Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determining prominence and prosodic boundaries in Korean by non-expert rapid prosody transcription

This paper examines how non-expert listeners perceive prominence and prosodic boundaries in Korean using the Rapid Prosody Transcription (RPT) method, developed by Mo, Cole and Lee [9] for American English. While prominence is used to mark prosodically salient or “highlighted” words and phrases, prosodic boundaries demarcate units or “chunks” of speech to mirror the hierarchical relations among prosodic structures. Confirming the findings of earlier studies on American English, nonexpert transcribers of Korean show agreement rates that are well above chance and, show higher agreement rates for prosodic boundaries than prominence. Korean listeners not only perceive prosodic boundaries at sentence-level boundaries corresponding to Intonation Phrase (IP) boundaries in the Korean Tones and Break Indices (ToBI) system, but also at clausal-level boundaries. The findings suggest that cues to boundaries are more salient than cues to prominences in Korean. For the perception of prominence, Korean listeners seem to orient to different cues including prosodic, syntactic and lexical information.
Benzalkonium chloride induces dephosphorylation of Myosin light chain in cultured corneal epithelial cells.

PURPOSE Phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) is essential for the contractility of the actin cytoskeleton, which regulates barrier integrity, adhesion, and migration. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of benzalkonium chloride (BAK), a preservative in topical ophthalmic formulations, on MLC phosphorylation in primary cultures of bovine corneal epithelial cells (BCECs). METHODS MLC phosphorylation was assessed by urea-glycerol gel electrophoresis followed by Western blot analysis. Activation of RhoA, which inhibits MLC phosphatase through Rho kinase, was examined by immunoprecipitation. The release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was measured by the luciferase-luciferin bioluminescence technique. RESULTS Positive expression of MLC kinase (MLCK) was found at the mRNA and protein levels by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. Exposure to BAK for 10 to 20 minutes at concentrations of 0.0005%, 0.001%, and 0.003% reduced MLC phosphorylation by more than 30%. In addition, BAK led to thinning of the cortical actin and a decrease in cell adhesion. However, RhoA activity was found to increase with BAK treatment. Similar to BAK, ATP-depletion (induced by both antimycin-A and hypoxia) led to MLC dephosphorylation. BAK exposure also showed acute ATP release. CONCLUSIONS BAK induces acute ATP release and concomitant MLC dephosphorylation in bovine corneal epithelial cells. The dephosphorylation, presumably due to ATP loss, is indicative of a loss of contractility of the actin cytoskeleton that could affect cellular functions contributing to the maintenance of epithelial barrier integrity.
Altered dynamics between neural systems sub-serving decisions for unhealthy food

Using BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques, we examined the relationships between activities in the neural systems elicited by the decision stage of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), and food choices of either vegetables or snacks high in fat and sugar. Twenty-three healthy normal weight adolescents and young adults, ranging in age from 14 to 21, were studied. Neural systems implicated in decision-making and inhibitory control were engaged by having participants perform the IGT during fMRI scanning. The Youth/Adolescent Questionnaire, a food frequency questionnaire, was used to obtain daily food choices. Higher consumption of vegetables correlated with higher activity in prefrontal cortical regions, namely the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG), and lower activity in sub-cortical regions, namely the right insular cortex. In contrast, higher consumption of fatty and sugary snacks correlated with lower activity in the prefrontal regions, combined with higher activity in the sub-cortical, insular cortex. These results provide preliminary support for our hypotheses that unhealthy food choices in real life are reflected by neuronal changes in key neural systems involved in habits, decision-making and self-control processes. These findings have implications for the creation of decision-making based intervention strategies that promote healthier eating.
Impaired recognition of negative basic emotions in autism: A test of the amygdala theory

Abstract Autism and Asperger Syndrome are autism spectrum conditions (ASC) characterized by deficits in understanding others’ minds, an aspect of which involves recognizing emotional expressions. This is thought to be related to atypical function and structure of the amygdala, and performance by people with ASC on emotion recognition tasks resembles that seen in people with acquired amygdala damage. In general, emotion recognition findings in ASC have been inconsistent, which may reflect low numbers of participants, low numbers of stimuli and trials, heterogeneity of symptom severity within ASC groups, and ceiling effects on some tasks. The present study tested 39 male adults with ASC and 39 typical male controls on a task of basic emotion recognition from photographs, in two separate experiments. On a control face discrimination task the group with ASC were not impaired. People with ASC were less accurate on the emotion recognition task compared to controls, but only for the negative basic emotions. This is discussed in the light of similar findings from people with damage to the amygdala.
Adaptive and automated ambiance surveillance and event detection for Ambient Assisted Living

In this paper, we discuss an event detection system using a wireless sensor network in the Ambient Assisted Living context. The sensors measure the environment in which the patients live, not vital parameters of the patient him- or herself, which is important in order to respect the privacy and informational self-determination of the patient. The major difficulties of the given setup with sensors in the environment are that the measurements are taken in an irregular fashion (as opposed to regular sampling) and that some of the sensors may be unreliable. To tackle these problems, we propose an event-detection framework that is based on the theory of conditional random fields [1]. We conduct experiments on real-life sensor data collected from a set of eight households. The experiments show that the conditional random field is well suited for ambiance surveillance.
Lessons from surgical outcome for intracranial meningioma involving major venous sinus

AbstractIntracranial meningiomas involving the major venous sinus (MVS) pose several complication risks upon performing radical resection. Some surgeons consider MVS invasion a contraindication for a complete resection of meningioma, and others suggest total resection followed by venous reconstruction. The aim of the study was to analyze our surgical results and discuss management strategy for intracranial meningiomas involving the MVS. Between 1993 and 2011, 107 patients with intracranial meningiomas involving MVS underwent surgery in our institution. Clinicoradiological features including pathological features and operative findings were retrospectively analyzed. Median follow-up duration was 60.2 months (range, 6.2–218.2 months). Distributions of tumor cases according to the involved sinus were as follows: 86% parasagittal, 10.3% tentorial, and 3.7% peritorcular. Simpson Grade I/II removal was achieved in 93 of 107 patients (87%). Partially or totally occluded MVS by their meningiomas (Sindou classification IV and V) was found in 39 patients (36%). Progression rate was 12% (13/107) and progression-free survival rates were 89%, 86%, and 80% at 5, 7, and 10 years, respectively. Sindou classification (IV/V) and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) score 6 month after the surgery (KPS < 90) were predictive factors for progression in our study (P = 0.044 and P = 0.001, respectively). The resection degree did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.484). Interestingly, there was no progression in patients that underwent radiation therapy or gamma knife radiosurgery for residual tumor. There were no perioperative deaths. Complication rate was 21% with brain swelling being the most common complication. There was no predictive factor for occurrence of postoperative complication in this study. In conclusion, complete tumor resection with sinus reconstruction did not significantly prevent tumor recurrence in intracranial meningioma involving MVS. Considering the complications from this procedure as it has possibly related with reduced postoperative KPS score, the tumor should be removed as much as possible while leaving remnant portion with significant invasion of sinus or drainage vein. Following radiation therapy or gamma knife radiosurgery for a remnant or recurred meningioma might then be justified.
Rayleigh scattering by H$\mathsf{_2}$ in the extrasolar planet HD 209458b

Transiting planets, such as HD 209458b, offer a unique opportunity to scrutinize the planetary atmospheric content. Although molecular hydrogen is expected to be the main atmospheric constituent, H 2 remains uncovered because of the lack of strong transition from near-ultraviolet to near-infrared. Here we analyse the absorption spectrum of HD 209458b obtained by Sing et al. (2008a, ApJ, submitted) which provides a measurement of the absorption depth in the 3000-6200 A wavelength range. We show that the rise in absorption depth at short wavelengths can be interpreted as Rayleigh scattering within the atmosphere of HD 209458b. Since Rayleigh scattering traces the entire atmosphere, this detection enables a direct determination of the pressure-altitude relationship, which is required to determine the absolute fraction of other elements such as sodium. At the zero altitude defined by the absorption depth of 1.453%, which corresponds to a planetary radius of 0.1205 times the stellar radius, we find a pressure of 33 ± 5 mbar. Using the variation of the Rayleigh scattering cross-section as a function of wavelength, we determine the temperature to be 2200 ± 260 K at 33 mbar pressure.
A Review of the Recent Empirical Literature on Displaced Workers

This article reviews the empirical literature on job displacement. Job displacement is widespread and strongly countercyclical (tending to peak during economic downturns), but concentrated in industries and states that are doing poorly, relative either to other industries and states or to their own prior performance. Displaced workers experience more nonemployment than do nondisplaced workers, but the difference fades after about four years. In contrast, earnings losses of displaced workers are large and persistent. Outcomes for all displaced workers are heavily influenced by broader economic conditions, and are affected very little by workers' demographic characteristics. The effects of advance notice are not yet clear.
European Anti-Dumping Policy and the Profitability of National and International Collusion

This paper is the first to study the effect of European antidumping policy on market structure, i.e. the incentives for firms to engage in a domestic or international cartel in a multi-stage setting. The analysis concentrates on how European antidumping policy influences the incentives for firms to collude domestically or internationally. We tackle the question of whether antidumping regulation helps to establish, maintain or rather endanger full cartels as well as cartels restricted to domestic firms only. Our findings suggest that antidumping legislation can both have a pro-competitive or an anti-competitive effect. Which case prevails depends crucially on the welfare objective function used by the European government and also on the cost asymmetry and the degree of product heterogeneity between domestic and foreign firms. In addition to market structure we also discuss welfare effects. We find that antidumping measures are capable of both increasing or decreasing total community welfare depending on the type of measures installed.
A novel approach for off-line Arabic writer identification based on stroke feature combination

This paper presents a novel approach for off-line text-independent Arabic writer identification. The approach operates in four steps: 1) handwritten text is segmented into strokes after an image thinning step; 2)length, height/width ratio and curvature stroke features are extracted; 3) five feature vectors are computed: stroke length/ratio probability distribution function (PDF), stroke length/ratio horizontal and vertical cross-correlation, stroke length/curvature PDF, stroke length/curvature horizontal and vertical cross-correlation, and stroke length/curvature and length/ratio cross-correlation; 4) classification is carried out using different metrics and the Borda count ranking algorithm. A first experimental evaluation performed on 40 writers from the IFN/ENIT database produced a promising identification rate of 92.5% for Top1 and 100% for Top5.
Surgical Correction of Fixed Kyphosis

Study Design A retrospective review was carried out on 23 patients with rigid fixed kyphosis who underwent surgical correction for their deformity. Purpose To report the results of surgical correction of fixed kyphosis according to the surgical approaches or methods. Overview of Literature Surgical correction of fixed kyphosis is more dangerous than the correction of any other spinal deformity because of the high incidence of paraplegia. Methods There were 12 cases of acute angular kyphosis (6 congenital, 6 healed tuberculosis) and 11 cases of round kyphosis (10 ankylosing spondylitis, 1 Scheuermann's kyphosis). Patients were excluded if their kyphosis was due to active tuberculosis, fractures, or degenerative lumbar changes. Operative procedures consisted of anterior, posterior and combined approaches with or without total vertebrectomy. Anterior procedure only was performed in 2 cases, while posterior procedure only was performed in 8 cases. Combined procedures were used in 13 cases, including 4 total vertebrectomies. Results The average kyphotic angle was 71.8° preoperatively, 31.0° postoperatively, and the average final angle was 39.2°. Thus, the correction rate was 57% and the correction loss rate was 12%. In acute angular kyphosis, correction rate of an anterior procedure only was 71%, correction rate of the combined procedures without total vertebrectomy was 49% and correction rate of the combined procedures with total vertebrectomy was 60%. In round kyphosis, correction rate of posterior procedure only was 65% and correction rate of combined procedures was 59%. The clinical results according to the Kirkaldy-Willis scale demonstrated 17 excellent outcomes, 5 good outcomes and one poor outcome. Conclusions Our data indicates that the combined approach and especially the total vertebrectomy showed the safety and the greatest correction rate if acute angular kyphosis was greater than 60 degrees.
Attenuated GLP-1 secretion in obesity: cause or consequence?

BACKGROUND: Hypersecretion of insulinotropic factors such as glucose dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1(7-36)amide (GLP-1) have been postulated to account for the hyperinsulinaemia of obesity. AIMS: To examine the role of GLP-1 and GIP in obese women and matched controls. SUBJECTS: Six lean and six obese women subjects matched for age. METHODS: The gut hormone, plasma glucose, and serum triglyceride responses were studied over 180 minutes after oral carbohydrate and fat meals. Heparin (10,000 units) was given intravenously at 120 minutes. RESULTS: There was pronounced attenuation of plasma GLP-1 secretion to oral carbohydrate in the obese compared with lean subjects but no such difference in response to oral fat load. There were no differences in the plasma GIP responses to carbohydrate or fat feeding. There was an apparent fall in plasma GLP-1 values in all subjects after administration of heparin. CONCLUSION: Postprandial GLP-1 secretion in response to oral carbohydrate is considerably attenuated in obese subjects. The cause of this attenuation of GLP-1 secretion is not known although we suggest that both this fall and the overall reduction in GLP-1 values in obese subjects may be related to an increase in plasma non-esterified fatty acids.
Genetic variants and signatures of selective sweep of Hanwoo population (Korean native cattle)

Although there have been many studies of native Korean cattle, Hanwoo, there have been no selective sweep studies in these animals. This study was performed to characterize genetic variation and identify selective signatures. We sequencedthe genomes of 12 cattle, and identified 15125420 SNPs, 1768114 INDELs, and 3445 CNVs. The SNPs, INDELs, and CNVs were similarly distributed throughout the genome, and highly variable regions were shown to contain the BoLA family and GPR180, which are related to adaptive immunity. We also identified the domestication footprints of the Hanwoo population by searching for selective sweep signatures, which revealed the RCN2 gene related to BPV resistance. The results of this study may contribute to genetic improvement of the Hanwoo population in Korea. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(7):346-351]
Component estimation of surface spectral reflectance

For inhomogeneous materials, the standard reflectance model suggests that under all viewing geometries surface reflectance functions can be described as the sum of a constant function of wavelength (specular) and a diffuse function that is characteristic of the material. As the viewing geometry varies, the relative contribution of these two terms varies. In a previous study [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. A6, 576 ( 1989)] we described how to use light reflected from inhomogeneous materials, measured in different viewing geometries, to estimate the relative spectral power distribution of the ambient light. Here we show that two restrictions, that (a) surface reflectance functions are all nonnegative and (b) surface reflectance functions are the positive weighted sum of subsurface (diffuse) and interface (specular) components, may be used to estimate the subsurface component of the surface reflectance function. A band of surface spectral reflectances is recovered, as possible solutions for the subsurface estimates.
Trans-repressor activity of nuclear glycosaminoglycans on Fos and Jun/AP-1 oncoprotein-mediated transcription

Heparin blocks the phorbol ester-induced progression of nontransformed cells through the G0/G1 phase (Wright, T.C., L.A. Pukac, J.J. Castellot, M.J. Karnovsky, R.A. Levine, H.-Y. Kim-Park, and J. Campisi. 1989. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 86: 3199-3203) or G1 to S phase (Reilly, C. F., M. S. Kindy, K. E. Brown, R. D. Rosenberg, and G. E Sonenshein. 1989. J. Biol. Chem. 264:6990-6995) of the cell cycle. Cell cycle arrest was associated with decreased levels of stage-specific mRNAs suggesting transcriptional regulation of cell growth. In the present report, we show that heparin selectively repressed TPA- inducible AP-1-mediated gene expression. Heparin-induced trans- repression was observed in primary vascular smooth muscle cells, as well as in the transformed HeLa cell line and in nondifferentiated F9 teratocarcinoma cells. Inhibition of AP-1-mediated trans-activation occurred with heparin and pentosan polysulfate but not with chondroitin sulfate A or C. Heparin-binding peptides or heparitinase I addition to nuclear lysates of heparin-treated cells allowed enhanced recovery of endogenous AP-1-specific DNA binding activity. We propose a model in which nuclear glycosaminoglycans play a trans-regulatory role in altering the patterns of inducible gene expression.
Zeros of Fekete polynomials

Si p est un nombre premier, nous demontrons que le polynome de Fekete fp(t) = formula math a ∼ κ 0 p zeros sur le cercle {|z| = 1}, ou 0.500813 > κ 0 > 0.500668. Ici κ 0 - 1/2 est la probabilite que la fonction 1/x + 1/(1 - x) + Σ n ∈ Z: n¬=0,1 δ n /(x-n) a un zero dans ]0,1[, ou chaque δ n est ±1 avec probabilite 1/2. En fait la valeur absolue de fp(t) est √p a chaque racine primitive p-eme de l'unite, et nous demontrons que si |f p (e(2iπ(K+τ)/p))| < ∈√p avec T ∈]0,1[, alors il y a un zero de f pres de cet arc.
On transmission of multiple Gaussian sources over a Gaussian MAC using a VQLC mapping

In this paper we generalize an existing distributed zero-delay joint source-channel coding scheme for communication of a multivariate Gaussian on a Gaussian Multiple Access Channel named Distributed Quantization Linear Coder (DQLC) to arbitrary code length. Although the DQLC is well performing, it leaves a certain gap to the performance upper bound (or distortion lower bound) based on arbitrary code length. The purpose of this paper is to determine if the generalization of the DQLC to arbitrary code length, named Vector Quantization Linear Coder (VQLC), can close the gap to the bound when the code length is large. Our results show that the VQLC mapping has the potential to reach the upper bound for any number of Gaussian sources at high SNR when the sources are uncorrelated. We also approximately determine the VQLC performance as a function of code length for the special case of two sources.
Compensation and Resettlement Policies after Compulsory Land Acquisition for Hydropower Development in Vietnam: Policy and Practice

Under Vietnam’s State land ownership regime, the Government holds supreme authority over compulsory land acquisition. The results show that many improvements in land acquisition policies have been made, but poor implementation measures largely cannot prevent or even mitigate the adverse impacts on displaced persons. In particular, ineffective compensation measures and a lack of production land and livelihood alternatives accelerate the resistance of communities displaced as a result of hydropower development. The close alliance between the local government and the investor, which is considered as an “interest group”, is the main factor that leads to the ignorance of benefits of displaced people within the compulsory land acquisition process.
Nominal and Real Convergence in Estonia: The Balassa-Samuelson (Dis)Connection. Tradable Goods, Regulated Prices and Other Culprits

The objective of the paper is to analyse the nominal and real convergence process in Estonia drawing on the Balassa-Samuelson (B-S) framework. A 15-sectoral breakdown for GDP and a 5-digit level CPI data disaggregation with over 260 items is used for the period 1993:Q1 to 2002:Q1 to show that the productivity differential is related to the GDP-deflator relative price of non-tradable goods in the long run. Furthermore, the role of regulated prices in the CPI basket is also investigated - we show that excluding regulated prices makes it possible to detect a robust relationship between productivity and the relative price of market services in CPI. The B-S effect could have possibly contributed to CPI by a yearly average of 2-3% over the sample period, and more specifically 1-4% at the beginning of the period and 0.5-1% in 2000 and 2001. The potential long-run impact of the B-S effect in Estonia is estimated to amount to 1-2%. Analysis of the influence of the B-S effect on the inflation differential and the real appreciation of the exchange rate against Finland, Sweden, Germany and the UK, shows that, whereas the inflation differential attributable to the B-S effect seems to have been higher in the early 1990s, it better explains the real appreciation occurring in recent years.