Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analogue gravity from field theory normal modes?

We demonstrate that the emergence of a curved spacetime `effective Lorentzian geometry' is a common and generic result of linearizing a classical scalar field theory around some non-trivial background configuration. This investigation is motivated by considering the large number of `analogue models' of general relativity that have recently been developed based on condensed matter physics, and asking whether there is something more fundamental going on. Indeed, linearization of a classical field theory (that is, a field-theoretic `normal-mode analysis') results in fluctuations whose propagation is governed by a Lorentzian-signature curved spacetime `effective metric'. In the simple situation considered in this paper (a single classical scalar field), this procedure results in a unique effective metric, which is quite sufficient for simulating kinematic aspects of general relativity (up to and including Hawking radiation). Upon quantizing the linearized fluctuations around this background geometry, the one-loop effective action is guaranteed to contain a term proportional to the Einstein-Hilbert action of general relativity, suggesting that while classical physics is responsible for generating an `effective geometry', quantum physics can be argued to induce an `effective dynamics'. The situation is strongly reminiscent of, though not identical to, Sakharov's `induced-gravity' scenario, and suggests that Einstein gravity is an emergent low-energy long-distance phenomenon that is insensitive to the details of the high-energy short-distance physics. (We mean this in the same sense that hydrodynamics is a long-distance emergent phenomenon, many of whose predictions are insensitive to the short-distance cut-off implicit in molecular dynamics.)
Beyond the Sunan Model: Trajectory and Underlying Factors of Development in Kunshan, China

Since the launch of economic reforms in the late 1970s, some cities and regions in China have been growing much faster than others, stimulating scholarly research on the forces underlying uneven development. This paper, through a case study of the emergence of Kunshan in southern Jiangsu (Sunan), shows that the orthodox Sunan model centered on the development of township and village enterprises (TVEs) has become inadequate to account for the recent development and restructuring in Sunan. I argue that spatial development in China is a complicated process incorporating the role of the state, local development conditions, and foreign investment. Moreover, there are strong geographical foundations for the functioning of local states. The arguments are particularly relevant to the transitional nature of provincial China, where the state still plays a significant role in development while local and global forces have emerged as equally important forces.
Identity Construction and Social Capital: A Qualitative Study of the Use of Facebook by Saudi Women

This thesis is concerned with the formation of online identity and relationships on Facebook. It seeks to make a contribution to knowledge by examining the way that women in Saudi Arabia negotiate a complex terrain of expectations and possibilities as they engage in social networking activities on this site. The thesis reveals the strategies used in constructing and managing their identities, the issues they discuss and share with their audiences and the forms of social capital that their interactions produce. The thesis utilises a mix of qualitative methods of research. It is based on online/offline interviews and observations of the participants’ self-performances and activities on Facebook. The conceptual language of the thesis is informed by Goffman’s dramaturgical approach and Bourdieu’s concept of social capital. The analysis is positioned within a critical engagement with studies of identity construction, online deliberation, and social capital in social media environments. The findings reveal different aspects of identity formation and management of self and others on the site, suggesting that these are overshadowed by a high awareness of the gaze of known and unknown audiences. The study identified participants’ practices of distinguishing self from other, judging the self, and imagining being judged by others. Their identities were found to be constructed, gendered, and tightly managed as they addressed multiple audiences, with networks being formed in a way that has relatively narrowly defined boundaries. By examining the ways that cultural expectations shape participants’ online self-presentation and social activities, the thesis explores the continuities between their online and offline worlds. This thesis extends Goffman’s dramaturgical approach to consider more complex settings where the self is monitored and regulated, contexts “collapse,” and the audience is physically absent. This thesis also contributes to understandings of the blurring of the public/private distinction online and proposes extending the scope of ‘online deliberation’ beyond public political spheres to other, more private networked publics. The exploration of the connections made by participants between their online identities, expressions, and relationships and their offline lives, enables the study to consider how participants' Facebook use relates to their wider contexts of interaction.
Application of Noise Reduction Algorithm ClearVoice in Cochlear Implant Processing: Effects on Noise Tolerance and Speech Intelligibility in Noise in Relation to Spectral Resolution

Objectives: Noise reduction algorithms have recently been introduced in the design of clinically available cochlear implants. This study was intended to (1) evaluate the effect of noise reduction algorithm “ClearVoice” on noise tolerance and on speech intelligibility in noisy conditions at different speech-in-noise ratios in cochlear implant users, and (2) test the hypothesis that CI recipients with low spectral resolution might benefit more from noise reduction algorithms than CI users with high spectral resolution. Design: A double-blind crossover design was used to measure the effect of the noise reduction algorithm ClearVoice on noise tolerance with the acceptable noise level (ANL) test and on speech in noise for three performance levels: speech reception thresholds (SRT) at 50%, 70%, and at a speech to noise ratio of SRT50% + 11 dB. Furthermore, they tested speech intelligibility in quiet. The effective spectral resolution was measured with a spectral-ripple discrimination test. Twenty users of the Advanced Bionics Harmony processor with HiRes120-processing participated in this study. Results: The noise reduction algorithm led to a significant improvement—a decrease of 3.6 dB—in the ANL test but had no significant effect on any of the three speech-in-noise performance levels. The improvement in ANL was not significantly correlated with any of the speech-in-noise measures, nor with the speech-in-noise ratio in the ANL test. However, higher maximum speech intelligibility in quiet conditions correlated significantly with higher noise tolerance. Spectral-ripple discrimination thresholds were not significantly correlated with the effect of noise reduction on ANL or on speech intelligibility in noise nor with the speech-in-noise ratios. The spectral-ripple discrimination thresholds did correlate significantly with maximum speech intelligibility in quiet but not with speech reception thresholds in noise. Conclusions: The noise reduction algorithm ClearVoice improves noise tolerance. However, this study shows no change in speech intelligibility in noise due to the algorithm. The improvement in noise tolerance is not significantly related to spectral-ripple discrimination thresholds, speech intelligibility measures, or signal to noise ratio. Our hypothesis that CI recipients with low spectral resolution have a greater benefit from noise reduction than CI users with high spectral resolution does not hold for noise tolerance or for speech intelligibility in noise.
Exploring awareness, attitudes, and perceived role among oral health providers regarding HPV-related oral cancers.

OBJECTIVES Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the most common STI in the United States, is increasingly being associated with a number of cancers, including oral cancers (OC). This may change the approach of oral health providers (OHP) towards screening and identifying OC in their patients. METHODS Five focus groups were conducted in February and March 2009 with dentists and dental hygienists. Participants were recruited via presentations at monthly meetings of local dental and dental hygiene professional associations, and through association mailing and telephone lists. RESULTS A total of 38 OHP participated in the focus groups (17 dentists and 21 hygienists). Analysis of focus group data was framed by three general content areas regarding HPV-related OC and the HPV vaccine, including: (a) knowledge; (b) attitudes; and (c) perceived roles. Sub-themes that emerged included issues related to the HPV vaccine, the role of professional organizations, and concerns with gender roles and confidentiality. CONCLUSIONS As public awareness of the link between HPV and OC increases, OHP play an important role in addressing this issue with their patients. The current study clearly identified areas that must be addressed among OHP in order for effective and comfortable communication regarding the HPV-OC link and the potential uses of the HPV vaccines to take place, including: (a) increasing knowledge of the HPV-OC link and HPV vaccine; and (b) clarifying screening procedures, role, and expectations.
The Relationship Between Positive and Negative Perfectionism and Depressive Symptoms: The Role of Academic Rumination

Background: Perfectionism as a personality trait can lead to students depression. It seems that academic rumination in the relationship between perfectionism and depression play a role of mediator in academic settings. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of positive and negative perfectionism with depressive symptoms mediated by academic rumination. Patients and Methods: The sample comprised 368 undergraduate students of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz in 2011 - 2012 academic year. They were randomly selected by multi-stage sampling method. The data were collected by 3 measures of positive and negative perfectionism scale (PANPS), beck depression inventory-II (BDI- II), and academic rumination inventory (ARI). Results: Preliminary analyses revealed that positive perfectionism was negatively correlated with both depressive symptoms and academic rumination and had a significant negative correlation with negative perfectionism. Also, negative perfectionism was positively correlated with both depressive symptoms and academic rumination. Furthermore, academic rumination was positively correlated with depressive symptoms. The results of path analysis showed academic rumination mediated the relationship of positive and negative perfectionism with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: According to this model, students with high score on negative perfectionism by mechanism of academic rumination report higher depressive symptoms, however students with high score on positive perfectionism report lower depressive symptoms through reduction of ruminative thoughts.
An Overview of the Information Needs of Agricultural Researchers and Extension Workers in Zimbabwe

Abstract Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the economies of many developing economies because it contributes significantly to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), labour force, sustenance and exports. The sector accounts for more than 30% of the GDP and 60% of total employment in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa. Zimbabwe is no exception; agriculture provides an income to over 75% of the country’s population. This paper reports on a study that examined agricultural information and the role that is played by researchers and extension workers as intermediaries for farmers. The study focused on researchers and extension workers in the public sector, covering 16 research institutes and 44 districts. A questionnaire was used to collect data, most of which was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), with content analysis used in the case of open-ended questions. Although three different sets of data were collected through questionnaires, interviews and observation, this paper reports only on the results of the questionnaire which was distributed to researchers and extension workers. The study revealed that the information needs of the researchers and extension workers aligned with the major agricultural disciplines and that respondents were using various sources of information in fulfilling their information needs, ranging from libraries to Internet sources (including databases and other electronic sources), consulting colleagues, workshops and seminars, and personal collections.
Reliability Estimation from Linear Degradation and Failure Time Data With Competing Risks Under a Step-Stress Accelerated Degradation Test

The accelerated degradation test (ADT) has become critical for product reliability assessment. In performing the ADT for newly developed products, a constant-stress ADT may be impractical or sometimes impossible where the available size of testing units and the testing duration are heavily bounded to meet the short development period of the products. As an alternative, a step-stress accelerated degradation test (SSADT) can be a useful tool for satisfying the test limitation, and for making up for uncertainty in selecting appropriate levels of stress. Occasionally, the elevated stress under SSADT not only accelerates the performance degradation of products, but it may also expedite traumatic failures. This paper proposes a modeling approach to simultaneously analyze linear degradation data and traumatic failures with competing risks in an SSADT experiment. Under the modeling approach, a cumulative exposure model is considered. The failure rate corresponding to each failure mode is described as a function of the degradation level at the moment of failure. No parametric assumptions are made regarding the failure-time distribution to extend the proposed method to more general cases. We derive maximum likelihood estimates of the model parameters, then estimate failure rates and product reliability based on the degradation level to failure. Asymptotic properties of the maximum likelihood estimates are also discussed. The proposed model is applied to accelerated degradation data from plastic substrate active matrix light-emitting diodes (AMOLEDs), along with sensitivity analysis.
Performance-Structure and Market Power versus Efficiency in Latin American Banking

Since the mid-1990s the Latin American banking sector has experienced profound changes due to financial liberalisation, a significant increase in foreign investments and greater mergers activities, often occurring following financial crises. The wave of consolidation and the rapid market concentration that took place in most countries has generated concerns about the increase in banks’ market power and its potential effects on consumers. This paper advances the existing literature by testing market power and efficient-structure hypotheses for a sample of over 3,000 bank observations operating in the ten largest Latin American countries over 1997-2005. Our results suggest that the inclusion of non-parametric estimates of cost efficiencies in the market power models (namely the Structure-Conduct Performance and the Relative Market Power hypotheses) is crucial in explaining the bank profit-structure relationship in Latin American countries. Specifically, we find evidence that when Xand scale efficiencies are included in the models, concentration is never positively related to bank profitability and market share loses significance, thereby excluding the possibility of collusion effects derived from market power. On the other hand, cost and scale advantages as well as higher capital ratios, seem to be the most significant factors in driving higher than normal profits for Latin American banks.
The Impact of Conflict and Conflict Management Style on Deadbeats and Deserters  in Virtual Teams

Individuals face additional challenges when interacting in virtual teams. The lack of media richness and the asynchronous nature of technologically transmitted messages make communication more difficult. Conflicts may be more likely to arise in virtual teams. In this study, team members who were identified as deadbeats by other team members and those who deserted the team were studied. Deadbeats and deserters reported experiencing more conflict and less trust, group cohesion, and satisfaction when working in virtual teams. Analysis of two conflict management approaches showed that deserters were significantly more likely to use an avoidance conflict management style than active team members. Active team members were more likely to use an integrative approach to conflict management. Results of the study suggest that conflict, and the way in which individuals deal with it, may impact the likelihood of social loafing and desertion in virtual teams.
An approach to fault-tolerant mobile agent execution in distributed systems

Mobile agents are no longer a theoretical issue since different architectures for their realization have been proposed. With the increasing market of electronic commerce it becomes an interesting aspect to use autonomous mobile agents for electronic business transactions. Being involved in money transactions, supplementary security features for mobile agent systems have to he ensured. Fault-tolerance is fundamental to the further development of mobile agent applications. In the context of mobile agents, fault-tolerance prevents a partial or complete loss of the agent, i.e., ensures that the agent arrives at its destination. Simple approaches such as checkpointing are prone to blocking. Replication can in principle improve solutions based on checkpointing. However, existing solutions in this context either assume a perfect failure detection mechanism (which is not realistic in an environment such as the Internet), or rely on complex solutions based on leader election and distributed transactions, where only a subset of solutions prevents blocking . This paper proposes a novel approach to fault-tolerant mobile agent execution, which is based on modeling agent execution as a sequence of agreement problems. Each agreement problem is one instance of the well-understood consensus problem. Our solution does not require a perfect failure detection mechanism, while preventing blocking and ensuring that the agent is executed exactly once.
Realization of a Sliding-Correlator-Based Continuous-Wave Pseudorandom Binary Phase-Coded Radar Operating in  $W$ -Band

In this paper, we present a continuous-wave (CW) mm-wave radar, which is based on binary phase-coded pseudorandom signals. The receiving section is operated as a sliding correlator, which allows to greatly reduce the bandwidth required in the baseband blocks of the system. A certain class of pseudorandom sequences, with so-called almost perfect autocorrelation properties, is used as probing signal. This leads to a good dynamic range, even for short sequence lengths. The presented hardware is based on a SiGe front-end chip, which includes a frequency multiplier to generate a 79-GHz carrier from a fixed-frequency source operating at 4.39 GHz. A field-programmable gate array generates the binary sequences with a bit rate of 1 Gb/s. This sequence is modulated onto the W-band carrier by binary phase-shift keying modulators realized within the SiGe chip. In this way, a flexible prototype was realized that was used to perform different radar experiments ranging from static single-target scenarios to range-Doppler measurements with multiple targets. It could be shown that the realized pseudorandom radar achieves a range resolution of 15 cm and ranging standard deviations in the millimeter range. This is comparable to frequency-modulated CW measurements with a bandwidth of 2 GHz, which were carried out using the same hardware for comparison purposes.
Technical aspects of spinal cord stimulation for managing chronic visceral abdominal pain: the results from the national survey.

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND, OBJECTIVES, AND METHODS: A few recent reports suggested that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) effectively suppresses chronic abdominal pain. However, there is no consensus on patient selection or technical aspects of SCS for such pain. That is why we conducted national survey and collected 76 case reports. There were six incompletely filled reports, so we analyzed 70 cases. RESULTS There were 43 female and 27 male patients. SCS was trialed in an average of 4.7 days (median of 4 days). In most patients, the leads were positioned for the SCS trial with their tips at the level of the T5 vertebral body (26 patients) or T6 vertebral body (15 patients). Four patients failed SCS trial: their average baseline visual analog scale (VAS) pain score was 7 +/- 2.4 cm and did not improve at the conclusion of the trial (6.5 +/- 1.9 cm; P = 0.759). Pain relief exceeded 50% in 66 of 70 patients reported. Among those, VAS pain score before the trial averaged 7.9 +/- 1.8 cm. During the trial VAS pain scores decreased to 2.45 +/- 1.45 cm (P < 0.001). The opioid use decreased from 128 +/- 159 mg of morphine sulfate equivalents a day to 79 +/- 112 mg (P < 0.017). During permanent implantation most of the physicians used two octrode leads and were positioned midline at T5-6 levels. The average patient follow-up was 84 weeks. VAS pain scores before an implant were 8 +/- 1.9 cm, while after the implant 2.49 +/- 1.9 cm. The opioid use before an implant was 158 +/- 160 mg and at the last office visit after the implant 36 +/- 49 mg. CONCLUSION In conclusion, it seems that the SCS for the treatment of the abdominal visceral pain may provide a positive patient long-term experience, significant improvements in pain scores and a decrease in opioid use.
Soluble Beta-Amyloid Peptides, but Not Insoluble Fibrils, Have Specific Effect on Neuronal MicroRNA Expression

Recent studies indicate that soluble β-amyloid (sAβ) oligomers, rather than their fibrillar aggregates, contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), though the mechanisms of their neurotoxicity are still elusive. Here, we demonstrate that sAβ derived from 7PA2 cells exert a much stronger effect on the regulation of a set of functionally validated microRNAs (miRNAs) in primary cultured neurons than the synthetic insoluble Aβ fibrils (fAβ). Synthetic sAβ peptides at a higher concentration present comparable effect on these miRNAs in our neuronal model. Further, the sAβ-induced miR-134, miR-145 and miR-210 expressions are fully reversed by two selective N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor inhibitors, but are neither reversed by insulin nor by forskolin, suggesting an NMDA receptor-dependent, rather than PI3K/AKT or PKA/CREB signaling dependent regulatory mechanism. In addition, the repression of miR-107 expression by the sAβ containing 7PA2 CM is likely involved multiple mechanisms and multiple players including NMDA receptor, N-terminally truncated Aβ and reactive oxygen species (ROS).