Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Show Trials in China: After Tiananmen Square

surprise that the nominated 'rioters and counter revolutionaries' would soon be paraded before the courts. Even in the People's Republic of China, where a formal criminal court structure is a comparatively recent addition to the social control framework, the trial process is being employed as an immediate state response to community disjuncture and political challenge. To observe that the processes of 'criminal justice' frequently are well used to legitimate what might otherwise be viewed as military repression or political retribution is hardly novel.1 Balbus identifies a number of advantages which might flow from using the courts to deal with what the state defines as politically marginal violence. In particular, he highlights the claims over definitions, made all the more contentious through the institutional application of 'the law': One of the central tenets of law is that crime is not an entity in fact but an entity in law. Violent activities therefore have to be fitted into predefined categories in law. [In legal terms] the political character of motivations is irrelevant. The effectiveness of the process, of course, will depend on the extent of political involvement and the ideological coherence of the participants.2
Speech Emotion Classification Using Machine Learning Algorithms

The recognition of emotional states is a relatively new technique in the field of machine learning. The paper presents the study and the performance results of a system for emotion classification using the architecture of a distributed speech recognition system (DSR). The features used were extracted by the front-end ETSI Aurora eXtended of a mobile terminal in compliance with the ETSI ES 202-211 V1.1. 1 standard. On the basis of the time trend of these parameters, over 3800 statistical parameters were extracted to characterize semantic units of varying length (sentences and words). Using the WEKA (Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis) software the most significant parameters for the classification of emotional states were selected and the results of various classification techniques were analysed. The results, obtained using both the Berlin Database of Emotional Speech (EMO-DB) and the Speech Under Simulated and Actual Stress (SUSAS) corpus, showed that the best performance is achieved using a support vector machine (SVM) trained with the sequential minimal optimization (SMO) algorithm, after normalizing and discretizing the input statistical parameters.
The impact of childhood adversity on the persistence of psychotic symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Evidence suggests that childhood adversity is associated with the development of psychotic experiences (PE), psychotic symptoms and disorders. However, less is known regarding the impact of early adversity on the persistence of PE and clinically relevant psychosis. Thus we conducted a systematic review of the association between childhood adversity and the course of PE and symptoms over time. Method A systematic search of Medline, EMBASE and PsychINFO databases was undertaken to identify articles published between January 1956 and November 2014. We included studies conducted on general population samples, individuals at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis, and patients with full-blown psychotic disorders. A meta-analysis was performed on a subgroup. Results A total of 20 studies were included. Of these, 17 reported positive associations between exposure to overall or specific subtypes of childhood adversity and persistence of PE or clinically relevant psychotic symptoms. A meta-analysis of nine studies yielded a weighted odds ratio of 1.76 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–2.32, p < 0.001] for general population studies and 1.55 (95% CI 0.32–2.77, p = 0.007) for studies conducted using clinical populations. Conclusions The available evidence is limited but tentatively suggests that reported exposure to adverse events in childhood is associated with persistence of PE and clinically relevant psychotic symptoms. This partially strengthens the case for addressing the consequences of early adversity in individuals presenting with psychotic phenomena to improve long-term outcomes. However, the heterogeneity of studies was high which urges caution in interpreting the results and highlights the need for more methodologically robust studies.
Use of the proGAV Shunt Valve in Normal-Pressure Hydrocephalus

BACKGROUND: Overdrainage is a common complication associated with shunt insertion in normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) patients. Using adjustable valves with antigravity devices has been shown to reduce its incidence. The optimal starting setting of an adjustable shunt valve in NPH is debatable. OBJECTIVE: To audit our single-center practice of setting adjustable valves. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of clinical records of all NPH patients treated in our unit between 2006 and 2009 by the insertion of shunts with a proGAV valve, recording demographic and clinical data, shunt complications, and revision rates. Radiological reports of postoperative follow-up computed tomography scans of the brain were reviewed for detected subdural hematomas. RESULTS: A proGAV adjustable valve was inserted in 50 probable NPH patients between July 2006 and November 2009. Mean ± SD age was 76 ± 7 years. Mean follow-up was 15 months. The initial shunt setting was 6 ± 3 cm H2O, and the final setting was 4.9 ± 1.9 cm H2O. Nineteen patients required 24 readjustment procedures (readjustment rate, 38%; readjustment number, 0.48 times per patient). One patient (2%) developed delayed bilateral subdural hematoma after readjustment of his shunt valve setting as an outpatient. CONCLUSION: Starting with a low opening pressure setting on a proGAV adjustable shunt valve does not increase the chances of overdrainage complications and reduces the need for repeated readjustments.
How Role Models Affect Role Aspirants’ Motivation and Goals

Role models are often suggested as a means of motivating people to set and reach ambitious goals, especially for members of stigmatised groups in achievement settings. Yet, findings in relation to the effectiveness of role model are mixed and the literature on role models suffers from a number of limitations: (1) it lacks a clear definitional consensus of role models, (2) there is a lack of an integrated theoretical framework around role modelling, (3) very little of our current understanding of role models draws on the motivational literature to explain how role models can influence motivation and goals, and (4) the focus of the extant role model literature has been mainly on the attributes that make role models effective at the expense of understanding how this occurs. In this thesis, we first review the literature on role models (Chapter 1) and present two studies highlighting the limitations of the extant understanding of role modelling (Chapter 2). We then address these limitations by developing a theoretical framework of role modelling where we integrate different definitions of role models into a new conceptualisation in which we propose that role models influence goals and motivation in three distinct ways: by acting as behavioural models, by representing the possible, and by being inspirational. We then draw on expectancy-value theories of motivation to build a theoretical framework for understanding not only when but also how role models can effectively influence motivation and goals in these three functions (Chapter 3). This new theoretical framework, the Motivational Theory of Role Modelling, highlights how the power of role models can be harnessed to increase role aspirants’ motivation, reinforce their existing goals, and facilitate their adoption of new goals. We present four empirical studies supporting the ideas put forward in this theoretical framework, namely that role models in their three functions increase expectancy and value and, in turn, motivation and goals (Chapters 4,5, and 6). Finally, we integrate and summarise our findings and discuss theoretical and practical implications (Chapter 7).
Effect of Adjacent Layers on Crystallization and Magnetoresistance in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB Magnetic Tunnel Junction

Crystallization must occur in order to obtain lattice matching between CoFeB and MgO in amorphous CoFeB/MgO/amorphous CoFeB magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ). However, the interface layer effect on the crystallization behavior is not yet clear. An aim of our experiments was to investigate the effects of various layers including Ta, MgO, Ru, and NiFe on the crystallization and transport properties in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB MTJs deposited on SiO2/Si and glass. It was found that the onset of crystallization of CoFeB and its specific orientation were dependent on the layer adjacent to CoFeB. The effects of crystallization on transport properties are also discussed
Effects of (+)-Catechin on the Composition, Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Full-Fat Cheese during Ripening and Recovery of (+)-Catechin after Simulated In Vitro Digestion

(+)-Catechin, the representative catechin in green tea, was incorporated into a full-fat cheese (at 125–500 ppm) followed by ripening for 90 days at 8 °C and digesting for six hours. Determination of pH, proximate composition, total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity (AA) after manufacture and ripening demonstrated that the addition of (+)-catechin significantly (p ≤ 0.05) decreased the pH of both whey and curd during cheese manufacturing and ripening with no significant (p > 0.05) effect on the moisture, protein and fat contents. (+)-Catechin increased TPC, as well as AA, though the increase was not proportional with increasing the concentration of added (+)-catechin. About 57%–69% of (+)-catechin was retained in the cheese curd, whereas about 19%–39% (depending on the concentration) was recovered from the cheese digesta. Transmission electron micrographs showed that the ripened control cheese had a homogeneous pattern of milk fat globules with regular spacing entrapped in a homogenous structure of casein proteins, whereas the addition of (+)-catechin disrupted this homogenous structure. The apparent interaction between (+)-catechin and cheese fat globules was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These associations should be taken into account when incorporating antioxidants, such as (+)-catechin, to create functional dairy products, such as cheese.
Exploratory research on second language practice distribution: An Aptitude × Treatment interaction

The current exploratory study aimed at investigating the role of cognitive aptitudes in determining the effect of practice distribution on second language learning. The study investigated to what extent language-analytic ability and working-memory capacity predicted the acquisition of grammar under two learning conditions that differ in the interval between the two training sessions. Learners of Japanese as a second language were trained on an element of Japanese morphosyntax under either distributed practice (7-day interval) or massed practice (1-day interval). The results revealed that language-analytic ability was only related to performance after distributed practice, whereas working-memory capacity was only related to performance after massed practice. These Aptitude × Treatment interaction findings can help establish the learning processes operating under distributed/massed practice conditions.
The Effects of Herpes Simplex Virus-2 on HIV-1 Acquisition and Transmission: A Review of Two Overlapping Epidemics

Abstract:Increasing evidence demonstrates a substantial link between the epidemics of sexually transmitted HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus (HSV)-2 infection. More than 30 epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that prevalent HSV-2 is associated with a 2- to 4-fold increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition. Per-sexual contact transmission rates among couples from Rakai, Uganda indicate that at all levels of plasma HIV-1 RNA in the source partner, HSV-2-seropositive HIV-1–susceptible persons have a 5-fold greater risk of acquiring HIV-1 compared with HSV-2–negative persons. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that mucosal HIV-1 shedding is more frequent and in greater amounts during mucocutaneous HSV-2 replication, including subclinical mucosal reactivations. Most HIV-1–infected persons are coinfected with HSV-2, and most experience frequent subclinical and clinical reactivations of HSV-2. Subclinical HSV reactivation elevates serum HIV-1 RNA levels, and daily therapy with acyclovir appears to reduce plasma HIV-1 RNA. These data show that greater attention to the diagnosis and treatment of HSV-2 among HIV-1–infected persons is warranted, especially those who continue to be sexually active, those not on antiretroviral therapy, or those whose disease is not well suppressed by antiretrovirals.
The Discriminatory Incentives to Bundle: The Case of Cable Television

A considerable theoretical literature supports a discriminatory explanation for product bundling: it sorts consumers in a manner similar to 2nd-degree price discrimination. The purpose of this paper is to test this theory and quantify its empirical importance in the cable television industry. Speci cally, demand for network bundles (cable services) should be greater and more elastic the more networks in the bundle. The results provide broad support for the theory: carriage of almost all of the top-15 cable networks both increase and atten the cable demand curve. In a simple approximation to cable television markets, the results suggest bundling the average number of top-15 cable networks o ered on Basic service increases pro ts relative to unbundled (component) sales, but decreases consumers surplus by an amount equal to a 4.2% increase in the price of cable. On balance, total surplus increases. This suggests seriously considering the welfare consequences of product choice when designing competition and/or regulation policy. (JEL L12, M31, L96, L40, L50, C31). I would like to thank Cathleen McHugh for her assistance inputting the data. I would also like to thank Joe Harrington, Steve Coate, Roger Noll, Bruce Owen, V. Kerry Smith, Mark Coppejans, Frank Wolak, Phillip Leslie, and seminar participants at Cornell University and the 1999 IDEI/NBER Econometrics of Price and Product Competition conference for helpful comments. Correspondance may be sent to Gregory S. Crawford, Department of Economics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0097, phone 919-660-1828, email gsc@econ.duke. edu.
A Secure System For Pervasive Social Network-Based Healthcare

Modern technologies of mobile computing and wireless sensing prompt the concept of pervasive social network (PSN)-based healthcare. To realize the concept, the core problem is how a PSN node can securely share health data with other nodes in the network. In this paper, we propose a secure system for PSN-based healthcare. Two protocols are designed for the system. The first one is an improved version of the IEEE 802.15. 6 display authenticated association. It establishes secure links with unbalanced computational requirements for mobile devices and resource-limited sensor nodes. The second protocol uses blockchain technique to share health data among PSN nodes. We realize a protocol suite to study protocol runtime and other factors. In addition, human body channels are proposed for PSN nodes in some use cases. The proposed system illustrates a potential method of using blockchain for PSN-based applications.
Predicting Performance and Plasticity in the Development of Respiratory Structures and Metabolic Systems

The scaling laws governing metabolism suggest that we can predict metabolic rates across taxonomic scales that span large differences in mass. Yet, scaling relationships can vary with development, body region, and environment. Within species, there is variation in metabolic rate that is independent of mass and which may be explained by genetic variation, the environment or their interaction (i.e., metabolic plasticity). Additionally, some structures, such as the insect tracheal respiratory system, change throughout development and in response to the environment to match the changing functional requirements of the organism. We discuss how study of the development of respiratory function meets multiple challenges set forth by the NSF Grand Challenges Workshop. Development of the structure and function of respiratory and metabolic systems (1) is inherently stable and yet can respond dynamically to change, (2) is plastic and exhibits sensitivity to environments, and (3) can be examined across multiple scales in time and space. Predicting respiratory performance and plasticity requires quantitative models that integrate information across scales of function from the expression of metabolic genes and mitochondrial biogenesis to the building of respiratory structures. We present insect models where data are available on the development of the tracheal respiratory system and of metabolic physiology and suggest what is needed to develop predictive models. Incorporating quantitative genetic data will enable mapping of genetic and genetic-by-environment variation onto phenotypes, which is necessary to understand the evolution of respiratory and metabolic systems and their ability to enable respiratory homeostasis as organisms walk the tightrope between stability and change.
Behavioral Responses of Nursing Home Residents to Visits From a Person with a Dog,a Robot Seal or aToy Cat

ABSTRACT Previous studies suggest that contact with dogs can positively affect the wellbeing of elderly people in nursing homes, but there is a lack of research investigating the causal pathways of these effects. One such path- way may relate to the behavioral responses of the elderly when interacting with a dog. The present study compared the immediate behavioral responses of nursing home residents to bi-weekly visits from a person accompanied by either a dog, a robot seal (PARO®), or a soft toy cat, using a randomized controlled design. A total of 100 nursing home residents com- pleted the study. Each participant received a total of 12 visits, during which their behaviors, including interactions between the visitor and the accom- panying animal (real or artificial), were recorded. Also, data on cognitive im- pairment, presence of depressive symptoms, age, time lived in the nursing home, dementia diagnoses, and gender were collected. We found that the immediate responses to, and interaction with, the visiting animal depended on the type of animal that was brought along. The dog and the interactive robot seal triggered the most interaction, in the form of physical contact (F(2,103) = 7.50, p < 0.001), eye contact (F(4,151) = 6.26, p < 0.001), and verbal communication (F(4,195) = 2.87, p < 0.05). As well, the cognitive impairment level of the residents affected with whom they interacted. The higher the cognitive impairment level, the more interaction was directed toward the animal and less toward humans, regardless of visit type (F(2,101) = 4.10, p < 0.05). The dogs and the robot seal stimulated the residents to more in- teraction, compared with the toy cat, but the robot seal failed to maintain the attention at the same level over time. The cognitive functioning of the residents correlated with the level of interaction, and this needs to be studied further.
Fixation stability during Rarebit Fovea Test

Background: Unstable fixation has been reported to be a common cause of unreliable results in perimetry. The Rarebit Fovea Test (RFT) is a computerised foveal function test that evaluates the 4 × 3° central visual field, using very small test stimuli. To minimise the test time, no fixation control is used. Instead, stable fixation is facilitated by the use of a dynamic fixation target. The aim of the current study was to evaluate fixation stability during a RFT examination by continuous recording of the eye movements.
Alcoholic Hepatitis: Risk Factors, Pathogenesis, and Approach to Treatment.

BACKGROUND Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is an inflammatory disorder of the liver characterized clinically by jaundice, hepatomegaly, and abdominal pain, and histologically by macrovesicular steatosis and necroinflammation. METHODS This clinical review will cover what is known about the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, current treatments, and novel therapies for AH. RESULTS The pathogenesis and treatment of AH remain areas of active research. Although abstinence is the cornerstone of therapy for all stages of alcoholic liver disease, corticosteroids have shown modest short-term benefits in treatment of severe AH. CONCLUSIONS Improved understanding of the pathogenesis of AH has expanded the range of potential treatments for this devastating disease. Several novel therapies are also currently in various stages of testing through clinical trials.
CENSORS : A combined EIS-NVSS survey of radio sources - II. Infrared imaging and the K-z relation

The Combined EIS-NVSS Survey of Radio Sources (CENSORS) is a 1.4-GHz radio survey selected from the National Radio Astronomy Observatories (NRAO) Very Large Array (VLA) Sky Survey (NVSS) and complete to a flux density of 7.2 mJy. It targets the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Imaging Survey (EIS) Patch D, which is a 3 x 2-deg 2 field centred on right ascension 09 h 51 m 36 s 0 and declination -21°00'00" (J2000). This paper presents K-band imaging of 142 of the 150 CENSORS sources. The primary motivation for beginning infrared imaging of the sample was to identify the host galaxies of ∼30 per cent of sources for which the EIS I-band imaging failed to produce a likely candidate. In addition, K-band magnitudes allow photometric redshift estimation and I - K colours aid the identification of host galaxies (which are typically old, red ellipticals). Of the sources observed in the I and K bands, four remain undetected, possibly indicating high redshifts for the host galaxies, and eight involve complicated radio structures, or several candidate host galaxies, which have yet to be resolved. Thus, the host galaxy identifications are brought to 92 per cent completeness. In conjunction with spectroscopic observations, the K-band magnitudes have been aperture corrected and used to establish a K-z relation for the CENSORS radio galaxies. This relation is of interest because of its variation, at z > 1, between radio surveys of different flux-density limit. Establishing this relation for CENSORS may shed light on the origin of this variation and will allow an appropriate K-z redshift estimator for any CENSORS source which remains without a spectroscopic redshift. It is shown that whilst the K-z relation for CENSORS is fainter than that of 3CRR at all redshifts, it agrees well with that of 7C over all redshifts studied.
The Gastroprotective Effect of Vitex pubescens Leaf Extract against Ethanol-Provoked Gastric Mucosal Damage in Sprague-Dawley Rats

Vitex pubescens is a Malaysian therapeutic plant employed in traditional drug to remedy a variety of disorders. The purpose of this research is to assess the gastroprotective efficiency of V. pubescens leaves against ethanol-induced gastric hemorrhagic laceration in rats. Animals were randomly allocated into seven groups and pre-treated, separately, with 10% Tween 20 (normal and ulcer control groups), 20 mg/kg omeprazole (reference group), and 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 mg/kg of V. pubescens extract (experimental groups). All animals were sacrificed after another hour. Histological evaluation of the ulcer control group revealed significant injury to the gastric mucosa with edema and leucocyte infiltration of the submucosal layer. PAS staining, showed remarkably intense magenta color, remarkable increase of HSP70 and decrease of Bax proteins in rats pre-treated with plant extracts compared to the ulcer control group. Gastric homogenates revealed a remarkable increase in endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities (CAT, SOD, GSH) and a decrease in the lipid peroxidation level (MDA) in animals pre-treated with V. pubescens extract compared with the ulcer control group. The gastroprotective activity of this plant might be related to increased antioxidant enzymes and decrease lipid peroxidation upsurge of HSP70 and reduced expression of Bax proteins