Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using conference submission data to uncover broad trends in language teaching: A case study of one conference over 30 years

Submissions to conferences can provide rich material for analysing characteristics and trends within a conference’s history and that of similar conferences, as well as the associated field at large. The present study uses data gathered over 30 years from a language teachers’ conference in Japan (JALT National) to expound upon patterns related to (1) strands and themes, (2) methodological and topical trends over time, (3) influential researchers, and (4) how JALT compares to other major language teaching conferences. The findings emerged from frequency counts, keyword searches and a detailed analysis of JALT’s digital archive, which focused on presenters’ abstract titles and abstracts consisting of a one-million-plus-word corpus. Beyond the content analysis of the conference under study, the use of the review study as a method for a broader understanding of how conferences both reflect and impact the field is discussed.
Recreation therapy for adult survivors of childhood abuse: challenges to professional perspectives and the evolution of a leisure education group.

People who have experienced trauma, such as childhood abuse, often unconsciously reenact aspects of their trauma through their leisure experiences. This has powerful clinical implications for recreation therapy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Without awareness of traumatic reenactments in leisure, recreation therapists may enable maladaptive coping strategies and deeply rooted shame-based beliefs for which the patient is initially seeking treatment. This narrative addresses leisure-related traumatic reenactments of adult survivors of trauma, as well as the process of a leisure-based psycho-educational group implemented to address trauma issues. Case examples and the personal reflections of the recreation therapist are presented, with implications for practice and research.
Extraction of information from the dynamical activities of neural networks

Interacting with our dynamic environment requires to process huge amounts of sensory data in short time. This incoming stream of information is combined with internal states (e.g. memories or intentions) and results in actions. The fundamental mechanisms behind this fast information processing are still not understood. Even how information is stored in, and transmitted with sequences of action potentials is still under heavy debate. This thesis provides novel ideas to accomplish fast information processing, to understand adaptive coding strategies, and to perform unsupervised online learning of non-stationary representations. In its first, genuinely theoretical part (chapter 3 Information Processing Spike by Spike) this thesis develops a new concept in the field of fast information processing with single action potentials. The framework is based on stochastic generative models using Poissonian spike trains as input. It is capable of realizing arbitrary input-output functions, updating an internal representation with each incoming spike, for performing computations as fast as possible. Leaving those purely theoretical considerations behind, the second part of this thesis (chapter 4 Selective Visual Attention in V4/V1) investigates principles of adaptive neural coding in real data, focusing on the question how an internal cortical state, evoked by selective visual attention, modifies information processing in the brain. In collaboration with monkey neuro-physiologists we studied the influence of attention on the discriminability of visual stimuli through their neuronal correlates recorded as epidural field potentials. The final part in this thesis (chapter 5 Stabilizing Decoding Against Non-Stationaries) takes us towards a medical application for extracting internal brain states from neuronal activities. For controlling prosthetic devices with brain signals, reliable algorithms for estimating the intended actions of a person are required. A method was designed which allows to stabilise the estimator of a neuro-prosthesis against disruptions from non-stationarities in the characteristics of coding the intended actions, and from changes in their representations in the measured neuronal correlates. Taken together, this thesis presented three new contributions: A theoretical method of processing information spike by spike in a fast and efficient fashion. This study also showed that it is sufficient to use neurons, generating Poissonian spike trains, for performing fast and efficient information processing (Ernst et al., 2007b). A new mechanism, produced through selective visual attention, was revealed that renders information about different visual stimuli, represented in γ-band oscillatory activity of neuronal populations, more distinct for an external observer and probably for the brain itself. It also showed that internal states of the brain can alter the neuronal activity pattern in a complex manner and it demonstrated that the power of the γ-band contains significant information about visually perceived shapes (Rotermund et al., 2007a).
Artist Classification with Web-Based Data

Manifold approaches exist for organization of music by genre and/or style. In this paper we propose the use of text categorization techniques to classify artists present on the Internet. In particular, we retrieve and analyze webpages ranked by search engines to describe artists in terms of word occurrences on related pages. To classify artists we primarily use support vector machines. We present 3 experiments in which we address the following issues. First, we study the performance of our approach compared to previous work. Second, we investigate how daily fluctuations in the Internet affect our approach. Third, on a set of 224 artists from 14 genres we study (a) how many artists are necessary to define the concept of a genre, (b) which search engines perform best, (c) how to formulate search queries best, (d) which overall performance we can expect for classification, and finally (e) how our approach is suited as a similarity measure for artists.
Human travel and traveling bedbugs.

BACKGROUND A dramatic increase of reported bedbug (Cimex lectularius and Cimex hemipterus) infestations has been observed worldwide over the past decade. Bedbug infestations have also been detected across a wide range of travel accommodations, regardless of their comfort and hygiene levels. Travelers are increasingly exposed to the risks of bedbug bites, infestation of personal belongings, and subsequent contamination of newly visited accommodations and their homes. METHODS We searched Medline publications via the PubMed database. National bedbug recommendations, textbooks, newspapers, and Centers for Disease Control websites were also searched manually. DISCUSSION To detect infested sites, avoid or limit bedbug bites, and reduce the risk of contaminating one's belongings and home, bedbug biology and ecology must be understood. A detailed search of their most classic hiding niches is a key to finding adult bedbugs, nymphs, eggs, and feces or traces of blood from crushed bedbugs. Locally, bedbugs move by active displacement to feed (bite) during the night. Bed, mattress, sofa, and/or curtains are the most frequently infested places. If you find bedbugs, change your room or, even better, the hotel. Otherwise, travelers should follow recommendations for avoiding bedbugs and their bites during the night and apply certain simple rules to avoid infesting other sites or their home. CONCLUSION Travelers exposed to bedbugs can minimize the risks of bites and infestation of their belongings, and must also do their civic duty to avoid contributing to the subsequent contamination of other hotels and, finally, home.
Conventional culture versus nucleic acid amplification tests for screening of urethral Neisseria gonorrhea infection among asymptomatic men who have sex with men

Background Many methods are used to detect urethral Neisseria gonorrhea (NG) infection among asymptomatic men who have sex with men (MSM). The objective of this study was to define the performance of conventional culture compared to real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for diagnosis of asymptomatic urethral gonorrhea among MSM. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 147 clinical specimens for NG testing from asymptomatic participants were evaluated. MSM >18 years old who consented to undergo urethral swab and collection of urine samples from two clinics (one was the sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) mobile clinic and the second was the antiretroviral clinic) located in Khon Kaen, Thailand, were recruited. For conventional culture, 147 swab specimens from urethra were analyzed. For real-time PCR, the same samples and collected urine (147 urethral swab and 62 urine) were evaluated. Results Participants were predominately older aged (mean age: 28.79 years, range: 18–54), asymptomatic (99.3%), and engaged in sex with multiple partners (63% had at least two partners and 36% had at least three partners during the previous 3 months). Twenty-five MSM (17%) had history of STD, mainly human immunodeficiency virus infection. Of the 147 specimens, 42 were positive for NG detected by real-time PCR (prevalence: 28.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 24.8%–32.4%), while none of the 147 MSM were positive for NG detected by conventional culture (prevalence: 0.0%, 95% CI: 0.0%–7.3%). These findings indicated that conventional culture had low sensitivity but high specificity (0.0% and 100%, respectively). We could not demonstrate that many of the factors that were identified in other studies were associated to increased (or decreased) risk of urethral gonococcal infection in our population. Conclusion In asymptomatic MSM, nucleic acid amplification tests are more appropriate for screening of urethral NG infection than conventional culture. However, the culture method is necessary for monitoring emerging antimicrobial resistance and to inform gonorrhea treatment guidelines.
Fetal Sex Determination using Non-Invasive Method of Cell-free Fetal DNA in Maternal Plasma of Pregnant Women During 6th– 10th Weeks of Gestation

In previous years, identification of fetal cells in maternal blood circulation has caused a new revolution in non-invasive method of prenatal diagnosis. Low number of fetal cells in maternal blood and long-term survival after pregnancy limited the use of fetal cells in diagnostic and clinical applications. With the discovery of cell-free fetal DNA (cffDNA) in plasma of pregnant women, access to genetic material of the fetus had become possible to determine early gender of a fetus in pregnancies at the risk of X-linked genetic conditions instead of applying invasive methods. Therefore in this study, the probability of detecting sequences on the Y chromosome in pregnant women has been evaluated to identify the gender of fetuses. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 80 pregnant women at 6th to 10th weeks of gestation and then the fetal DNA was extracted from the plasma. Nested PCR was applied to detect the sequences of single copy SRY gene and multi copy DYS14 & DAZ genes on the Y chromosome of the male fetuses. At the end, all the obtained results were compared with the actual gender of the newborns. In 40 out of 42 born baby boys, the relevant gene sequences were identified and 95.2% sensitivity was obtained. Non-invasive early determination of fetal gender using cffDNA could be employed as a pre-test in the shortest possible time and with a high reliability to avoid applying invasive methods in cases where a fetus is at the risk of genetic diseases.
The c-Myc-Regulated MicroRNA-17∼92 (miR-17∼92) and miR-106a∼363 Clusters Target hCYP19A1 and hGCM1 To Inhibit Human Trophoblast Differentiation

ABSTRACT Mononuclear cytotrophoblasts of the human placenta proliferate rapidly, subsequently fuse, and differentiate to form multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast with induction of aromatase (hCYP19A1) and chorionic gonadotropin (hCGβ) expression. Using microarray analysis, we identified members of the miR-17∼92 cluster and its paralogs, miR-106a∼363 and miR-106b∼25, that are significantly downregulated upon syncytiotrophoblast differentiation. Interestingly, miR-19b and miR-106a directly targeted hCYP19A1 expression, while miR-19b also targeted human GCM1 (hGCM1), a transcription factor critical for mouse labyrinthine trophoblast development. Overexpression of these microRNAs (miRNAs) impaired syncytiotrophoblast differentiation. hGCM1 knockdown decreased hCYP19A1 and hCGβ expression, substantiating its important role in human trophoblast differentiation. Expression of the c-Myc proto-oncogene was increased in proliferating cytotrophoblasts compared to that in differentiated syncytiotrophoblast. Moreover, c-Myc overexpression upregulated miR-17∼92 and inhibited hCYP19A1 and hCGβ expression. Binding of endogenous c-Myc to genomic regions upstream of the miR-17∼92 and miR-106a∼363 clusters in cytotrophoblasts dramatically decreased upon syncytiotrophoblast differentiation. Intriguingly, we observed higher levels of miR-106a and -19b and lower aromatase and hGCM1 expression in placentas from preeclamptic women than in placentas from gestation-matched normotensive women. Our findings reveal that c-Myc-regulated members of the miR-17∼92 and miR-106a∼363 clusters inhibit trophoblast differentiation by repressing hGCM1 and hCYP19A1 and suggest that aberrant regulation of these miRNAs may contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
Is Physiological Angiogenesis in Skeletal Muscle Regulated by Changes in Microcirculation?

Physiological angiogenesis occurs in female reproductive organs, in growing antlers as a result of long‐term exposure to cold and possibly hypoxia, and due to increased activity (training) in skeletal and cardiac muscle. The common denominator is increased blood flow, which may result in increased velocity of flow and/or diameters in arterioles and capillaries, increased capillary pressure and increased capillary hematocrit. Increased velocity would lead to increased shear stress, while increased pressure and/or diameters would increase wall tension. Either of these factors may cause a disturbance of the endothelium on the luminal side of vessels. In addition, increased contractile activity during training could cause changes on the abluminal side (for example, modification of the capillary basement membrane or the extracellular matrix induced by stretch/relaxation). In order to elucidate the role of these individual factors in angiogenesis, microcirculation was studied in skeletal muscles which were exposed to: (a) increased activity by chronic electrical stimulation; (b) long‐term increase in blood flow by various vasodilators; (c) long‐term administration of CoCl2 to increase hematocrit; and (d) long‐term stretch, achieved by removal of agonist muscles. Capillary growth, demonstrated as an increased capillary/fiber ratio, as determined by histochemical staining and by electron microscopy, occurred in (a), (b), and (d), but not (c). Capillary proliferation, estimated by labeling index for bromodeoxyuridine of capillary‐linked nuclei, occurred in (a), but not in (b).
THE INHERITANCE OF MODIFIERS CONFERRING SELF‐FERTILITY IN THE PARTIALLY SELF‐INCOMPATIBLE PERENNIAL, CAMPANULA RAPUNCULOIDES L. (CAMPANULACEAE)

Abstract The role of partial self‐incompatibility in plant breeding system evolution has received little attention. Here, we examine the genetic basis of modifiers conferring self‐fertility in the creeping bellflower, Campanula rapunculoides L. (Campanulaceae), a partially self‐incompatible herb. A survey of 35 individuals from two natural populations indicates that 45% of them are strongly self‐incompatible, 40% intermediately self‐incompatible, and 15% weakly self‐incompatible and that some plants show a strong breakdown in self‐incompatibility over floral age. We generated 101 F1 families by random crossing among 31 parental plants and estimated the heritability of self‐fertility in day 1 and day 4 female‐phase flowers, the genetic correlation between day 1 and day 4 self‐fertility, and the coefficient of additive genetic variance of self‐fertility. We use linear regression and data from additional crosses to examine whether there are significant maternal effects in the expression of self‐fertility. We use Fain's test to determine if a major gene influences self‐fertility and, finding no evidence, use data from additional crosses on an F2 generation to estimate the mean number and dominance of genes conferring self‐fertility. These analyses indicate that the heritability (h2) of self‐fertility is 0.24 in day 1 female‐phase flowers and 0.44 in day 4 flowers, self‐fertility is primarily additive but shows some recessive effects, and self‐fertility is estimated to be controlled by four genetic factors. In addition, we have evidence that there may be maternal effects for self‐fertility, especially for weakly self‐incompatible plants. The significance of these results in the context of mating system evolution is discussed.
Ranking Methods for the Prediction of Frequent Top Scoring Peptides from Proteomics Data

Proteomics facilities accumulate large amounts of proteomics data that are archived for documentation purposes. Since proteomics search engines, e.g. Mascot or Sequest, are used for peptide sequencing resulting in peptide hits that are ranked by a score, we apply ranking algorithms to combine archived search results into predictive models. In this way peptide sequences can be identified that frequently achieve high scores. Using our approach they can be predicted directly from their molecular structure and then be used to support protein identification or perform experiments that require reliable peptide identification. We prepared all peptide sequences and Mascot scores from a four year period of proteomics experiments on Homo sapiens of the Proteome Center Tuebingen for training. To encode the peptides MacroModel and DragonX were used for molecular descriptor computation. All features were ranked by ranking-specific feature selection using the Greedy Search Algorithm to significantly improve the performance of RankNet and FRank. Model evaluation on hold-out test data resulted in a Mean Average Precision up to 0.59 and a Normalized Discounted Cumulative Gain up to 0.81. Therefore we demonstrate that ranking algorithms can be used for the analysis of long term proteomics data to identify frequently top scoring peptides.
Governmentality, blurred boundaries, and pleasure in the docusoap Border Security

The Seven Network's Border Security: Australia's Front Line has been the highest rating TV program in its season for each of the last five years in Australia. The program examines the daily work of the Australian customs, immigration, and quarantine services using the threaded structure common to the ‘docusoap’ format, as, in each episode, the nation is defended from threats posed by ‘drug runners, illegal immigrants, potential terrorists, harmful pests and disease’. Located at airports, coastal waters and mailing centres the action in each episode revolves around the detection and apprehension of individuals whose actions are constructed as threats to the well-being of the nation. This article argues that the series operates in a liminal space between documentary and public relations to present in a positive light the work of border protection agencies and engage the travelling citizen in the work of border protection and risk management. In doing so the program serves as an agent of governmentality.
The Flow of Management Practices

Which characteristics of NGOs are associated with the adoption of modern management practices and to what extent have those practices become standardized? Based on a national sample of 135 international and local NGOs operating in Cambodia, we address these questions by analyzing the dynamics of “monitoring and evaluation” (M&E), a term used to describe a broad range of activities that NGOs undertake to track, understand, and assess their work. We provide an overview of monitoring and evaluation in a developing country setting, investigate the factors associated with more extensive (or sophisticated) M&E using multivariate analysis, and look at how M&E practices vary between local and international NGOs. Findings demonstrate that professionalization, resource dependence, and social embeddedness all play important roles in explaining the activities of NGOs operating in Cambodia. The analysis also suggests that the flow of management practices in the NGO sector differs for local and international actors.
Security and Privacy for Real Time Video Streaming Using Hierarchical Inner Product Encryption Based Publish-Subscribe Architecture

In this era of digitization, there are many application swhich can be used for sharing videos to a group of people around the world in real time. During the acquisition of real time data, many sensitive information also gets captured along. This poses a threat to privacy of data. In this paper, we consider the scenario of real time sharing of video from multiple sources to multiple end users through a secure publish subscribe architecture. We propose a system that provides a secure user profile based data privacy using Hierarchical Inner Product Encryption (HIPE) and a broker with anonymous pub sub architecture. System provides multiple levels of data access control to end users based on their roles so that they will be able to see only those videos for which they have access. In order to ensure secure communication, the broker publishes data on encrypted topic and uses HIPE for data subscription. In this paper, we demonstrate the end-to-end working of the system through prototype implementation. Further, we also present the system performance and evaluate the system security both with and without HIPE.
The influence of glimepiride on the oxidative state of rats with streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia.

BACKGROUND The aim of this work was to determine whether glimepiride, a derivate of sulphonylurea of the hypoglycemic effect, influences the level of prooxidative factors and antioxidative enzymes activity in the course of experimental streptozotocin hyperglycemia in rats. MATERIAL/METHODS The studies were performed on healthy male Wistar rats of body weight 200+/-30 g, fed with the standard laboratory diet and given water ad libitum. Animals were divided into 3 groups, each consisting of 8 rats. Group I--control animals, Group II--animals in which experimental hyperglycemia was induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg body mass), Group III--animals which were given glimepiride orally for seven weeks (200 mg/kg of body mass), starting 24 hours after streptozotocin administration. Using Ohkawa method, malondialdehyde level was determined in plasma for all groups. Concentration of hydrogen peroxide was determined using method developed by Frew and co-workers, superoxide dismutase activity using the Misra and Fridovich method and activity of glutathione peroxidase by means of Ransel kit [Randox, Great Britain]. The decrease of glucose level in serum of rats under the influence of streptozotocin and glimepiride was observed when compared with the group given placebo. RESULTS Glimepiride administration caused a decrease of peroxides and malondialdehyde levels and increase in activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in rats, after streptozotocin had been administered. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that glimepiride may effectively inhibit the development of the oxidative stress in diabetes.