Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Icon Taxonomy for Semi-Literate Communities Research-in-Progress

Icons, or pictorial and graphical objects, are commonly used in human-computer interaction (HCI) fields as the mediator in order to communicate information to users. However, there have been little studies focusing on the majority of the world’s population ‐ semi-literate communities ‐ in terms of icon design. In this study, a new icon taxonomy of four quadrants, namely abstract-general, abstract-contextual, concrete-general, and concrete-contextual, are proposed for evaluating performance for icons designed for semi-literate communities. Paper-based questionnaires of icon preference and comprehension are utilized in two farming villages in India. Based on the experiments and analysis, icons fall in the quadrant of concrete-contextual is proved to perform best in both icon preference and comprehension. The influence of cultural dimension (contextual or general) has more significant impact on icon performance than structural formation (abstract or concrete). The best and worst performed icons are also discussed in this paper.
Na+,K+‐ATPase is modulated by angiotensin II in diabetic rat kidney – another reason for diabetic nephropathy?

Angiotensin II (ANGII) plays a central role in the enhanced sodium reabsorption in early type 1 diabetes in man and in streptozotocin‐induced (STZ) diabetic rats. This study investigates the effect of untreated STZ‐diabetes leading to diabetic nephropathy in combination with ANGII treatment, on the abundance and localization of the renal Na+,K+‐ATPase (NKA), a major contributor of renal sodium handling. After 7 weeks of STZ‐diabetes (i.v. 65 mg kg−1) a subgroup of control (C) and diabetic (D7) Wistar rats were treated with ANGII (s.c. minipump 33 μg kg−1 h−1 for 24 h; CA and D7A). We measured renal function and mRNA expression, protein level, Serin23 phosphorylation, subcellular distribution, and enzyme activity of NKA α‐1 subunit in the kidney cortex. Diabetes increased serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels (C versus D7), as did ANGII (C versus CA, D7 versus D7A). Both diabetes (C versus D7) and ANGII increased NKA α‐1 protein level and enzyme activity (C versus CA, D7 versus D7A). Furthermore, the combination led to an additive increase (D7 versus D7A, CA versus D7A). NKA α‐1 Ser23 phosphorylation was higher both in D7 and ANGII‐treated rats in the non‐cytoskeletal fraction, while no signal was detected in the cytoskeletal fraction. Control kidneys showed NKA α‐1 immunopositivity on the basolateral membrane of proximal tubular cells, while both D7 and ANGII broadened NKA immunopositivity towards the cytoplasm. Our study demonstrates that diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the mRNA expression, protein level, Ser23 phosphorylation and enzyme activity of renal NKA, which is further elevated by ANGII. Despite an increase in total NKA quantity in diabetic nephropathy, the redistribution to the cystosol suggests the Na+ pump is no longer functional. ANGII also caused translocation from the basolateral membrane, thus in diabetic states where ANGII level is acutely elevated, the loss of NKA will be exacerbated. This provides another mechanism by which ANGII blockade is likely to be protective.
Sentiment Analysis Methods for Social Media

Sentiment Analysis became an important topic in the Web recently, especially regarding to Online Social Networks. Many applications are monitoring products and brands, and even important social events like political campaigns. A large number of Sentiment Analysis methods and techniques were proposed in the literature. This short course offers an introduction to explore this theme. First, we present an overview about sentiment analysis and it's popular applications. Next, we discuss main methods from literature. Finally, we compare these methods with each other highlighting advantages and limitations.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Understanding local community’s values, worldviews and perceptions in the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve, Scotland.

Biosphere reserves have been studied around the world, but methods to elicit community’s values, worldviews and perceptions are missing. A greater understanding of these can help avoid tension and improve successful management. This paper used a mixed-methods survey to elicit local community’s environmental values, ecological world views and perceptions of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve (GSABR). Over three weeks, forty participants from three communities of the GSABR responded to a semi-structured mixed-methods survey. The survey revealed that residents of the GSABR greatly value wildlife and beauty of nature, and that the majority of the respondents showed concern for the environment from an ecocentric worldview. Results also revealed that the most influential tested socio-demographic characteristic affecting people’s relationship to their environment is their professional affiliation. Tourism and recreation were seen as major benefits of the recent biosphere designation. Results did highlight contrasting benefits from the designation for different stakeholder groups, which could potentially lead to tensions and should be considered in the reserve management. Given the community’s supportive world views and perceptions, greater participation in the biosphere’s management in likely to be welcomed and should be used to avoid or mediate any conflicts. The mixed-method survey developed for this study, proved successful in eliciting these themes in the GSABR. We recommend other biosphere reserves replicate this research, to gain better understanding of local communities and increase their support and participation in reserve management.
Therapeutic Peptides under the Spotlight

The therapeutic peptides market emerged in the 1970s, when Novartis launched Lypressin, a vasopressin analogue. Since then, approximately 30 peptides have reached the market, representing a €5.3 billion opportunity in 2003 (over 1.5 per cent of the €325 billion global pharmaceutical market). Among the different classes of peptides, GNRH/LHRH agonists (leuprorelin, goserelin) account for almost 50 per cent of the market. Other key commercialised peptides include sandostatin (somatostatin analogue, Novartis), glatiramer (immunomodulator peptide, Teva), salmon calcitonin (Miacalcin, Novartis) and desmopressin (DDAVP, Ferring) (see Figure 1). Therapeutic Peptides under the Spotlight 400
Integrated model for battery Electric Vehicles with energy harvesting active suspension system

This paper presents an integrated vehicle model to simulate simultaneously the driver, powertrains, chassis, body, road condition, vehicle dynamics and the Active Suspension (AS) system with/without an energy harvesting module. The developed model is used to investigate the ride comfort and influences of energy harvesting AS system on the total energy consumption of battery Electric Vehicles (EVs) relative to EVs with a passive suspension system. Preliminary simulation results show that compared to EVs with a passive suspension system, the ones with AS system improve ride comfort, up to 31% reduction of the vehicle body acceleration RMS value, with an expense of higher energy consumption. This expense can be reduced to about 2.8% when using an energy harvesting AS system. Simulation results also demonstrate that the available energy for recuperation during the AS system operation is significant in relation to the regenerative braking energy of the propulsion system, up to approx. 70% on bumpy road surfaces.
Exocytosis acts as a modulator of the ILT4-mediated inhibition of neutrophil functions

Significance Neutrophils are key components of inflammatory responses and immune defense against pathogens. Neutrophil functions are tightly controlled by surface receptors. Our study shows that the engagement of immunoglobulin-like transcript 4 (ILT4) inhibitory receptor impairs phagocytosis and respiratory burst of neutrophils. Moreover, we found that following induction of neutrophil granule exocytosis, ILT4 expression increases as a result of the rapid translocation of an intracellular pool to the cell surface. This increase of ILT4 expression enhances the ILT4-mediated inhibition of neutrophil activity. Finally, ILT4 up-regulation on neutrophils is impaired in sepsis patients. These results reveal a unique mechanism of regulation of neutrophil functions through ILT4 and its exocytosis that may have implications in inflammatory disorders and immune responses. Neutrophils play a major role in inflammatory responses and immune defense against pathogens. Even though expression of inhibitory receptors has been reported on neutrophils, their role remains poorly defined. Here we show that primary human neutrophils expressed immunoglobulin-like transcript 4 (ILT4) inhibitory receptor and that this expression was induced during differentiation of the myelomonoblast PLB-985 cell line into “neutrophil-like” cells. Functional assays indicated that human leukocyte antigen G, the preferred ligand of ILT4, inhibited the phagocytic function of neutrophils. ILT4 engagement also impaired reactive oxygen species production induced through CD32a and both receptors were found colocalized into neutrophil lipid rafts. Moreover, neutrophil degranulation induced through inflammatory stimuli increased ILT4 expression as a result of the rapid translocation of an intracellular pool to the cell surface. Consequently to this ILT4 up-regulation, the human leukocyte antigen G-mediated inhibition of neutrophil phagocytic function was enhanced. Finally, we found that ILT4 up-regulation induced on healthy donor neutrophils following stimulation was impaired in presence of plasma from patients with sepsis. Similarly, ILT4 up-regulation was inhibited in neutrophils from septic patients. Altogether, our results reveal a unique mechanism of regulation of neutrophil functions through ILT4 and its exocytosis that may have implications in inflammatory disorders.
Organization and Transmitter Specificity of Medullary Neurons Activated by Sustained Hypertension: Implications for Understanding Baroreceptor Reflex Circuitry

In situ expression of c-fos observed in response to phenylephrine (PE)-induced hypertension provided a basis for characterizing the organization and neurotransmitter specificity of neurons at nodal points of medullary baroreflex circuitry. Sustained hypertension induced by a moderate dose of PE provoked patterns ofc-fos mRNA and protein expression that conformed in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) to the termination patterns of primary baroreceptor afferents and in the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) to a physiologically defined depressor region. A majority of barosensitive CVLM neurons concurrently displayed markers for the GABAergic phenotype; few were glycinergic. Phenylephrine-sensitive GABAergic neurons that were retrogradely labeled after tracer deposits in pressor sites of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) occupied a zone extending ∼1.4 mm rostrally from the level of the calamus scriptorius, intermingled partly with catecholaminergic neurons of the A1 and C1 cell groups. By contrast, barosensitive neurons of the NTS were found to be phenotypically complex, with very few projecting directly to the RVLM. Extensive colocalization of PE-induced Fos-IR and markers for the nitric oxide phenotype were seen in a circumscribed, rostral, portion of the baroreceptor afferent zone of the NTS, whereas only a small proportion of PE-sensitive neurons in the NTS were found to be GABAergic. PE treatment parameters have been identified that provide a basis for defining and characterizing populations of neurons at the first station in the central processing of primary baroreceptor input and at a key inhibitory relay in the CVLM.
Artificial physics optimisation algorithm guided by diversity

In order to avoid the stagnation evolution of APO population, the thinking of dissipative structure theory and population diversity are combined in APO. Firstly, a chaos factor is introduced to judge whether the individuals doing dissipative movement or not, which is defined in a dissipation rule. However, the behaviour of an individual decided by the dissipation rule has blindness. Hence, population diversity is used to guide individual's movement. Then a diversity factor is introduced to judge whether population diversity is good or bad. If population diversity is worse than the diversity factor, individuals will do dissipative movement according to dissipation rule. The proposed algorithm is called APO algorithm guide by diversity APOD. Simulation results show APOD algorithm can improve the population diversity and global search capability of APO algorithm.
Linkage studies of D2 and D4 receptor genes and alcoholism.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate two polymorphisms near the D2 receptor gene (TaqI A RFLP and C microsatellite) and a VNTR for D4. A nonparametric linkage (NPL) technique, SIBPAL, was used to test for the presence or absence of linkage in 54 multiplex alcoholic families. These families had been ascertained through two alcoholic proband siblings in order to increase the density of alcoholic cases within these pedigrees. Phenotypic definitions of alcoholism were manipulated in an effort to determine the impact of severity (signs of physical dependence, early age of onset, presence of antisocial personality disorder) on the likelihood of finding positive evidence for linkage. A regression analysis that simultaneously evaluated the allele sharing identical by descent for Feighner criteria alcoholism in affected, unaffected, and discordant sib pairs (SIBPAL) for two D2 polymorphisms and the D4 polymorphism gave no evidence for linkage. Phenotypes associated with greater alcoholism severity (presence of physical dependence symptoms, earlier onset, or comorbid antisocial personality disorder) revealed some evidence for linkage. The presence of one or more physical dependence symptoms in combination with Feighner criteria alcoholism provided some evidence favoring linkage (TaqI A and D4). Alcoholics with an earlier onset of alcoholism showed some evidence for linkage especially when the presence of physical dependence was required (e. g., morning drinking, wanted to stop drinking but could not, binges or benders, and evidence of withdrawal symptoms). Finally, alcoholics with antisocial personality disorder differed significantly in their allele sharing from nonalcoholics for both D2 polymorphisms. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 88:676-685, 1999.
Directing Transition from Innate to Acquired Immunity: Defining a Role for IL-61

Appropriate control of leukocyte recruitment and activation is a fundamental requirement for competent host defense and resolving inflammation. A pivotal event that defines the successful outcome of any inflammatory event is the transition from innate to acquired immunity. In IL-6 deficiency, this process appears defective, and a series of in vivo studies have documented important roles for IL-6 in both the resolution of innate immunity and the development of acquired immune responses. Within this review, particular attention will be given to the regulatory properties of the soluble IL-6 receptor and how its activity may affect chronic disease progression.
Extension of IEEE LOM Standard for Describing Educational Interactive Application: An Accessibility approach

This work focuses on the use of Interactive Applications (IA) as an educational resources applied in the context of inclusive education. The Learning Object Metadata standard (LOM) is often used to facilitate the share and reuse of Learning Objects (LO). This standard suggests a wide set of metadata to describe a LO from the general, educational or even technical points of view. However this standard is not enough to describe overall the accessibility aspects and proper considerations of the Educational Interactive Applications. Therefore, this work presents a proposal to extend the LOM standard for the purpose to get extensive descriptions on the use of interactive applications as educational resources in inclusive education.
Data-Driven Evaluation of Anticipatory Networking in LTE Networks

Anticipatory networking is a recent branch of network optimization that exploits contextual information to improve resource allocation decisions based on prediction. While some anticipatory networking concepts have been proposed in the literature, understanding of the potential real-world gains is so far very limited. Future mobile networks will likely integrate such mechanisms, and thus it is of paramount importance to understand the actual performance improvements and in which scenarios they can be realized. Analyzing a month-worth of LTE control channel information collected in four urban locations, we show how anticipatory networking can enhance current LTE networks. First, we propose a comprehensive optimization framework encompassing different forecasting solutions. Then, we provide a thorough analysis of the aggregated network traffic and the contributions of individual users. In particular, we show that predictable traffic accounts for more than 95% of the total traffic volume and that simple prediction and optimization techniques allow network operators to save 50% of the resources and/or on average more than double the offered data rate in our data set.
Multi-echelon inventory optimal model of civil aircraft spare parts

This paper present an model based on system approach for determining aircraft spare parts stock level in a multi-item, multi-echelon inventory system. It's a difficult problem for airline companies to determine how to increase the airplane's availability by the use of minimum spare cost. To solve this problem, the relationship of availability and backorder is proved, and optimal model based on marginal cost are put forward, spares optimal software is used to optimize spares allocation.
PERSISTENCE OF INDIVIDUAL STRAINS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN THE INTESTINAL TRACT OF MAN

There is ample evidence that man invariably acquires E8cherichia coli during the first day or two of life, if not, indeed, even before birth, and that he is never thereafter without it. The constancy of this occurrence makes it a safe presumption that every day throughout life new strains of this organism are introduced into the intestinal tract. If all strains established themselves there and multiplied with equal facility, one would expect that the strain composition of the E. coli of the feces of any individual over a period of time would present an exceedingly complicated and constantly changing picture. There are so many unknown factors involved in this picture, however, that inferences are of little value unless supported by observed facts. For most organisms there would be no way to study the strain composition of material containing them, but the great antigenic diversity of E. coli offers an opportunity to determine at least whether the number of strains present at any one time is small or large and whether individual strains tend to persist over long periods or whether their tenure is very brief. Two studies have been made in recent years that throw some light on this subject. Kauffmann and Perch (1943) studied two persons over a period of approximately 4 months, plating out stool specimens from each at irregular intervals, selecting 2 to 4 colonies from each plate and classifying them with respect to their 0 groups. The results from one of their subjects revealed one to three different antigenic groups in each specimen. In only one instance was the same group found in two specimens, and in this case the interval between its first and last appearance was so long (90 days) as to suggest that it more likely represented the appearance of a new strain of the group than the persistence in the bowel of the original one. Their other subject, however, yielded the same antigenic group in each of 10 successive specimens collected over a period of 42 days, together with occasional more transient groups, and after its disappearance another group appeared in 3 successive specimens collected during a period of 58 days. Waliick and Stuart (1943) made a study on a single subject, collecting specimens at more frequent and more regular intervals and picking 10 colonies from each specimen. Their study continued over a period of 15 months and revealed a more or less definite pattern in the E. coli strain composition of the feces of the individual studied. Three of their antigenic groups were almost continuously present for several months each, but not concurrently, though there was some overlapping. Along with these, in most specimens, there appeared from one to three others that were either not found at all in later specimens or in only a few successive
Optimized Agglomeration Algorithmic rule to Uncover User Pattern Applying on Weblog Knowledge

These days, event logs contain immense amounts of knowledge that may simply overwhelm a personality's. Consequently, mining content from the phenomenon of logs is accepted as a crucial function for the system management. This paper presents a completely unique clump rule for log file information sets that helps one to sight frequent patterns from log files, to create log file profiles, and to spot abnormal log file lines. To attain this, clump tool is employed for playacting 2 phases. First, a military operation is finished on internet group action information. Second, AN analysis is finished on internet access log files to research the user group action behavior and user’s log-in approach. During this paper, the cluster medical specialty and verification tool is employed to find hidden relationships among the net server information and access patterns.
Inter-glow: interaction by controlling light

inter-glow is a system that facilitates close interaction and communication among users in real spaces by using multiplexed visible-light communication technology. By pointing light to shine on an object contains an embedded photo sensor, users can get information about the object. In addition, several users can communicate with each other intimately by shining light on the object at the same time. We built a prototype to show the technology plain. In our prototype, when users shine lamps on a table in a miniature living room, the system recognizes which lamps are illuminated the table. According to the combination of illuminating lamps, the system produces family conversations.