Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Internet and Traditional Media Displacement

This study consists of a survey that measures how much of the Internet college students are using and why they are using it. Using the uses and gratifications perspective and an adapted version of Rubin's 1984 Television Motives Scale this study analyzes what gratifications media consumers are actively seeking to satisfy their communication needs. 217 students were surveyed and results showed that high Internet users were using traditional media less. The study also concluded that high and low Internet users have similar reasons for using the Internet. Media Displacement 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Borzi for helping me shape the idea for this project and taking time to help me get it underway. I would like to thank Dr. Bock for spending numerous hours number crunching with me and for giving me an appreciation of quantitative analysis. I would also like to thank Dr. Marshall for his guidance and encouragement throughout this project. I would like to thank all three of these gentlemen for being on my committee this year, taking time out to work with me and being wonderful teachers. I would also like to thank all of my fellow graduate students for all their support and friendship. Media Displacement 4
Classification of melodies by composer with hidden Markov models

The authors use hidden Markov models (HMMs) for abstracting the style of a composer and for recognizing it from an unknown excerpt. We employed a data set of 605 musical themes written by five well-known composers (Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, Stravinsky, Beatles). A preliminary investigation based on descriptive statistics served the purpose of choosing a group of suitable music representations. Then, for each representation and for each composer a HMM was trained with the subset of melodic lines extracted from the pieces. An unknown melody is then classified as belonging to a composer if the corresponding HMM gives the highest probability for that sequence. Experiments with Markov chains and tests on human subjects were used as a term of comparison. The best results achieved with HMMs was 42% successful classifications on average, obtained with an alphabet of intervals between -10 and +10 semitones and with HMMs of order 18. In the case of human classification based only on stylistic assumption, we measured 24.6% for music amateurs and 48% for music experts. In conclusion, HMMs performed nearly as well as a music expert in the classification of melodies by composer, nevertheless, memory models have been proven to play a fundamental role in the process of music classification and need to be taken into consideration for practical applications.
Trade Liberalization in a Dynamic Setting: Implications of a Now WTO Round

The Kyoto Protocol is seen by many as a step forward in reaching the UNFCCC goals of slowing emissions of greenhouse gases. In this paper we argue that the issue of regime sustainability in developing the Kyoto approach to climate change has received too little attention. We question the sustainability of the Kyoto Protocol and suggest an alternative approach that is more politically and economically sustainable. We also present results from the G-Cubed multi-country model that demonstrate a permit trading system within the Kyoto Protocol offers large gains and improves the sustainability of the regime. We also propose a permit trading system as part of the solution to climate change policy however in a very different form to those currently being discussed.
Dissociation between Conceptual and Perceptual Implicit Memory: Evidence from Patients with Frontal and Occipital Lobe Lesions

The latest neuroimaging studies about implicit memory (IM) have revealed that different IM types may be processed by different parts of the brain. However, studies have rarely examined what subtypes of IM processes are affected in patients with various brain injuries. Twenty patients with frontal lobe injury, 25 patients with occipital lobe injury, and 29 healthy controls (HC) were recruited for the study. Two subtypes of IM were investigated by using structurally parallel perceptual (picture identification task) and conceptual (category exemplar generation task) IM tests in the three groups, as well as explicit memory (EM) tests. The results indicated that the priming of conceptual IM and EM tasks in patients with frontal lobe injury was poorer than that observed in HC, while perceptual IM was identical between the two groups. By contrast, the priming of perceptual IM in patients with occipital lobe injury was poorer than that in HC, whereas the priming of conceptual IM and EM was similar to that in HC. This double dissociation between perceptual and conceptual IM across the brain areas implies that occipital lobes may participate in perceptual IM, while frontal lobes may be involved in processing conceptual memory.
A Simplified Quantum Energy-Transport Model for Semiconductors

The existence of global-in-time weak solutions to a quantum energy-transport model for semiconductors is proved. The equations are formally derived from the quantum hydrodynamic model in the large-time and small-velocity regime. They consist of a nonlinear parabolic fourth-order equation for the electron density, including temperature gradients; an elliptic nonlinear heat equation for the electron temperature; and the Poisson equation for the electric potential. The equations are solved in a bounded domain with periodic boundary conditions. The existence proof is based on an entropy-type estimate, exponential variable transformations, and a fixed-point argument. Furthermore, we discretize the equations by central finite differences and present some numerical simulations of a one-dimensional ballistic diode.
Coding Schemes for Relay-Assisted Information Embedding

Cooperative information embedding deals with the problem of embedding unperceived information into some cover signal by different users or partners, cooperatively. It models applications in which embedded signals, or watermarks, transmitted over wireless networks need to be reinforced in order to withstand channel impairments. In cooperative information embedding, each embedder that can reinforce the embedded signal may or may not know the original cover signal. In this paper, we concentrate on the two user cases: (1) an initial embedder and (2) an assisting embedder or helper collaborate to embed some watermark into given digital media content which is transmitted over a wireless network. One important application is that of infrastructure-aided information embedding, a case in which the network provider plays the role of a helper and contributes to securing the distribution of the media, not only by blocking unauthorized signals but also by reinforcing the watermarks in legitimate signals. We investigate the two scenarios in which the helper does or does not know the cover signal. For each scenario, we derive lower and upper bounds on channel capacity. Furthermore, we also design implementable coding schemes and derive the embedding rates practically allowed by these schemes, for both scenarios. Among others, the performance characterization shows that for cooperative information embedding to be effective, careful code design is required at the initial embedder and the helper. The careful design concerns the joint conception of the embedded codes and the exploitation of the knowledge of the cover signal, if any.
Compositional heterogeneity of central peaks within the South Pole‐Aitken Basin

Using high‐spectral and ‐spatial resolution Moon Mineralogy Mapper data, we investigate compositional variations across the central peak structures of four impact craters within the South Pole‐Aitken Basin (SPA). Two distinct causes of spectral diversity are observed. Spectral variations across the central peaks of Bhabha, Finsen, and Lyman are dominated by soil development, including the effects of space weathering and mixing with local materials. For these craters, the central peak structure is homogeneous in composition, although small compositional differences between the craters are observed. This group of craters is located within the estimated transient cavity of SPA, and their central uplifts exhibit similar mafic abundances. Therefore, it is plausible that they have all uplifted material associated with melts of the lower crust or upper mantle produced during the SPA impact. Compositional differences observed between the peaks of these craters reflect heterogeneities in the SPA subsurface, although the origin of this heterogeneity is uncertain. In contrast to these craters, Leeuwenhoek exhibits compositional heterogeneity across its central peak structure. The peak is areally dominated by feldspathic materials, interspersed with several smaller exposures exhibiting a mafic spectral signature. Leeuwenhoek is the largest crater included in the study and is located in a region of complex stratigraphy involving both crustal (feldspathic) and SPA (mafic melt and ejecta) materials. The compositional diversity observed in Leeuwenhoek's central peak indicates that kilometer‐scale heterogeneities persist to depths of more than 10 km in this region.
Insights on the neural basis of motor plasticity induced by theta burst stimulation from TMS–EEG

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a useful tool to induce and measure plasticity in the human brain. However, the cortical effects are generally indirectly evaluated with motor‐evoked potentials (MEPs) reflective of modulation of cortico‐spinal excitability. In this study, we aim to provide direct measures of cortical plasticity by combining TMS with electroencephalography (EEG). Continuous theta‐burst stimulation (cTBS) was applied over the primary motor cortex (M1) of young healthy adults, and we measured modulation of (i) MEPs, (ii) TMS‐induced EEG evoked potentials (TEPs), (iii) TMS‐induced EEG synchronization and (iv) eyes‐closed resting EEG. Our results show the expected cTBS‐induced decrease in MEP size, which we found to be paralleled by a modulation of a combination of TEPs. Furthermore, we found that cTBS increased the power in the theta band of eyes‐closed resting EEG, whereas it decreased single‐pulse TMS‐induced power in the theta and alpha bands. In addition, cTBS decreased the power in the beta band of eyes‐closed resting EEG, whereas it increased single‐pulse TMS‐induced power in the beta band. We suggest that cTBS acts by modulating the phase alignment between already active oscillators; it synchronizes low‐frequency (theta and/or alpha) oscillators and desynchronizes high‐frequency (beta) oscillators. These results provide novel insight into the cortical effects of cTBS and could be useful for exploring cTBS‐induced plasticity outside of the motor cortex.
Reimbursement for pediatric diabetes intensive case management: a model for chronic diseases?

OBJECTIVE Current reimbursement policies serve as potent disincentives for physicians who provide evaluation and management services exclusively. Such policies threaten nationwide availability of care for personnel-intensive services such as pediatric diabetes. This report describes an approach to improving reimbursement for highly specialized, comprehensive pediatric diabetes management through prospective contracting for services. The objective of this study was to determine whether pediatric diabetes intensive case management services are cost-effective to the payer, the patient, and a pediatric diabetes program. METHODS A contract with a third-party payer was created to reimburse for 3 key pediatric diabetes intensive case management components: specialty education, 24/7 telephone access to an educator (and board-certified pediatric endocrinologist as needed), and quarterly educator assessments of self-management skills. Data were collected and analyzed for 15 months after signing the contract. Within the first 15 months after the contract was signed, 22 hospital admissions for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) occurred in 16 different patients. After hospitalizations for DKA, all 16 patients were offered participation in the program. All were followed during the subsequent 1 to 15 months of observation. Ten patients elected to participate, and 6 refused participation. Frequency of rehospitalization, emergency department visits, and costs were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS Among the 10 participating patients, there was only 1 subsequent DKA admission, whereas among the 6 who refused participation, 5 were rehospitalized for DKA on at least 1 occasion. The 10 patients who participated in the program had greater telephone contact with the team compared with those who did not (16 crisis-management calls vs 0). Costs (education, hospitalization, and emergency department visits) per participating patient were approximately 1350 dollars less than those for nonparticipating patients. Differences between participating and nonparticipating groups included age (participants were of younger age), double-parent households (participants were more likely to be from double parent households), and number of medical visits kept (participants kept more follow-up visits). No differences in duration of diabetes, months followed in the program, sex, or ethnicity were observed. CONCLUSIONS Contracting with third-party payers for pediatric diabetes intensive case management services reduces costs by reducing emergency department and inpatient hospital utilizations, likely a result of intensive education and immediate access to the diabetes health care team for crisis management. Such strategies may prove to be cost saving not only for diabetes management but also for managing other costly and personnel-intensive chronic diseases.
Heliciculture - perspective business in the context of sustainable development of rural areas.

The article was focused on determining the economic efficiency and arguing the economic calculations connected with the economic efficiency of the snails breeding within the agricultural farms of the Republic of Moldova. In order to make an analysis, the author proposed the idea of creating a model farm breeding snails in an area of 2,000 sqm to 10,000 sqm, the one that can be implemented and managed within a family farm. The economic calculations connected with snails breeding have been done taking into consideration the following aspects: assessment of the necessary investments, planning the annual revenues from sales, calculation of the annual consumptions and calculation of the final economic results. As a result of practicing the entrepreneurship activity within this farm designed for snails breeding, we determined that it is possible to obtain an annual sufficient profit for the further development of the mentioned business.
Methodology for minimizing power with DSP code

Most research to date on power and energy minimization in DSP processors has focused on hardware solutions. This paper examines the software-based factors affecting power and energy consumption and proposes software techniques by which power and energy can be minimized. Over 150 current measurements were made on a VLIW DSP processor using a rigorous methodology and were used to derive an assembly code based a power prediction model with a mean error of 4.7% and a R/sup 2/ accuracy of 0.93. An assembly code rescheduling algorithm led to improvements in performance and energy consumption of 39% and 32% respectively. This research is important for developing new design methodologies for low power embedded systems, since power is critical to many wireless products in cost sensitive consumer markets.
The Translocase of the Outer Membrane of Mitochondria (TOM complex)

The TOM complex, a multisubunit assembly in the mitochondrial outer membrane, mediates targeting and membrane translocation of virtually all nuclear-encoded mitochondrial preproteins analyzed so far. In the present study the mechanisms by which the TOM complex recognizes different precursor proteins and translocates them across the outer membrane were investigated. In a first part of study the isolated TOM complex was analyzed for its ability to interact with preproteins with N-terminal targeting signals. The TOM translocase was found to bind precursor proteins efficiently in a specific manner in the absence of chaperones and lipids in a bilayer structure. Following the initial binding, the presequence was transferred into the translocation pore in a step that required unfolding of the mature part of the preprotein. This translocation step was mediated also by protease-treated TOM holo complex that contains almost exclusively Tom40. The TOM core complex consisting of Tom40, Tom22, Tom5, Tom6 and Tom7 represents a molecular machine that can recognize and partially translocate mitochondrial precursor proteins. In a second part of study the interaction of BCS1 precursor with the TOM complex was investigated. BCS1 belongs to the group of proteins with internal, non-cleavable import signals. The information for import and intramitochondrial sorting of BCS1 was localized to the region consisting of amino acid residues 1-126. Three sequence elements were identified in this region: (i) a transmembrane domain (amino acid residues 45-68), (ii) a presequence-like helix (residues 69-83), and (iii) an import-auxiliary sequence (residues 84-126). The contribution of each of these elements to import was studied. The transmembrane domain was found not to be required for stable binding to the TOM complex. The Tom receptors (Tom70, Tom22 and Tom20), as determined by peptide scan analysis, had no affinity for peptides corresponding to the transmembrane domain. They did interact with the presequence-like helix, yet the highest binding was to the region covering residues 92-126. This latter region represents a novel type of signal with targeting and sorting function. It is recognized by all three known mitochondrial import receptors demonstrating their capacity to decode various targeting signals. The results of the present study suggest that the BCS1 precursor crosses the TOM complex as a loop structure. This is in contrast to preproteins with cleavable presequences which enter the TOM complex in a linear fashion with the N-terminal first. Once the precursor emerges from the TOM complex, all three structural elements are essential for the intramitochondrial sorting to the inner membrane.
Measuring Wage Growth Among Former Welfare Recipients

We study the rate of wage growth among long-term welfare recipients in the self-sufficiency Project (SSP) who were induced by the financial incentives of the program to enter the work force. We find that single parents who began working in response to the SSP incentive are younger, less educated, have more young children, and have less positive attitudes toward work than those who would have been working regardless of the SSP.
PAH- and PCB-induced Alterations of Protein Tyrosine Kinase and Cytokine Gene Transcription in Harbor Seal (Phoca Vitulina) PBMC

Mechanisms underlying in vitro immunomodulatory effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in harbor seal peripheral leukocytes, via real-time PCR. We examined the relative genetic expression of the protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) Fyn and Itk, which play a critical role in T cell activation, and IL-2, a cytokine of central importance in initiating adaptive immune responses. IL-1, the macrophage-derived pro-inflammatory cytokine of innate immunity, was also included as a measure of macrophage function. Harbor seal PBMC were exposed to the prototypic immunotoxic PAH benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-169), a model immunotoxic PCB, or DMSO (vehicle control). Exposure of Con A-stimulated harbor seal PBMC to both BaP and CB-169 produced significantly altered expression in all four targets relative to vehicle controls. The PTKs Fyn and Itk were both up-regulated following exposure to BaP and CB-169. In contrast, transcripts for IL-2 and IL-1 were decreased relative to controls by both treatments. Our findings are consistent with those of previous researchers working with human and rodent systems and support a hypothesis of contaminant-altered lymphocyte function mediated (at least in part) by disruption of T cell receptor (TCR) signaling and cytokine production.
Handheld Augmented Reality for Distributed Collaborative Crime Scene Investigation

Recent research showed that augmented reality (AR) technology is a promising approach to support distributed teams in crime scene investigation. This paper reports on the development and evaluation of a handheld AR system to support team situational awareness and collaboration among co-located and remote forensic investigators. The AR system runs on a smartphone strapped to the wrists of the local investigators and on a laptop for the remote investigator. The AR system has been evaluated with three experienced forensic investigators and was carried out in two rounds: (1) with one local and one remote investigator and (2) with two local and one remote investigator. The evaluation focused on the usability of the AR system and its effect on situational awareness as well as collaboration quality. Compared to earlier experiments using head-mounted devices (HMDs), the findings suggest that the handheld AR system addresses limitations of current HMD based AR system, but the necessary division of attention between smartphone AR system and real environment impacts the situational awareness.
Segmented Europeanization: the transnationalization of public spheres in Europe; trends and patterns / Michael Brüggemann; Stefanie Sifft; Katharina Kleinen

The existence of a European public sphere, a public network of exchange of opinions and ideas on political issues, has come to be seen as a prerequisite for the democratic legitimacy of the European Union. The paper conceptualizes the Europeanization of the national public spheres as a gradual process that may occur on four different dimensions: 1. monitoring governance, 2. mutual observation, 3. discursive exchange, and 4. collective identification with Europe. It then presents the results of our empirical research on the transnationalization of public spheres in Europe: What is the prevailing pattern of Europeanization that can be observed in different countries of the EU? We have conducted a quantitative content analysis of the political discourses in quality newspapers of five EU member states (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain) over a period of twenty years. According to our analysis of more than 3,000 articles the main pattern of transnationalization to be found in all countries is segmented Europeanization: Within each public sphere we find more and more talk about European institutions and policies but there is no indication of an increase in the debate in between the national public spheres. In addition, we find weak indications of a gradually developing European we-perspective.