Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tracking Public Beliefs About Anthropogenic Climate Change

A simple question about climate change, with one choice designed to match consensus statements by scientists, was asked on 35 US nationwide, single-state or regional surveys from 2010 to 2015. Analysis of these data (over 28,000 interviews) yields robust and exceptionally well replicated findings on public beliefs about anthropogenic climate change, including regional variations, change over time, demographic bases, and the interacting effects of respondent education and political views. We find that more than half of the US public accepts the scientific consensus that climate change is happening now, caused mainly by human activities. A sizable, politically opposite minority (about 30 to 40%) concede the fact of climate change, but believe it has mainly natural causes. Few (about 10 to 15%) say they believe climate is not changing, or express no opinion. The overall proportions appear relatively stable nationwide, but exhibit place-to-place variations. Detailed analysis of 21 consecutive surveys within one fairly representative state (New Hampshire) finds a mild but statistically significant rise in agreement with the scientific consensus over 2010–2015. Effects from daily temperature are detectable but minor. Hurricane Sandy, which brushed New Hampshire but caused no disaster there, shows no lasting impact on that state’s time series—suggesting that non-immediate weather disasters have limited effects. In all datasets political orientation dominates among individual-level predictors of climate beliefs, moderating the otherwise positive effects from education. Acceptance of anthropogenic climate change rises with education among Democrats and Independents, but not so among Republicans. The continuing series of surveys provides a baseline for tracking how future scientific, political, socioeconomic or climate developments impact public acceptance of the scientific consensus.
Review of Pro- and/or Prebiotics in Extensively Hydrolyzed or Amino Acid-Based Infant Formula for Food Allergy

Received: January 27, 2017 Revised: March 30, 2017 Accepted: April 12, 2017 Abstract: Background: The incidence of food allergy is a growing health concern in the United States. Research suggests that there is a link between the gut microbiota and the development of allergy. As a result, researchers propose that gut microbial populations could affect the development and management of immunological disease.
Statistical-Based Approach to Non-segmented Language Processing

Several approaches have been studied to cope with the exceptional features of non-segmented languages. When there is no explicit information about the boundary of a word, segmenting an input text is a formidable task in language processing. Not only the contemporary word list, but also usages of the words have to be maintained to cover the use in the current texts. The accuracy and efficiency in higher processing do heavily rely on this word boundary identification task. In this paper, we introduce some statistical based approaches to tackle the problem due to the ambiguity in word segmentation. The word boundary identification problem is then defined as a part of others for performing the unified language processing in total. To exhibit the ability in conducting the unified language processing, we selectively study the tasks of language identification, word extraction, and dictionary-less search engine.
Mismatch Negativity: Clinical and Other Applications

The perspectives of application of the mismatch negativity (MMN), generated by the brain’s automatic response to change in auditory stimulation, are discussed. In light of the fact that the MMN (and its magnetic equivalent MMNm) currently provides the only objective measure of the accuracy of the central auditory function, these perspectives appear very promising. The MMN can be measured in the absence of attention and task requirements, which makes it particularly suitable for testing different clinical populations and infants. Furthermore, the MMN enables one to evaluate the accuracy of auditory discrimination separately for any acoustic feature, such as frequency, intensity and duration, and for learned categories, such as the phonemes of a particular language. In addition, by measuring the decay of the MMN amplitude as a function of the interstimulus interval, it is possible to estimate the duration of sensory (echoic) memory.
Ontology Based Business Process Description

Coupling of cross-organizational business processes in electronic markets is a difficult and time-consuming task. In practice business processes are geographically distributed which makes it particulary difficult for business partners to coordinate their supply chains and customer relationship management with business units. By using formal description languages such as Petri nets for modeling inter-organizational business processes, purely syntactic composition problems of distributed business environments can be solved. However, the missing semantic representation of Petri nets can hamper the interconnectivity of business processes. Usually, several business partners, even if they share similar demands, have their own specific vocabularies. By representing business processes with Petri nets in combination with the Web Ontology Language (OWL) our approach provides flexibility, ease of integration and a significant level of automation of loosely coupled business processes even if they do not share their respective vocabularies.
[Chromosome copy analysis by single-cell comparative genomic hybridization technique based on primer extension preamplification and degenerate oligonucleotide primed-PCR].

OBJECTIVE To establish a single-cell whole genome amplification (WGA) technique, in combination with comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), for analyzing chromosomal copy number changes, and to explore its clinical application in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). METHODS Twelve single-cell samples with known karyotypes, including 5 chorionic villus samples, 4 human embryonic stem cell (hESC) samples and 3 peripheral lymphocyte samples, and 4 single blastomere samples carrying chromosomal abnormalities detected by PGD, were collected for whole genome amplification by combining primer extension preamplification (PEP) with degenerate oligonucleotide primed-PCR (DOP-PCR) amplification. The amplified products labeled by red fluorescence were mixed with control DNA labeled by green fluorescence, and then the mixture was analyzed by CGH. As a comparison, 10 single cell samples were amplified by DOP-PCR only and then CGH analysis was performed. RESULTS The amplification using PEP-DOP-PCR was more stable than traditional DOP-PCR. The products of PEP-DOP-PCR range from 100 bp to 1000 bp, with the mean size being about 400 bp. The CGH results were consistent with analyses by other methods. However, only 6 out of 10 single cell samples were successfully amplified by DOP-PCR, and CGH analysis showed a high background and 2 samples showed inconsistent results from other methods. CONCLUSION PEP-DOP-PCR can effectively amplify the whole genome DNA of single cell. Combined with CGH, this WGA method can successfully detect single-cell chromosomal copy number changes, while DOP-PCR was easy to fail to amplify and amplify inhomogeneously, and CGH analysis using this PCR product usually showed high background. These results suggest that PEP-DOP-CGH is a promising method for preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
The Sec translocon mediated protein transport in prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Abstract Protein transport via the Sec translocon represents an evolutionary conserved mechanism for delivering cytosolically-synthesized proteins to extra-cytosolic compartments. The Sec translocon has a three-subunit core, termed Sec61 in Eukaryotes and SecYEG in Bacteria. It is located in the endoplasmic reticulum of Eukaryotes and in the cytoplasmic membrane of Bacteria where it constitutes a channel that can be activated by multiple partner proteins. These partner proteins determine the mechanism of polypeptide movement across the channel. During SRP-dependent co-translational targeting, the ribosome threads the nascent protein directly into the Sec channel. This pathway is in Bacteria mainly dedicated for membrane proteins but in Eukaryotes also employed by secretory proteins. The alternative pathway, leading to post-translational translocation across the Sec translocon engages an ATP-dependent pushing mechanism by the motor protein SecA in Bacteria and a ratcheting mechanism by the lumenal chaperone BiP in Eukaryotes. Protein transport and biogenesis is also assisted by additional proteins at the lateral gate of SecY/Sec61α and in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum or in the periplasm of bacterial cells. The modular assembly enables the Sec complex to transport a vast array of substrates. In this review we summarize recent biochemical and structural information on the prokaryotic and eukaryotic Sec translocons and we describe the remarkably complex interaction network of the Sec complexes.
Orally administered heat-killed Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 can upregulate cell-mediated immunity in senescence-accelerated mice.

The present study was conducted to test the ability of probiotic lactobacilli to alter age-related immunosenescence in host animals. Senescence-accelerated mouse prone 1 mice were orally fed heat-killed Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356) for 4 and 8 weeks at dosages of 10 mg day(-1) after a 16-week period of prefeeding with a standard diet. After 4 and 8 weeks of TMC0356 intervention, splenic activation of natural killer (NK) cells and mRNA expression of cytokines and other immune molecules in the lungs were analysed. After 4 and 8 weeks, splenic NK cell activities were significantly higher in the TMC0356-fed mice compared with control mice (P < 0.05). After 4 weeks, mRNA expression of interleukin-2 and interferon-(α and β) receptor 1 in lung cells isolated from the TMC0356-fed mice also increased significantly compared with that in lung cells from the control mice (P < 0.05). These results suggest that lactobacilli, especially certain selected strains, might enhance cell-mediated immunity in host animals and thereby alter age-related immunosenescence.
Propagation of ultra wide-band signals in lossy dispersive media

Development of a channel model for continuous frequencies enables the analysis of communications in an ultra wide band wireless network in indoor environment including a single transmitting and a single receiving antenna. In this work we will describe a model taking into account multiple reflections which are a consequence of the room in which both transmitter and receiver are localized including wall, ceiling and floor reflections. Moreover, our model enables the analysis of a communication channel between adjacent and distant rooms, in those cases we take into account the wide band signal propagation through separating walls. The model developed is in the frequency domain and thus allows analyzing dispersive effects in transmission and reflection of ultra short pulses in UWB communications from building materials which the room is made of in accordance with their complex dielectric coefficients. For this purpose a library of material characteristics of various materials (concrete, reinforced concrete, plaster, wood, blocks, glass, stone and more) in the standard frequency domain for wireless networks was assembled. One of the important phenomena for UWB communications which our research has revealed is the in-wall multiple reflections resulting in echoes of the narrow pulse transmitted. Our model takes into account antenna polarization and beam shape, the effect of those traits are clearly distinguishable. Space-frequency theory of the propagation of an ultra-wide band radiation in dielectric media is presented. The transfer function of a slab of material is derived in the frequency domain, considering polarization losses via a complex permittivity. It is shown that absorptive and dispersive effects play a role in the transmission and reflection coefficients of the electromagnetic incident field. The theory is applicable in the analysis of broadband communication links operating in wireless local or personal area networks. In an indoor scenario, the construction material of the walls attenuates the propagating waves in a dispersive manner, causing amplitude and phase distortions in the transmitted signal.
What Motivates Employees to Transfer Knowledge Outside Their Work Unit?

Although intrafirm knowledge transfer is linked with higher productivity and organizational survival, information sharing across units remains a challenge. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, motivations predictive of employees' decisions to share and seek knowledge beyond their work group were examined in the present study. Results of a quantitative survey (N = 480) found that employees who perceived greater organizational rewards for sharing spent more hours sharing knowledge beyond their immediate work group. In contrast, employees who perceived knowledge as a means of achieving upward organizational mobility were less likely to share and somewhat more likely to seek information. In addition, employees were less motivated to share and seek knowledge beyond their work group to the extent that they believed that reciprocity norms governed information exchange and to the extent they identified more strongly with their subunit relative to the organization. Practical implications and directions for future research are explored in the concluding discussion of the article.
A combination replication strategy for data-intensive services in distributed geographic information system

Distributed geographic information system is a typical service-intensive application which has to store massive data in lots of storages and server for a large number of users. Due to the slow network input/output, replicas can be used to improve system performance. Since all data have the relationships of long-term stability as well as short-term bursty, a comprehensive method which considers not only static replicas and its placement strategy but also dynamic replicas and its selection strategy can achieve more significant improvements and are proposed in this article. First, a general dynamic correlation representation model of all data is designed and implemented. And then replica selection strategies for static copies and dynamic copies are proposed based on their relationships. Also, a comprehensive data placement strategy for all data and all replicas is defined to realize load balance. Finally, the performance of the proposed method has been proved through a series of comparative experiments, and the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can meet the requirements of distributed geographic information system in all aspects, including different dataset, different access modes, and different data scales and can achieve an average local storage hit ratio of about 11.55%–45.22% higher than the other methods.
Lichen Striatus: Description of 89 Cases in Children

Abstract: Lichen striatus (LS) is a benign, self‐limited, linear, inflammatory dermatosis of unknown etiology that usually affects children. We analyzed 89 cases in regard to age of appearance, sex, race, symptoms, seasonal incidence, localization of lesions and affected side of the body, and presence of atopy. Lesions predominated on the inferior limbs, with no preponderance of any age, and were asymptomatic in the majority of the instances. There was no difference in the incidence of LS in regard to the season of the year. A possible association of lichen sclerosus with atopy and pruritus was observed.
Prolonged CD4+ cell/virus load discordance during treatment with protease inhibitor-based highly active antiretroviral therapy: immune response and viral control.

Mechanisms that underly discordant CD4+ cell/virus load (VL) responses in patients who receive highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were studied in 30 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients, in 3 groups. Discordant responders maintained CD4+ cell levels >200/mm(3) with stable or increasing trend, despite sustained VLs of 500-5000 copies/mL, for >2 years. Treatment-success patients had CD4+ cell counts >200/mm(3) with stable or increasing trend and VLs <50 copies/mL, for >2 years. Treatment-failure patients initially responded to HAART, followed by decreasing CD4+ cell counts and increasing VLs. Interferon-gamma production to gag and noncytolytic CD8+ cell suppressive activity were greater in discordant responders. Cellular activation was greatest in patients with treatment failure. All discordant responders had non-syncytium-inducing (CCR5-tropic) viruses. Viruses from discordant responders and from patients with treatment failure had extensive resistance mutations; discordant responders had significantly lower viral replication capacities. These findings suggest that discordant responses may be related to enhanced HIV-directed immune responses, diminished cellular activation, decreased viral replication capacity, and preservation of non-syncytium-inducing virus strains.
Cooperative MTC Data Offloading with Trust Transitivity Framework in 5G Networks

The unprecedented growth in the data demands requires the effective use of data offloading techniques in 5G networks. Machine type communication (MTC) foster this growing trend even further. This paper proposes a novel cooperative data offloading scheme with the help of multiple mobile relaying devices. The proposed scheme cooperatively aggregates data from surrounding MTC devices and transmits it to the base station. The paper also presents the framework for the selection of secured and trusted relays by using the concept of trust transitivity. The proposed relay scheme is compared with existing algorithms including mobile and stationary relay schemes. The simulation results show that our proposed scheme improves outage probability and communication delay by 33% and 25%, respectively as compared to fixed relay scheme.
YouQoS - Combining Quality of Service with Network Neutrality

Broadband Internet connectivity is often limited by the last mile, which's average achievable data rate is rising only slowly. Quality of Service (QoS) measures to improve on existing lines may easily violate regulatory rules for privacy and network neutrality. YouQoS is a concept for user-controlled traffic management, which preserves privacy and network neutrality, while offering supreme Quality of Service especially in downstream direction. The idea is that users provide information on general preferences and situation-specific needs that an arbiter in the network uses to send flow configuration commands to the respective access network equipment. The arbiter, called the YouQoS Server, is a broker that on the one hand prevents user-provided private information from leaking, and on the other hand prevents the creation of malicious commands towards network operator equipment. In future Software-Defined Access Networks (SDAN) the only remaining physical devices will be simplified Software- Defined Network (SDN) Datapaths. To investigate options for YouQoS usage together with those SDN Datapaths, the YouQoS Box was defined. It implements all necessary YouQoS functionalities, like packet inspection, QoS marking, and shaping, in order to identify the most efficient function splits. With this device, it will be possible to add advanced functionality and full visibility to QoS experimentation. The YouQoS Box might even be added to current access networks between Broadband Remote Access Server (BRAS) and DSL Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) to provide the YouQoS service.
Using Sub-dictionaries for Image Representation Based on the Bag-of-Visual-Words Approach

Bag-of-Visual-Words (BoVW) is a well known approach to represent images for visual recognition and retrieval tasks. This approach represents an image as a histogram of visual words and the dissimilarity between two images is measured by comparing those histograms. When performing comparisons involving a specific type of images, some visual words can be more informative and discriminative than others. To take advantage of this fact, assigning appropriate weights can improve the performance of image retrieval. In this paper, we developed a novel modeling approach based on sub dictionaries. We extracted a sub-dictionary as a subset of visual words that best represents a specific image class. To measure the dissimilarity distance between images, we take into account the distance of the histogram obtained using the visual dictionary and the distances of the sub histograms obtained by each sub-dictionary. The proposed approach was evaluated by classifying a standard biomedical image dataset into categories defined by image modality and body part and also natural image scenes. The experimental results demonstrate the gain obtained of the proposed weighting approach when compared to the traditional weighting approach based on TF-IDF (Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency). Our proposed approach has shown promising results to boost the classification accuracy as well as the retrieval precision. Moreover, it does that without increasing the feature vector dimensionality.
Interaction-in-the-large vs interaction-in-the-small in multi-device systems

In this paper we analyze how interaction develops in multi-device environments by distinguishing two layers: an interaction in the large layer defines an interactive experience across different devices and locations, where roles and tasks evolve and intertwine; an interaction in the small layer defines the actions done and the interaction techniques used to execute a specific, self-contained task on a device. We present a notation to describe interaction in the large and demonstrate how it can be useful to understand the interaction layers perceived by the users during an interactive experience. We finally report about a user experiment in the context of a real application scenario to evaluate concretely which interaction layers the users observe and if they are able to recognize the boundaries theoretically identified through the notation.
Large-Scale Graph-Based Semi-Supervised Learning via Tree Laplacian Solver

Graph-based Semi-Supervised learning is one of the most popular and successful semi-supervised learning methods. Typically, it predicts the labels of unlabeled data by minimizing a quadratic objective induced by the graph, which is unfortunately a procedure of polynomial complexity in the sample size $n$. In this paper, we address this scalability issue by proposing a method that approximately solves the quadratic objective in nearly linear time. The method consists of two steps: it first approximates a graph by a minimum spanning tree, and then solves the tree-induced quadratic objective function in O(n) time which is the main contribution of this work. Extensive experiments show the significant scalability improvement over existing scalable semi-supervised learning methods.
A novel bridgeless flyback power factor correction rectifier with single output winding and reduced components voltage stress

In this paper, a novel bridgeless Flyback power factor correction rectifier is presented. Two active power switches, rather than the line-voltage diode bridge, are used to provide the bidirectional power flow. In comparison with the existing Flyback rectifiers, the proposed topology uses less number of transformer windings which simplifies the complexity of implementation in terms of magnetic utilization. Besides, the voltage stress on the output diodes and capacitors is reduced. After carrying out a detailed theoretical analysis, performance of the proposed converter was verified by simulations and experiments. The experimental tests on a 110 V to 48 V, 50W prototype reveal that an average efficiency at 90% and a high power factor can be achieved.