Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gratification, Loneliness, Leisure Boredom, and Self-Esteem as Predictors of SNS-Game Addiction and Usage Pattern Among Chinese College Students

This study investigated the relationships between perceived social network sites SNS-game addiction and gratifications, loneliness, leisure boredom, self-esteem, and usage of SNS-games. Data were gathered from a sample of 342 college students aged 18 to 22 in mainland China. Factor analysis yielded a three-factor gratifications structure achievement, inclusion, and entertainment based on the 11 motives for playing an SNS game obtained in a focus group. As hypothesized, loneliness and leisure boredom were found to be significant predictors of the level of SNS-game use and likelihood of addiction. SNS-game addicts tended to be male, lonely, often leisurely bored, and motivated by winning virtual money and gaining a sense of achievement. However, self-esteem was not a significant predictor. Implications for university administrators and suggestions for future research were discussed.
Ethnic differences in expression of the dysregulated proteins in uterine leiomyomata.

BACKGROUND Black ethnicity is one of the risk factors for uterine leiomyomata (ULM). Little is known about the ethnic differences in leiomyoma-associated gene products in women with uterine leiomyomata. METHODS A total of 120 hysterectomies with ULM were collected from black, Asian, Hispanic and white women (30 cases from each group). Twenty-two gene products were selected for the study. The expressions of the selected dysregulated gene products were measured by the semiquantification and the immunoscores were normalized by matched myometrium. RESULTS The relative expressions of progesterone receptor A (PR-A) (up-regulation), retinoid acid receptor alpha (down-regulation), and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) (no change) in leiomyomata compared to normal myometrium in black women were significantly different compared to other ethnic groups (P < 0.05). About one-third of ULM from black women subclustered together in association with a group of up-regulated gene products. Many other gene products, including local growth factors, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-signalling proteins, and cell proliferation markers, were dysregulated in ULM but showed non-significant differences between the ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS There are substantial differences of the sex steroid receptors and other nuclear receptors between black women and other ethnic groups. Based on tissue microarray data, there are at least two broad groups of leiomyomata presented by the dysregulation of different groups of gene products. One is dominated by up-regulation of amplified in breast cancer 1, CD24, hamartin, human mobility group gene 2, IGF2, PR-A and RXR, and the other is characterized by up-regulation of epithelial growth factor receptor, down-regulation of hamartin, PR-A and tuberin.
Research on Spoken Language Processing Speech Perception Skills of Deaf Infants following Cochlear Implantation: a First Report Speech Perception Skills of Deaf Infants following Cochlear Implantation: a First Report

We would like to thank Riann Mohar, Marissa Schumacher and Steve Fountain for assistance recruiting and testing infants; the faculty and staff at Wishard Memorial Hospital, Methodist Hospital, and Indiana University Hospital for their help in recruiting participants and the infants and their parents for their participation. Abstract. We adapted a behavioral procedure that has been used extensively with normal-hearing (NH) infants, the Visual Habituation (VH) procedure, to assess deaf infants' discrimination and attention to speech. Twenty-four NH 6-month-olds, 24 NH 9-month-olds, and 16 deaf infants at various ages before and following cochlear implantation (CI) were tested in a sound booth on their caregiver's lap in front of a TV monitor. During the habituation phase, each infant was presented with a repeating speech sound (e.g., " hop hop hop ") paired with a visual display of a checkerboard pattern on half of the trials (" sound trials ") and only the visual display the other half (" silent trials "). When the infant's looking time decreased and reached a habituation criterion, a test phase began. This consisted of two trials: an " old trial " that was identical to the " sound trials " and a " novel trial " that consisted of a different repeating speech sound (e.g., " ahhh ") paired with the same checkerboard pattern. During the habituation phase, NH infants looked significantly longer during the sound trials than during the silent trials. However, deaf infants who had received cochlear implants (CIs) displayed a much weaker preference for the sound trials. On the other hand, both NH infants and deaf infants with CIs attended significantly longer to the visual display during the novel trial than during the old trial, suggesting that they were able to discriminate the speech patterns. Before receiving CIs, deaf infants did not show any preferences. Taken together, the findings suggest that deaf infants who receive CIs are able to detect and discriminate some speech patterns. However, their overall attention to speech sounds may be less than NH infants. Attention to speech may impact other aspects of speech perception and spoken language development, such as segmenting words from fluent speech and learning novel words. Implications of the effects of early auditory deprivation and age at CI on speech perception and language development are discussed.
A successive approximation-based approach for optimal kinodynamic motion planning with nonlinear differential constraints

This paper presents an extension to RRT* [1], a sampling-based motion planning with asymptotic optimality guarantee, in order to incorporate nonlinear differential equations in motion dynamics. The main challenge due to nonlinear differential constraints is the computational complexity of solving a two-point boundary-value problem that arises in the tree expansion process to optimally connect two given states. This work adapts the successive approximation method that transforms a nonlinear optimal control problem into a sequence of linear-quadratic-like problems to solve these TPBVPs. The resulting algorithm, termed SA-RRT*, is demonstrated to create more realistic plans compared to existing kinodynamic extensions of RRT*, while preserving asymptotic optimality.
Prenatal exposure to ethanol causes partial diabetes insipidus in adult rats.

Chronic consumption of ethanol in adult rats and humans leads to reduced AVP-producing neurons, and prenatal ethanol (PE) exposure has been reported to cause changes in the morphology of AVP-producing cells in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of young rats. The present studies further characterize the effects of PE exposure on AVP in the young adult rat, its hypothalamic synthesis, pituitary storage, and osmotically stimulated release. Pregnant rats were fed a liquid diet with 35% of the calories from ethanol or a control liquid diet for days 7-22 of pregnancy. Water consumption and urine excretion rate were measured in the offspring at 60-68 days of age. Subsequently, the offspring were infused with 5% NaCl at 0.05 ml.kg(-1). min(-1) with plasma samples taken before and at three 40-min intervals during infusion for measurement of AVP and osmolality. Urine output and water intake were approximately 20% greater in PE-exposed rats than in rats with no PE exposure, and female rats had a greater water intake than males. The relationship between plasma osmolality and AVP in PE-exposed rats was parallel to, but shifted to the right of, the control rats, indicating an increase in osmotic threshold for AVP release. Pituitary AVP was reduced by 13% and hypothalamic AVP mRNA content was reduced by 35% in PE-exposed rats. Our data suggest that PE exposure can cause a permanent condition of a mild partial central diabetes insipidus.
Likelihood Estimation of DSGE Models with Epstein-Zin Preferences

This paper illustrates how to perform likelihood-based inference in dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models with Epstein-Zin preferences. This class of preferences has recently become a popular device to account for asset pricing observations and other phenomena that are challenging to address within the traditional state-separable utility framework. However, there has been little econometric work in the area, particularly from a likelihood perspective, because of the difficulty in computing an equilibrium solution to the model and in deriving the likelihood function. To fill this gap, we build a real business cycle model with Epstein-Zin preferences and long run growth, solve it with perturbation techniques, and evaluate its likelihood with the particle filter. We estimate the model using U.S. macro and yield curve data. We discuss the ability of the model to explain the business cycle, asset prices, the comovements between these two, and the implications of our point estimates for the welfare cost of the business cycle.
Master ’ s Thesis Online Object Recognition using MSER Tracking

This thesis presents a robust online learning and recognition system. The basic idea is to exploit information from tracking an object during the recognition and/or learning stage to obtain increased robustness and better recognition results. Object tracking by means of an extended MSER tracker is utilized to extract local features and construct their trajectories. Compact object representations are formed by summarizing the trajectories to corresponding frontal MSERs. All steps are performed online including the MSER extraction, tracking, summarization, SIFT description as well as learning and recognition based on a vocabulary tree. The online learning by tracking approach is evaluated on realistic video sequences which prove the increased performance for robust online recognition. The whole system runs at a frame rate of 9 fps on a standard PC.
Predicting Subjectivity in Multimodal Conversations

In this research we aim to detect subjective sentences in multimodal conversations. We introduce a novel technique wherein subjective patterns are learned from both labeled and unlabeled data, using n-gram word sequences with varying levels of lexical instantiation. Applying this technique to meeting speech and email conversations, we gain significant improvement over state-of-the-art approaches. Furthermore, we show that coupling the pattern-based approach with features that capture characteristics of general conversation structure yields additional improvement.
Dynamic programming for energy control of machine tools in manufacturing

Controlling the machine state towards the optimum trade-off between cycle time and power demand improves machine sustainability in manufacturing. This paper presents a dynamic programming approach for optimally controlling a single server manufacturing system with finite capacity and Poisson arrivals (M/M/1/K). The admission of parts into the system is controlled together with the service rate of the machine tool. Further, the machine can be triggered in a low power consumption state when the service is interrupted. The structural properties of the optimal control are analyzed when the transition off/on is instantaneous and when a transitory - i.e., warm-up - is necessary to resume the service. The transitory length is considered exponentially distributed. Numerical results are based on value iteration approximation.
Activity of the Pore-Forming Virulence Factor Listeriolysin O Is Reversibly Inhibited by Naturally Occurring S-Glutathionylation

ABSTRACT Cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) represent a family of homologous pore-forming proteins secreted by many Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. CDCs mediate membrane binding partly through a conserved C-terminal undecapeptide, which contains a single cysteine residue. While mutational changes to other residues in the undecapeptide typically have severe effects, mutation of the cysteine residue to alanine has minor effects on overall protein function. Thus, the role of this highly conserved reactive cysteine residue remains largely unknown. We report here that the CDC listeriolysin O (LLO), secreted by the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes, was posttranslationally modified by S-glutathionylation at this conserved cysteine residue and that either endogenously synthesized or exogenously added glutathione was sufficient to form this modification. When recapitulated with purified protein in vitro, this modification completely ablated the activity of LLO, and this inhibitory effect was fully reversible by treatment with reducing agents. A cysteine-to-alanine mutation in LLO rendered the protein completely resistant to inactivation by S-glutathionylation, and a mutant expressing this mutation retained full hemolytic activity. A mutant strain of L. monocytogenes expressing the cysteine-to-alanine variant of LLO was able to infect and replicate within bone marrow-derived macrophages indistinguishably from the wild type in vitro, yet it was attenuated 4- to 6-fold in a competitive murine infection model in vivo. This study suggests that S-glutathionylation may represent a mechanism by which CDC-family proteins are posttranslationally modified and regulated and help explain an evolutionary pressure to retain the highly conserved undecapeptide cysteine.
A Shift-Reduce Parsing Algorithm for Phrase-based String-to-Dependency Translation

We introduce a shift-reduce parsing algorithm for phrase-based string-todependency translation. As the algorithm generates dependency trees for partial translations left-to-right in decoding, it allows for efficient integration of both n-gram and dependency language models. To resolve conflicts in shift-reduce parsing, we propose a maximum entropy model trained on the derivation graph of training data. As our approach combines the merits of phrase-based and string-todependency models, it achieves significant improvements over the two baselines on the NIST Chinese-English datasets.
Factors Influencing the Intention to Use the Common Ticketing System (Spider Card) in Thailand

The Common Ticket, locally called the “Spider Card” is a contactless smartcard ticket used for public transportation systems in Thailand. The card is used for all modes of transportation and increases the convenience of public transit passengers while increasing public transport ridership. This research aimed to identify the determinant factors that impact passengers’ intention to use the Spider Card based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model by integrating perceived convenience and perceived sacrifice as part of the perceived value. A survey of public transit users in the Bangkok metropolitan area was conducted. The Partial Least Square-Structure Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was employed to examine the data. The results showed that perceived value, performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions are all significant factors. Perceived convenience and perceived sacrifice are significant antecedents for perceived value. Surprisingly, effort expectancy and social influence did not impact passengers’ intentions to use the Spider Card. The results also offer beneficial information for public transit authorities in order to comprehend what passengers desire from using these kinds of technology service systems.
Assessment of the Aerosol Generation and Toxicity of Carbon Nanotubes

Current interest in the pulmonary toxicity of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has resulted in a need for an aerosol generation system that is capable of consistently producing a CNT aerosol at a desired concentration level. This two-part study was designed to: (1) assess the properties of a commercially-available aerosol generator when producing an aerosol from a purchased powder supply of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs); and (2) assess the pulmonary sub-acute toxicity of DWCNTs in a murine model during a 5-day (4 h/day) whole-body exposure. The aerosol generator, consisting of a novel dustfeed mechanism and venturi ejector was determined to be capable of producing a DWCNT consistently over a 4 h exposure period at an average level of 10.8 mg/m3. The count median diameter was 121 nm with a geometric standard deviation of 2.04. The estimated deposited dose was 32 µg/mouse. The total number of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was significantly (p < 0.01) increased in exposed mice compared to controls. Similarly, macrophages in BAL fluid were significantly elevated in exposed mice, but not neutrophils. All animals exposed to CNT and euthanized immediately after exposure had changes in the lung tissues showing acute inflammation and injury; however these pathological changes resolved two weeks after the exposure.
Biogenic amine synthesis and uptake in rodent taste buds

Although adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is known to be an afferent transmitter in the peripheral taste system, serotonin (5‐HT) and norepinephrine (NE) have also been proposed as candidate neurotransmitters and have been detected immunocytochemically in mammalian taste cells. To understand the significance of biogenic amines in taste, we evaluated the ability of taste cells to synthesize, transport, and package 5‐HT and NE. We show by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence microscopy that the enzymes for 5‐HT synthesis, tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) and aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) are expressed in taste cells. In contrast, enzymes necessary for NE synthesis, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine β‐hydroxylase (DBH) are absent. Both TH and DBH are expressed in nerve fibers that penetrate taste buds. Taste buds also robustly express plasma membrane transporters for 5‐HT and NE. Within the taste bud NET, a specific NE transporter, is expressed in some presynaptic (type III) and some glial‐like (type I) cells but not in receptor (type II) cells. By using enzyme immunoassay, we show uptake of NE, probably through NET in taste epithelium. Proteins involved in inactivating and packaging NE, including catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT), monoamine oxidase‐A (MAO‐A), vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT1,2) and chromogranin A (ChrgA), are also expressed in taste buds. Within the taste bud, ChrgA is found only in presynaptic cells and may account for dense‐cored vesicles previously seen in some taste cells. In summary, we postulate that aminergic presynaptic taste cells synthesize only 5‐HT, whereas NE (perhaps secreted by sympathetic fibers) may be concentrated and repackaged for secretion. J. Comp. Neurol. 505:302–313, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular genetic studies of ADHD: 1991 to 2004

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highly heritable but is likely a complex disorder involving multiple genes of moderate effect (Smalley [1997: Am J Hum Genet 60:1276–1282]). Over 100 studies have examined the genetics of ADHD by linkage or association, though no article has presented a comprehensive overview of all published reports. We reviewed all ADHD studies, including 3 genome‐wide linkage studies, and association studies of 94 polymorphisms in 33 candidate genes. To simplify comparisons across heterogeneous articles, demographics and comorbidity were ignored; analyses of subtype and haplotypes were excluded; and only the most positive finding for each polymorphism in a study was reported. Thirty‐six percent of all findings were positive (P ≤ 0.05), 17% were trends (0.05 < P ≤ 0.15), and 47% were negative (P > 0.15). Studies utilizing dimensional measures of ADHD tended to result in higher rates of positive findings than those using categorical diagnoses (χ2 = 5.6, P = 0.018), and case‐control studies tended to result in higher rates of positive findings than family‐based studies (χ2 = 18.8, P < 0.001). However, for either dichotomy, no significant difference remained when analyzing only studies using both methods within the same population and polymorphism. Evidence for association exists for four genes in ADHD: the dopamine D4 and D5 receptors, and the dopamine and serotonin transporters; others are promising but need further replication, including the dopamine D2 and serotonin 2A receptors. All candidate gene approaches continue to face the problem of relatively low power, given modest odds ratios for even the best replicated genes. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Optimal full-duplex cooperative spectrum sensing in asynchronous cognitive networks

Spectrum sensing and sharing are challenging task in asynchronous cognitive networks (CNs), where there is nc synchronization between primary and secondary users (PUs and SUs). In this paper, we propose combination of cooperative spectrum sensing and full-duplex communication for improving quality and throughput of both primary and secondary users in asynchronous CNs. More specifically, we have studied two types of full-duplex schemes, namely full-duplex receive-sense (FDr) and full-duplex sense (FDs). FDr allows SUs to transmil and receive data simultaneously whereas in FDs the SUs continuously sense the channel during transmission time. The average throughput is derived for secondary and primary users under both schemes and for different levels of residual self interference (SI). We demonstrate the respective trade-offs and obtain the optimal scheme based on cooperative full-duplex spectrum sensing.
Upstream Orographic Enhancement of a Narrow Cold-Frontal Rainband Approaching the Andes

AbstractUpstream orographic enhancement of the rainfall from an extratropical cyclone approaching the Andes from the Pacific is investigated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar. The main precipitation from the cyclone over central and coastal Chile fell when a narrow cold-frontal rainband (NCFR) interacted with a midlevel layer cloud deck formed from the orographically induced ascent of the prefrontal “atmospheric river” upstream of the Andes. Model output indicates that low-level convergence enhanced the NCFR where it met low-level blocked flow near the mountains. The NCFR had stronger updrafts with decreasing distance from the mountains, and the NCFR produced larger rain accumulations over the land region upstream of the Andes than over the open ocean. A sensitivity simulation with a 50% reduction in the Andes topography, for comparison to various west coast mountain ranges of North America, demonstrates that the e.