Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shawn: A new approach to simulating wireless sensor networks

We consider the simulation of wireless sensor networks (WSN) using a new approach. We present Shawn, an open-source discrete-event simulator that has considerable differences to all other existing simulators. Shawn is very powerful in simulating large scale networks with an abstract point of view. It is, to the best of our knowledge, the first simulator to support generic high-level algorithms as well as distributed protocols on exactly the same underlying networks.
Nonlinear model predictive control of a high-speed linear axis driven by pneumatic muscles

This paper presents a nonlinear predictive control scheme for a new linear axis. Its guided carriage is driven by a nonlinear mechanism consisting of a rocker with a pair of pneumatic muscle actuators arranged at both sides. This innovative drive concept allows for an increased workspace as well as higher carriage velocities as compared to a direct actuation. Modelling leads to a system of nonlinear differential equations including polynomial approximations of the volume characteristic as well as the force characteristic of the pneumatic muscles. For the control of the carriage position and the mean pressure a nonlinear model predictive trajectory control is designed. The main idea of the used method consists in a minimization of the tracking error at the end of the prediction horizon. That way the computation load can be kept relatively small. Remaining model uncertainties as well as nonlinear friction can be counteracted by an observer-based disturbance compensation. Experimental results from an implementation on a test rig show a high control performance.
Psychometric Properties of the Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire With Turkish Adolescents

The present study reports on the first investigation of the generalizability of the psychometric properties of the Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (SSWQ) beyond the original development and replication studies. Previous studies tested an English version of the SSWQ with urban, mostly Black/African American, low socioeconomic status, middle school age youth living in the southern region of the United States, while the current study tested a Turkish version of the measure with high school age youth of varying economic statuses living in an urban city in Turkey (N = 548). Results show the Turkish version of the SSWQ has a sound latent measurement model and that it demonstrates convergent validity with several criterion variables that represent distinct yet related school-specific wellbeing constructs. Findings from multigroup measurement invariance analyses, comparing the Turkish sample with the U.S. replication sample, indicate positive configural invariance yet do not support scalar invariance or full metric invariance. The limitations and implications of these results for future research and practice are discussed.
From sound to syntax: phonological constraints on children's lexical categorization of new words*

ABSTRACT Two studies examined the role of phonological cues in the lexical categorization of new words when children could also rely on learning by exclusion and whether the role of phonology depends on extensive experience with a language. Phonological cues were assessed via phonological typicality – an aggregate measure of the relationship between the phonology of a word and the phonology of words in the same lexical class. Experiment 1 showed that when monolingual English-speaking seven-year-olds could rely on learning by exclusion, phonological typicality only affected their initial inferences about the words. Consistent with recent computational analyses, phonological cues had stronger impact on the processing of verb-like than noun-like items. Experiment 2 revealed an impact of French on the performance of seven-year-olds in French immersion when tested in a French language environment. Thus, phonological knowledge may affect lexical categorization even in the absence of extensive experience.
The Effects of Severe Visual Challenges on Steering Performance in Visually Healthy Young Drivers

Purpose: Two experiments explored the extent to which induced blur, reduced luminance, and reduced visual fields affect drivers' steering performance in a driving simulator. Methods: In experiment 1, ten young participants (M = 21.2 years) drove at approximately 89 km/h (55 mph) along a curvy roadway while being exposed to blur (0 to + 10 D), luminance (0.003 to 16.7 cd/m2), and visual field (1.7 and 150°) manipulations. In experiment 2, a new group of ten young participants (M = 18.5 years) drove while exposed to seven visual field sizes (1.7 to 150°). Results: Steering was sensitive to a reduced field size but not to the blur and luminance challenges. Acuity, on the other hand, was sensitive to the blur and luminance challenges but not to reduced field size. Discussion: In healthy young drivers, steering performance is remarkably robust to severe blur and to extremely low luminances. These results support a key element of the selective degradation hypothesis advanced by Leibowitz and colleagues – that steering abilities are preserved at night even when the ability to recognize objects and hazards is not. Additional research should address the other element of this hypothesis – that drivers fail to appreciate the extent to which their visual abilities are degraded at night.
Local thrombolytic therapy for superior mesenteric artery embolism: complications and long-term clinical follow-up.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effectiveness and complications of local intraarterial fibrinolysis in selected patients with superior mesenteric artery (SMA) embolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Intraarterial thrombolytic therapy was performed for acute SMA embolism in eight patients. Patients were selected for thrombolytic therapy on the basis of absence of peritoneal signs of intestinal necrosis at physical examination and absent findings of bowel infarction by CT. RESULTS Clinical success was achieved in five patients and technical success in six. Complications included death due to massive shower emboli from the left ventricle in one patient and extravasation in one patient, who required surgery on the following day. Within one month after thrombolytic therapy, one patient each died of myocardial infarction and cerebral infarction due to emboli, and one patient underwent aorto-SMA bypass surgery due to residual stenosis. In the long-term follow-up period (2-7 years), four patients were still alive, with another embolic episode of a lower limb in one patient. One patient died of an unrelated cause without experiencing another embolic episode. CONCLUSION Intraarterial fibrinolysis may be a therapeutic alternative in the management of SMA embolism in selected patients in whom an early diagnosis can be made. The long-term results depend on the occurrence of another embolic event.
[Research on Relationship of HIF-1 Signaling Pathway and Postmenstrual Osteoporosis].

OBJECTIVE Exploring the role of hypoxia-induceibal factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway in postmenstrual osteoporosis (PMOP) and how to play a role in PMOP. METHODS Sixty C57BL/6J female mouse were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham-operation group (A group),ovariectomized PMOP group (B group),HIF-1 alpha inhibitor 2-methoxy estradiol (2ME2) treatment group(D group) and solvent control group(C group),15 mice in each group. There months after modeling,the metabolism product of mouse bone tissue including serum propeptide of typeⅠ procollagen (PINP),C-terminal telopeptide-Ⅰ (CTX-1) and serum estrogen were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Changes of bone structure were observed on HE stained tissue sections. Regulation products of HIF-1 signaling pathway including HIF-1α,HIF-1β,specific prolyl hydroxylases (PHD),Hipple-Lindau tumor suppressor protein (VHL),and factor inhibiting HIF (FIH) were measured by immuno-histochenmistry staining. Osteoclasts derived from OVX-mice were treated with inhibitors of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK),protein kinase B (Akt) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways. HIF-1α expression were detected by Western blot to obtain a rudimentary knowledge of possible mechanism of up-regulation of HIF-1α in osteoclasts of postmenospausal osteoporosis. RESULTS Metabolism product of mouse bone tissue of B group were higher than A group ( P<0.001). The positive expression of HIF-1-alpha protein was found in osteoclasts,and the expression of HIF-1-alpha protein in bone marrow region was higher than that in A group ( P<0.001), while the change od HIF-1β,PHD,VHL,and FIH were not obviously. After the HIF-1α inhibitor treatment,markers of bone resorption of bone metabolism in ovariectomized mice reduced and the osteoporosis get greatly relieved ( P<0.001). HIF-1α expression was down-regulated in osteoclasts of OVX-mice after treated with inhibitors of ERK,Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION HIF-1 signaling pathway get involved in the pathological evolution of osteoporosis after menopause,and inhibition of HIF-1 can significantly improve the severity of osteoporosis after menopause. ERK,Akt and NF-κB signaling pathways may involve in the up-regulation of HIF-1 signaling pathway in osteoclasts of PMOP.
Decreased Carriage and Genetic Shifts in the Streptococcus pneumoniae Population After Changing the Seven-valent to the Thirteen-valent Pneumococcal Vaccine in Norway

Background: Shifts in the pneumococcal population colonizing healthy children are expected after switching from a 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) to a 13-valent (PCV13) in the childhood immunization program. We assessed effects of the switch by comparing pneumococcal carriage and serotype and genetic diversity of pneumococci carried by children in the PCV13-era with those carried in the prevaccination-era and PCV7-era. Methods: Nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained in autumn 2013 from children attending day-care centers (874 swabs, 583 isolates). Serotyping, multilocus sequence typing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed on all isolates. Results were compared with samples from 2006 (610 swabs, 538 isolates) and 2008 (600 swabs, 562 isolates). Results: The carriage prevalence in 2013 was 62 of 100 children (95% confidence intervals: 58–66), a significant decrease from 2006 and 2008. PCV13 serotypes accounted for 7% of isolates in 2013. Non-PCV13 prevalence increased from 2006 to 2008 [prevalence ratio: 1.73 (1.40–2.15)] but remained stable in 2013 [0.99 (0.88–1.12)]. Still, non-PCV13 serotypes 21, 23B, 23A and 22F had increased. In 2013, the serotype and genetic diversity had decreased slightly, and distinct serotype and genetic profiles clustered more within day-care centers compared with the earlier samples. Serotype switch was uncommon. Overall, antimicrobial resistance was limited. Conclusions: Carriage of PCV13 serotypes has decreased without a coinciding increase in non-PCV13 serotypes. The serotype and genetic shifts among non-PCV13 serotypes suggest that a new equilibrium has not yet been reached. As the few non-PCV13 serotypes that increased have generally a lower invasive capacity than vaccine serotypes, direct and indirect protection of PCV13 on invasive pneumococcal disease can be expected to continue.
A common metric magnitude system for the perception and production of numerosity, length, and duration

Numerosity, length, and duration processing may share a common functional mechanism situated within the parietal cortex. A strong parallelism between the processing of these three magnitudes has been revealed by similar behavioral signatures (e.g., Weber–Fechner's law, the distance effect) and reciprocal interference effects. Here, we extend the behavioral evidence for a common magnitude processing mechanism by exploring whether the under- and overestimation patterns observed during numerical perception and production tasks are also present in length and duration perception and production. In a first experiment, participants had to perform two estimation tasks (i.e., perception and production) on three magnitudes (i.e., numerosities, lengths, and durations). The results demonstrate similar patterns for the three magnitudes: underestimation was observed in all perception tasks, whereas overestimation was found in all production tasks. A second experiment ensured that this pattern of under- and over-estimation was not solely generated by the mere process of perceiving or producing something. Participants were required to estimate the alphabetical position of a letter (i.e., perception task) or to produce the letter corresponding to a given position (i.e., production task). No under- or overestimation were observed in this experiment, which suggests that the process of perceiving or producing something alone cannot explain the systematic pattern of estimation observed on magnitudes. Together, these findings strengthen the idea that magnitude estimations share a common metric system, requiring similar mechanisms and/or representations.
Social structure and crime policy: The German case

The article discusses the widely debated comparative question about the scope and regional range of the ‘punitive turn’ in criminal policy, in particular with respect to the German situation. The argument starts with two similar attempted ‘lynchings’ that took place in England in 1998 and in Germany in 2012. The concept of ‘American exceptionalism’ is used as a reference point for identifying the role Germany plays in the discussion about the radical change of criminal policy. However, it is applied in the reverse sense to investigate the ‘received wisdom’, especially in English-speaking criminology, that ‘German exceptionalism’ is one of the ‘benign’ cases ‘deviating’ from the punitive tendency that exists in other countries. The article presents some evidence and a number of expert voices that reveal an ‘insider’s view’ that contrasts strongly with outside perspectives. The article concludes with some reflections about the ‘extra-criminological’ sources of the punitive turn which Germany shares with the countries that are known as the core exemplars of the punitive changes in penal policy.
Personality traits, traitedness, and disorders: towards an enhanced understanding of trait-disorder relationships

Personality Traits, Traitedness, and Disorders: Towards an Enhanced Understanding of Trait-Disorder Relationships. (August 2005) Megan Beth Warner, B.A., University of Iowa; M.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Les Morey Traitedness has been described as the “the degree to which a particular trait structure is approximated in a given person” (Tellegen, p. 28, 1991) and has been hypothesized as one explanation for findings of weak trait-behavior relationships. That is, if traits are differentially applicable to different individuals, then trait-behavior relationships may be moderated based on the strength with which an individual fits with a given trait model. This study used moderated multiple regression to test the moderating effects of four different traitedness indicators to increase the prediction of diagnostic consistency in four personality disorders, and also tested the main effects of traitedness estimates to predict cross-situational consistency of functional impairment. Traitedness estimates performed better in the prediction of increased diagnostic consistency, though there were some isolated findings of traitedness increasing crosssituational consistency of functional impairment.
THE METABOLISM OF ERYTHROPOIETIN IN PATIENTS WITH ANEMIA DUE TO DEFICIENT ERYTHROPOIESIS.

Erythropoietin is a protein hormone, produced in response to anemia and anoxia, which stimulates erythropoiesis (1) and appears to play an integral role in the homeostasis of the circulating red cell mass. The factors stimulating the production of the hormone and the time relationships involved in its production have been studied extensively (1, 2), but little is known about the kinetics of its catabolism. Knowledge about metabolism of erythropoietin is necessary for full understanding of the dynamics of controlling red blood cell production. The catabolism of specific proteins has been studied by labeling the pure protein with radioactive isotopes and following a rate of decline in serum or total body radioactivity (3). This technique requires that the protein being labeled be both completely pure and undamaged. Erythropoietin has not been purified; hence this technique cannot be used to study its metabolism. If, however, the endogeneous production of a substance is stopped or markedly reduced, the characteristics of disappearance of the material from the serum may be followed to estimate the rate of catabolism. Transfusion is known to suppress the production of erythropoietin (4). Therefore, we have estimated the rate of catabolism of erythropoietin in patients with anemia, depressed erythropoiesis, and high serum erythropoietin titer by administering transfusions sufficient to raise the hemoglobin above 11 g per 100 ml. The rate of disappearance of the hormone from the blood or urine was then determined. To estimate the contribution of urinary excretion to the metabolism of erythropoietin, we have
Integrating Scientific with Indigenous Knowledge: Constructing Knowledge Alliances for Land Management in India

Information systems design and development processes by their very nature involve a multiplicity of knowledge systems, including the technology itself, the methodologies for system development, and knowledge relating to the application domain. When an information system is used to advance socio-economic development in less developed countries (LDCs), there are additional sources contributing to this multiplicity. In the case of land management applications, it is important to consider the knowledge that communities have of the land they inhabit. This paper stresses the importance of constructing knowledge alliances between these multiple knowledge systems in order to support more effective IS development and implementation. The term knowledge alliance refers not merely to the material characteristics of the knowledge inscribed in technology, but also to the indigenous knowledge of the various communities involved. This includes the social setting that has shaped the practices which are responsible for the communities' production, articulation, and use of knowledge. Two key theoretical concepts, namely boundary objects and participation, are drawn upon both to understand the multiplicity of knowledge systems and to suggest possible approaches to the creation of effective knowledge alliances. The empirical setting for this analysis is a study of the use of geographical information systems for land management in India. This research is not of merely theoretical significance, but also carries important practical implications for scientists and administrators involved in the development of IS, particularly in LDCs.
A Multi-Level Approach to Interlingual MT : De ningthe Interface between Representational

This paper describes a multi-level design, i.e., a non-uniform approach to interlingual machine translation (MT), in which distinct representational languages are used for diierent types of knowledge. We demonstrate that a linguistically-motivated \division of labor" across multiple representation levels has not complicated, but rather has readily facilitated, the identiication and construction of systematic relations at the interface between each level. Our approach assumes an interlingua derived from the lexical semantics and predicate decomposition approaches of Jackendoo (1983; 1990) and Levin and Rappaport-Hovav (1995a; 1995b). We describe a model of interpretation and representation of natural language sentences which has been implemented as part of an interlingual MT system called PRINCITRAN.
Backward conditioning: a reevaluation of the empirical evidence.

There is an apparent discrepancy between the widespread view that backward conditioning does not occur and the experimental evidence which suggests that it does. Backward pairing of conditioned and unconditioned stimuli frequently has resulted in effects similar to those produced by forward pairing, and the results of several recent experiments have established that such effects cannot be attributed to factors other than stimulus pairing per se. Surprisingly, even some of the earlier experiments that provided the basis for the current skepticism concerning backward conditioning provide evidence of its existence. The failure to recognize backward conditioning as a legitimate phenomenon seems to reflect theoretical biases rather than a paucity of empirical evidence. Thus backward conditioning and its properties merit renewed interest and rcexamination.
Communication Satisfaction, Interactional Justice, and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: Staff Perceptions in a University Environment

FOURNIER, WILLIAM H. , Ph.D., June 2008, Communication Studies Communication Satisfaction, Interactional Justice, and Organizational Citizenship Behaviors: Staff Perceptions in a University Environment (137 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Anita C. James This study measured the perceptions of extra-role behaviors that contribute to the success of an organization (organizational citizenship behaviors), the perceptions of fairness in the superior/subordinate relationship (interactional justice), and communication satisfaction of 549 Ohio University administrators and staff. Results indicate that 81.4% of respondents participated in citizenship-type behaviors, 64.1% perceived their supervisor/subordinate relationships to be fair (“Just”), and 24.4% were “Satisfied” with regard to their organization’s communication practices. Regression analysis supported previous research, which established a positive relationship among interactional justice, communication satisfaction, and organizational citizenship behaviors. Approved: _____________________________________________________________ Anita C. James Associate Director of Communication Studies
Chemical management in fungicide sensivity of Mycosphaerella fijiensis collected from banana fields in México

The chemical management of the black leaf streak disease in banana caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis (Morelet) requires numerous applications of fungicides per year. However this has led to fungicide resistance in the field. The present study evaluated the activities of six fungicides against the mycelial growth by determination of EC50 values of strains collected from fields with different fungicide management programs: Rustic management (RM) without applications and Intensive management (IM) more than 25 fungicide application/year. Results showed a decreased sensitivity to all fungicides in isolates collected from IM. Means of EC50 values in mg L−1 for RM and IM were: 13.25 ± 18.24 and 51.58 ± 46.14 for azoxystrobin, 81.40 ± 56.50 and 1.8575 ± 2.11 for carbendazim, 1.225 ± 0.945 and 10.01 ± 8.55 for propiconazole, 220 ± 67.66 vs. 368 ± 62.76 for vinclozolin, 9.862 ± 3.24 and 54.5 ± 21.08 for fludioxonil, 49.2125 ± 34.11 and 112.25 ± 51.20 for mancozeb. A molecular analysis for β-tubulin revealed a mutation at codon 198 in these strains having an EC50 greater than 10 mg L−1 for carbendazim. Our data indicate a consistency between fungicide resistance and intensive chemical management in banana fields, however indicative values for resistance were also found in strains collected from rustic fields, suggesting that proximity among fields may be causing a fungus interchange, where rustic fields are breeding grounds for development of resistant strains. Urgent actions are required in order to avoid fungicide resistance in Mexican populations of M. fijiensis due to fungicide management practices.