Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
X-RHex: A Highly Mobile Hexapedal Robot for Sensorimotor Tasks

We report on the design and development of X-RHex, a hexapedal robot with a single actuator per leg, intended for real-world mobile applications. X-RHex is an updated version of the RHex platform, designed to offer substantial improvements in power, run-time, payload size, durability, and terrain negotiation, with a smaller physical volume and a comparable footprint and weight. Furthermore, X-RHex is designed to be easier to build and maintain by using a variety of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for a majority of its internals. This document describes the X-RHex architecture and design, with a particular focus on the new ability of this robot to carry modular payloads as a laboratory on legs. X-RHex supports a variety of sensor suites on a small, mobile robotic platform intended for broad, general use in research, defense, and search and rescue applications. Comparisons with previous RHex platforms are presented throughout, with preliminary tests indicating that the locomotive capabilities of X-RHex can meet or exceed the previous platforms. With the additional payload capabilities of X-RHex, we claim it to be the first robot of its size to carry a fully programmable GPU for fast, parallel sensor processing.
Enhancement of Dissolution Rate of Gliclazide Using Solid Dispersions with Polyethylene Glycol 6000

The aim of the present study was to enhance the dissolution rate of gliclazide using its solid dispersions (SDs) with polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000. The phase solubility behavior of gliclazide in presence of various concentrations of PEG 6000 in 0.1 N HCl was obtained at 37 °C. The solubility of gliclazide increased with increasing amount of PEG 6000 in water. Gibbs free energy ($$\Delta G_{{\text{tr}}}^{\text{o}} $$) values were all negative, indicating the spontaneous nature of gliclazide solubilization and they decreased with increase in the PEG 6000 concentration, demonstrating that the reaction conditions became more favorable as the concentration of PEG 6000 increased. The SDs of gliclazide with PEG 6000 were prepared at 1:1, 1:2 and 1:5 (gliclazide/PEG 6000) ratio by melting-solvent method and solvent evaporation method. Evaluation of the properties of the SDs was performed by using dissolution, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The SDs of gliclazide with PEG 6000 exhibited enhanced dissolution rate of gliclazide, and the rate increased with increasing concentration of PEG 6000 in SDs. Mean dissolution time (MDT)of gliclazide decreased significantly after preparation of SDs and physical mixture with PEG 6000. The FTIR spectroscopic studies showed the stability of gliclazide and absence of well-defined gliclazide–PEG 6000 interaction. The DSC and XRD studies indicated the microcrystalline or amorphous state of gliclazide in SDs of gliclazide with PEG 6000.
Cardiac damage induced by 2-amino-3-methyl-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline in nonhuman primates.

The heterocyclic aromatic amine 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) is a potent hepatocarcinogen in cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys. The finding of high cardiac IQ-DNA adduct levels prompted a histopathological study of perfusion-fixed hearts from 10 tumor-bearing monkeys chronically dosed with IQ at 10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg 5 days per week for 48-80 months. Two monkeys dosed only with the vehicle for IQ, hydroxypropylcellulose, served as controls. All the monkeys had normal heart weights, and no abnormalities were observed upon gross inspection of the hearts. Microscopically, focal myocardial lesions were observed in 8 of 10 monkeys dosed with IQ. Light microscopic abnormalities included myocyte necrosis with or without chronic inflammatory infiltrates, interstitial fibrosis with myocyte hypertrophy or atrophy, and vasculitis. Electron microscopic findings included disruption of the mitochondrial architecture (i.e., mitochondrial swelling and clearing of matrix densities), myofibrillar loss, disorganization of the normal alignment of sarcomeres, and occasional myocytes showing nuclear hypertrophy or peripheral clumping of the nuclear chromatin. There was some correlation between the cumulative dose of IQ and the extent of the myocardial abnormalities. These findings suggest that chronic exposure to IQ can lead to myocardial damage in monkeys. Although focal and not associated with clinical evidence of heart failure, these abnormalities may represent the initial stages of IQ-induced toxic cardiomyopathy. ImagesFigure 1. AFigure 1. BFigure 1. CFigure 1. DFigure 2. AFigure 2. BFigure 3. AFigure 3. BFigure 3. CFigure 3. DFigure 4. AFigure 4. BFigure 5. AFigure 5. B
A Comparison of On and Offline Networks through the Facebook API

Social Network Sites (SNS) are a part of everyday social activity for millions around the world (boyd and Ellison, 2007). Sites vary in their affordances, audiences and scope. While some sites cater to specific interest group audiences and 'niche' networks, others, such as Facebook, LinkedIn and MySpace are designed to be general purpose 'social utilities'. Are these sites in fact general purpose social utilities? If so, we should expect to find not only an overlap between the pre-existing personal network and the Facebook network, but also a logic that can connect the two. At present, a host of studies are emerging that take Facebook networks as a stand-in for the 'real' social networks of individuals. The study of community structure through Facebook is meant to signify actual community structure (Traud, Kelsic, Mucha, and Porter, 2008). The study of taste on Facebook is meant to signify actual differences and clusters in taste (Lewis, Kaufman, Gonzalez, Wimmer, and Christakis, 2008). These studies, by virtue of their research design, do not actually measure or examine the personal network. Instead, they capture a slice of Facebook's database and assert that for the group in question (generally college students), it is a reliable proxy for the network of active ties. However, if we are to continue down this road, it is important to connect these networks to the pre-existing studies of personal networks and networking. This enables researchers to leverage past insights on personal networks (such as theories of foci, closure, multiplexity and so forth, c.f., Fischer, 1982) and because it is an important validity check on these online networks. This paper is a research outline and a preliminary quantitative autoanalysis of the relationship between the personal network and one's Facebook network. Insofar as Facebook is the most popular social utility for individuals in the United Kingdom and Canada, it is an ideal candidate to examine how personal networks manifest themselves online (or to the extent that they do so).
Assessment of 35 children with abdominal tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS To contribute to the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric abdominal tuberculosis cases by assessing the clinical, laboratory, and radiological features of patients who presented at our clinic and were diagnosed with abdominal tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Clinical, laboratory, and radiological features were reviewed retrospectively for 35 patients diagnosed with abdominal tuberculosis and followed up at the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinic between January 1987 and August 2012. RESULTS The study group included 16 female (45.7%) and 19 male (54.3%) patients with an age range of 6 months to 16 years (mean: 9.77±4.36 years). Twenty-nine patients were diagnosed with tuberculosis peritonitis, five patients with intestinal tuberculosis, and one patient with pelvic tuberculosis. The most common signs and symptoms were ascites, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, weight loss, and fever. Mean duration of the complaints was 109 days (range: 10 days to 3 years). CONCLUSION Abdominal tuberculosis is a disease with an insidious course without disease-specific clinical and laboratory signs. When the disease is suspected, laparoscopy or laparotomy could be helpful in diagnosis. Employing ultrasound and computed tomography signs, abdominal tuberculosis should be included in differential diagnoses in regions with a high incidence of tuberculosis when there is abdominal pain, weight loss, ascites, history of contact with individuals with tuberculosis, and positive tuberculin skin test when patients have not been Bacillus Calmette Guerin BCG vaccinated.
Evolution of reproductive systems in the genus Silene

The genus Silene contains both hermaphrodite, gynodioecious and dioecious species, dioecy being represented in three sections of the genus. To locate the events of change of reproductive systems, we compared ITS sequences of 22 species of Silene chosen throughout the whole genus, and four putative outgroup species. Gynodioecy, which is the most common reproductive system within the genus Silene and in closely related genera such as Saponaria and Dianthus, is proposed to be ancestral in the genus. Dioecy has evolved at least twice: once in the section containing S. latifolia, and once in the clade containing S. otites and S. acaulis ssp. bryoides. Evolution towards hermaphroditism, associated with evolution of selfing, has also occurred at least twice, in S. gallica and S. conica.
Chairmen and Chief Executives: an Exploration of Their Relationship

This longitudinal study of the relations between 20 general managers and their chairmen in the UK National Health Service has wider implications despite its distinctive setting. It showed that the two roles are very dependent upon each other, and occupy overlapping domains, so that what each can do is considerably affected by the other's behaviour. the chairman has more power to determine their relative domains so that studies of individual chief executives should take account of this relationship. the ways in which both chairmen and general managers played their roles differed widely. One reason for the differences in the chairmen's roles was the wide variation in the time that they gave to the job. Different types of relationship are described. the most common was that of partners where the two complemented each other. the study crosses different literatures: corporate management, leadership, role theory and managerial work and behaviour. Its main concern is with managerial work and behaviour but it also has some implications for corporate management.
Radiologic-pathologic correlation. Cerebral toxoplasmosis and lymphoma in AIDS.

Cerebral toxoplasmosis and lymphoma are the most common focal destructive brain lesions in AIDS. They can occur in isolation or simultaneously. Previous neuroimaging studies found toxoplasmosis to be indistinguishable from lymphoma. However, more recent studies showed that focal enhancing mass(es) with subependymal spread on CT or MR can be more characteristic of primary CNS lymphoma. The cooccurrence of toxoplasmosis and lymphoma should be suspected in all cases that resemble lymphoma on imaging. The present case illustrates that the combined lesion of toxoplasmosis and lymphoma may appear as a hypointense lesion, rather than isointense or hyperintense as in typical lymphoma, with a ring-enhancing pattern, and the rim of the lesion may be wider than the typical toxoplasma abscess on T2-weighted images. MR spectroscopy appears to be a helpful adjunct to imaging for improving the diagnostic accuracy.
“We make the shoes, you make the story” Teenage girls’ experiences of fashion: Bricolage, tactics and narrative identity

This article explores the ways that French teenage girls use fashion discourse to construct their evolving identity from their recently left childhood to their future as fully grown women. Verbatim texts of 14 phenomenological discussions concerning clothing, accessories, make‐up and fashion are interpreted using the concepts of bricolage (Lévi‐Strauss), tactics (Certeau) and narrative identity (Ricœur). The findings resonate with Thompson and Haytko’s portrayal of a dialogical relationship between consumers and a system of countervailing fashion meanings and with Murray’s exposition of a dialectical and discursive tension between sign‐experimentation and sign‐domination. But beyond this we elucidate the process by which teenagers also acquire, from personal social milieu, skills and tactics through which they toy with preconstrained sartorial symbolism to construct the plot line of their own lives which, in turn, reflects their past, defines their present self and presages their future.
The Korean Wave: An Asian Reaction to Western-Dominated Globalization

AbstractIn this article I analyze “the Korean Wave (hallyu),” the term coined by Chinese media towards the end of the last millennium to describe the meteoric rise in the popularity of Korean pop culture in Asian countries. It has attracted the attention of not only the general public, but also academic and other researchers because of the far-reaching ramifications in terms of the Korean national economy and the cultural unity and exchange among the Asian peoples.The world of popular entertainment has seen a high degree of globalization with Hollywood as its utopia. However, Hollywood has proved to be a dystopia to the peoples of Asia, in that it is dominated by non-Asians, and underpinned by the contemporary Western ethos, i.e. individualism, commercialism and sensationalism. Scenes containing unadulterated sex and violence, which offend the sensitivities of the Asian general public, are almost an integral part of many a commercially successful film. Opportunities for big roles are almost non-existent to ethnic Asian actors. Romantic heroes and heroines are very rarely played by Asian actors, who usually appear as weird villains or, very rarely, wizards with supernatural powers.In contemporary Korean cinemas, TV dramas and pop music, globalization is also evident. The stars follow the world trend in performance, presentation and fashion, and emulate their Western compatriots. English is often used as lyrics in songs. However, the big difference is that the performers have distinct Asian physical features, and the dramas reflect the traditional Asian values and ethos, which helps to make the Asian fans feel at home. The “Asian-ness” is no longer something weird or marginal, but takes center stage. Therefore there is a sense in which the Korean Wave is a reaction of the Asian people to the West-dominated globalization in popular culture. But what distinguishes the Korean Wave from other similar phenomena, such as Bollywood and Nollywood, is the juxtaposition of globalized and traditional Korean cultures.
Performance on the Boston Cookie theft picture description task in patients with early dementia of the Alzheimer's type: Missing information

Abstract We report on the spoken language of 48 patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) who were divided into three approximately equal subgroups on the basis of the Mini-Mental State Examination (minimal 24–29, mild 17–23, and moderate 3–16) and 18 matched controls. The Cookie Theft picture description task from the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination was chosen because it is considered an ecologically valid approximation to spontaneous discourse. All subjects were also assessed on a battery of semantic memory and non-verbal tests. Our analysis of the discourse sample focused on quantity versus information content over time, and included measures of the total number of syllables produced, the total number of information units produced, and the total time taken to describe the picture. We found that the total number of information-carrying units was the most salient variable which differentiated controls from even the minimal DAT subgroup. Moreover, information content correlated significan.
An Investigation of European American Therapists’ Approach to Counseling African American Clients

Interviews were conducted with 9 European American psychologists, asking them to recall their first 12 counseling sessions with a current or recent successful case with an African American client. Using consensual qualitative research (CQR) methodology, the psychologists revealed that they generally attended to differences in race between themselves and clients directly and openly within the first two sessions. This was done to acknowledge this difference and convey to the client comfort and trust; psychologists also intended to engender client trust and participation in therapy. The psychologists saw race as a central component to be discussed and continually attended to in establishing and maintaining a trusting and solid working relationship. They typically saw race-related issues as relevant to clients’ concerns. Despite wide variability in theoretical orientations and variety of client presenting problems, they typically reported using Rogerian core skills to engage the client and establish the relationship. However, they also reported using more culture-specific and sensitive interventions to deepen and strengthen the therapy relationship. These interventions included relying on their level of racial identity development to understand the client, being attuned to the client’s racial identity development and worldview, and attending to client reports of racism.
Missense Mutation Carried by Patients with Episodic Ataxia Type 2

Department of Biology, Tor Vergata University, Institute of Experimental Medicine Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, and Istituto di Clinica delle Malattie Nervose e Mentali, La Sapienza University, Rome; Department of Biomedical Sciences and National Research Council Centre of Biomembranes, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; SIBIA Neurosciences, La Jolla, CA; Lilly Research Center, Eli Lilly Company Limited, Windlesham, United Kingdom; UCLA Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Department of Psychiatry and Human Genetics, Los Angeles; and Medical Genetic Center Department of Human and Clinical Genetics, University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
Nuclear Norm Based Matrix Regression with Applications to Face Recognition with Occlusion and Illumination Changes

Recently, regression analysis has become a popular tool for face recognition. Most existing regression methods use the one-dimensional, pixel-based error model, which characterizes the representation error individually, pixel by pixel, and thus neglects the two-dimensional structure of the error image. We observe that occlusion and illumination changes generally lead, approximately, to a low-rank error image. In order to make use of this low-rank structural information, this paper presents a two-dimensional image-matrix-based error model, namely, nuclear norm based matrix regression (NMR), for face representation and classification. NMR uses the minimal nuclear norm of representation error image as a criterion, and the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) to calculate the regression coefficients. We further develop a fast ADMM algorithm to solve the approximate NMR model and show it has a quadratic rate of convergence. We experiment using five popular face image databases: the Extended Yale B, AR, EURECOM, Multi-PIE and FRGC. Experimental results demonstrate the performance advantage of NMR over the state-of-the-art regression-based methods for face recognition in the presence of occlusion and illumination variations.
Perturbative diffusion theory formalism for interpreting temporal light intensity changes during laser interstitial thermal therapy

In an effort to understand dynamic optical changes during laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), we utilize the perturbative solution of the diffusion equation in heterogeneous media to formulate scattering weight functions for cylindrical line sources. The analysis explicitly shows how changes in detected interstitial light intensity are associated with the extent and location of the volume of thermal coagulation during treatment. Explanations for previously reported increases in optical intensity observed early during laser heating are clarified using the model and demonstrated with experimental measurements in ex vivo bovine liver tissue. This work provides an improved understanding of interstitial optical signal changes during LITT and indicates the sensitivity and potential of interstitial optical monitoring of thermal damage.
Emotion understanding, interpersonal competencies and loneliness among students

: The study examines the associations of emotion understanding, interpersonal competencies, loneliness and correlated variables (perceived social support, quality of social networks). Two conceptual models of relations were tested. In the first model it was hypothesized that interpersonal competencies mediate relations between emotion understanding and loneliness, perceived social support and quality of social networks. In the second model emotion understanding was tested as a moderator of relationships between interpersonal competencies and loneliness, perceived social support and quality of social networks. Study 1 (n = 221) provided only a weak confirmation of the mediatory model, restricted to men. Study 2 (n = 206), employing different measures of emotion understanding and loneliness, confirmed weakly both the mediatory and moderatory models. In both studies a direct negative correlation between emotion understanding and loneliness was not confirmed.
The Dowry System in Northern India: Women's Attitudes and Social Change.

In spite of modernization and women's increasing role in the market economy, the practice of the dowry in India is becoming more widespread, and the value of dowries is increasing. There are many well-documented adverse consequences of the dowry system, particularly for women. This is a study of attitudes toward the dowry system among married women in the northern province of Bihar (N= 4,603), in which the dowry has strong roots in tradition. Hypotheses regarding antecedents involving attachment to tradition, exposure to modernizing influences, and self-interest were developed. Each set of factors has some effects, and nearly two thirds of the women in the survey disapprove of the dowry. The practice may be quite resistant to change, however, because its social and economic consequences carry tangible benefits in an increasingly materialistic culture.
Influence of Parental Socioeconomic Status on Stress, Depression and Suicidal Ideation among Korean Adolescents

Abstract This study was to examine the relationship between suicidal ideation, depression, stress and their parent's socioeconomic status. Nation-wide representative data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009 were used in this study. 904 adolescents with parent were analysed. Parent's socioeconomic status, especially mother's low educational level and the beneficiaries for national basic livelihood security were significant risk factor for adolescents' suicidal ideation. These associations remained significant in multiple logistic regression controlling for all covariates. The findings in the current study support the global literature on the importance of socioeconomic status in promoting adolescent's mental health. Future prevention intervention efforts to improve adolescent's suicide risk will need to take into consideration parent's and household's socioeconomic conditions. Future study is needed to explore the possible proximal risk factors and mediators between parent's socioeconomic status and mental health among adolescents.