Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High Performance 2G Wires: From R&D to Pilot-Scale Manufacturing

Tremendous progress has been accomplished in 2008 in key metrics of YBa2Cu3Ox (YBCO) second-generation (2G) HTS wires at SuperPower. Using improved precursor chemistry in our metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process, critical currents (Ic) as high as 813 A/cm were reached over meter-long lengths, representing the highest reported Ic in meter long 2G HTS. By use of Zr doping of (Gd,Y)Ba2Cu3Ox, strong enhancements were achieved in in-field performance over a wide angular range. A Ic of 229 A/cm was achieved at 77 K and 1 T perpendicular to the wire which is about a factor of 2.5 times better than that of standard MOCVD-derived films. At 65 K and 3 T, a Ic of 340 A/cm was demonstrated perpendicular to the wire. Kilometer lengths of 2G HTS have been demonstrated for the first time. Over 35 tapes 1,000 to 1,500 m in length with a complete 5-layer buffer stack have been routinely produced in our pilot-scale manufacturing facilities. An excellent in-plane texture of 6 to 7 degrees with a uniformity of about 2% was reproducibly achieved in the kilometer-long fully-buffered tapes. Using these high-quality buffers, the longest 2G wire length to date of 1,311 m was produced with a minimum Ic of 153 A/cm corresponding to a Ic times length value of 200,580 m. Also, an 1,030 m long complete 2G HTS wire has been demonstrated with a minimum Ic of 227 A/cm corresponding to a record Ic times length value of 233,810 A-m. Further, a 630 m long segment of the wire sustained a minimum Ic of 302 A/cm, the longest 2G wire reported to date with a Ic over 300 A/cm. Also, a Ic of 337 A/cm was achieved over a 540 m long segment. All these values represent a 2 to 3 fold improvement in length and Ic of 2G wires compared to our achievements in 2007. In 2008, a 30 m long 2G cable made with nearly 10,000 m of 2G wire previously delivered by SuperPower was successfully installed and energized in the grid of National Grid in downtown Albany, marking the world's first of 2G HTS device in the power grid.
Semi-quantitative Assessment of Brain Maturation by Conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Neonates with Clinically Mild Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy

Background: Mild hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) injury is becoming the major type in neonatal brain diseases. The aim of this study was to assess brain maturation in mild HIE neonatal brains using total maturation score (TMS) based on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Totally, 45 neonates with clinically mild HIE and 45 matched control neonates were enrolled. Gestated age, birth weight, age after birth and postmenstrual age at magnetic resonance (MR) scan were homogenous in the two groups. According to MR findings, mild HIE neonates were divided into three subgroups: Pattern I, neonates with normal MR appearance; Pattern II, preterm neonates with abnormal MR appearance; Pattern III, full-term neonates with abnormal MR appearance. TMS and its parameters, progressive myelination (M), cortical infolding (C), involution of germinal matrix tissue (G), and glial cell migration bands (B), were employed to assess brain maturation and compare difference between HIE and control groups. Results: The mean of TMS was significantly lower in mild HIE group than it in the control group (mean ± standard deviation [SD] 11.62 ± 1.53 vs. 12.36 ± 1.26, P < 0.001). In four parameters of TMS scores, the M and C scores were significantly lower in mild HIE group. Of the three patterns of mild HIE, Pattern I (10 cases) showed no significant difference of TMS compared with control neonates, while Pattern II (22 cases), III (13 cases) all had significantly decreased TMS than control neonates (mean ± SD 10.56 ± 0.93 vs. 11.48 ± 0.55, P < 0.05; 12.59 ± 1.28 vs. 13.25 ± 1.29, P < 0.05). It was M, C, and GM scores that significantly decreased in Pattern II, while for Pattern III, only C score significantly decreased. Conclusions: The TMS system, based on conventional MRI, is an effective method to detect delayed brain maturation in clinically mild HIE. The conventional MRI can reveal the different retardations in subtle structures and development processes among the different patterns of mild HIE.
Attribute Learning using Joint Human and Machine Computation

This thesis is centered around the problem of attribute learning - using the joint effort of humans and machines to describe objects, e.g., determining that a piece of music is "soothing," that the bird in an image "has a red beak", or that Ernest Hemingway is an "Nobel Prize winning author. " In this thesis, we present new methods for solving the attribute-learning problem using the joint effort of the crowd and machines via human computation games. When creating a human computation system, typically two design objectives need to be simultaneously satisfied. The first objective is human-centric - the task prescribed by the system must be intuitive, appealing and easy to accomplish for human workers. The second objective is task-centric - the system must actually perform the task at hand. These two goals are often at odds with each other, especially in the casual game setting. This thesis shows that human computation games can accomplish both the human-centric and task-centric objectives, if we first design for humans, then devise machine learning algorithms to work around the limitations of human workers and complement their abilities in order to jointly accomplish the task of learning attributes. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in three concrete problem settings: music tagging, bird image classification and noun phrase categorization. Contributions of this thesis include a framework for attribute learning, two new game mechanisms, experiments showing the effectiveness of the hybrid human and machine computation approach for learning attributes in vocabulary-rich settings and under the constraints of knowledge limitations, as well as deployed games played by tens of thousands of people, generating large datasets for machine learning. Keywords: Attribute Learning, Human Computation, Games with a Purpose, Machine Learning.
Public Opinion of the Application of Sex Offender Notification Laws to Female Sex Offenders

Sex offender notification laws depend not only on the public’s access of registration information but also on the belief that those on the registry present a danger to society and thus deserve informal monitoring. As registries have expanded to include more people, perhaps citizens feel some people on registry are incapable of committing sex crimes or do not pose a danger to society. A group whose inclusion the public may question is women, as many scholars have argued there is a societal-level denial that females commit sex crimes. Data from the 2012 Nebraska Annual Social Indicators Survey were used to determine whether the public agreed that citizens should be notified of convicted female sex offenders living in their communities, whether they would take preventive action if a female sex offender lived in their neighborhood, and whether they think that female sex crimes are less serious than sex crimes committed by men.
Peripheral Ligand-binding Site in Cytochrome P450 3A4 Located with Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)*

Background: Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) can bind several substrate molecules simultaneously and exhibits cooperativity. Results: Ligand binding in the active site is preceded by functionally important interactions at a distinct peripheral site. Conclusion: The mechanism of cooperativity involves a ligand-induced allosteric transition. Significance: Allosteric mechanism suggested by our results transforms the view of the grounds and significance of CYP3A4 cooperativity. The mechanisms of ligand binding and allostery in the major human drug-metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) were explored with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) using a laser dye, fluorol-7GA (F7GA), as a model substrate. Incorporation into the enzyme of a thiol-reactive FRET probe, pyrene iodoacetamide, allowed us to monitor the binding by FRET from the pyrene donor to the F7GA acceptor. Cooperativity of the interactions detected by FRET indicates that the enzyme possesses at least two F7GA-binding sites that have different FRET efficiencies and are therefore widely separated. To probe spatial localization of these sites, we studied FRET in a series of mutants bearing pyrene iodoacetamide at different positions, and we measured the distances from each of the sites to the donor. Our results demonstrate the presence of a high affinity binding site at the enzyme periphery. Analysis of the set of measured distances complemented with molecular modeling and docking allowed us to pinpoint the most probable peripheral site. It is located in the vicinity of residues 217–220, similar to the position of the progesterone molecule bound at the distal surface of the CYP3A4 in a prior x-ray crystal structure. Peripheral binding of F7GA causes a substantial spin shift and serves as a prerequisite for the binding in the active site. This is the first indication of functionally important ligand binding outside of the active site in cytochromes P450. The findings strongly suggest that the mechanisms of CYP3A4 cooperativity involve a conformational transition triggered by an allosteric ligand.
Metonymy: Developing a cognitive linguistic view

In the traditionell view, metonymy is a matter of words (language); the metonymic process involves a transfer of the meaning of words which have reference; metonymy is a "stand~for" relationship between names; it is a relationship between two entities, where the nature of the relationship is generally assumed to be one of "contiguity" or "proximity". By contrast, we argue for a comprehensive and integrated cognitivist view which involves the following: (1) identifying the ontological realms in which metonymy can occur; (2) specifying the types of conceptual relationships that obtain between elements in a metonymic relationship; (3) establishing those cognitive and communicative principles that select the most "natural" vehicle-to-target routes; (4) discovering the conditions under which "non-default routes" can be selected.
E-model modification for case of cascade codecs arrangement

— Speech quality assessment is one of the key matters of voice services and every provider should ensure adequate connection quality to end users. Speech quality has to be measured by a trusted method and results have to correlate with intelligibility and clarity of the speech, as perceived by the listener. It can be achieved by subjective methods but in real life we must rely on objective measurements based on reliable models. One of them is E-model that we can consider as mainly adopted method in IP telephony. This method is based on evaluation of transmission path impairments influencing speech signal, especially delays and packet losses. These parameters which are common in IP network can affect dramatically speech quality. In this article, a new modification of E-model, that takes into consideration the cascade codecs arrangement, is presented. The proposed a correction function improves the current computational non-intrusive approach that is described in recommendation ITU-T G.107, so-called E-model.
METABOLISM OF PHOSPHATIDES IN DEVELOPING RAT BRAIN—I INCORPORATION OF RADIOACTIVE PRECURSORS *

DURING the first few weeks of life the brain of the rat undergoes a period of rapid growth and differentiation. Three stages of development may be distinguished ; (1) The period from birth to 15 days is characterized principally by growth of unmyelinated axon processes and glial cells, resulting in a five-fold increase in brain mass; (2) At about the 10th day the deposition of myelin is initiated and achieves maximal rates in the next 10 days. Cell division and cell growth level off during this period; (3) Subsequently there is a slower continued formation of myelin. The adult levels of most components are reached by the third month (KOCH and KOCH, 1913; FOLCH, 1955). Studies of the lipid composition of the developing brain have shown that the lipids increasing in association with the early growth phase are the mucolipids (FOLCH, 1955) and many of the glycerophosphatides (BRANTE, 1949). Lipids typically associated with the later myelination period include cholesterol, sphingomyelin, cerebrosides and plasmafogens (FOLCH, 1955; UZMAN and RUMLEY, 1958). Relatively few studies of the metabolism of brain phosphatides during development have been carried out. The in vitro investigations of brain phosphatide metabolism reported here were initiated with the object of determining the activity of enzymes involved in lipid biosynthesis in relation to brain growth and deposition of myelin. Preliminary reports of this work have appeared (MCMURRAY, 1961 ; 1963).
Shared Structuring Resources across Domains: Double Task Effects from Linguistic Processing on the Structural Integration of Pitch Sequences

Many studies have reported evidence suggesting that resources involved in linguistic structural processing might be domain-general by demonstrating interference from simultaneously presented non-linguistic stimuli on the processing of sentences (Slevc, Rosenberg, & Patel, 2009). However, the complexity of the analysed linguistic processes often precludes the interpretation of such interference as being based on structural—rather than more general—processing resources (Perruchet & Poulin-Charronnat, 2013). We therefore used linguistic structure as a source of interference for another structural processing task, by asking participants to read sentences while processing experimentally manipulated pitch sequences. Half of the sentences contained a segment with either an “out-of-context” sentential violation or a “garden path” unexpectancy. Furthermore, the pitch sequences contained a cluster shift, which did or did not align with the sentential unexpectancies. A two-tone recognition task followed each pitch sequence, providing an index of the strength with which this structural boundary was processed. When a “garden path” unexpectancy (requiring structural reintegration) accompanied the cluster shift, the structural boundary induced by this shift was processed more shallowly. No such effect occurred with non-reintegratable “out-of-context” sentential violations. Furthermore, the discussed interference effect can be isolated from general pitch recognition performance, supporting the interpretation of such interference as being based on overlapping structural processing resources (Kljajevic, 2010; Patel, 2003).
Small effective size limits performance in a novel environment

Understanding what limits or facilitates species' responses to human‐induced habitat change can provide insight for the control of invasive species and the conservation of small populations, as well as an arena for studying adaptation to realistic novel environments. Small effective size of ancestral populations could limit the establishment in, or response to, a novel or altered habitat because of low genetic variation for ecologically important traits, and/or because small populations harbor fixed deleterious mutations. I estimated the fitness of individuals from populations of the endangered plant Hypericum cumulicola, of known census and effective size, transplanted into native scrub habitat and unpaved roadsides, which are a novel habitat for this species. I found a significant positive relationship between estimates of population size and mean fitness, but only in the novel roadside habitat. Fitness was more than 200% greater in the roadside habitat than the scrub, mostly due to increased fecundity. These results combined with previous estimates of heterosis in this species suggest that fixed deleterious mutations could contribute to lower fitness of field transplants from small populations in the novel environment.
Knockdown of OCT4 suppresses the growth and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of the AKT pathway

Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) is one of the factors associated with self-renewal and differentiation in cancer stem cells, and is crucial for the progression of various types of human malignancy. However, the expression and function of OCT4 in human pancreatic cancer has not been fully elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the function and molecular mechanisms of OCT4 in pancreatic cancer cells. The clinical significance of OCT4 expression was assessed by an immunohistochemical assay using a tissue microarray procedure in pancreatic cancer tissues and cells with different degrees of differentiation. A loss-of-function approach was used to examine the effects of a lentivirus-mediated OCT4 small hairpin RNA vector on biological behaviors, including cell proliferative activity and invasive potential. The results demonstrated that the expression levels of OCT4 protein in cancer tissues were significantly elevated compared with those in adjacent non-cancerous tissues (65.0 vs. 42.5%; P=0.005), which was correlated with tumor differentiation (P=0.008). The knockdown of OCT4 inhibited the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1) expressing high levels of OCT4, accompanied with decreased expression of AKT, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). In conclusion, the present study reveals that the increased expression of OCT4 is correlated with the differentiation of pancreatic cancer, while knockdown of OCT4 suppresses the growth and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of AKT pathway-mediated PCNA and MMP-2 expression, suggesting that OCT4 might serve as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Intraocular straylight before and after low myopic photorefractive keratectomy with and without mitomycin C.

PURPOSE To evaluate ocular straylight before and after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for low myopia with and without topical mitomycin (MMC) treatment. METHODS Patients who underwent PRK for low myopia were enrolled into the study. PRK without MMC was performed in 21 eyes (12 patients), whereas PRK with topical 0.02% MMC was performed in 25 eyes (14 patients). Both groups were treated using the NIDEK EC5000 excimer laser. Measurements were performed using the C-Quant straylight meter preoperatively and at two and four months postoperatively. RESULTS The mean patient age was 30 ± 4 years, and the mean spherical equivalent refractive error was -2.2 ± 0.75 D. The mean preoperative intraocular straylight values were 1.07 ± 0.10 in the PRK without MMC group and 1.07 ± 0.11 log(s) in the PRK with topical MMC group. At two months after surgery, there was a decrease in mean intraocular straylight values in both groups. However, a significant difference was only reached in the PRK with MMC group [0.98 ± 0.09 log(s), p=0.002] compared with preoperative values, which was likely due to a greater scatter of measurements in the PRK without MMC group [1.03 ± 0.13 log(s), p=0.082]. At four months postoperatively, ocular straylight values were not significantly different compared with those at baseline in either the PRK without MMC group [1.02 ± 0.14 log(s), p=0.26] or in the PRK with topical MMC group [1.02 ± 0.11 log(s), p=0.13]. CONCLUSION PRK for low myopia decreases ocular straylight, and MMC application further reduces straylight in the early postoperative period. However, ocular straylight values do not significantly differ at four months after surgery compared with those at baseline.
The Effect of Religion on Suicide Ideology: An Analysis of the Networks Perspective

Previous work on religion and suicide has pursued a number of themes. The present work tested a new perspective which stresses the extent of social support networks in religions as protections against suicide. This study employed micro-level data on suicide attitudes as a check on previous findings based on ecological data. An analysis of national data from the General Social Surveys tended to support network theory. Churches promoting network involvement were found to have lower levels of suicide ideology. In particular, churches with conservative theologies, nonecumenical relations, and/or whose teachings are in tension with the larger society have lower levels of suicide ideology. These findings were independent of control variables drawn from alternative theories of suicide.
Psychometric properties of the bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI): comparison of the different versions available in English.

OBJECTIVE International ASAS consensus statement proposed the use of the BASDAI to evaluate active disease in ankylosing spondylitis patients before the use of anti-TNF agents. To analyze the psychometric properties of the different versions of the BASDAI. METHODS All versions available in English were analyzed according to the methods developed by the American Psychological Association. Except for the initial version, the procedure of translation was accepted if a translation followed by a back translation was carried out. The psychometric properties analyzed were: face validity, content validity, construct validity (factorial analysis, convergent and divergent validity), reliability (test retest, Cronbach's coefficient alpha), and responsiveness. RESULTS Except for the German version which was not available in English, the following versions were analyzed: English (En), French (Fr), Swedish (Sw), Spanish (Sp), and Turkish (Tu). The procedure translation was correct in all the versions without taking into account the initial En version. Face validity was validated in all versions. No version initially defined the dimensions for the content validity. Construct validity was partially studied and validated in En, Fr and Sp. Reliability was validated in En, Fr, Tu, and partially in other versions. In all versions, except for the Fr, responsiveness was demonstrated. CONCLUSION The English version of the BASDAI is the most validated tool. Some efforts had to be made to continue the validation procedure of all versions of the BASDAI. This is an important step for further international comparison.
Perspective Transformation: Analyzing the Outcomes of International Education

Perspective Transformation: Analyzing the Outcomes of International Education. (August 2011) Krista Diane Tacey, B.A., Texas A&M University; M.A., The University of Texas at Austin Co-Chairs of Advisory Committee: Dr. Lauren Cifuentes Dr. Patricia S. Lynch The purpose of this dissertation was to analyze the impact of international experiential education on life choices, specifically those related to career and educational goals. This was accomplished through two main phases of research. In the first phase, a web-based survey was used to explore the question of whether international experiential education did, in fact, impact life choices. Responses from this initial phase were used to identify a purposive sample of eight respondents with whom telephone interviews were conducted in the second phase of the study. The goal of the interviews was to determine, for those who indicated that their life choices had been impacted by the abroad experience, when and why it had happened. The evaluation was done by applying Mezirow‟s transformative learning theory to the analysis. The self-reported responses indicated that there was an impact on life choices related to educational and career goals in almost 80% of the 74 survey respondents. These data were used as the foundation for the second phase of the study, which examined the catalysts for, and the process of, transformation through the lens of