Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NF-κB inhibitor suppresses experimental autoimmune neuritis in mice via declining macrophages polarization to M1 type

Guillain–Barre’ syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory and immune-mediated demyelinating disease of peripheral nervous system (PNS). Macrophages playing a central role in its animal model, experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) has been well-accepted. Additionally, NF-κB inhibitors has been used to treat cancers and showed beneficial effects. Here we investigated the therapeutic effect of M2 macrophage and NF-κB pathway is correlated with macrophages activation in experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) in C57BL/6 mice. We demonstrated that M2 macrophage transfusion can alleviate the clinical symptoms of EAN by reducing the proportion of M1 macrophage in the peak period, inhibiting the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65. The NF-κB inhibitor (BAY-11-7082) could alleviate the clinical symptoms of EAN and shorten the duration of symptoms by reducing the proportion of M1 macrophages and the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Consequently, BAY-11-7082 exhibits strong potential as a therapeutic strategy for ameliorating EAN by influencing the balance of M1/M2 macrophages and inflammatory cytokines.
Message Swatch Temporal Representation for Information Augmentation

A watch is an everyday wearable artifact used by most people to manage their daily lives.It also serves as jewelry and has an aesthetic function in that regard. As our lives becomemore dependent on electronic information and communication such as email, voicemail,electronic calendars etc., we start utilizing much more complicated and bulky devices tomanage the information. A watch offers a possible platform to provide personalaugmentation via a concise display of timely electronic information. The challenge is indesigning an effective interface that takes advantage of the inherent properties of a watchdial, without overloading the representation with undue complexity. The overall designshould be both informative at a glance and aesthetically pleasing, since the watch is such apersonal artifact.
Cost-Effectiveness of test-driven development

Test-Driven Development (TDD) is a software development practice in which test cases are written before code implementation. ISM eCompany, who specializes in web solutions, is adapting their development process to become more agile. One of those adaptations is that ISM wants to introduce TDD into their development process, to have projects with a better code quality and a regression test suite. ISM only worries whether the writing of test cases do create too much overhead for the developers and using a TDD approach does not have a large effect on the time spent on fixing bugs and rework. This can cause the projects to overrun and that makes the practice TDD not cost-effective. This thesis will describe a case study of the introduction of TDD in two different projects at ISM. We have proven that TDD can be introduced into the development process of ISM. By introducing TDD in two projects of ISM we tried to determine whether TDD is cost-effective by determining the Return on Investment (ROI). This cost-effectiveness could, due to the insufficient dataset, only be assessed in a limited way. In the monitored projects the developers took 31% more time for developing work items. On the other hand, the developers spent less time on rework and bugs than in projects where no TDD is used. However, it is hard to conclude that this is due to the usage of a TDD approach, because of the low percentage of work items implemented with a TDD approach (17% of the work items). The developers struggled with TDD, because of the lack of experience with writing test cases.
Ultrafilters as Propositional Theories

If you’re at all like me, you spend a good couple hours trying to get a sense of how this definition works and why it allows us to prove interesting things before eventually giving up and seeing what’s new on Netflix. No surprise; mathematics texts are a genre unto themselves, and one most philosophers haven’t been trained to read. But it is also unfortunate. Ultrafilters are a powerful technical tool that philosophers can put to good use. Philosophically accessible introductions to other technical tools aren’t hard to find, but somehow filters and ultrafilters have been overlooked.1 As a result, ultrafilters remain a common gap in the technically-minded philosoper’s toolkit. My goal here is to fill that gap, presenting ultrafilters and theorems about them using philosophically familiar ideas. While some philosophers might encounter ultrafilters while studying topology, I’ll present them as used in another of their natural habitats, model theory. Łos’s theorem — the central model-theoretic result about filters and ultrafilters — says that, if a set of propositions comprises an ultrafilter, some model will make true exactly the sentences expressing propositions in the filter. It is a powerful model-theoretic tool for showing that certain models exist. But if we don’t understand the tool, we can’t use it. What philosophically familiar ideas are we going to use here? Those of possible worlds and propositions. In particular, we can think of ultrafilters as a special kind of set of propositions, or a special kind of ‘propositional theory’. A filter is a set of propositions that meet certain conditions, and an ultrafilter is a filter that meets an additional condition. In particular, a filter is a set of propositions that is closed under (finite) conjunction and implication; and an ultrafilter is a filter that is also negation-complete.
Optimizing polyphase sequences for orthogonal netted radar systems

Orthogonal netted radar systems (ONRS) can fundamentally improve the radar performance by using a group of specially designed orthogonal polyphase code signals which require a very low aperiodic autocorrelation peak sidelobe level, low aperiodic cross-correlation, and a good resilience to small Doppler shifts. However, the existing numerical solutions degrade severely in the presence of small Doppler shifts. A new set of polyphase sequences is presented with good correlation properties as well as resilience to Doppler shifts. These sequences are built by using numerical optimization based on correlation properties as well as the Doppler effects on matched filter outputs, which maintains the Doppler tolerance. The statistical simulated annealing algorithm and the greedy code search method are used to optimize the sequences. Correlation and Doppler results are compared with the best-known sequences and show to be superior.
Lifecycles and leadership: Partnerships for VET

Research by the Centre for Research and Learning in Rural Australia (CRLRA) has identified the process involved in implementing initiatives in VET partnerships. Essentially, the process begins with a trigger stage, which relates to the identification of a problem or opportunity for change that impacts on, or is likely to impact on the parties that go on to become partners. This is followed by initiation, in which informal processes come into play in order to mobilise partners’ resources to address the problem or opportunity. Next comes development, which relates to the implementation of formal processes, such as committees, to tackle the problem or develop the opportunity. In the fourth stage, the gains are consolidated through the maintenance of the linkages. Processes and resources are put in place to facilitate the effective management of the linkages. In the management and sustainability stage, the partners review and renew their vision and goals and scan for opportunities and new problems in relation to the partnership. Different aspects of collective, or group skills and resources (or social capital) are drawn on at different stages of the process. The model of this process is viewed as emerging and will be tested in subsequent research. In previous projects, CRLRA found that the ingredients for success of partnerships vary according to the context, the resources available to the collaborative effort, the organisations involved and their goals. This paper explores the aspects of collective, or group skills and resources, or social capital, that are drawn on at different stages of the process that partners use in collaborative VET initiatives for the so-called new world of work. It also examines processes used in new VET partnerships, such as those required in new, or emerging industries, compared with mature partnerships. Emerging industries have different contexts from mature industries, and less established cultures and working relationships around VET.
Evaluation guide for green and smart cities

A green and smart city is the top-down design of a smart city, and a new-type city integrating intelligence, intensity, green development and low carbon. This paper puts forward a system of evaluation indicators for measuring green and smart cities from ten aspects: resource utilization, environmental governance and environmental quality, ecological protection, urban management and informatization, green and smart transportation, green and smart medical care, green and smart facilities, network security and citizens’ experience.
A decade of improvements to economic statistics

The article catalogues the major improvements and changes which were made during the last decade of the 20th century. It charts the transition from a climate of doubt and criticisms at the end of the 80s to the UK national accounts and economic statistics being recognised as among the best in the world.The success of the initiatives listed in the article can be seen in the quality of the statistical outputs which are more timely, more consistent, more complete and subject to less revision. ONS is more open about the quality adjustments, which are made to make the accounts balance. We routinely publish survey sample errors and other diagnostics, showing improvements. Our users recognise this both within government and in our established users groups. One concrete result is that all the reservations put on the national accounts in the mid 90s by the European Commission have now been lifted.The article splits the decade into two phases. The first lasted until the mid 90s, implementing the remedial action needed as a result of criticisms. The second phase since the mid 90s built on this foundation, introducing many methodological improvements, making the surveys more efficient and developing new products. It is essential reading for all those with an interest in economic statistics.
An application of multiattribute decision analysis to the Space Station Freedom program. Case study: Automation and robotics technology evaluation

The results are described of an application of multiattribute analysis to the evaluation of high leverage prototyping technologies in the automation and robotics (A and R) areas that might contribute to the Space Station (SS) Freedom baseline design. An implication is that high leverage prototyping is beneficial to the SS Freedom Program as a means for transferring technology from the advanced development program to the baseline program. The process also highlights the tradeoffs to be made between subsidizing high value, low risk technology development versus high value, high risk technology developments. Twenty one A and R Technology tasks spanning a diverse array of technical concepts were evaluated using multiattribute decision analysis. Because of large uncertainties associated with characterizing the technologies, the methodology was modified to incorporate uncertainty. Eight attributes affected the rankings: initial cost, operation cost, crew productivity, safety, resource requirements, growth potential, and spinoff potential. The four attributes of initial cost, operations cost, crew productivity, and safety affected the rankings the most.
Assessing Office and Business Information Assessing Office and Business Information Systems Programs: A Pilot Study Systems Programs: A Pilot Study

In a reverse-bias control circuit for a voltage-driven switching element which turns on upon receiving a forward-bias voltage and turns off upon receiving a reverse-bias voltage, a step-down circuit is included which serves for stepping down a reverse-bias voltage after a time delay which is substantially equal to the turn-off delay of the voltage-driven switching element. The control circuit further includes a recovery circuit for stopping operation of the step-down circuit after a delay which is substantially equal to the total turn-off time of the voltage-driven switching element. The reverse-bias control circuit serves to reduce the reverse-bias voltage, thereby blocking surge-voltage disturbances, without increasing the turn-off delay time.
Economic and industrial espionage: a different perspective on inter-organizational learning

The primary objective of this paper is to advance our understanding of inter-organizational learning by introducing evidence of illegal learning across organizational boundaries. By drawing upon data from a largely unexplored area of management and organization studies, that of economic and industrial espionage, we attempt to demonstrate that contemporary debates could benefit considerably from an exploration of such illegal forms of learning. Three vignettes involving economic and industrial espionage are presented to demonstrate the limitations of both our current conceptualisations of inter-organizational learning and what motivates people to illegally acquire knowledge across organizational boundaries. In direct challenge to the dominant 'black-box' view of organizations presupposed by the sticky and leaky knowledge debate these vignettes present powerful evidence of external forces encouraging the forced leakage of knowledge. Resultantly our understanding of what constitutes sticky and leaky knowledge has to be adapted. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of the implications for future research
The NOAA Track-Wise Wind Retrieval Algorithm and Product Assessment for CyGNSS

A novel approach in addressing cyclone global navigation satellite system (CyGNSS) intersatellite and GPS-related calibration issues is proposed, based on a track-wise <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sigma ^{o}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> bias correction method. This method makes use of both ancillary data from numerical weather prediction models and a semiempirical geophysical model function. Care is taken, so the track-wise <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sigma ^{o}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> bias correction maintains CyGNSS signal sensitivity. Both intersatellite and GPS-related calibration issues are removed after correction. Long-term <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sigma ^{o}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> downward trend, observed throughout the CyGNSS mission, is greatly reduced. Using the corrected <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sigma ^{o}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> measurements, a wind retrieval method is also presented and its product thoroughly assessed for a three-year period against European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWFs), Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) A/B, Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR)-2, GMI, WindSat, hurricane weather research and forecasting (HWRF) model, and the stepped frequency microwave radiometer (SFMR) winds. The overall wind speed bias and standard deviation of the error (stde) against ECMWF are 0.16 and 1.19 m/s, while these are −0.11 and 1.12 m/s against ASCAT A/B, respectively. The same metrics against AMSR-2/GMI/WindSat (combined) are −0.19 and 1.11 m/s, respectively. The bias and stde against soil moisture active passive (SMAP) are −0.38 and 1.90 m/s, respectively. In the tropical cyclone environment, the bias and stde against HWRF are −0.54 and 2.90 m/s, and −4.71 and 5.88 m/s with SFMR. Finally, CyGNSS wind performance is gauged in the presence of rain. Below 10 m/s, the bias between CyGNSS and ECMWF increases as the rain rate increases. Between 10 and 15 m/s, biases are mostly absent. Above 15 m/s, results are inconclusive due to the low number of collocated rain samples. Overall, the presented CyGNSS wind speed product both exhibits consistency and reliability, showing promise of using GNSS-R derived winds for operational purposes.
Adaptive Spatial Equalisation in S-UMTS Systems

Today there is an increasing demand for a higher signal rate in both the existing and future mobile communication system. With higher signal rate, the intersymbol interference (ISI) problem will also increase. In this paper, a Spatial Adaptive Constant Modulus Algorithm (SA-CMA) Equaliser will be presented that will compensate for the ISI problem. A Least-Mean-Squared (LMS) solution will be also presented for comparison purpose. Different schemes such as fractionally spaced equaliser and symbol rate equaliser will be also presented and compared for both the CMA and LMS algorithms.
Valutazione neuromuscolare del lavoratore anziano: il Progetto Europeo NEW

Le statistiche sanitarie della Comunita Europea indica-no un incremento delle patologie neuromuscolari di origi-ne occupazionale. L’incremento di eta dei lavoratori rendenecessario adattare le condizioni di lavoro alle esigenze dipersone anziane. Il sistema neuromuscolare subisce dete-rioramenti correlati all’eta che causano dolori, rallenta-mento dei riflessi, riduzione della capacita lavorativa. Enecessario effettuare un monitoraggio di questo fenomenoal fine di garantire maggiore protezione ai lavoratori piuvulnerabili. La frazione di lavoratori tra gli europei ultra-sessantenni e del 22% e si prevede che salga al 30% entroil 2025. I problemi neuromuscolari di questa popolazionediverranno sempre piu importanti a livello europeo.Per fare fronte a questi problemi nel marzo 2001 e statoavviato il progetto triennale, finanziato dalla Comunita Eu-ropea, “Neuromuscular assessment in the Elderly Worker”(NEW), basato largamente sull’esperienza acquisita nel-l’ambito delle due Azioni Concertate “Surface EMG forNon Invasive Assessment of Muscles” (SENIAM) (13) e“PRevention of muscle disorders in Operation of ComputerInput Devices” (PROCID) (5, 23). L’approccio al problemasara focalizzato sulla caratterizzazione non invasiva delleproprieta muscolari tramite l’informazione estratta dai se-gnali elettrici (EMG) e meccanici (MMG) generati durantecontrazioni muscolari. L’informazione ottenuta da questi se-gnali e rilevante nel settore delle scienze motorie in generee, in particolare, ai fini della “evidence-based medicine” neisettori della riabilitazione, dello sport e dello spazio.Per estrarre tale informazione sono necessarie competen-ze diverse e multidisciplinari, non disponibili in un singolo la-boratorio, che vanno dalla neurofisiologia, alla ergonomia,dalla medicina occupazionale all’elettronica, alla elaborazio-ne di segnali e all’informatica. Il progetto include queste com-petenze e prevede l’accesso a popolazioni di lavoratori chesvolgono attivita ripetitive e stressanti: infermiere, operatoridi videoterminali, cassiere, lavoratori su linee di montaggio emolti altri. Le prospettive economiche sono condizionate dal-la coscienza clinica della disponibilita e possibilita offerte danuove tecnologie e prodotti non ancora in commercio. Perquesta ragione le attivita integrate con le facolta di scienzemotorie e quelle di formazione permanente e aggiornamentodegli operatori hanno un ruolo fondamentale nel progetto.
Neuroevolution

Neuroevolution is a method for modifying aspects of neural network design in order to learn a speciﬁc task. Evolutionary computation is used to discover designs that maximize a ﬁtness function that measures performance in the task. Compared to other neural network learning methods, neuroevolution is highly general, allowing learning without explicit targets, and modifying both differentiable and nondifferentiable aspects of the design, such as the architecture, weights, activation and loss functions, and learning algorithms. Neu-roevolution thus serves three roles: First, it is a policy search method for reinforcement learning problems, where it is well suited to continuous domains and to domains where the state is only partially observable. Second, it is an automatic method for discovering effective deep learning architectures. Third, especially when combined with learning in individual networks, it is a model of biological adaptation
Considerations for the implementation of the radio interferometric positioning system on a single wireless node

The ability to localise objects and persons is a useful ability, that is currently used in everyday life in the form of Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation. Localisation is also useful in data networks. The ability to localise nodes in a network paves the way for applications such as location based services, beamforming and geographic routing. The Radio Interferometric Positioning System (RIPS), is a method originally designed for localisation in wireless sensor networks. RIPS is a promising method due to the fact that it is capable of localisation with high accuracy over long ranges. This is something which other existing methods are not capable of. RIPS makes localisation measurements in a different manner from conventional methods. Instead of making pairwise measurements between a transmitter and receiver, RIPS uses sets of four nodes in each of its measurements. Furthermore, RIPS requires multiple measurements to obtain the correct RIPS measurement value. This value is referred to as a q-range. Multiple q-ranges are required in order to localise a node. This creates overhead in terms of co-operation between the nodes participating in a RIPS measurement. The focus of this research is to provide a possible solution to this problem of overhead. In this dissertation an investigation is launched into the considerations and benefits of implementing RIPS on a single node. This is done by creating a conceptual design for a single wireless node capable of implementing RIPS through the use of multiple antennas. In order to test this conceptual device, a simulation model is created. This simulation model is then validated, verified and used in experiments designed to test the effects of certain design considerations and variables on the conceptual device’s localisation accuracy. The analysis of the results from these experiments shows that the conceptual device’s use of multiple antennas makes RIPS sensitive to errors.
Synergy Between Archives, VO, and the Grid at ESAC

Over the years, in support to the Science Operations Centres at ESAC, we have set up two Grid infrastructures. These have been built: 1) to facilitate daily research for scientists at ESAC, 2) to provide high computing capabilities for project data processing pipelines (eg Herschel), 3) to support science operations activities (e.g. calibration monitoring). Furthermore, closer collaboration between the science archives, the Virtual Observatory (VO) and data processing activities has led to an other Grid use case: the Remote Interface to XMM-Newton SAS Analysis (RISA); a web servicebased system, which allows users to launch SAS tasks transparently to the GRID, save results on http-based storage and visualize them through VO tools. This paper presents real and operational use cases of Grid usages in these contexts
Turning Student Groups into Effective Teams

This paper is a guide to the effective design and management of team assignments in a college classroom where little class time is available for instruction on teaming skills. Topics discussed include forming teams, helping them become effective, and using peer ratings to adjust team grades for individual performance. A Frequently Asked Questions section offers suggestions for dealing with several problems that commonly arise with student teams, and forms and handouts are provided to assist in team formation and management.