Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Formal Theory of Reflected Appraisals in the Evolution of Power

This article investigates the evolution of power with a formal theory that focuses on the influence network through which control of a group’s outcomes emerges via direct and indirect interpersonal influences on group members’ positions on a series of issues over time. Power evolves when individuals’ openness or closure to interpersonal influences correspond with their prior relative control over the group’s issue outcomes. In groups with members who are appraising the relative power of their members over the outcomes of prior issues, a mechanism of “reflected appraisals” will elevate and dampen members’ self-appraisals of their relative power and the amount of influence they accord to others. Across a series of issues over time, this mechanism suffices to generate state transitions of a group’s influence network. The result is an evolution of the group’s influence network such that, with rare exceptions, power becomes concentrated and the preferences of a single leader control the group’s outcomes via intermediaries. A laboratory experiment and a simulation provide support for the theory. The analysis suggests that the evolution of the influence network toward concentrated forms of power and control is generated by fundamental social psychological responses to power and may occur in all enduring social groups whose members are dealing with a lengthy sequence of issues, independent of the conditions of bureaucratic organizations.
The EURON Roboethics Roadmap

This paper deals with the results of the Euron Roboethics Atelier 2006 (Genoa, Italy, Feb.-March. 2006), comprising in the Roboethics Roadmap; and it offers a short overview of the ethical problems involved in the development of the next generation of the humanoid robots
Pharmacological Profile of Huperzine A, a Novel Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor from Chinese Herb

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifaceted neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive deterioration of memory and cognition. The disease will continue to constitute a major burden upon social and medical care systems due to the rising mean age of the population. The key symptoms of AD are primarily caused by cholinergic dysfunction. A significant correlation has been found between a decrease in cortical cholinergic activity and the deterioration of mental test scores in patients with AD (35). Current efforts to develop an effective drug treatment for AD are based in large part upon the consistent finding that patients with this disorder suffer from marked reduction of cholinergic neuronal function, resulting in a deficiency in acetylcholine (ACh) concentration in the central nervous system (6,7,12,55). Cholinergic enhancement strategies have been at the forefront of efforts to pharmacologically palliate the cognitive impairments. Among the various therapeutic approaches investigated to enhance cholinergic transmission, cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) are the first group of compounds showing some promise in the treatment of AD. To date, tacrine, donepezil, galanthamine, and ENA 713 are available for the treatment of AD, and several new ChEIs are being studied (13,22). However, the clinical usefulness of ChEIs has been limited by their short half-lives and excessive side effects caused by activation of peripheral cholinergic systems, as well as hepatotoxicity, which is the most frequent and important side effect of tacrine therapy (11,21,38). To
Structural and Ultrastructural Characteristics of Bone-Tendon Junction of the Calcaneal Tendon of Adult and Elderly Wistar Rats

Tendons are transition tissues that transfer the contractile forces generated by the muscles to the bones, allowing movement. The region where the tendon attaches to the bone is called bone-tendon junction or enthesis and may be classified as fibrous or fibrocartilaginous. This study aims to analyze the collagen fibers and the cells present in the bone-tendon junction using light microscopy and ultrastructural techniques as scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Forty male Wistar rats were used in the experiment, being 20 adult rats at 4 months-old and 20 elderly rats at 20 months-old. The hind limbs of the rats were removed, dissected and prepared to light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The aging process showed changes in the collagen fibrils, with a predominance of type III fibers in the elderly group, in addition to a decrease in the amount of the fibrocartilage cells, fewer and shorter cytoplasmic processes and a decreased synthetic capacity due to degradation of the organelles involved in synthesis.
Primary Sjögren Syndrome in Han Chinese

AbstractThe epidemiological characteristics of Sjögren syndrome (SS) are significantly varied in different countries. We conducted the present study to survey the epidemiological characteristics of primary SS in China. We recruited 483 primary SS patients from 16 Chinese medical centers nationwide from January 2009 to November 2011 and assessed salivary and lacrimal gland dysfunction, organ involvement, and autoimmunity in these patients. The cohort included 456 women and 27 men (ratio, 17:1; mean age at onset, 42 ± 11 years; median age at diagnosis, 49 years; range, 41–56 years). Male patients showed a lower frequency of xerophthalmia (37.0% vs 60.7%) and a higher frequency of arthritis (40.7% vs 16.4%). Young-onset patients showed a higher frequency of low C3 levels (57.7% vs 36.3%) and pancytopenia (22.2% vs 8.8%). Patients with systemic involvement had a higher frequency of immunoglobulin A (IgA) (39.4% vs 22.5%) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) (12.4% vs 37.9%). Patients with pulmonary involvement had a higher parotid enlargement (21.4% vs 10.2%), purpura (12.1% vs 5.7%) and higher anti-La/SS-B (61.7% vs 41.8%), immunoglobulin G (IgG) (80.7% vs 64.6%) and IgA (48.9% vs 30.6%) levels. Patients with anti-Ro/SSA antibodies had more frequent exocrine gland symptoms and some extraglandular symptoms and immunological alterations. Compared with previous studies performed in other countries, SS patients in China showed particular clinical manifestation, systemic involvement, and immunological alterations.
A Novel Growth-Promoting Pathway Formed by GDNF-Overexpressing Schwann Cells Promotes Propriospinal Axonal Regeneration, Synapse Formation, and Partial Recovery of Function after Spinal Cord Injury

Descending propriospinal neurons (DPSN) are known to establish functional relays for supraspinal signals, and they display a greater growth response after injury than do the long projecting axons. However, their regenerative response is still deficient due to their failure to depart from growth supportive cellular transplants back into the host spinal cord, which contains numerous impediments to axon growth. Here we report the construction of a continuous growth-promoting pathway in adult rats, formed by grafted Schwann cells overexpressing glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). We demonstrate that such a growth-promoting pathway, extending from the axonal cut ends to the site of innervation in the distal spinal cord, promoted regeneration of DPSN axons through and beyond the lesion gap of a spinal cord hemisection. Within the distal host spinal cord, regenerated DPSN axons formed synapses with host neurons leading to the restoration of action potentials and partial recovery of function.
Critical role of initial condition in the dynamics of memristive systems: Orbital narrowing revisited

This paper explores the characterization of memristive systems utilizing the characteristive curve of state and analyze the special role of initial condition in such history-dependent systems. The specifically studied system focuses on the titanium dioxide memristor based on the nonlinear ionic drift model of Joglekar. We derive first the characteristic curve of state (CCOS) as the analytical solution of the model to any integer index in the Gaussian hypergeometric form, based on which a characterization approach is then developed. The approach simply converts the complicated history-dependent dynamics into a mapping on the state-flux phase plane, expressing the initial condition as a pure translation along the flux axis, which is analogous to the characterization method for transistors. With this geometric view, we observe that the initial condition operates as an operation point for a memristive system and can effectively influence the orbital shape: the same input signal can produce two distinct orbital shapes when the initial conditions differ. From another point, there ought to be two factors giving rise to the orbital narrowing phenomenon: the frequency and the initial condition. It is pointed out that this is purely caused by the nonlinearity in the model.
Principles of Learner Autonomy in Action: Effects and Perceptions in a College-Level Foreign Language Class

Principles of Learner Autonomy in Action: Effects and Perceptions in a College-Level Foreign Language Class Heiko Everwien ter Haseborg This study was designed to investigate how college learners of a foreign language perceived learner autonomy, its effects on student motivation, and its benefits to different parts of language learning. It utilized a mixed-methods design. Participants were 90 undergraduate students in German courses of different levels. During the course of instruction, principles of learner autonomy were implemented in the instruction. Qualitative as well as quantitative data were collected in the form of a self-assessment survey, learning journals, reflective statements, and an autonomous learning survey. The analysis was focused on (1) how students perceived the ability to make autonomous learning choices, (2) how the ability to make autonomous choices regarding format, content, and timing affected motivation, and (3) which areas of language learning were most benefited by autonomous learning choices. The findings showed evidence that a majority of the students involved in this study reacted very positively to an autonomous learning environment, especially to the opportunity to make choices in regards to content. The students unanimously reported an increase in their level of motivation based on the autonomous learning choices. There was also a contrast between appreciation for autonomous learning choices on the one hand, and requests for more targeted instruction and practice on grammar, as well as more frequent assessments like quizzes and tests.
Tracker Fusion on VOT Challenge: How Does It Perform and What Can We Learn about Single Trackers?

Tracker fusion i.e. the fusion of the outputs of different tracking methods is an interesting new concept. Thus it should also be considered in the VOT challenges. In this paper we evaluate the performance of tracker fusion on the VOT2013 and VOT2014 datasets. Furthermore, we utilize the fusion concept to create novel fusion based measures for evaluating trackers. Fusion based evaluation is interesting as it does not evaluate trackers independently but in the context of all other trackers. It allows us for example to identify trackers that could despite poor average performance be interesting for research in object tracking. We found e.g. that all state-of-the-art trackers lack some strengths of a simple NCC tracker. Tracker fusion can exploit this and profit from an additional NCC tracker. We raise the question: Can this also be exploited in a more direct way i.e. can we e.g. combine NCC concepts with a state-of-the-art tracker?
Two Essays on Short Selling and Uptick Rules

In this Chapter I use Regulation SHO data from 2005 to investigate the impact of the suspension of uptick rules on stock returns. Consistent with extant theories, the results suggest that on the NYSE, the suspension of the tick-test rule for so called ‘pilot’ stocks mitigates overvaluation in high investor opinion dispersion stocks relative to low investor opinion dispersion stocks. Such overvaluation reduction effect varies depending on the types of stocks; it is mostly driven by small stocks and value stocks. In addition, the results also show that the suspension of uptick rules is not effective in reducing stock overvaluation in stocks with Exchange Traded Options since overvaluation in those stocks has already been mitigated by the introduction of options. On the NASDAQ, however, lifting the bid-test rule goes beyond correcting such overvaluation. It shows that prices of high-dispersion stocks tend to be depressed relative to prices of low-dispersion stocks during the sample period. If such stock undervaluation is driven by “predatory” short sellers’ price manipulation, then the SEC’s recent decision of removing bid-test restrictions for NASDAQ listed securities may not be considered as an optimal policy. In addition, I investigate the relationship between daily short selling activities and stocks returns and find that on average short sellers are more likely to be value-driven “contrarians” who short sell following high stocks returns. The impact of such “contrarians” short selling is more profound in value stocks and large stocks. Although it appears that daily rebalance portfolios consisting of a long position in high-shorting stocks and a short position in low-shorting stocks can generate enormous abnormal returns, I do not interpret this as a feasible investment strategy because a high level of short selling occurs simultaneously with high stock returns. Investing in such a long/short portfolio based on past shorting information is unlikely able to generate any significant abnormal returns.
Heart function monitoring, prediction and prevention of Heart Attacks: Using Artificial Neural Networks

Heart Attacks are the major cause of death in the world today, particularly in India. The need to predict this is a major necessity for improving the country's healthcare sector. Accurate and precise prediction of the heart disease mainly depends on Electrocardiogram (ECG) data and clinical data. These data's must be fed to a non linear disease prediction model. This non linear heart function monitoring module must be able to detect arrhythmias such as tachycardia, bradycardia, myocardial infarction, atrial, ventricular fibrillation, atrial ventricular flutters and PVC's. In this paper we have developed an efficient method to acquire the clinical and ECG data, so as to train the Artificial Neural Network to accurately diagnose the heart and predict abnormalities if any. The overall process can be categorized into three steps. Firstly, we acquire the ECG of the patient by standard 3 lead pre jelled electrodes. The acquired ECG is then processed, amplified and filtered to remove any noise captured during the acquisition stage. This analog data is now converted into digital format by A/D converter, mainly because of its uncertainty. Secondly we acquire 4-5 relevant clinical data's like mean arterial pressure (MAP), fasting blood sugar (FBS), heart rate (HR), cholesterol (CH), and age/gender. Finally we use these two data's i.e. ECG and clinical data to train the neural network for classifying the heart disease and to predict abnormalities in the heart or it's functioning.
Highly Selective and Prolonged Depletion of Mitochondrial Glutathione in Astrocytes Markedly Increases Sensitivity to Peroxynitrite

Glutathione, a major endogenous antioxidant, is found in two intracellular pools in the cytoplasm and the mitochondria. To investigate the importance of the smaller mitochondrial pool, we developed conditions based on treatment with ethacrynic acid that produced near-complete and highly selective depletion of mitochondrial glutathione in cultured astrocytes. Recovery of mitochondrial glutathione was only partial over several hours, suggesting slow net uptake from the cytoplasm. Glutathione depletion alone did not significantly affect mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP content, or cell viability when assessed after 24 hr, although the activities of respiratory chain complexes were altered. However, these astrocytes showed a greatly enhanced sensitivity to 3-morpholinosydnonimine, a peroxynitrite generator. Treatment with 200 μm 3-morpholinosydnonimine produced decreases within 3 hr in mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content and caused the release of lactate dehydrogenase, contrasting with preservation of these properties in control cells. These properties deteriorated further by 24 hr in the glutathione-depleted cells and were associated with morphological changes indicative of necrotic cell death. This treatment enhanced the alterations in activities of the respiratory chain complexes observed with glutathione depletion alone. Cell viability was markedly improved by cyclosporin A, suggesting a role for the mitochondrial permeability transition in the astrocytic death. These studies provide the most direct evidence available for any cell type on the roles of mitochondrial glutathione. They demonstrate the critical importance of this metabolite pool in protecting against peroxynitrite-induced damage in astrocytes and indicate a key contribution in determining the activities of respiratory chain components.
Comparison of the clinical features, bacterial genotypes and outcomes of patients with bacteraemia due to heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-susceptible S. aureus.

OBJECTIVES We compared the clinical characteristics and outcomes of, and the bacterial genotypes in, patients with bacteraemia due to heteroresistant vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) and vancomycin-susceptible S. aureus (VSSA). METHODS A total of 268 consecutive patients with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia were prospectively enrolled. All isolates were selected on the first day of bacteraemia and subjected to population analysis profiling for identification of hVISA phenotype and PCR analysis for 41 virulence factors. RESULTS Of 268 MRSA isolates, 101 (37.7%) were identified as hVISA. Overall mortality was similar in hVISA- and VSSA-infected patients (45/101 versus 65/167; P = 0.36). The following factors were independently associated with the presence of hVISA: a vancomycin MIC ≥2 mg/L by Etest [adjusted OR (aOR), 9.98; 95% CI, 4.22-23.59], rifampicin resistance (aOR, 5.74; 95% CI, 1.35-24.37), prior vancomycin therapy (aOR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.49-6.17) and use of immunosuppressive therapy (aOR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.12-5.17). Among patients with hVISA, bacteraemia was more likely to persist for ≥7 days in patients with an initial vancomycin trough <15 mg/L than in those with an initial trough ≥15 mg/L (13/34 versus 5/35; P = 0.02). The hVISA and VSSA isolates were genotypically similar. CONCLUSIONS The hVISA phenotype was present in more than one-third of MRSA isolates and was independently associated with several baseline factors. Although this phenotype did not affect patient outcomes, our results indicate that targeting an initial vancomycin trough of 15-20 mg/L may be beneficial in patients with hVISA bacteraemia.
Black Innocence and the White Jury

Racial prejudice has come under increasingly close scrutiny during the past thirty years, yet its influence on the decisionmaking of criminal juries remains largely hidden from judicial and critical examination. In this Article, Professor Johnson takes a close look at this neglected area. She first sets forth a large body of social science research that reveals a widespread tendency among whites to convict black defendants in instances in which white defendants would be acquitted. Next, she argues that none of the existing techniques for eliminating the influence of racial bias on criminal trials adequately protects minority-race defendants. She contends that this will remain so even if the prosecution-oriented rules of Swain v. Alabama (peremptory challenges) and Ristaino v. Ross (voir dire) are modified or overruled in cases currently before the Supreme Court. Finally, Professor Johnson details an equal protection argument that turns on accepting the social science data as proof of purposeful discrimination, and she proposes a prophylactic remedy.
The Representation of Rainfall Drop-size Distribution and Kinetic Energy 1001 the Representation of Rainfall Drop-size Distribution and Kinetic Energy

To relate observed rainfall rates (R) to the kinetic energy flux (E) that affects soil erosion it is necessary to develop relationships between the two. This paper explores theoretical ER relationships based on gamma distributions of drop size. The relationship is poorly defined unless assumptions are made about changes in the shape of the drop-size distribution (DSD) with rainfall rate. The study suggests that the assumption of an exponential DSD leads to overestimation of kinetic energy flux. Further, incorporation of a horizontal component of kinetic energy allows for a clearer relationship between kinetic energy and rainfall intensity to be defined, but a question remains regarding the most appropriate definition of the horizontal component of drop velocity.
QoSOnt: An Ontology for QoS in Service Centric Systems

This paper presents QoSOnt: an ontology for Quality of Service (QoS). Particular focus is given to its application in the field of service-centric systems. QoSOnt aims to promote consensus on QoS concepts, by providing a model which is generic enough for reuse across domains. This shared conceptualisation facilitates intercommunication regarding QoS in a heterogeneous environment. Its realisation as an ontology allows automated reasoning about the concepts modelled. SQRM (Service QoS Requirements Matcher), an application making use of QoSOnt, is also discussed to demonstrate these advantages.
Factors Influencing Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Iran: A Case Study of Food Industry

This study sought to establish the social and environmental factors that influence sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) in Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also attempted to identify whether the demographic background of the entrepreneur influences the SE in SMEs of the Iranian food industry. A mixed method approach, employing the use of questionnaires and interviews from a sample size of approximately 130 participants and 12 owner-managers of SMEs in food industry, was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and several inferential analyses. Findings showed that certain characteristics of the entrepreneur, including work experience and education, have a significant impact on SE. Furthermore, out of the eight identified factors, according to the participants’ perception, the most important factors towards sustainable performance of SMEs in food industry are social factors, including customer orientation, as well as human resources and environmental factors, including recycling and the future of Earth. This research paper concludes that considering the social and environmental aspects of sustainability and employing experienced staff would majorly contribute to the pursuit of SE in SMEs of food industry.