Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Applying option thinking to value experiential marketing content

ABSTRACT Investments in new marketing offerings are notoriously risky, as they require firms to make judgments about an uncertain future. The authors develop an option-thinking framework for valuing and selecting new marketing offerings that combines real-options theory with virtual markets. They apply the framework and demonstrate its power empirically in the context of experiential content, where valuing marketing offerings constitutes a particularly challenging issue. Specifically, they test the proposed option-thinking framework in two experiential settings (movies and professional team sports) and compare it to current managerial practice. Each experiential setting deals with a common managerial marketing challenge. Study 1 examines extending a brand into a new category, and Study 2 investigates ingredient branding. The proposed framework provides managers with an empirical approach that enables them to consider the “value of waiting” when making investment decisions that involve uncertainty regarding future market developments.
Quelques aspects de la descente sur une courbe elliptique dans le cas de réduction supersingulière

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Comparison of Analyze-Then-Compress Methods in Edge-Assisted Visual SLAM

In edge-assisted visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM), mobile devices offload computationally intensive tasks to an edge cloud. The mobile device should transfer its input data to the edge cloud in a resource-efficient way, especially in visual SLAM systems with their very large image frame input data. Most state-of-the-art systems use a conventional Analyze-Then-Compress (ATC) approach that pre-analyzes the captured frames on the mobile device (incurring substantial processing latencies), and transmits only the (several times smaller) pre-analysis results, namely only the feature representation of so-called key frames (and the corresponding tracking results), to the edge. We examine two novel transmission methods (ATC workflows) for “functional-split” edge-assisted visual SLAM: Feature-Representation-Every-Frame (FREF) transmits the feature representation for every captured frame to the edge, and the edge performs the key frame creation processing (including the tracking); Feature-Representation-Only-Key Frames (FROKF) transmits only the feature representation of key frames without the tracking results to the edge, and the edge performs the tracking. We evaluate these ATC methods in terms of the required network throughput (bandwidth), as well as the latencies for transmission and processing, as well as the resulting end-to-end latency (from frame capture at the mobile device to key frame and tracking results becoming available at the edge cloud) via testbed measurements for various computing hardware platforms. Compared to the existing conventional approach, our newly introduced FREF method can reduce the end-to-end latency down to one quarter; while our FROKF method can reduce the required throughput down to one-fifth. Additionally, feature compression can reduce the required throughput; within the FROKF method, down to one twentieth compared to the conventional method without feature compression, albeit at the expense of significantly increased processing latency for the compression.
Commonsense-Guided Semantic and Relational Consistencies for Image-Text Retrieval

Image-text retrieval, as a fundamental task in the cross-modal field, aims to explore the relationship between visual and textual modalities. Recent methods address this task only by learning the conceptual and syntactical correspondences between cross-modal fragments, but these correspondences inevitably contain noise without considering external knowledge. To solve this issue, we propose a novel Commonsense-Guided Semantic and Relational Consistencies (CSRC) for image-text retrieval that can simultaneously expand the semantics and relations to reduce the cross-modal differences under the assumption that the semantics and relations of the true image-text pair should be consistent between two modalities. Specifically, we first explore commonsense knowledge to expand the specific concepts for visual and textual graphs and optimize the semantic consistency by minimizing the differences in cross-modal semantic importance. Then, we extend the same relations for cross-modal concept pairs with semantic consistency, which serves to implement relational consistency. After that, we combine external commonsense knowledge with internal correlation to enhance concept representation and further optimize relational consistency by regularizing the importance differences between association-enhanced concepts. Extensive experimental results on two popular image-text retrieval datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed method.
Effects of Chitosan Nanoparticles with Long Synthetic siRNAs Targeting VEGF in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is an essential angiogenic factor in breast cancer development and metastasis. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can specifically silence genes via the RNA interference pathway, therefore were investigated as cancer therapeutics. In this study, we investigated the effects of siRNAs longer than 30 base pairs (bp) loaded into chitosan nanoparticles in triple-negative breast cancer cells, compared with conventional siRNAs. 35 bp long synthetic siRNAs inhibited VEGF gene expression by 51.2% and increased apoptosis level by 1.75-fold in MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Furthermore, blank and siRNA-loaded chitosan nanoparticles induced expression of IFN-γ in breast cancer cells. These results suggest that long synthetic siRNAs can be as effective as conventional siRNAs, when introduced into cells with chitosan nanoparticles.
Small molecule activation of m6A mRNA methylation as a novel approach for neuroprotection

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common mRNA base modification in eukaryotes. Methylation of adenosine residues to m6A contributes to the regulation of splicing, transport, stability, and translation of mRNA and two main classes of enzymes regulate it. The formation of m6A is catalysed by a methyltransferase complex containing methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), METTL14, and Wilms’ tumour 1-associated protein (WTAP) as well as monomeric METTL16. Demethylation of m6A is catalysed by the fat mass and obesity-associated protein FTO and the RNA demethylase AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5). The m6A mRNA methylation dysregulation occurs in the nervous system and in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but it remains poorly studied. Moreover, the role of m6A mRNA methylation in neuronal survival, neuroprotection, and neuroregeneration is unclear. We have earlier used high-throughput virtual screening of large compound libraries and identified four unique small-molecule ligands that activate m6A mRNA methylation by binding to the METTL3/14/WTAP complex and enhancing the binding of the methylation substrate SAM to nanomolar concentrations. Following this, we now discovered that two methyltransferase activators at 10 nM concentrations supported the survival and protected dopamine (DA) neurons in culture in growth factor deprivation and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) neurotoxin models. In contrast, METTL3/14 inhibitor STM2457 triggered death of DA neurons. For clinical translation we also tested the most efficient compound C4 on induced pluripotent stem cell-derived human DA neurons and in animal model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). C4 compound protected human DA neurons from 6-OHDA-induced cell death and increased neurite outgrowth and the number of processes demonstrating that it has both neuroprotective and neurorestorative properties. METTL3/14 activator C4 improved motor behaviour and protected DA neurons and their fibres faster and much more efficiently than GDNF in the rat 6-OHDA model of PD. These are the first specific activators of METTL3/14/WTAP and first demonstration that m6A regulators can protect and regenerate neurons. These data demonstrate that m6A mRNA methylation is a novel pathway regulating neuronal survival and regeneration.
Hip Joint Angles and Moments during Stair Ascent Using Neural Networks and Wearable Sensors

End-stage hip joint osteoarthritis treatment, known as total hip arthroplasty (THA), improves satisfaction, life quality, and activities of daily living (ADL) function. Postoperatively, evaluating how patients move (i.e., their kinematics/kinetics) during ADL often requires visits to clinics or specialized biomechanics laboratories. Prior work in our lab and others have leveraged wearables and machine learning approaches such as artificial neural networks (ANNs) to quantify hip angles/moments during simple ADL such as walking. Although level-ground ambulation is necessary for patient satisfaction and post-THA function, other tasks such as stair ascent may be more critical for improvement. This study utilized wearable sensors/ANNs to quantify sagittal/frontal plane angles and moments of the hip joint during stair ascent from 17 healthy subjects. Shin/thigh-mounted inertial measurement units and force insole data were inputted to an ANN (2 hidden layers, 10 total nodes). These results were compared to gold-standard optical motion capture and force-measuring insoles. The wearable-ANN approach performed well, achieving rRMSE = 17.7% and R2 = 0.77 (sagittal angle/moment: rRMSE = 17.7 ± 1.2%/14.1 ± 0.80%, R2 = 0.80 ± 0.02/0.77 ± 0.02; frontal angle/moment: rRMSE = 26.4 ± 1.4%/12.7 ± 1.1%, R2 = 0.59 ± 0.02/0.93 ± 0.01). While we only evaluated healthy subjects herein, this approach is simple and human-centered and could provide portable technology for quantifying patient hip biomechanics in future investigations.
Evaluation of New Glass Slide and Petri Dish Methods of Biofilm Testing in Uropathogenic Bacteria and Their Comparison with Test-Tube Method

Biofilms are produced by many uropathogens and they render the drugs ineffective even if antibiotics are effective against the big in vivo. In this study we evaluated the biofilm forming potential of the uropathogenic bacteria by the test tube method and compared 2 new methods with it, which were the glass Petri dish method and glass slide method. We found that the glass petri dish method was as good as, if not better than Test tube method to detect biofilms in uropathogenic bacteria. The slide method was neither very sensitive specific. Also, biofilms in test tube method could be observed microscopically. So these can be explored further by researchers later on.
E-justice in Poland – Polish Experiences

In his research article, “E-justice in Poland: Polish experience,” the author discusses a relatively important subject that members of the society are likely to face, namely the use of modern Internet technologies and electronic devices in courts. At the outset, the author advances a thesis that today’s societies around the world are no longer able to go without the Internet, social networks, electronic documents, and electronic means of remote communication. This is how people do business and maintain contact today. Technology has become embedded in our civilisation as its natural component. This is no different in the court room where modern communication tools serve citizens. The author looks at the technological solutions through the Polish experience, but also through the European experience, in particular CEPEJ operating under the Council of Europe. The author also addresses the important issue of artificial intelligence and indicates areas in the judicial system where it could be applied effectively. The article aims to stimulate a global discussion on e-justice.
The Best of School Systems, yet Lowest for Inclusion: Does Insufficient General Educator Preparation Make an Impact?

Abstract This article examines the unique situation of New Jersey Public Schools being ranked the best in the nation while simultaneously being ranked the worst in the nation for inclusion of students with disabilities. An examination of the legal and theoretical underpinnings of inclusion is presented, followed by a review of current research in general teacher preparation, and an examination of a sample of state university teacher preparation programs. Implications and suggestions are provided.
The Role of Osmolytes and Membrane Lipids in the Adaptation of Acidophilic Fungi

Acidophiles maintain near-neutral intracellular pH using proton pumps. We have suggested the protective role of osmolytes and membrane lipids in the adaptation to an acidic environment. Previously we have observed, for the first time, high levels of trehalose in acidophilic basidiomycete Sistotrema brinkmannii. Here, we have studied the composition of both osmolytes and membrane lipids of two more acidophilic fungi. Trehalose and polyols were among the main osmolytes during growth under optimal conditions (pH 4.0) in basidiomycete Phlebiopsis gigantea and ascomycete Mollisia sp. Phosphatidic acids, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylcholines, and sterols, were predominant membrane lipids in both fungi. P. gigantea had a narrow optimum of growth at pH 4.0, resulting in a sharp decline of growth rate at pH 2.6 and 5.0, accompanied by a decrease in the number of osmolytes and significant changes in the composition of membrane lipids. In contrast, Mollisia sp. had a broad optimal growth range (pH 3.0–5.0), and the number of osmolytes either stayed the same (at pH 6.0) or increased (at pH 2.6), while membrane lipids composition remained unchanged. Thus, the data obtained indicate the participation of osmolytes and membrane lipids in the adaptation of acidophilic fungi.
A Trusted Reputation Management Scheme for Cross-Chain Transactions

Blockchain has become a well-known, secured, decentralized datastore in many domains, including medical, industrial, and especially the financial field. However, to meet the requirements of different fields, platforms that are built on blockchain technology must provide functions and characteristics with a wide variety of options. Although they may share similar technology at the fundamental level, the differences among them make data or transaction exchange challenging. Cross-chain transactions have become a commonly utilized function, while at the same time, some have pointed out its security loopholes. It is evident that a secure transaction scheme is desperately needed. However, what about those nodes that do not behave? It is clear that not only a secure transaction scheme is necessary, but also a system that can gradually eliminate malicious players is of dire need. At the same time, integrating different blockchain systems can be difficult due to their independent architectures, and cross-chain transactions can be at risk if malicious attackers try to control the nodes in the cross-chain system. In this paper, we propose a dynamic reputation management scheme based on the past transaction behaviors of nodes. These behaviors serve as the basis for evaluating a node’s reputation to support the decision on malicious behavior and enable the system to intercept it in a timely manner. Furthermore, to establish a reputation index with high precision and flexibility, we integrate Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) into our proposed scheme. This allows our system to meet the needs of a wide variety of blockchain platforms. Overall, the article highlights the importance of securing cross-chain transactions and proposes a method to prevent misbehavior by evaluating and managing node reputation.
Performance of Body Fat Percentage, Fat Mass Index and Body Mass Index for Detecting Cardiometabolic Outcomes in Brazilian Adults

Obesity is a recognized risk factor for the development of cardiometabolic outcomes. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate anthropometric and body composition indicators used for its diagnosis. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of body fat percentage (BF%), fat mass index (FMI) and body mass index (BMI) for detecting cardiometabolic outcomes in adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving adults at 30 years of age from Pelotas, RS (n = 3517) and at 37–39 years from Ribeirão Preto, SP (n = 1696). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the cut-off points for predicting cardiometabolic risk factors, including altered blood pressure, blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDDL-c), C-reactive protein and glycated hemoglobin. The cut-off points of BF% ranged from 25.2 to 27.8 in men and from 37.4 to 39.7 in women at 30 years, and from 26.1 to 27.8 in men and from 38.5 to 42.2 in women at 37–39 years. For FMI (kg/m2), the cut-off points ranged from 6.3 to 7.5 in men and from 9.5 to 10.8 in women at 30 years, and from 7.3 to 7.8 in men and from 10.2 to 12.2 in women at 37–39 years. The BMI cut-off points (kg/m2) ranged from 26.3 to 27.3 in men and from 25.4 to 27.2 in women at 30 years, and from 28.3 to 29.0 in men and from 27.2 to 29.6 in women at 37–39 years. The areas under the curve were similar for the three indicators, ranging from 0.523 to 0.746. BMI showed a performance similar to that of the body fat-based indicators in identifying cardiometabolic outcomes. The cut-off points of the three indicators showed acceptable discriminatory power in subjects with cardiometabolic risk factors.
Polarization in Social Media: A Virtual Worlds-Based Approach

: As social media becomes increasingly integrated within the fabric of our digital lives, it is clear that these platforms have a great impact on our mental well-being and interpersonal relationships. However, recent events and studies suggest that these changes are not always for the better as social media might contribute to social polarization. In this work, we leverage agent-based modelling (ABM) techniques to simulate the associated opinion dynamics of polarization in social media platforms. To accomplish this, we first develop a methodology for distinguishing between different types of polarization. This enables a more nuanced investigation into the interplay between behavior online and behavior offline. We next expand on the public-private split model by introducing a novel “virtual worlds” framework for representing an online social media platform. Agents from the neighbor-constrained “real world” can “log-in” to these virtual worlds with a certain probability and participate in a complete network; this reflects the unique socioeconomic and geographic anonymity provided through social media. Additionally, global homophilic influence is incorporated and its relationship with local virtual world structure is considered. We finally perform a sensitivity analysis over a set of model parameters, and find that the incorporation of virtual worlds can result in the simultaneous presence of different types of polarization in the real and virtual worlds. These findings align with studies on social media from the literature, and suggest that the online platform provided by social media poses unique challenges with regards to investigating the presence of polarization.
Spectrofluorimetric determination of beta-blockers atenolol and bisoprolol fumarate residues in Senegal natural waters

A spectrofluorimetric method was developed to determine residues of two β-blockers, atenolol (AT) and bisoprolol fumarate (BF), in Senegal's natural waters. The electronic absorption and fluorescence spectral properties of both β-blockers were investigated in several organic solvent mixtures [e.g., MeOH/H2O (60/40 v/v), cyclodextrins (β-cyclodextrin, HP-β-CD], and in the presence of surfactants (SDS, Triton X, Tween 80). After optimization, satisfactory analytical figures of merit were obtained for the determination of both β-blockers: concentration linear dynamic range of over one to two orders of magnitude, limits of detection (LODs) from 1.3 to 5.4 ng/ml for BF and from 1.2 to 3.7 ng/ml for AT, limits of quantification (LOQs) from 4.5 to 18.1 ng/ml for BF and from 4.0 to 12.5 ng/ml for AT. Relative standard deviations (RSDs) were between 2.1 and 5.3 %, according to the β-blockers. The spectrofluorimetric method was applied to the analysis of fortified river water and wastewater (effluent) collected in Senegal and France and spiked with both β-blockers. It yielded good recovery values, from 93.3 to 107.8 % for AT and from 97.4 to 108.9 % for BF. Our results demonstrated the simplicity, rapidity, and sensitivity of the spectrofluorimetric method to quantify residues of β-blockers in environmental waters.
Caregiver perception of children s dental caries and experience of accessing dental
 health services for their children

Objective: this study aims to know the caregiver’s perception of children’s dental caries and their experience of accessing dental health services in children. Material and Methods: this research was an analytic observational study with a cross-sectional method and used a purposive sampling technique with a sample of 56 respondents. Data were obtained through a questionnaire and the sampling technique used purposive sampling with samples were all caregivers at Cahaya Tazkia Kindergarten, Yapita Kindergarten, and Aisyiah 52 Kindergarten Surabaya. Data were analyzed using a correlation Spearman test. Results: perceived benefit and self-efficacy had a significant correlation with the experience of accessing dental health services (p-value ≤ 0.05) with coefficient correlations were 0.168 and 0.936 respectively. Meanwhile, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, and the perceived barrier had no correlation with the experience of accessing dental health. Most male respondents in this research had a proper job to manage their children to go to dental health. Perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefit, and self-efficacy of women caregivers in productive age were good but the perceived barrier showed a high mean. Respondents with that characteristics did not have steady jobs. Conclusion: women caregiver between the age of 21-40 years old believes that maintaining oral health is beneficial and will result in an increased number of accessing dental health services for their children. But caregivers who were women and also did not have a steady job had barriers to accessing dental health for their children.