Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis of Orchestral Performance Recordings: An Image-Based Approach

Traditionally, the computer-assisted comparison of multiple performances of the same piece focused on performances on single instruments. Due to data availability, there also has been a strong bias towards analyzing piano performances, in which local timing, dynamics and articulation are important expressive performance features. In this paper, we consider the problem of analyzing multiple performances of the same symphonic piece, performed by different orchestras and different conductors. While differences between interpretations in this genre may include commonly studied features on timing, dynamics and articulation, the timbre of the orchestra and choices of balance within the ensemble are other important aspects distinguishing different orchestral interpretations from one another. While it is hard to model these higher-level aspects as explicit audio features, they can usually be noted visually in spectrogram plots. We therefore propose a method to compare orchestra performances by examining visual spectrogram characteristics. Inspired by eigenfaces in human face recognition, we apply Principal Components Analysis on synchronized performance fragments to localize areas of cross-performance variation in time and frequency. We discuss how this information can be used to examine performer differences, and how beyond pairwise comparison, relative differences can be studied between multiple performances in a corpus at once.
The Impact of Interstitial Carbon on Dislocation Motion in the alpha-Fe Lattice

The effect of the introduction of interstitial carbon into the -Fe lattice on the behavior of dislocation cores is presented. The simulations carried out were based on an EAM formulation that generated stress cycles resulting from the movement of dislocations, caused by the rigid displacement of rows of atoms on one side of a slip plane. The “path of least resistance” (POLR) mechanism accounting for stress evolution at the dislocation core was applied to predict the Peierls stress. This paper presents the behavior of the edge and screw dislocations in the Fe-C lattice.
The Challenge of Asking Engaging Questions

This paper 1 explores the uses of questions in the classroom, and isolates a unique kind of question, the “question-eliciting-question” (or QEQ), that poses a challenge for instructors leading classroom discussions. Statistics show that teachers spend large portions of their instructional time asking questions. While pedagogical theory promotes the use of “higher-order” questions because they purportedly promote complex and critical thinking, the questions instructors ask in practice inadequately fulfill this goal. Part of the problem is the way we have come to think about questions and the normative uses we make of them. They are essentially, as a major school of philosophy of language claims, commands. Commands demand mere answers. QEQs, however, are not something to be answered, but we ask and share with one another.
Impact of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone blockade by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or AT-1 blockers on frequency of contrast medium-induced nephropathy: a post-hoc analysis from the Dialysis-versus-Diuresis (DVD) trial.

BACKGROUND After exposure to contrast medium (CM), about 10% of patients will develop contrast medium-induced nephropathy (CIN), with severe consequences for their prognosis. Although numerous studies evaluated risk factors for CIN development, it is still a matter of debate whether treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) or AT-1 blockers increases the frequency of CIN after exposure to CM or not. METHODS We performed a prospective, single-centre study (January 2001-July 2004) to compare different treatments for CIN prevention. Creatinine levels within 72 h after CM application and in-hospital outcomes were documented. The impact of RAAS blockade on the frequency of CIN was assessed retrospectively. RESULTS Four hundred twelve patients were included (83.5% men, 29.1% diabetes mellitus, 74.6% hypertension). Of these, 269 patients (65.3%) were taking ACE-I (n = 236) or AT-1 blockers (n = 33). There were no significant differences in mean age (P = 0.075), creatinine levels (P = 0.113), gender (P = 0.281), diabetes mellitus (P = 0.172) or left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.09) between patients treated or not treated with RAAS blockade. Univariate analyses concerning development of CIN depending on treatment with RAAS blockade within 72 h found CIN to be significantly higher in patients treated with RAAS blockade (11.9 vs 4.2%, P = 0.006). Multivariate analyses (logistic regression) identified RAAS blockade to be an independent predictor of CIN (odds ratio 3.082, 95% confidence interval 1.234-7.698, P = 0.016). CONCLUSION Patients treated with RAAS blockade before exposure to CM develop significantly more often CIN within 72 h. Even after adjustment for confounding comorbidities, treatment with ACE-I or AT-1 blockers turned out to be an independent risk predictor.
A security analysis of the cliques protocols suites

Abstract: Secure group protocols are not easy to design: this paper will show new attacks found against a protocol suite for sharing key. The method we propose to analyse these protocols is very systematic, and can be applied to numerous protocols of this type. The A-GDH.2 protocols suite analysed throughout this paper is part of the Cliques suites that propose extensions of the Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol to a group setting. The A-GDH.2 main protocol is intended to allow a group to share an authenticated key while the other protocols of the suite allow to perform dynamic changes in the group constitution (adding and deleting members, fusion of groups, .). We are proposing an original method to analyse these protocols and are presenting a number of unpublished flaws with respect to each of the main security properties claimed in protocol definition (key authentication, perfect forward secrecy, resistance to known-keys attacks). Most of these flaws arise from the fact that using a group setting does not allow to reason about security properties in the same way as when only two (or three) parties are concerned. Our method has been easily applied on other Cliques protocols and allowed us to pinpoint similar flaws.
Welfare Implications of Congestion Pricing: Evidence from SFpark

Problem definition: Congestion pricing offers an appealing solution to urban parking problems—charging varying rates across time and space as a function of congestion may shift demand and improve allocation of limited resources. It aims to increase the accessibility of highly desired public goods and to reduce traffic caused by drivers who search for available parking spaces. At the same time, complex policies make it harder for consumers to make search-based decisions. We investigate the effect of congestion pricing on consumer and social welfare. Academic/practical relevance: This paper contributes to the theory and practice of the management of scarce resources in the public sector, where welfare is of particular interest. Methodologically, we contribute to the literature on structural estimation of dynamic spatial search models. Methodology: Using data from the City of San Francisco, both before and after the implementation of a congestion-pricing parking program, SFpark, we estimate the welfare implications of the policy. We use a dynamic spatial search model to structurally estimate consumers’ search costs, distance disutilities, price sensitivities, and trip valuations. Results: We find that congestion pricing increases consumer and social welfare by more than 4% and reduces search traffic by more than 10% in congested regions compared with fixed pricing. However, congestion pricing may hurt welfare in uncongested regions, in which the focus should be on increasing utilization. Moreover, an unnecessarily complex congestion-pricing scheme makes it difficult for consumers to make search-based decisions. We find that a simpler pricing policy may yield higher welfare than a complex one. Lastly, compared with a policy that imposes limits on parking durations, congestion pricing increases social welfare by allocating the scarce resource to consumers who value it most. Managerial implications: The insights from SFpark offer important implications for local governments that consider alternatives for managing parking and congestion and for public-sector managers who evaluate the tradeoffs between approaches to manage public resources.
Impact of DC components in transport current and external magnetic field on hysteresis losses in an HTS tape

The high-temperature superconductor (HTS) development is presently intensive, and one can expect that HTSs will be used in different electric devices in the future. In some of these devices, e.g., a magnetostrictive actuator, the conductor will be exposed to both ac and dc transport currents and external magnetic fields. One of the most important parameters in the design of electric devices is the power loss. It is, therefore, of importance to develop models that are able to predict the power loss in devices based on HTSs. In this paper, we present an experimental characterization of the hysteresis losses in an HTS tape exposed to ac or dc transport currents in combination with external magnetic fields. The experimental results are compared to some existing models based on the critical state model. The power loss was measured on a multifilamentary Bi-2223 tape at constant temperature (70 K) and frequency (50 Hz).
Prospective elementary teachers' beliefs about problem solving: A comparison of Cypriot and English undergraduates at the commencement of their courses

The research reported in this paper draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with first-year undergraduate teacher education students, in the first weeks of their course at one university in Cyprus and one in England. The interviews, focused on students' conceptions of mathematical problems and problem solving yielded substantial, culturally-located variation in students' responses highlighting continuing inconsistencies in the operationalisation of this key concept around the world. Some implications for teacher education and further research in the problem solving field are discussed.
Queen‐controlled sex ratios and worker reproduction in the bumble bee Bombus hypnorum, as revealed by microsatellites

Social insect colonies provide model systems for the examination of conflicts among parties with different genetic interests. As such, they have provided the best tests of inclusive fitness theory. However, much remains unknown about in which party's favour such conflicts are resolved, partly as a result of the only recent advent of the molecular tools needed to examine the outcome of these conflicts. Two key conflicts in social insect colonies are over control of the reproductive sex ratio and the production of male offspring. Most studies have examined only one of these conflicts but in reality they occur in tandem and may influence each other. Using microsatellite analyses, the outcome of conflict over sex ratios and male production was examined in the bumble bee, Bombus hypnorum. The genotypes were determined for mother queens, their mates and males for each of 10 colonies. In contrast to other reports of mating frequency in this species, all of the queens were singly mated. The population sex ratio was consistent with queen control, suggesting that queens are winning this conflict. In contrast, workers produced over 20% of all males in queen‐right colonies, suggesting that they are more effective in competing over male‐production. Combining these results with previous work, it is suggested that worker reproduction is a labile trait that may well impose only small costs on queen fitness.
The Mass Spectra of Cores in Turbulent Molecular Clouds and Implications for the Initial Mass Function

We investigate the core mass distribution (CMD) resulting from numerical models of turbulent fragmentation of molecular clouds. In particular we study its dependence on the sonic rms Mach number Ms. We analyze simulations with Ms ranging from 1 to 15 to show that, as Ms increases, the number of cores increases as well, while their average mass decreases. This stems from the fact that high Mach number flows produce many and strong shocks on intermediate to small spatial scales, leading to a highly fragmented density structure. We also show that the CMD from purely turbulent fragmentation does not follow a single power law, but can be described by a function that changes its shape continuously, probably similar to a lognormal function. The CMD in supersonic turbulent flows does not have a universal slope, which casts some doubt on attempts to directly relate the CMD to a universal initial mass function.
Immigrant Youth in Germany

This paper reviews research on young migrants in Germany. Particular attention is given to the question of how Germany’s history of migration, immigration policies, and public attitude toward migrants influence the transcultural adaptation of children and adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds. We combine past research with the results of new empirical studies in order to shed light on migrants’ psychological and sociocultural adaptation. Studies comparing young migrants and their German peers in terms of psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health outcome suggest higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems among migrants of most age groups. With regard to adolescent populations between the ages of 14 and 17 years, however, the existence of differences between migrants and natives appears to be less clear. Research has also yielded inconsistent findings regarding the time trajectory of transcultural adaptation among adolescents. The coincidence of acculturation and age-rela.
SEVOFLURANE POST‐CONDITIONING PROTECTS AGAINST MYOCARDIAL REPERFUSION INJURY BY ACTIVATION OF PHOSPHATIDYLINOSITOL‐3‐KINASE SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION

1 The mechanisms underlying myocardial protection by sevoflurane post‐conditioning are unclear. In the present study, we tested two hypotheses: (i) that sevoflurane post‐conditioning produces cardioprotection via a phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase (PI3‐K)‐dependent pathway; and (ii) combining sevoflurane and ischaemic post‐conditioning offers an additional benefit against reperfusion injury. 2 Rat isolated perfused hearts were exposed to 25 min ischaemia followed by 90 min reperfusion. Sevoflurane post‐conditioning was induced by administration of sevoflurane (3.0 vol%) for 15 min from the onset of reperfusion. In some groups, 15 µmol/L LY294002, a selective PI3‐K inhibitor, was coadministrated with sevoflurane. Other groups of hearts were exposed to ischaemic post‐conditioning or combined sevoflurane plus ischaemic post‐conditioning in the presence and absence of LY294002. After 15 min reperfusion, phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) was determined by Western blot analysis. Infarct size was determined by 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining and subsarcolemmal mitochondrial lesions were assessed by electron microscopy after 90 min reperfusion. 3 Sevoflurane post‐conditioning significantly decreased infarct size compared with control hearts (31 ± 2 vs 42 ± 3%, respectively; P < 0.05), diminished mitochondrial lesions and increased phosphorylation of Akt and GSK3β, as did ischaemic post‐conditioning. However, combined sevoflurane plus ischaemic post‐conditioning did not further improve the cardiaoprotective effects compared with either intervention alone. Sevoflurane‐mediated cardioprotection was abolished or inhibited by 15 µmol/L LY294002. 4 In conclusion, sevoflurane acts during early reperfusion after ischaemia to salvage the myocardium by activating PI3‐K. The combination of sevoflurane plus ischaemic post‐conditioning does not offer any additional benefit over either intervention alone.
Execution Patterns in Object-Oriented Visualization

Execution patterns are a new metaphor for visualizing execution traces of object-oriented programs. We present an execution pattern view that lets a programmer visualize and explore a program's execution at varied levels of abstraction. The view employs visual, navigational, and analytical techniques that accommodate lengthy, real-world traces. By classifying repetitive behavior automatically into high-order execution patterns, we drastically reduce the inform ation a programmer must assimilate, with little loss of in sight.
4-Hydroxy-2-nonenal upregulates endogenous antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes in rat H9c2 myocardiac cells: Protection against overt oxidative and electrophilic injury

This study was undertaken to determine if 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) could upregulate antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes in rat H9c2 myocardiac cells, and if the upregulated defenses led to cytoprotection against oxidative and electrophilic injury. Incubation of H9c2 cells with HNE at noncytotoxic concentrations resulted in significant induction of cellular catalase, glutathione (GSH), GSH S-transferase (GST), and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), as determined by enzyme activity and/or protein expression. HNE treatment caused increased mRNA expression of catalase, γ-glutamylcysteine ligase, GST-A1, and NQO1. Pretreatment of H9c2 cells with HNE led to significant protection against cytotoxicity induced by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. HNE-pretreated cells also exhibited increased resistance to injury elicited by subsequent cytotoxic concentrations of HNE. Taken together, this study demonstrates that several antioxidants and phase 2 enzymes in H9c2 cells are upregulated by HNE and that the increased defenses afford protection against overt oxidative and electrophilic cardiac cell injury.
What's in a Name? The Implications of Diagnosis for People with Learning Difficulties and their Family Carers

Diagnosis plays a significant role in the shaping of individual identities and the quality of life for people with learning difficulties and their family carers. Diagnostic labels are constitutive of peoples' lives, in that they bring forth pathology, create problemsaturated stories and construct careers as patients and cases. Disabled identities of people with learning difficulties remain largely ‘embodied’ and within the definitional control of professionals. Whilst the acquisition of a learning difficulty label can open doors to resources, it can also lead to disrespectful and dehumanising treatment, and the severe restriction of opportunities. This paper argues that a social constructionist perspective can offer a way of thinking about diagnosis that challenges the so called ‘facts' and ‘truths' that underpin and support it. Working in partnership with people with learning difficulties in relation to diagnosis requires professionals to relinquish power by resisting the ‘temptations of certainty’ associated with diagnostic practices.
Construction of Binary LDPC Convolutional Codes Based on Finite Fields

Using a finite field approach, a novel algebraic construction of low-density parity-check (LDPC) convolutional codes with fast encoding property is proposed. According to the matrices of quasi-cyclic (QC) codes constructed based on the multiplicative groups of finite fields and the algebraic property that a binary circulant matrix is isomorphic to a finite ring, we first generate a polynomial-form parity-check matrix of an LDPC convolutional code under a given rate over a given finite field. Then some related modifications are made upon the original polynomial-form matrix to obtain the new one with fast encoding property. Simulation results show that the proposed LDPC convolutional codes have good performance with the iterative belief propagation decoding algorithm.
Gender Invariance and Psychometric Properties of the Nonproductive Thoughts Questionnaire for Children

Perseverative cognitions—rumination and worry—can contribute to mental and somatic health problems in adolescence. Girls usually report stronger rumination or worry than boys even in earlier years across the development age spectrum. Our aim was to test the gender invariance and psychometric properties of the Nonproductive Thoughts Questionnaire for Children (NPTQ-C). Study 1 involved 1,572 students (mean age = 15.39 years, SD = 2.26; 49% boy) recruited representatively from local schools. We applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the measurement model of perseverative cognitions. The gender invariance of the measurement model and the convergent validity were analyzed as well with CFA with covariates model. The original one-factor structure of NPTQ-C was supported in our adolescent sample. Gender invariance was also confirmed. The NPTQ-C indicated high convergent validity: showing positive correlations with emotional instability and emotional symptoms. In Study 2 (385 students; mean age = 16.05; SD = 1.23; 34% boy), we tested the construct validity of NPTQ-C. The applied CFA with covariates model supported the construct validity. In summary, NPTQ-C proved to be a good instrument for measuring ruminative and worrying thoughts of adolescents, which reliably measures perseverative cognitions across genders.
Coleusin Factor, a Novel Anticancer Diterpenoid, Inhibits Osteosarcoma Growth by Inducing Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2–Dependent Differentiation

Coleusin factor is a diterpenoid compound isolated from the root of a tropical plant, Coleus forskohlii. Although Coleusin factor has been reported to suppress proliferation of and induce apoptosis in several types of cancer cells, the effects of Coleusin factor on osteosarcoma and the underlying mechanism are still not fully understood. In this study, we show that Coleusin factor treatment potently inhibits the growth of osteosarcoma cells associated with G1 cell-cycle arrest. Interestingly, apoptosis and cell death are not induced. Instead, Coleusin factor causes osteosarcoma cells to exhibit typical properties of differentiated osteoblasts, including a morphologic alteration resembling osteoblasts, the expression of osteoblast differentiation markers, elevated alkaline phosphatase activity, and increased cellular mineralization. Coleusin factor treatment significantly increases the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), a crucial osteogenic regulator, and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), one of the key transcription factors of the BMP pathway. When BMP-2 signaling is blocked, Coleusin factor fails to inhibit cell proliferation and to induce osteoblast differentiation. Thus, upregulation of BMP-2 autocrine is critical for Coleusin factor to induce osteoblast differentiation and exert its anticancer effects on osteosarcoma. Importantly, administration of Coleusin factor inhibits the growth of osteosarcoma xenografted in nude mice without systemic or immunologic toxicity. Osteosarcoma is a highly aggressive cancer marked by the loss of normal differentiation. Coleusin factor represents a new type of BMP-2 inducer that restores differentiation in osteosarcoma cells. It may provide a promising therapeutic strategy against osteosarcoma with minimal side effects. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(6); 1431–41. ©2014 AACR.
Mapping of a Region of the PA-X Protein of Influenza A Virus That Is Important for Its Shutoff Activity

ABSTRACT Influenza A virus PA-X comprises an N-terminal PA endonuclease domain and a C-terminal PA-X-specific domain. PA-X reduces host and viral mRNA accumulation via its endonuclease function. Here, we found that the N-terminal 15 amino acids, particularly six basic amino acids, in the C-terminal PA-X-specific region are important for PA-X shutoff activity. These six basic amino acids enabled a PA deletion mutant to suppress protein expression at a level comparable to that of wild-type PA-X.