Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of native language in attitudes toward and perceptions of non-native and native American English speech

The present study examined the effect of native language on attitudes and perceptions of accent in English to inform the development of a future intervention in Chinese-accented English. Most research in accented speech has focused on the native speakers’ perspectives (Gluszek & Dovidio, 2010), but the novelty of this study lies in its consideration of non-native speakers’ perspectives as well. Specifically, this study compared the perceived approachability and identity of speakers of Chinese-accented English and Standard American English by both Chinese native speakers (NS) and English NS. Moreover, it examined how these two groups of speakers perceived some linguistic traits that Chinese learners of English have difficulty producing natively. These included deaccentuation and the contrasts between [p] and [b], between [i] and [ɪ], and between modified nouns (blue bird) and compounds (bluebird). To do this, speech samples representing a range of accentedness were recorded from Chinese speakers of English and English NS telling a short story based on a pictorial sequence. These speakers also read sentences designed to elicit the target linguistic traits. The speech samples were included in questionnaires created to collect participants’ ratings of the accentedness, intelligibility, approachability, and identity of the story samples, and to examine participants’ perceptions of the linguistic traits used in the sentences. In addition, the participants were interviewed about their experiences interacting with people from different cultures. The results show that accentedness is important in constructing identity, but approachability is more clearly predicted by intelligibility than accentedness. In addition, Chinese NS have greater difficulty identifying suprasegmental traits than segmental traits, whereas English NS identify both types of traits quite accurately. These trends will guide the development of future interventions that increase the approachability of members of the two language groups to each other, encouraging social contact across cultural boundaries. Such interventions, applied across many languages, may improve interactions among people from different language backgrounds and lead to greater empathy among cultural groups.
Does Means Testing Exacerbate Early Retirement

It is quite clear that the message has gone out to all too many of our constituents that savings can damage their retirement income. We cannot explain the collapse in savings in this country in any other way than by saying that people are being very rational and that about 40 per cent of working people cannot now save to make themselves a penny better off N let alone substantially better off N through forgoing income now and trying to push it into their retirement.
A Variant of Gerdt's Algorithm for Computing Involutive Bases

Ihe first author presented an efficient algorithm for computing involutive (and reduced Groebner) bases. In this paper, we consider a modification of this algorithm which simplifies matters to understand it and to implement. We prove correctness and termination of the modified algorithm and also correctness of the used criteria. The proposed algorithm has been implemented in Maple. We present experimental comparison, via some examples, of performance of the modified algorithm with its original form which has been implemented in Maple too. In doing so, we have taken care to provide uniform implementation details for the both algorithms.
Comparison of Tracheal Intubation Using the Storz’s C-Mac D-bladeTM Video-Laryngoscope Aided by TruflexTM Articulating Stylet and the PortexTM Intubating Stylet

Background: Tracheal intubation using Storz’s C-Mac D-bladeTM videolaryngoscope is associated with difficult negotiation of the tracheal tube into the glottis due to steep angulation of its blade. Objectives: In this study, we hypothesized that TruflexTM articulating stylet with its ability to dynamically tailor the ETT shape to patients’ oropharyngeal anatomy would be better suited to the D-blade angulation and ease tracheal intubation compared to PortexTM intubation stylet. Patients and Methods: Following approval by the Ethical Issues Committee and informed consent, 218 ASA I and II patients of either sex were enrolled in this interventional, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Tracheal intubation was performed following a uniform general anesthetic technique using the Storz’s C-Mac D-bladeTM videolaryngoscope aided by either TruflexTM articulating stylet or the PortexTM intubation stylet by an experienced anesthesiologist. The outcome measures included success or failure to intubate in the first attempt, total intubation time, hemodynamic disturbances, trauma if any and user satisfaction. Results: The number of patients in whom intubation was successful in the first attempt was significantly higher by using Truflex™ articulating stylet (99.1%) compared to PortexTM intubation stylet (90.0%; P-Value = 0.003). User satisfaction grade was significantly better while using TruflexTM articulating stylet (8.5 ± 0.88) compared to the PortexTM intubation stylet (8.23 ± 0.99; P-Value = 0.035). We did not observe any significant difference in total intubation time, hemodynamic disturbances or trauma. Conclusions: Storz’s C-Mac D-bladeTM videolaryngoscope provides grade I Cormack and Lehane’s glottic view in 99.1% patients. First attempt successful tracheal intubation and user satisfaction significantly improved by TruflexTM articulating stylet compared to the PortexTM intubation stylet.
Functional neuroimaging of memory: Implications for cognitive aging

Our understanding of the ways in which changes in specific neural systems mediate adult age differences in memory is rapidly increasing, due in no small part to the advent of functional neuroimaging techniques. This article reviews age‐related changes in memory performance obtained with behavioral measures, describes models of the neural mechanisms of memory, and derives predictions from these models regarding age‐related changes in brain activation patterns. The neuroimaging findings obtained to date support models emphasizing the role of prefrontal cortex in age‐related changes in memory functioning, especially for episodic memory retrieval. In general, neural activation associated with episodic memory encoding is regionally similar for younger and older adults but relatively lower in magnitude for older adults. During retrieval, activation that is restricted to the right prefrontal cortex for younger adults is more likely to be bilateral for older adults. Prefrontal activation exhibits an age‐related increase when working memory tasks require simple storage and an age‐related decrease when working memory requires higher‐level executive processes. Although the evidence is limited, behavioral performance and activation patterns appear to be similar among younger and older adults on tests of semantic (context‐independent) and implicit memory. We conclude that several methodological issues, such as defining the relation between brain structure and function, and determining the relationship between performance and activation, are particularly important for understanding age‐related changes. Future directions for aging research include further investigation of the relation between encoding and retrieval and the identification of both spared and impaired neural systems. Microsc. Res. Tech. 51:75–84, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Variation in Pollination Systems of Australian Subtropical Rainforests: The Implications for Climate Change

The goal of this study was to contribute to the understanding of subtropical rainforest pollination systems and their natural variability in order to predict the likely impact of climate change on pollination in these systems. Pollination is a pivotal process within all forest ecosystems and the sustainability of any given plant species is dependent on its success. Climate change and associated changes in environmental cues to phenology and ontology of both plants and their pollinators has the potential to decouple pollinator mutualisms, decreasing reproductive success. Two approaches were used to investigate potential pollination variability: 1. To understand broadly the characteristics of the elements that interact in pollination – that is the physical environment, flower morphology and phenology, and the flower-visiting insect fauna – at a community level. 2. To estimate the natural variability of these elements along an altitudinal gradient as a surrogate for climate change. A profile of flower morphology and phenology for the rainforest plants of Lamington National Park demonstrated the predominance of small white flowers, seasonal flowering and the strong influence of El Nino on flowering patterns among this subtropical rainforest flora. A global comparison of morphological characteristics demonstrated that there was no “typical” rainforest flower morphology. An altitudinal gradient was established as part of the collaborative IBISCA Queensland project, the core of which was the establishment of a permanent set of 20 reference plots, four at each of five altitudes in Lamington National Park, southeast Queensland. Effectively this allowed the examination of adjacent climates which differed in overall mean temperature by about 4.8°C organised into five 1.2°C stages. Along the environmental gradient temperature decreased and moisture increased with increased altitude. The higher altitudes showed less variability in temperature and daily relative humidity. High and constant atmospheric moisture was experienced at the two highest altitudes (900 m and 1100 m) and was considered the result of frequent cloud cover at these higher altitudes. Changes in soil physical characteristics accompanied changes in moisture availability.
Accurate Modeling and Simulation of Heart Tissue with GDEVS/Cell-DEVS

We present a model describing the electrical behavior of the heart tissue. Previous research in this field have studied this problem using PDEs (Partial Differential Equations) and CA (Cellular Automata). A radically different approach considers using discrete-event techniques to solve this kind of problems, which has showed to be challenging, but provided excellent results in terms of simulation execution times. In this context, a fundamental issue is related to how to bridge the gap between a continuous variable formalism like PDEs, and a discrete event description like DEVS. We show that the GDEVS formalism is perfectly suited to attack this problem. We will also show that the GDEVS/Cell-DEVS model proposed is easily extensible to provide different kind of cell-behaviors, while not affecting performance.
Control of Retinal Sensitivity

Test stimuli, presented at the center of the bipolar cell receptive field, spanning less than 2 log units of intensity, elicit the full range of graded response. The intensity range of test stimuli that elicits the graded response depends upon the background conditions. A higher range of log test intensities is required to elicit the graded bipolar response in the presence of surround backgrounds. But surround backgrounds can also serve to unsaturate the bipolar response and thereby increase sensitivity under certain conditions. The results suggest that a second stage of sensitivity-control is mediated by the horizontal cell system at the outer plexiform layer, concatenated with the effects of adaptation in the photoreceptors.
Reconstructing past temperatures from natural proxies and estimated climate forcings using short- and long-memory models

rst linking the latent temperature series to three main external forcings (solar irradiance, greenhouse gas concentration, and volcanism), and the second linking the observed temperature proxy data (tree rings, sediment record, ice cores, etc.) to the unobserved temperature series. Uncertainty is captured with additive noise, and a rigorous statistical investigation of the correlation structure in the regression errors motivates the use of long memory fractional Gaussian noise models for the error terms. We use Bayesian estimation to t the model parameters and to perform separate reconstructions of land-only and combined land-and-marine temperature anomalies. We quantify the eects of including the forcings and long memory models
The role of marketing mix and service quality on tourist satisfaction and loyalty at Samosir

This study aims to investigate the effect of the marketing mix and service quality on tourist satisfaction and loyalty. The data collection techniques used in this study included interviews and questionnaires to the relevant parties. The technique of data analysis in this study was descriptive and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results showed that the marketing mix had a positive and significant effect on tourists satisfaction. The service quality had a positive and significant effect on tourists satisfaction in the region of Samosir. Marketing mix had a positive and significant effect on tourists loyalty. The service quality had a positive and significant effect on tourists loyalty. Tourist satisfaction had a positive and significant effect on tourists loyalty in the region of Samosir. And the marketing mix and the service quality had a significant effect on tourists in the Samosir Region through tourist satisfaction.
Regulation of Cell Wall-Bound Invertase in Pepper Leaves by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria Type Three Effectors

Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) possess a type 3 secretion system (T3SS) to deliver effector proteins into its Solanaceous host plants. These proteins are involved in suppression of plant defense and in reprogramming of plant metabolism to favour bacterial propagation. There is increasing evidence that hexoses contribute to defense responses. They act as substrates for metabolic processes and as metabolic semaphores to regulate gene expression. Especially an increase in the apoplastic hexose-to-sucrose ratio has been suggested to strengthen plant defense. This shift is brought about by the activity of cell wall-bound invertase (cw-Inv). We examined the possibility that Xcv may employ type 3 effector (T3E) proteins to suppress cw-Inv activity during infection. Indeed, pepper leaves infected with a T3SS-deficient Xcv strain showed a higher level of cw-Inv mRNA and enzyme activity relative to Xcv wild type infected leaves. Higher cw-Inv activity was paralleled by an increase in hexoses and mRNA abundance for the pathogenesis-related gene PRQ. These results suggest that Xcv suppresses cw-Inv activity in a T3SS-dependent manner, most likely to prevent sugar-mediated defense signals. To identify Xcv T3Es that regulate cw-Inv activity, a screen was performed with eighteen Xcv strains, each deficient in an individual T3E. Seven Xcv T3E deletion strains caused a significant change in cw-Inv activity compared to Xcv wild type. Among them, Xcv lacking the xopB gene (Xcv ΔxopB) caused the most prominent increase in cw-Inv activity. Deletion of xopB increased the mRNA abundance of PRQ in Xcv ΔxopB-infected pepper leaves, but not of Pti5 and Acre31, two PAMP-triggered immunity markers. Inducible expression of XopB in transgenic tobacco inhibited Xcv-mediated induction of cw-Inv activity observed in wild type plants and resulted in severe developmental phenotypes. Together, these data suggest that XopB interferes with cw-Inv activity in planta to suppress sugar-enhanced defense responses during Xcv infection.
Today’s Soldier: Assessing the Needs of Soldiers and Their Families

This report describes results of a unique survey approach to understanding the most-pressing problems that soldiers and their families face, the needs those problems generate, soldiers' use of Army and non-Army resources to address their needs, and barriers to using those resources. It also reports soldiers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the resources used and the implications of unmet needs for soldiers' attitudes toward military service.
Counselling Transgender Individuals: Issues and Considerations

Transgender individuals represent a unique population whose voices are often lost within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) population. Being transgender challenges the assumptions that people may make regarding sex and gender as they do not adhere to a gender binary. Transgender individuals experience unique life challenges and are at risk for violence as well as mental health concerns, including suicide. With an increase in awareness regarding transgender individuals, as well as recent changes to policies and treatment, it is important that counsellors are aware of this population and the challenges they face. Transgender individuals are often combined with other sexual minorities; however, although they may identify as homosexual and experience homophobia, they also experience transphobia because of their gender identity. The potential for multiple forms of violence, combined with a lack of safe and appropriate supports, can lead to the potential for serious harm and damage among this population. Therefore, counsellors should work toward developing competencies and awareness in how to best serve this population. This article addresses many of the key issues and counselling recommendations. Les personnes transgenres représentent une population à part entière dont les voix sont souvent perdues parmi les communautés lesbiennes, gaies, bisexuelles et transgenres (LGBT). Le fait d’être transgenre remet en question les idées que peuvent se faire les gens à propos des sexes masculin et féminin puisque cette identité n’adhère pas aux modèles traditionnels féminin et masculin. Les personnes transgenres font face à des situations de vie difficiles, sont plus à risque de subir de la violence et des problèmes de santé mentale, y compris de commettre des tentatives de suicide. Avec l’augmentation de la sensibilisation par rapport aux personnes transgenres, il est important que les conseillers soient sensibilisés à cette population et aux défis auxquels ils font face. Les personnes transgenres sont souvent mises dans la même catégorie que d’autres minorités sexuelles; or, même si elles s’identifient comme étant homosexuelles et sont victimes d’homophobie, elles sont aussi victimes de transphobie à cause de leur identité sexuelle. Le potentiel de multiples formes de violence, combiné à un manque d’outils d’aide sécuritaires et appropriés peut entraîner de graves préjudices et dommages chez cette population. Pour cette raison, les conseillers devraient travailler de façon à développer des compétences et à augmenter la sensibilisation pour mieux desservir cette population. Cet article se penche sur un grand nombre des questions importantes et de recommandations en counseling.
Characterization of MazFSa, an Endoribonuclease from Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT The mazEF homologs of Staphylococcus aureus, designated mazEFsa , have been shown to cotranscribe with the sigB operon under stress conditions. In this study, we showed that MazEF Sa , as with their Escherichia coli counterparts, compose a toxin-antitoxin module wherein MazF Sa leads to rapid cell growth arrest and loss in viable CFU upon overexpression. MazF Sa is a novel sequence-specific endoribonuclease which cleaves mRNA to inhibit protein synthesis. Using ctpA mRNA as the model substrate both in vitro and in vivo, we demonstrated that MazF Sa cleaves single-strand RNA preferentially at the 5′ side of the first U or 3′ side of the second U residue within the consensus sequences VUUV′ (where V and V′ are A, C, or G and may or may not be identical). Binding studies confirmed that the antitoxin MazE Sa binds MazF Sa to form a complex to inhibit the endoribonuclease activity of MazF Sa . Contrary to the system in E. coli, exposure to selected antibiotics augmented mazEFsa transcription, akin to what one would anticipate from the environmental stress response of the sigB system. These data indicate that the mazEF system of S. aureus differs from the gram-negative counterparts with respect to mRNA cleavage specificity and antibiotic stresses.
Asymptotic Analysis of Linear Precoding Techniques in Correlated Multi-Antenna Broadcast Channels

In this paper we consider MIMO broadcast channels with separable variance profile modelling antenna correlation at both transmit and receive sides. For large number of antennas we derive the theoretical sum-rate capacity when the transmitter performs zero-forcing or regularized zero-forcing precoding. In particular, we apply the results to volumelimited devices where the correlation originates from a dense antenna packing. Throughout this contribution we make extensive use of recent tools from random matrix theory. Simulations confirm the theoretical claims and also indicate that in most scenarios the asymptotic derivations applied to a finite number of users give good approximations of the actual ergodic sum-rate capacity.
Higher Order Recurrent Neural Networks

In this paper, we study novel neural network structures to better model long term dependency in sequential data. We propose to use more memory units to keep track of more preceding states in recurrent neural networks (RNNs), which are all recurrently fed to the hidden layers as feedback through different weighted paths. By extending the popular recurrent structure in RNNs, we provide the models with better short-term memory mechanism to learn long term dependency in sequences. Analogous to digital filters in signal processing, we call these structures as higher order RNNs (HORNNs). Similar to RNNs, HORNNs can also be learned using the back-propagation through time method. HORNNs are generally applicable to a variety of sequence modelling tasks. In this work, we have examined HORNNs for the language modeling task using two popular data sets, namely the Penn Treebank (PTB) and English text8 data sets. Experimental results have shown that the proposed HORNNs yield the state-of-the-art performance on both data sets, significantly outperforming the regular RNNs as well as the popular LSTMs.
Naïve filterbots for robust cold-start recommendations

The goal of a recommender system is to suggest items of interest to a user based on historical behavior of a community of users. Given detailed enough history, item-based collaborative filtering (CF) often performs as well or better than almost any other recommendation method. However, in cold-start situations - where a user, an item, or the entire system is new - simple non-personalized recommendations often fare better. We improve the scalability and performance of a previous approach to handling cold-start situations that uses filterbots, or surrogate users that rate items based only on user or item attributes. We show that introducing a very small number of simple filterbots helps make CF algorithms more robust. In particular, adding just seven global filterbots improves both user-based and item-based CF in cold-start user, cold-start item, and cold-start system settings. Performance is better when data is scarce, performance is no worse when data is plentiful, and algorithm efficiency is negligibly affected. We systematically compare a non-personalized baseline, user-based CF, item-based CF, and our bot-augmented user- and item-based CF algorithms using three data sets (Yahoo! Movies, MovieLens, and EachMovie) with the normalized MAE metric in three types of cold-start situations. The advantage of our "naïve filterbot" approach is most pronounced for the Yahoo! data, the sparsest of the three data sets.