Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Semantic-context effects on lexical stress and syllable prominence

In the present study we investigated the effect of semantic context on the perception of words that differ only in the lexical stress pattern. Our study was based on the disyllabic German word AUGUST. Depending on whether the lexical stress is on the first or the second syllable the w ord refers to either a name or a month. By means of a forced-choic e identification experiment we tested to what extent the l exical stressposition is triggered by the semantic context and b y local phonetic cues. The stimuli that constituted a 7-ste p continuum from ‘August to Au’gust were appended to different word lists containing another name and another month, i.e. con text words that were semantically related to either the name ‘August or the month Au’gust. Results showed that the perceptual boundary between ‘August and Au’gust was shifted according to the semantics of the adjacent context word. This semant ic-context effect was present for both ambiguous and clear pho netic prominence cues in AUGUST.
Terrain Classification for a Quadruped Robot

Using data retrieved from the Puppy II robot at the University of Zurich (UZH), we show that machine learning techniques with non-linearities and fading memory are effective for terrain classification, both supervised and unsupervised, even with a limited selection of input sensors. The results indicate that most information for terrain classification is found in the combination of tactile sensors and proprioceptive joint angle sensors. The classification error is small enough to have a robot adapt the gait to the terrain and hence move more robustly.
Genetic Evidence That Lipoprotein(a) Associates With Atherosclerotic Stenosis Rather Than Venous Thrombosis

Objective—The aim of the present study was to determine whether lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], considered a causal risk factor for cardiovascular disease, primarily promotes thrombosis or atherosclerosis. Methods and Results—Using a Mendelian randomization study design, we measured plasma Lp(a) and genetically elevated Lp(a) levels through the LPA kringle IV type 2 repeat genotype in 41231 individuals. We included 2 general population studies of both venous thrombosis and combined thrombosis and atherosclerosis in coronary arteries (=myocardial infarction), and 3 case–control studies of atherosclerotic stenosis. Neither Lp(a) tertiles nor LPA kringle IV type 2 tertiles associated with the risk of venous thrombosis in general population studies (trend: P=0.12–0.76), but did each associate with risk of coronary, carotid, and femoral atherosclerotic stenosis in case–control studies (trend: P<0.001 to 0.04). Lp(a) and LPA kringle IV type 2 tertiles also associated with the risk of myocardial infarction in general population studies (trend: P<0.001 to 0.003). For doubling of Lp(a) levels, instrumental variable estimates of hazard/odds ratios were 1.02 (95% CI 0.90–1.15) and 1.04 (0.93–1.16) for venous thrombosis in the 2 general population studies, 1.12 (1.01–1.25), 1.17 (1.05–1.32), and 1.16 (1.01–1.35), respectively, for coronary, carotid, and femoral atherosclerotic stenosis in case–control studies, and 1.21 (1.10–1.33) and 1.17 (1.05–1.29) for myocardial infarction in general population studies. Conclusion—This supports that Lp(a) primarily promotes atherosclerotic stenosis rather than venous thrombosis.
Quantitative nanohistological investigation of scleroderma: an atomic force microscopy-based approach to disease characterization

Scleroderma (or systemic sclerosis, SSc) is a disease caused by excess crosslinking of collagen. The skin stiffens and becomes painful, while internally, organ function can be compromised by the less elastic collagen. Diagnosis of SSc is often only possible in advanced cases by which treatment time is limited. A more detailed analysis of SSc may provide better future treatment options and information of disease progression. Recently, the histological stain picrosirius red showing collagen register has been combined with atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study SSc. Skin from healthy individuals and SSc patients was biopsied, stained and studied using AFM. By investigating the crosslinking of collagen at a smaller hierarchical stage, the effects of SSc were more pronounced. Changes in morphology and Young’s elastic modulus were observed and quantified; giving rise to a novel technique, we have termed “quantitative nanohistology”. An increase in nanoscale stiffness in the collagen for SSc compared with healthy individuals was seen by a significant increase in the Young’s modulus profile for the collagen. These markers of stiffer collagen in SSc are similar to the symptoms experienced by patients, giving additional hope that in the future, nanohistology using AFM can be readily applied as a clinical tool, providing detailed information of the state of collagen.
Comparing Implicit and Synaesthetic Number–Space Associations: Visuospatial and Verbal Spatial–Numerical Associations of Response Codes

In the theory of the mental number line, number, and space are implicitly associated, giving rise to the spatial–numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect, in which smaller numbers are more readily associated with the left side of space and larger numbers with the right, during a parity judgement task. Others, however, have argued that the SNARC effect is flexible and better explained by verbal rather than spatial associations. A few single-case studies on the SNARC effect have tested number–space synaesthetes, who make explicit associations between number and space. Here, we present data from experiments conducted on groups of synaesthetes and nonsynaesthetes on the classic SNARC parity judgement task with lateralized response keys and a modified version in which they responded to labels appearing on screen. Synaesthetes’ behaviour was expected to differ from nonsynaesthetes’ behaviour due to the explicit, fixed nature of their number–space associations, but both experiments show the two groups behaving in the same way, indicating that parity judgement tasks may not be tapping the same representation of number that gives rise to synaesthetic number–space experiences.
Evolutionary Growth of Genome Representations on Artificial Cellular Organisms with Indirect Encodings

Evolutionary design targets systems of continuously increasing complexity. Thus, indirect developmental mappings are often a necessity. Varying the amount of genotype information changes the cardinality of the mapping, which in turn affects the developmental process. An open question is how to find the genotype size and representation in which a developmental solution would fit. A restricted pool of genes may not be large enough to encode a solution or may need complex heuristics to find a realistic size. On the other hand, using the whole set of possible regulatory combinations may be intractable. In nature, the genomes of biological organisms are not fixed in size; they slowly evolve and acquire new genes by random gene duplications. Such incremental growth of genome information can be beneficial also in the artificial domain. For an evolutionary and developmental (evo-devo) system based on cellular automata, we investigate an incremental evolutionary growth of genomes without any a priori knowledge on the necessary genotype size. Evolution starts with simple solutions in a low-dimensional space and incrementally increases the genotype complexity by means of gene duplication, allowing the evolution of scalable genomes that are able to adapt genetic information content while compactness and efficiency are retained. The results are consistent when the target phenotypic complexity, the geometry size, and the number of cell states are scaled up.
Development of orthographic knowledge in German‐speaking children: a 2‐year longitudinal study

There is growing evidence that children develop orthographic knowledge from the very beginning of literacy acquisition. This study investigated the development of German-speaking children's orthographic knowledge with a nonword choice task. One nonword in each pair contained a frequent consonant doublet (zommul) and the other nonword contained an infrequent doublet (zobbul). Children (N = 54) performed at chance level in kindergarten but chose nonwords with frequent doublets significantly more often than expected by chance in first and second grade. Correlations between children's orthographic knowledge and their reading and spelling skills were not found. The results indicate that knowledge of frequent double consonants is evident in German-speaking children from first grade onwards, but it is not related to their reading and spelling performance. This finding is consistent with the view that children in transparent orthographies rely less on frequent letter patterns during reading and spelling compared to children in deep orthographies.
Large-scale mass distribution in the Illustris simulation

Observations at low redshifts thus far fail to account for all of the baryons expected in the Universe according to cosmological constraints. A large fraction of the baryons presumably resides in a thin and warm–hot medium between the galaxies, where they are difficult to observe due to their low densities and high temperatures. Cosmological simulations of structure formation can be used to verify this picture and provide quantitative predictions for the distribution of mass in different large-scale structure components. Here we study the distribution of baryons and dark matter at different epochs using data from the Illustris simulation. We identify regions of different dark matter density with the primary constituents of large-scale structure, allowing us to measure mass and volume of haloes, filaments and voids. At redshift zero, we find that 49 per cent of the dark matter and 23 per cent of the baryons are within haloes more massive than the resolution limit of 2 × 108 M⊙. The filaments of the cosmic web host a further 45 per cent of the dark matter and 46 per cent of the baryons. The remaining 31 per cent of the baryons reside in voids. The majority of these baryons have been transported there through active galactic nuclei feedback. We note that the feedback model of Illustris is too strong for heavy haloes, therefore it is likely that we are overestimating this amount. Categorizing the baryons according to their density and temperature, we find that 17.8 per cent of them are in a condensed state, 21.6 per cent are present as cold, diffuse gas, and 53.9 per cent are found in the state of a warm–hot intergalactic medium.
Nonverbal behavior of national figure skating coaches: effects upon female athletes differing in age and athletic maturity levels

Enjoyment is a key motivational factor influencing both recreational and youth sport athletes (Scanlan, Stein & Ravizza, 1989). The enjoyment and satisfaction experienced by athletes may affect their continued participation and success in sport. Athlete satisfaction and enjoyment can be derived from variables such as achievement recognition, competitive achievement, mastery and coach/athlete relationships. An understanding of effective coaching leadership has involved the study of coach personalities, coach behaviors, and coach-athlete interactions. The view that leadership effectiveness is a function of both situational and individual coach and athlete characteristics has gained general acceptance (Chelladurai, 1983). The Multidimensional Model of Leadership (Chelladurai & Carron, 1978). stresses that athlete satisfaction and performance are directly related to the congruency between athletes' preferences for specific coach behaviors and actual behaviors demonstrated by the coach. The fact that athlete satisfaction is affected by the display of and/ or the frequency of specific nonverbal behaviors may have an important impact upon the coaching profession. The purpose of this study was to identify the commonalities and/ or differences in nonverbal behaviors displayed by National level figure skating coaches (3 male, 3 female) when coaching athletes of specific age (6-10, 12-15, and 16 years and older) and athletic maturity (Preliminary Juvenile, Novice Senior) levels. The relationship between the display of certain nonverbal behaviors and athlete satisfaction within each of the various categories of athletes was assessed, as was the satisfaction of these athletes with their coaches. Coaches were videotaped while instructing three female athletes within each age and athletic maturity level (three 15 minute lessons for each athlete). A Nonverbal Behavior Checklist was developed from these tapes. This list was then given to three judges who viewed one tape of each skater (randomly selected). Judges recorded the specific behaviors and frequency of these displays seen on each tape. An average frequency of display for the behaviors shown throughout the three tapes was calculated for each skater. A 2 (gender) X 3 (level) ANOVA was then performed on the average frequency of behaviors. The coaches bent forward while instructing the Preliminary Juvenile skaters significantly more (p<0.01)than when instructing the Novice Senior level skaters (12 15 years or 16 years and older). They also "manually assisted" the
From Alarm to Action: Closing the Gap Between Belief and Behavior in Response to Climate Change

The degree to which the climate continues to change will largely be determined by choices made by individuals and nations regarding greenhouse gas emissions. Many Americans engage in energy conservation actions. But, the political will in the United States to adopt emissions reduction policies is unlikely to exist without public demand. Therefore, public mitigation actions of individuals (e.g., contacting elected officials in support of emissions reduction) are critical to induce legislative response. The majority of individuals who are most concerned about climate change (the “Alarmed” segment) do not engage in public mitigation actions, but some do. The purpose of this study is to examine the social-psychological factors that drive the public mitigation actions of the Alarmed. This was done through a comparison of the original value belief norm (VBN) model to eight author-created models that added predictor variables to the VBN. The objective was to determine which model was most effective at explaining public mitigation action. Drivers of these actions were also assessed by comparing those who took action (“actors”) with those who did not (“non-actors”). Electronic survey responses of 702 Alarmed Vermonters, analyzed with structural equation modeling, revealed that the modified VBN that included four efficacy variables and descriptive social norms was the best fitting and most explanatory model. Additionally, actors had significantly higher efficacy scores and descriptive social norms scores than non-actors. Results suggest that individuals are more inclined to engage in public mitigation action if they feel capable of taking action, believe that their individual and collective efforts are effective, and think others are participating. Two core contributions of this study are: (1) an improved VBN model in the context of climate change, and (2) greater understanding of the precursors to public mitigation action. These findings have broad implications for climate change communication strategies. The electronic version of this dissertation is in the open-access OhioLINK ETD Center (http://etd.ohiolink.edu).
Confidentiality—A Fundamental Principle in International Commercial Arbitration?

Confidentiality and privacy1 have been widely assumed to be fundamental principles for international commercial arbitration. According to a statistical survey of US/European users of international commercial arbitration conducted in 1992 for the LCIA by the London Business School, confidentiality was listed as the most important perceived benefit. Until the late 1980s these principles were almost sacrosanct and were not even debated. They were taken for granted. As a matter of routine over the years arbitration textbooks have contained standard statements to the effect that arbitration is confidential and private, a feature which gives arbitration an advantage as compared with court procedures.2 In the 1995 decision by the High Court of Australia in Esso/BHP v. Plowman,3 a majority of the Court rejected the then prevailing English judicial view that a general duty of confidentiality existed, albeit subject to limited exceptions and qualifications. There had been a number of cases in England during the 1980s and early 1990s where the view had been taken that arbitration is a private process of dispute resolution and that arbitral proceedings are confidential, albeit that the duty of confidentiality is not absolute, but subject to limited qualifications or exceptions.4 The Esso decision resulted in a special issue of Arbitration International totally devoted to the confidentiality theme.5 The editorial of the special issue described the decision as ‘dramatic’ and concluded that ‘for common law systems the logical strength of the High Court’s reasoning suggests that a statutory remedy may be required for England and elsewhere’ and that for arbitral institutions an express rule on confidentiality should be considered. For countries outside the common law tradition, it was suggested that ‘arbitration practitioners might need to justify the legal basis for
The Influence of Negative Information on Trust in Virtual Teams

v Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Trust . 1 Trust in Organizations . 1 Trust in Teams. 2 Distrust . 3 Trust in Temporary and Virtual Teams . 5 Trust Theories . 7 Trust Construct . 10 Components of Trust . 12 Dynamic Trust . 14 Purpose . 18 Impression Formation . 19 Hierarchically Restrictive Schema . 21 Weighting Information . 22 Negativity Effect . 23 Explanations for the Negativity Effect . 25 Present Study . 28 Hypothesis 1 . 28 Hypothesis 2 . 29 Hypothesis 3 . 31 Chapter 2: Method . 34 Participants . 34 Task . 34 Manipulation . 35 Mission behavior. 35 Behavior source. 36 Measures . 38 Trust. 38 Procedure . 39
Effects of aminoguanidine against renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury in rats

Aminoguanidine is an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), with high selectivity for the inducible isoform (iNOS). In addition to being an inhibitor of NOS, aminoguanidine also exhibits antioxidant activity. Recent studies suggest that aminoguanidine reduces ischaemia–reperfusion (I/R)‐induced damage. However, the role of aminoguanidine, in renal injury associated with I/R remains unknown. This study was designed to investigate the effects of aminoguanidine on renal I/R injury. There were three groups of eight rats each. I/R was induced by occlusion of the left renal vessels for 60 min, followed by 24 h reperfusion in rats. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a stable metabolite of the free radical‐mediated lipid peroxidation cascade, were found to be significantly higher in the I/R group (30.3 ± 0.1 nmol g−1 tissue) than in the control group (10 ± 0.05 nmol g−1). Aminoguanidine (100 mg kg−1) administration to rats significantly reduced the MDA values. We also demonstrated that I/R leads to structural change but aminoguanidine did not reverse this change. Aminoguanidine, according to the biochemical finding is protective but histopathological findings did not reveal protection against I/R injury in kidney. The effects of aminoguanidine on I/R‐induced damage remain a subject for future investigations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Systematic Mapping Study on Software Engineering Testbeds

Even though empirical research has grown in interest, techniques, methodologies and best practices are still in debate. In this context, test beds are effective when one needs to evaluate and compare technologies. The concept is well disseminated in other areas such as Computer Networks, but remains poorly explored in Software Engineering (SE). This paper presents a systematic mapping study on the SE test beds literature. From the initial set of 4239 studies, 13 primary studies were selected and categorized. Based on that, we found that Software Architecture is the most investigated topic, controlled experiment is the most used method to evaluate such test beds, 20 benefits of using test beds in SE have been identified and that test beds comprise very heterogeneous structural elements.
A DNA Repair Pathway–Focused Score for Prediction of Outcomes in Ovarian Cancer Treated With Platinum-Based Chemotherapy

Background New tools are needed to predict outcomes of ovarian cancer patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. We hypothesized that a molecular score based on expression of genes that are involved in platinum-induced DNA damage repair could provide such prognostic information. Methods Gene expression data was extracted from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database for 151 DNA repair genes from tumors of serous ovarian cystadenocarcinoma patients (n = 511). A molecular score was generated based on the expression of 23 genes involved in platinum-induced DNA damage repair pathways. Patients were divided into low (scores 0–10) and high (scores 11–20) score groups, and overall survival (OS) was analyzed by Kaplan–Meier method. Results were validated in two gene expression microarray datasets. Association of the score with OS was compared with known clinical factors (age, stage, grade, and extent of surgical debulking) using univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Score performance was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Correlations between the score and likelihood of complete response, recurrence-free survival, and progression-free survival were assessed. Statistical tests were two-sided. Results Improved survival was associated with being in the high-scoring group (high vs low scores: 5-year OS, 40% vs 17%, P < .001), and results were reproduced in the validation datasets (P < .05). The score was the only pretreatment factor that showed a statistically significant association with OS (high vs low scores, hazard ratio of death = 0.40, 95% confidence interval = 0.32 to 0.66, P < .001). ROC curves indicated that the score outperformed the known clinical factors (score in a validation dataset vs clinical factors, area under the curve = 0.65 vs 0.52). The score positively correlated with complete response rate, recurrence-free survival, and progression-free survival (Pearson correlation coefficient [r2] = 0.60, 0.84, and 0.80, respectively; P < .001 for all). Conclusion The DNA repair pathway–focused score can be used to predict outcomes and response to platinum therapy in ovarian cancer patients.