repression map” in the mouse telencephalon

The full-length members of the Groucho/Transducin-like Enhancer of split gene family, namely Grg1-4, encode nuclear corepressors that act either directly, via interaction with transcription factors, or indirectly by modifying histone acetylation or chromatin structure. In this work we describe a detailed expression analysis of Grg1-4 family members during embryonic neurogenesis in the developing murine telencephalon. Grg1-4 presented a unique, complex yet overlapping expression pattern; Grg1 and Grg3 were mainly detected in the proliferative zones of the telencephalon, Grg2 mainly in the subpallium and finally, Grg4 mainly in the subpallial post mitotic neurons. In addition, comparative analysis of the expression of Grg1-4 revealed that, at these stages, distinct telencephalic progenitor domains or structures are characterized by the presence of different combinations of Grg repressors, thus forming a “Grg-mediated repression map”.
A Nationwide Follow-up Survey on the Effectiveness of an Implemented Neuromuscular Training Program to Reduce Acute Knee Injuries in Soccer Players

Background: A cruciate ligament (CL) injury is a severe injury in soccer. Neuromuscular training programs have a well-documented preventive effect, but there are few studies on the effectiveness of such a program at a national level. The Swedish Knee Control Program (KCP) was found to be effective in preventing CL injuries in youth female soccer players. The KCP was implemented nationwide in Sweden in 2010. Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Swedish KCP in reducing acute knee injuries in soccer players at a nationwide level. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: All licensed soccer players in Sweden are covered by the same insurance company. Using this insurance database, around 17,500 acute knee injuries that were reported to the insurance company between 2006 and 2015 were included in the study. By matching the number of licensed soccer players with the number of reported injuries each year, the annual incidence of knee and CL injuries was able to be calculated. To evaluate the spread of the KCP nationally, a questionnaire was sent to all 24 Swedish district football associations (FAs) with questions regarding KCP education. The number of downloads of the KCP mobile application (app) was obtained. Results: The incidence of CL injuries decreased during the study period for both male (from 2.9 to 2.4 per 1000 player-years) and female players (from 4.9 to 3.9 per 1000 player-years). The overall incidence of knee injuries decreased in both male (from 5.6 to 4.6 per 1000 player-years) and female players (from 8.7 to 6.4 per 1000 player-years). Comparing before and after the nationwide implementation of the KCP, there was a decrease in the incidence of CL injuries by 6% (rate ratio [RR], 0.94 [95% CI, 0.89-0.98]) in male players and 13% (RR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.81-0.92]) in female players and a decrease in the incidence of knee injuries by 8% (RR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.89-0.96]) and 21% (RR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.75-0.83]), respectively (P < .01 for all). This trend corresponded to a reduction of approximately 100 CL injuries each year in Sweden. A total of 21 of 24 district FAs held organized KCP educational courses during the study period. The percentage of district FAs holding KCP courses was between 46% and 79% each year. There were 101,236 downloads of the KCP app. Conclusion: The KCP can be considered partially implemented nationwide, and the incidence of knee and CL injuries has decreased in both sexes at a nationwide level.
Attention Control in Presence of Food Cues in Restrained and Unrestrained Eaters

Introduction: This research tries to study the relation between dietary restraint and attention control in females admitted to diet therapy clinics in Kerman County. Methods: Participants were all female subjects who had been admitted to diet therapy clinics in Kerman County. The sample size included 80 women between ages of 15 to 50 years. Participants were selected through convenience sampling. All participants were asked to fill out the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and respond to Stroop task software. Results: The restrained eaters’ reaction time towards food stimuli was higher than that of unrestrained eaters. The reaction time in Stroop effect condition in restrained eaters was higher than that of unrestrained eaters. In restrained eaters, the reaction time in presence of food stimuli was higher than the condition in which non-food stimuli were presented. In presence of food stimuli, the reaction time in Stroop effect condition was higher than non-Stroop effect. Finally, it was determined that in non-Stroop conditions compared to Stroop conditions, strained eaters had a higher reaction time in presence of food stimuli than the condition in which non-food stimuli were presented. Conclusion: These findings verify the role of attention bias in reaction to food stimuli in restrained eaters and they suggest that diet success relies on avoiding interactions related to food.
Nomadic Performativity and the Immanent Ethics of Life

This essay discusses Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari’s notion of nomadology, which can be used as the basis for an ontological and aesthetic alternative to our understanding of representational theatre. Referring to different meanings of nomadology, the essay argues for the notion of nomadic performativity, which can be applied to recent non-representational performative practices. For this purpose the essay makes an indirect comparison between Deleuze and Guattari’s philosophical ideas and their sporadic insights into art, such as Francis Bacon’s paintings and Antonin Artaud’s theatre. Deleuze discusses theatre in “One Less Manifesto”, his only text directly dedicated to theatre and to Carmelo Bene’s productions. Referring to the structural deformations in Bene’s work, Deleuze argues for non-representational theatre, based not on representation and identity but on continuous variation and differentiation. In other words, if theatre as a form of representation creates a striated and hierarchized space that embodies and increases power, the non-representational theatre creates a nomadic smooth space of continuous variation, which transposes everything into a constant becoming. In this respect nomadic performativity covers these meanings: first, it is a distribution of intensities, which come to replace forms, bonds, organized hierarchies; second, it refers to fusional multiplicities rather than self-identical subjects; and third, it opens up the potential for change and “becoming-minor” instead of representing major figures of power.
Cdk1-dependent phosphorylation of KIF4A at S1186 triggers lateral chromosome compaction during early mitosis

Chromosome organization during cell division is achieved through the timely association of proteins with chromatin and is regulated by protein phosphorylation. Kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A) plays an important role in the chromosome organization through the formation of the chromosome scaffold structure. However, the relationship between the function of KIF4A and its phosphorylation remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that Cdk1-dependent phosphorylation of KIF4A at S1186 is required for chromosome binding and chromosome scaffold formation. The KIF4A mutant, which is not phosphorylated at S1186, was found to localize to the nucleus during interphase but did not accumulate in the chromosome scaffold after nuclear envelope breakdown. In addition, defects in KIF4A phosphorylation were found to disrupt the interaction of KIF4A with the condensin I complex. As a result, the morphology of the chromosomes was observed to be laterally decondensed, without condensin I in the chromosome scaffold. Additionally, a defect in chromosome segregation, chromosome bridge formation, was often observed. Although both KIF4A and condensin I disappeared from the chromosomes, the chromosomal localization of condensin II was not affected. Collectively, our novel results revealed that Cdk1-dependent KIF4A phosphorylation at S1186 is a trigger for chromosomal organization during early mitosis.
Comparative genomics of Botryosphaeria dothidea and B. kuwatsukai, causal agents of apple ring rot, reveals both species expansion of pathogenicity-related genes and variations in virulence gene content during speciation

Ring rot, one of the most destructive diseases of apple worldwide, is caused primarily by Botryosphaeria dothidea and B. kuwatsukai. Here, we sequenced the genomes of B. dothidea strain PG45 (44.3 Mb with 5.12 % repeat rate) and B. kuwatsukai epitype strain PG2 (48.0 Mb with 13.02 % repeat rate), and conducted a comparative analysis of these two genomes, as well as other sequenced fungal genomes, in order to understand speciation and distinctive patterns of evolution of pathogenicity-related genes. Pair-wise genome alignments revealed that the two species are highly syntenic (96.74 % average sequence identity). Both species encode a significant number of pathogenicity-related genes, e.g. carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZYs), plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs), secondary metabolites (SMs) biosynthetic enzymes, cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs), and secreted peptidases, in comparison to all additional sequenced fungal species involved in various life-styles. The number of pathogenicity-related genes in B. dothidea and B. kuwatsukai is higher than other genomes of Botryosphaeriaceae pathogens (Macrophomina phaseolina and Neofusicoccum parvum), suggesting a secondary round of Botryosphaeria-lineage expansion in the family. There were, however, also significant differences in the genomes of the two Botryosphaeria species. Botryosphaeria kuwatsukai, which infects only apple and pear, apparently lost a set of SMs genes, CAZYs and PCWDEs, possibly as a result of host specialization. Botryosphaeria kuwatsukai contained significantly more transposable elements and higher value of repeat induced point (RIP) index than B. dothidea. Our results will be instrumental in understanding how both phytopathogens interact with their plant hosts and in designing efficient strategies for disease control and molecular breeding to help ensure global apple production and food security.
Early postnatal nutrition after preterm birth and cardiometabolic risk factors in young adulthood

Objectives Adults born preterm at very low birthweight (VLBW; <1500 g) have a non-optimal cardiometabolic risk factor profile. Since higher protein intake during the first weeks of life predicted a healthier body composition in adulthood in our previous studies, we hypothesized that it would also predict a favorable cardiometabolic profile. Study design The Helsinki Study of VLBW Adults includes 166 VLBW and preterm infants born between 1978 and 1985. We collected postnatal nutrition data among 125 unimpaired subjects, who attended two study visits at the mean ages of 22.5 and 25.1 years. We evaluated the effects of energy and macronutrient intakes during the first three 3-week periods of life on key cardiometabolic risk factors with multiple linear regression models. We also report results adjusted for prenatal, postnatal and adult characteristics. Results Macronutrient and energy intakes were not associated with blood pressure, heart rate, or lipid levels in adulthood. Intakes were neither associated with fasting glucose or most other markers of glucose metabolism. An exception was that the first-three-weeks-of-life intakes predicted higher fasting insulin levels: 1 g/kg/day higher protein intake by 37.6% (95% CI: 8.0%, 75.2%), and 10 kcal/kg/day higher energy intake by 8.6% (2.6%, 14.9%), when adjusted for sex and age. These early intakes similarly predicted the adult homeostasis model assessment index. Further adjustments strengthened these findings. Conclusions Among VLBW infants with relatively low early energy intake, early macronutrient and energy intakes were unrelated to blood pressure, lipid levels and intravenous glucose tolerance test results. Contrary to our hypothesis, a higher macronutrient intake during the first three weeks of life predicted higher fasting insulin concentration in young adulthood.
Gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis despite clinical and lesion stability during natalizumab treatment

Background Brain volume loss is an important surrogate marker for assessing disability in MS; however, contribution of gray and white matter to the whole brain volume loss needs further examination in the context of specific MS treatment. Objectives To examine whole and segmented gray, white, thalamic, and corpus callosum volume loss in stable patients receiving natalizumab for 2–5 years. Methods This was a retrospective study of 20 patients undergoing treatment with natalizumab for 24–68 months. Whole brain volume loss was determined with SIENA. Gray and white matter segmentation was done using FAST. Thalamic and corpus callosum volumes were determined using Freesurfer. T1 relaxation values of chronic hypointense lesions (black holes) were determined using a quantitative, in-house developed method to assess lesion evolution. Results Over a mean of 36.6 months, median percent brain volume change (PBVC) was -2.0% (IQR 0.99–2.99). There was decline in gray (p = 0.001) but not white matter (p = 0.6), and thalamic (p = 0.01) but not corpus callosum volume (p = 0.09). Gray matter loss correlated with PBVC (Spearman’s r = 0.64, p = 0.003) but not white matter (Spearman’s r = 0.42, p = 0.07). Age significantly influenced whole brain volume loss (p = 0.010, multivariate regression), but disease duration and baseline T2 lesion volume did not. There was no change in T1 relaxation values of lesions or T2 lesion volume over time. All patients remained clinically stable. Conclusions These results demonstrate that brain volume loss in MS is primarily driven by gray matter changes and may be independent of clinically effective treatment.
Invariance properties for the error function used for multilinear regression

The connections between the error function used in multilinear regression and the expected, or assumed, properties of the data are investigated. It is shown that two of the most basic properties often required in data analysis, scale and rotational invariance, are incompatible. With this, it is established that multilinear regression using an error function derived from a geometric mean is both scale and reflectively invariant. The resulting error function is also shown to have the property that its minimizer, under certain conditions, is well approximated using the centroid of the error simplex. It is then applied to several multidimensional real world data sets, and compared to other regression methods.
Oxidative Stress in Women Treated with Atosiban for Impending Preterm Birth

Preterm birth is defined as delivery before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, and it is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Oxidative stress is recognized as an important factor in the pathogenesis of premature labor. We conducted this analysis to investigate the safety of administration of the tocolytic drug Atosiban—a reversible, competitive antagonist of the oxytocin receptor in the treatment of preterm birth and its impact on the level of oxidative stress in pregnant women after 48 hours of tocolytic treatment. This prospective study was conducted between March 2016 and August 2017 at the Obstetric Clinic of the Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) values as well as 3-nitrotyrosine, carbonyl, and thiol group levels were measured using an ELISA test in serum and plasma of 56 pregnant women before and after 48 hours of continuous administration of Atosiban. We found that TAS levels decreased almost twice after the 48-hour drug administration (0.936 ± 0.360 mmol/L vs. 0.582 ± 0.305 mmol/L, P < 0.001) while TOS increased from 18.217 ± 16.093 μmol/L to 30.442 ± 30.578 μmol/L (P < 0.001). We also found a significant increase in OSI index—almost a threefold increase from 0.022 ± 0.022 to 0.075 ± 0.085, P < 0.001. In addition, statistically significant differences in the level of carbonyl groups were found. It increased from 65.358 ± 31.332 μmol/L to 97.982 ± 38.047 μmol/L (P < 0.001), which indicates increased oxidation of plasma proteins. Furthermore, patients who gave birth prematurely had higher levels of TOS after a 48-hour drug administration than the second group with labor after 37 weeks of pregnancy (42.803 ± 34.683 μmol/L vs. 25.792 ± 27.821 μmol/L, P < 0.031). The obtained results clearly indicate that pregnant women during tocolytic treatment with Atosiban are in a state of increased oxidative stress and occurrence of preterm birth can be associated with this phenomenon. This trial is registered with NCT03570294.