Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abu-MaTran at WMT 2015 Translation Task: Morphological Segmentation and Web Crawling

This paper presents the machine translation systems submitted by the Abu-MaTran project for the Finnish‐English language pair at the WMT 2015 translation task. We tackle the lack of resources and complex morphology of the Finnish language by (i) crawling parallel and monolingual data from the Web and (ii) applying rule-based and unsupervised methods for morphological segmentation. Several statistical machine translation approaches are evaluated and then combined to obtain our final submissions, which are the top performing English-to-Finnish unconstrained (all automatic metrics) and constrained (BLEU), and Finnish-to-English constrained (TER) systems.
The Economic Consequences of Electoral Accountability Revisited

This paper revisits the impact of electoral accountability on total state expenditure and tax revenue with panel data from the 48 continental U.S. states from 1950 to 1999. Besides examining “traditional” tests of sensitivity, we present estimates from a difference-in-differences propensity score matching model (DD PSM) and a parametric difference-in-differences-in-differences approach (DDD) that relaxes the identification assumptions beyond those required in the matching model. We find that the estimated term limit impact is highly sensitive to modeling changes: while the effects of a binding term limit on total state expenditure and tax revenue documented in the literature are not robust to the expansion of the conditioning set, specifications requiring less stringent identification assumptions indicate that term limit effects are even stronger than previously documented, especially on tax policy. These results reinforce political reputation building models as a fruitful avenue to understanding political competition.
Robust river systems: On assessing the sensitivity of embanked rivers to discharge uncertainties, exemplified for the Netherlands' main rivers

There is increasing attention for the robustness of systems, in view of more frequent and more extreme weather events. Calls to increase a system's robustness are usually motivated by the resulting reduced sensitivity to extreme events and uncertainties about their probability of occurrence. The concept has been elaborated for flood risk systems, but recently questions have arisen about whether subsystems, such as flood defences or rivers, should and could also be assessed on their robustness. Against the background of a recent debate in the Netherlands about whether to raise the embankments again or to make more room for the rivers in anticipation of increasing extreme river discharges into the future, we propose to define the robustness of embanked alluvial rivers by their sensitivity to uncertainties in flood discharge, expressed by the relationship between discharge and flood water level. We assess the Rhine River branches and Meuse River in the Netherlands and show how their planform, as defined by the location of the embankments and the presence of obstacles in the floodplains, causes remarkable differences in robustness per river and per river stretch. We finally discuss what this might entail for policy planning.
NMDA Receptor Stimulation and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Upregulate Homer 1a mRNA via the Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Cascade in Cultured Cerebellar Granule Cells

In three alternative splice variants of Homer 1 transcripts, Homer 1a mRNA has been shown to be upregulated selectively and rapidly by neural stimulation and represents a member of the immediate early gene (IEG) family. We investigated the mechanism underlying Homer 1a mRNA induction in cerebellar granule cell culture. All Homer 1 variants were expressed in cultured granule cells as analyzed by RNA blotting and immunochemical characterization. Glutamate stimulation of granule cells selectively upregulated Homer 1a mRNA via NMDA receptor-mediated influx of extracellular calcium. The induction of Homer 1a mRNA was much slower (peaked at 4 hr) and sustained longer than that of the typical IEG c-fos mRNA. Actinomycin D and cycloheximide experiments have revealed that, despite the presence of the mRNA-destabilizing AU-rich motif, transcriptional activation is a main determinant for selective Homer 1a mRNA induction. Inhibitor analysis as well as immunochemical characterization has indicated that the MEK (MAPK/ERK kinase)–ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) cascade plays an indispensable role in glutamate-stimulated induction of Homer 1a mRNA. Consistent with this observation, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is known to activate the ERK cascade, similarly upregulated Homer 1a mRNA. These results demonstrate that MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) is a key mediator that links distinct extracellular stimuli to the transcriptional activation of Homer 1a mRNA.
Cerebral Cortical Arteriolar Angiopathy, Vascular Beta-Amyloid, Smooth Muscle Actin, Braak Stage, and APOE Genotype

Background and Purpose— We examined the associations among the vascular &bgr;-amyloid levels, smooth muscle actin, wall thickness, and lumen diameter to achieve greater understanding of the arteriolar changes that accompany Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods— Post-mortem pathology brain specimens from 76 patients with AD and 19 non-AD age control subjects were studied. We analyzed arterioles of the frontal cortex (Brodmann area 10) by immunohistochemistry and morphometry, and derived measures of vascular &bgr;-amyloid level, smooth muscle actin (SMA) volume, and arteriolar wall thickness and lumen diameter. APOE genotype was determined for each case. Results— Overall, there was a striking reciprocal relationship between arteriolar &bgr;-amyloid volume and smooth muscle actin (P<0.0001). In addition, there was a strong positive association between progressively accumulating vascular &bgr;-amyloid and augmentations in both wall thickness (P<0.0001) and lumen width (P<0.0001). In comparison with non-AD control subjects, smooth muscle actin was decreased in patients clinically diagnosed with AD and was reduced >10-fold in cases with AD pathology (Braak I to VI) compared with those lacking AD neuropathology. Significantly altered composition and structure of cortical vessels in pre-Braak stages corroborated our hypothesis that arterioles are devastated early in the AD pathological process. Smooth muscle actin, arteriolar wall thickness, and luminal diameter did not vary with Braak stage severity (P>0.05), indicating that substantial arteriolar damage may precede at least some of the interstitial plaques and neuronal tangles. Moreover, the structural and biochemical arteriolar abnormalities did not vary as a function of APOE genotype (P>0.05). Conclusion— We postulate that in elderly patients, the continually progressing &bgr;-amyloid-associated angiopathy, at the arteriolar level, harms the contractile apparatus and cerebral blood flow autoregulation, thereby making the downstream capillaries vulnerable to damage. Collectively, our observations lend further support to the idea that microvascular damage has a role, perhaps relatively early, in the onset of major AD pathology.
Increasing the utility of quantitative empirical studies for meta-analysis

Despite the long history and consistent use of quantitative empirical methods to evaluate information visualization techniques and systems, our understanding of interface use remains incomplete. While there are inherent limitations to the method, such as the choice of task and data, we believe the utility of study results can be enhanced if they were amenable to meta-analysis. Based on our experience in extracting design guidelines from existing quantitative studies, we recommend improvements to both study design and reporting to promote meta-analysis: (1) Use comparable interfaces in terms of visual elements, information content and amount displayed, levels of data organization displayed, and interaction complexity; (2) Capture usage patterns in addition to overall performance measurements to better identify design tradeoffs; (3) Isolate and study interface factors instead of overall interface performance; and (4) Report more study details, either within the publications, or as supplementary materials.
Increased trend of breast cancer mortality in Iran.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide In Iran, it ranks first among cancers diagnosed in women and is the fifth most common cause of death. The aim of this study was to present the mortality trends from breast cancer for Iranian women during a period of almost a decade, in order to provide update information regarding the likely future. METHODS We analyzed National death Statistic reported by the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education from 1995 to 2004 to generate annual mortality rates/100,000, overall, by age group (<15, 15-49 and ≥ 50 years of age) and age standardized rate (ASR). RESULTS The age standardized mortality rate of breast cancer increased dramatically during these years from 1.40 to 3.52 per 100,000 and its mortality was increasing 151.4% for Iranian women, although it seemed that the rate leveled off from 2002 to 2004. Moreover the increasing rate was higher for those aged between 15-49 compared to age > 50 years old. CONCLUSION There is an increasing trend for breast cancer mortality in Iran. Thus, health education programs to rectify the lack of women awareness about breast cancer signs and effective screening are urgently needed.
Methyl 3-(3-benzoylthioureido)propanoate

In the title compound, C12H14N2O3S, the propyl acetate group and the benzoyl group adopt a cis–trans conformation, respectively, with respect to the thiono S atom across the C—N bonds. The phenyl ring is twisted relative to the the thiourea mean plane, forming a dihedral angle of 24.16 (9)°. An intramolecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs. The crystal packing is stabilized by intermolecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a chain along the a axis.
Correlation Length of X-Ray-Brightest Abell Clusters

We compute the cluster autocorrelation function ξcc(r) of an X-ray flux-limited sample of Abell clusters (XBACs). For the total XBACs sample we find a power-law fit ξcc = (r/r0)γ with r0 = 21.1 Mpc h-1 and γ = -1.9, consistent with the results of R ≥ 1 Abell clusters. We also analyze ξcc(r) for subsamples defined by different X-ray luminosity thresholds where we find a weak tendency of larger values of r0 with increasing X-ray luminosity, although with a low statistical significance. In the different subsamples analyzed we find 21 Mpc h-1 < r0 < 35 Mpc h-1 and -1.9 < γ < -1.6. Our analysis suggests that cluster X-ray luminosities may be used for a reliable confrontation of cluster spatial distribution properties in models and observations.
Updating the orbital ephemeris of Hercules X-1; rate of decay and eccentricity of the orbit

We present an update of the orbital ephemeris of the binary X-ray pulsar Her X-1 and determine an improved value for the rate of orbital decay. In addition, we report the first measurement of the orbital eccentricity. We analyzed pulse timing data of Her X-1 from X-ray observations by RXTE (Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer )a ndINTEGRAL over the period 1996–2007. Accurate pulse arrival times were determined from solar system bary-centered photon arrival times by generating pulse profiles averaged over appropriately short integration times. Applying pulse phase connection techniques, it was possible to determine sufficiently accurate local ephemeris data for seven observation periods distributed over 12 years. Combining the new local Tπ/2 values with historical values from the literature we update the orbital ephemeris of Her X-1 to Tπ/2 = MJD 46 359.871940(6) and Porb = 1.700167590(2) d and measure a continuous change of the orbital period of dPorb/dt = −(4.85 ± 0.13) × 10 −11 ss −1 . For the first time, a value for the eccentricity of the orbit of Her X-1 has been measured: � = (4.2 ± 0.8) × 10 −4 .
A 31‐year climatology of tropical cyclone size from the NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis

A 31‐year tropical cyclone (TC) size climatology (1980–2010) is established using the NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis for the western North Pacific (WNP) and the North Atlantic (NA). The size of a TC, defined as the azimuthally averaged radius of 17 m s−1 wind near the sea surface, is estimated using the strong relationship between TC size and azimuthally averaged winds in the outer‐core region of the TC. The estimation method is verified by comparing the TC size climatology established using the QuikSCAT satellite data. The monthly and annual variations in both climatologies agree with each other.
Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience Integrative Neuroscience

Although evidence for deficits in sensory (and multisensory) processing is abundant in the ASD literature, there are also a number of reports detailing enhanced perceptual capabilities in response to specific sensory stimuli. For example, discrimination of discrete details within complex visual spatial displays widely has been found to be a relative strength in ASD and at least one study has reported enhanced visual acuity in autism (Ashwin et al., 2009). Similarly, in the auditory domain, Bonnel et al. (2003) have shown that individuals with autism have superior pitch discrimination and categorization abilities in comparison to controls. In an effort to reconcile these findings showing both impaired and enhanced sensory function in ASD, it has been suggested that perceptual abilities may depend on the nature and complexity of the sensory stimuli, with impairments characterizing responses to more complex stimuli and enhancements seen more often with simple stimuli (Samson et al., 2006; Mongillo et al., 2008). For instance, in the same study, adolescents and adults with autism were found to show superior orientation discrimination of
EMG-force relationship during static contraction: effects on sensor placement locations on biceps brachii muscle.

BACKGROUND The relationship between surface electromyography (EMG) and force have been the subject of ongoing investigations and remain a subject of controversy. Even under static conditions, the relationships at different sensor placement locations in the biceps brachii (BB) muscle are complex. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to compare the activity and relationship between surface EMG and static force from the BB muscle in terms of three sensor placement locations. METHODS Twenty-one right hand dominant male subjects (age 25.3±1.2 years) participated in the study. Surface EMG signals were detected from the subject's right BB muscle. The muscle activation during force was determined as the root mean square (RMS) electromyographic signal normalized to the peak RMS EMG signal of isometric contraction for 10 s. The statistical analysis included linear regression to examine the relationship between EMG amplitude and force of contraction [40-100% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)], repeated measures ANOVA to assess differences among the sensor placement locations, and coefficient of variation (CoV) for muscle activity variation. RESULTS The results demonstrated that when the sensor was placed on the muscle belly, the linear slope coefficient was significantly greater for EMG versus force testing (r2=0.62, P<0.05) than when placed on the lower part (r2=0.31, P>0.05) and upper part of the muscle belly (r2=0.29, P<0.05). In addition, the EMG signal activity on the muscle belly had less variability than the upper and lower parts (8.55% vs. 15.12% and 12.86%, respectively). CONCLUSION These findings indicate the importance of applying the surface EMG sensor at the appropriate locations that follow muscle fiber orientation of the BB muscle during static contraction. As a result, EMG signals of three different placements may help to understand the difference in the amplitude of the signals due to placement.
Repair localization for query answering from inconsistent databases

Query answering from inconsistent databases amounts to finding “meaningful” answers to queries posed over database instances that do not satisfy integrity constraints specified over their schema. A declarative approach to this problem relies on the notion of repair, that is, a database that satisfies integrity constraints and is obtained from the original inconsistent database by “minimally” adding and/or deleting tuples. Consistent answers to a user query are those answers that are in the evaluation of the query over each repair. Motivated by the fact that computing consistent answers from inconsistent databases is in general intractable, the present paper investigates techniques that allow to localize the difficult part of the computation on a small fragment of the database at hand, called “affected” part. Based on a number of localization results, an approach to query answering from inconsistent data is presented, in which the query is evaluated over each of the repairs of the affected part only, augmented with the part that is not affected. Single query results are then suitably recombined. For some relevant settings, techniques are also discussed to factorize repairs into components that can be processed independently of one another, thereby guaranteeing exponential gain w.r. t. the basic approach, which is not based on localization. The effectiveness of the results is demonstrated for consistent query answering over expressive schemas, based on logic programming specifications as proposed in the literature.
In vitro studies , biomarkers for breast cancer have an impact on the response of human breast cancer cell lines to adiponectin

Obesity has been known as one of the risk factors for breast cancer (Lukanova et al., 2006), especially in postmenopausal women (Cheraghi et al., 2012; Dalamaga, 2013). However, the association of increased BMI with breast cancer risk is strong in Asia-Pacific populations in both pre and postmenopausal women, while this association is observed mainly in postmenopausal women in western populations (Renehan et al., 2008). Obesity-related protein, adiponectin, seems to be involved in the relationship with breast cancer. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-secreted protein (Hu et al., 1996; Nakano et al., 1996), known to have antiatherogenic, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory actions (Trujillo et al., 2005). Adiponectin circulates in plasma in three forms, trimer, hexamer and high molecular weight (HMW) forms (Pajvani et al., 2003). Among different forms HMW adiponectin is considered the active form of the hormone (Barb et al., 2007). Some evidences are revealing that HMW adiponectin is significant as it
Species Divergence vs. Functional Convergence Characterizes Crude Oil Microbial Community Assembly

Oil reservoirs exhibit extreme environmental conditions such as high salinity and high temperature. Insights into microbial community assemblages in oil reservoirs and their functional potentials are important for understanding biogeochemical cycles in the subterranean biosphere. In this study, we performed shotgun metagenomic sequencing of crude oil samples from two geographically distant oil reservoirs in China, and compared them with all the 948 available environmental metagenomes deposited in IMG database (until October 2013). Although the dominant bacteria and the proportion of hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogens were different among oil metagenomes, compared with the metagenomes from other environments, all the oil metagenomes contained higher abundances of genes involved in methanogenic hydrocarbon degradation and stress response systems. In addition, a “shape-sorting” manner was proposed for the assembly of microbial communities in oil reservoirs, with the oil reservoir acting as a function sorter to select microbes with special functions from its endemic pool of microorganisms. At the functional level, we found that environmental metagenomes were generally clustered according to their isolation environments but not their geographical locations, suggesting selective processes to be involved in the assembly of microbial communities based on functional gene composition.
Role of Lateral Acceleration in Curve Driving: Driver Model and Experiments on a Real Vehicle and a Driving Simulator

Experimental studies show that automobile drivers adjust their speed in curves so that maximum vehicle lateral accelerations decrease at high speeds. This pattern of lateral accelerations is described by a new driver model, assuming drivers control a variable safety margin of perceived lateral acceleration according to their anticipated steering deviations. Compared with a minimum time-to-lane-crossing (H. Godthelp, 1986) speed modulation strategy, this model, based on nonvisual cues, predicts that extreme values of lateral acceleration in curves decrease quadratically with speed, in accordance with experimental data obtained in a vehicle driven on a test track and in a motion-based driving simulator. Variations of model parameters can characterize "normal" or "fast" driving styles on the test track. On the simulator, it was found that the upper limits of lateral acceleration decreased less steeply when the motion cuing system was deactivated, although drivers maintained a consistent driving style. This is interpreted per the model as an underestimation of curvilinear speed due to the lack of inertial stimuli. Actual or potential applications of this research include a method to assess driving simulators as well as to identify driving styles for on-board driver aid systems
Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2-Mediated Transcriptional Regulation of G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 3 Expression in Neuronal Cells

Relatively small changes in G-protein-coupled receptor kinase (GRK) 3 expression (∼2-fold) profoundly affect α2-adrenergic receptor (AR) function and preferentially regulate neuronal α2A- and α2B-AR signaling. In the present study, we provide evidence that epinephrine (EPI)-induced up-regulation of GRK3 protein expression in two neuronal cell lines, BE(2)-C cells (endogenously express α2A- and β2-AR) and BN17 cells [endogenously express α2B (NG108) and transfected to express β2-AR] is due in part to increased GRK3 gene expression. In both cell lines, the increase in GRK3 transcription occurred via an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2-dependent mechanism because the increase in GRK3 mRNA is eliminated in the presence of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase 1/2 inhibitor, U0126 [1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis (2-amino phenylthiobutadiene)]. EPI-induced GRK3 mRNA up-regulation also is prevented in the presence of propranolol or phentolamine. Moreover, GRK3 mRNA did not increase in response to EPI treatment in NG108 cells (endogenously express α2B-AR with no β2-AR). Both these results suggest that simultaneous activation of α2- and β2-AR by EPI is required for the ERK1/2-dependent increase in GRK3 mRNA. The EPI-induced increase in GRK3 mRNA was unaffected in the presence of the protein kinase C inhibitor, chelerythrine chloride. Finally, EPI treatment resulted in increased nuclear translocation and accumulation of the transcription factors, Sp-1 and Ap-2, in BE(2)-C cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate the involvement of the ERK1/2 pathway in selective up-regulation of GRK3 mRNA expression, possibly via activation of Sp-1 and Ap-2 transcription factors in neuronal cells.