Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge Systems Laboratory May 1997 Report No . KSL 97-04 Guided Exploration of Virtual Worlds

As computers and computer networks become commonplace in the home and in our educational institutions, educators are searching for ways to make them effective tools for instruction. Virtual environments that support learning through exploration and experimentation hold the promise of being such a tool. In this paper, we introduce an intelli gent computer agent whose purpose is to guide children in their discovery of such worlds, and by so doing, to increase both their enjoyment and the effectiveness of that discovery. Our guide is modeled on Merlyn, the befuddled seer and tutor to young King Arthur in T. H. White’s The Once and Future King. Merlyn is an autonomous agent that also has an integrated personali ty and emotional model, since he is intended to be a companion rather than a reference. We describe a particular kind of virtual world, the MUD (or Multi-User Dimension), that Merlyn is designed to interact with. We explain how he makes decisions in such a world, and how these places can be annotated with information to help him understand why they are there and how to use them. Merlyn can use these annotations to learn more about the world as the child travels, and this allows him to explain the world to the child, to suggest activities that may interest the child, and to participate with the child – in playing games, for example. We describe two prototype implementations of Merlyn, and describe future additions for a full -featured version. With Merlyn as a companion, a child can be guided into strategically-chosen learning activities while having a friendly, entertaining experience in the virtual environment.
Monitoring of streptokinase resistance titre in acute myocardial infarction patients up to 30 months after giving streptokinase or anistreplase and related studies to measure specific antistreptokinase IgG

Objective—To examine the induction of antistreptokinase antibodies after giving streptokinase or anistreplase to patients with acute myocardial infarction. Design—Patients were randomly allocated to receive either 1·5 × 106 IU, streptokinase or 30U anistreplase in a double blind study. Blood samples were collected immediately before treatment and subsequently at intervals up to 30 months; plasma samples were assayed for streptokinase resistance titre (functional assay) and streptokinase binding by IgG (microradioimmunoassay). Setting—Cardiology department in a general hospital. Patients—128 consecutive eligible patients. Samples were collected for up to one year according to a prospective design: a subsection of 47 patients was selected for intensive study over the first 14 days. After one year, all available patients (67) were sampled on one further occasion. Results—Antibody responses to streptokinase and anistreplase were similar. Streptokinase resistance titres exceeded pretreatment concentrations five days after dosing, and values peaked at 14 days. By 12 months after dosing, 92% of resistance titres (n = 84) had returned to within the pretreatment range. Antistreptokinase IgG concentrations also exceeded baseline concentrations within five days and peaked at 14 days. Half of the individual values had returned to within the pretreatment range by 12 months (n = 84) and 89% by 30 months (n = 18). Conclusion—Although we cannot be sure of the clinical significance, because of the increased likelihood of resistance due to antistreptokinase antibody, streptokinase and anistreplase may not be effective if administered more than five days after an earlier dose of streptokinase or anistreplase, particularly between five days and 12 months, and increased antistreptokinase antibody may increase the risk of allergic-type reactions.
The European Union and Democracy Promotion in Africa: The Case of Ghana

This article contrasts European Union (EU) democracy promotion policy in Africa with the reality of its implementation in Ghana. The rhetorical vigour of EU democracy promotion policy is outlined initially, followed by an investigation into EU democracy and governance assistance in Ghana, inclusive of European Community and member states’ support. It is found that the policy is high on rhetoric but remains low on delivery. It is argued that if policy performance is poor in Ghana, a favourable political environment, then it is unlikely to be better elsewhere in Africa. Three explanatory propositions of the rhetoric-reality gap are outlined, one bureaucratic, one political and one economic, and then applied to the Ghana case. Conclusions are two-fold. First, the EU's political activities in Africa are driven more by its self-interests than by the norms and principles of democratic governance. Second, democracy is narrowly conceived by the EU, being more concerned with limiting state power than extending popular control, consistent with hegemonic neo-liberalism.Cet article confronte la politique de promotion de la démocratie de l'UE à la réalité de sa mise en œuvre au Ghana. Dans un premier temps, la vigueur du discours présentant la politique européenne de promotion de la démocratie est mentionnée. Le programme d'assistance pour le renforcement de la démocratie et de la gouvernance de l'Union européenne au Ghana est ensuite examiné en détail, le soutien de l'UE et des Etats membres étant pris en compte. Il ressort de cet examen que le discours est ambitieux, mais que le programme n'a qu'une portée limitée. Si ses résultats sont faibles au Ghana, qui bénéficie d'un environnement politique favorable, il est peu probable qu'ils soient importants ailleurs en Afrique. Trois propositions sont avancées pour expliquer cet écart entre rhétorique et réalité, une première bureaucratique, une seconde politique et une dernière économique. Elles sont étudiées dans le cas du Ghana. Les conclusions sont de deux ordres. En premier lieu, les activités politiques de l'UE en Afrique sont plus motivées par ses intérêts propres que par des normes et principes de gouvernance démocratique. En second lieu, l'UE a une conception étroite de la notion de démocratie, plus proche de la limitation du pouvoir étatique que de l'extension du contrôle populaire, conformément à l'idéologie néo-libérale dominante.
Fear of Exploitation and Fear of Contamination: Impediments to Knowledge Transfer in Mergers between Professional Service Firms

Previous studies of knowledge transfer have identified a variety of impediments that derive from the knowledge base and the organizational context. However such explanations do not take account of the central role that individuals play in the knowledge transfer process, specifically in articulating and legitimizing the knowledge base and in shaping and interpreting the organizational context. This article examines the merger process as experienced within six accounting and consulting firms. It finds that professionals resist knowledge transfer when they perceive that the merging firms differ fundamentally in terms of the quality of their external image and the form of their knowledge base. Whilst professionals may attribute their resistance to commercial and objective concerns, their responses are also governed by highly personal and subjective factors. This study identifies this complex combination of factors as the twin fears of exploitation and contamination.
GATA-4 and GATA-5 Transcription Factor Genes and Potential Downstream Antitumor Target Genes Are Epigenetically Silenced in Colorectal and Gastric Cancer

ABSTRACT The GATA family of transcription factors participates in gastrointestinal (GI) development. Increases in GATA-4 and -5 expression occur in differentiation and GATA-6 expression in proliferation in embryonic and adult settings. We now show that in colorectal cancer (CRC) and gastric cancer promoter hypermethylation and transcriptional silencing are frequent for GATA-4 and -5 but are never seen for GATA-6. Potential antitumor target genes upregulated by GATA-4 and -5, the trefoil factors, inhibinα, and disabled-2 (Dab2) are also silenced, in GI cancers, with associated methylation of the promoters. Drug or genetically induced demethylation simultaneously leads to expression, in CRC cells, of all of the GATA-4, -5, and downstream genes. Expression of exogenous GATA-5 overrides methylation at the downstream promoters to activate the target genes. Selection for silencing of both upstream transcription factors and their target genes in GI cancers could indicate that epigenetic silencing of the involved genes provides a summated contribution to tumor progression.
Why people aren't using wireless internet: a behavioural economics approach to technology preferences

This paper proposes a new model for understanding the adoption of internet services when competing technological standards can fulfil similar needs. Using prospect theory as its theoretical foundation, the model posits that reference prices, flat rate preference, and status quo bias constitute the perceived sacrifice when users consider adoption of new services such as wireless internet. Perceived sacrifice and perceived quality influence the perceived relative value, which in turn influences the intention to adopt wireless internet. The proposed model and related hypotheses are empirically confirmed through a field study. The paper discusses several implications for telecommunications policy and industry.
An evaluation of tactile directional symbols

Symbols that could effectively designate direction have the potential to show routes, geographic phenomena, aid scientific explanation and generally enhance understanding of tactile maps and diagrams. In this study, 41 tactile symbols, including subsets of arrow symbols and stair symbols, were investigated for effectiveness at indicating direction. The symbols were presented to blind or blindfolded participants, and qualitative and quantitative responses regarding the symbol orientation and meaning were recorded. The arrow symbols with the greatest agreement across participants as to which direction the symbol intended to convey were basic arrows and the arrowhead. In the case of a line with a saw-tooth surface profile that felt rough when traced by the finger in one direction and smooth in the opposite, participants were split between those intuitively thinking the rough or the smooth was the direction being indicated. Stair symbols with a greater degree of threedimensionality gave marginally increased agreement as to which way was up.
Similarity metrics from social network analysis for content recommender systems

Online judges are online systems that test programs in programming contests and practice sessions. They tend to become big problem live archives, with hundreds, or even thousands, of problems. This wide problem statement availability becomes a challenge for new users who want to choose the next problem to solve depending on their knowledge. This is due to the fact that online judges usually lack of meta information about the problems and the users do not express their own preferences either. Nevertheless, online judges collect a rich information about which problems have been attempted, and solved, by which users. In this paper we consider all this information as a social network, and use social network analysis techniques for creating similarity metrics between problems that can be then used for recommendation.
Firm Age and Performance

As firms grow older, their profitability seems to decline. We first document this phenomenon and show that it is very robust. Then we offer two non-exclusive explanations of why firms may age. First, corporate aging could reflect a cementation of organizational rigidities over time. Consistent with that, costs rise, growth slows, assets become obsolete, and investment and R&D activities decline. Second, older age could advance the diffusion of rent-seeking behavior inside the firm. This hypothesis is supported by the poorer governance, larger boards, and higher CEO pay we observe in older firms. Overall, firms seem to face a real senescence problem.
Restriction-modification system with methyl-inhibited base excision and abasic-site cleavage activities

The restriction-modification systems use epigenetic modification to distinguish between self and nonself DNA. A modification enzyme transfers a methyl group to a base in a specific DNA sequence while its cognate restriction enzyme introduces breaks in DNA lacking this methyl group. So far, all the restriction enzymes hydrolyze phosphodiester bonds linking the monomer units of DNA. We recently reported that a restriction enzyme (R.PabI) of the PabI superfamily with half-pipe fold has DNA glycosylase activity that excises an adenine base in the recognition sequence (5′-GTAC). We now found a second activity in this enzyme: at the resulting apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) (abasic) site (5′-GT#C, # = AP), its AP lyase activity generates an atypical strand break. Although the lyase activity is weak and lacks sequence specificity, its covalent DNA–R.PabI reaction intermediates can be trapped by NaBH4 reduction. The base excision is not coupled with the strand breakage and yet causes restriction because the restriction enzyme action can impair transformation ability of unmethylated DNA even in the absence of strand breaks in vitro. The base excision of R.PabI is inhibited by methylation of the target adenine base. These findings expand our understanding of genetic and epigenetic processes linking those in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Motivation and goal orientation in vulnerability to depression

Depression may be related to motivational systems that govern approach and avoidance behaviour such as temperament and goal orientation. Using a remitted depression design we found that previously depressed and never-depressed individuals did not differ on number of approach goals generated, degree of goal commitment or extent of planning to reach goals. However, previously depressed individuals generated more avoidance goals indicating that the tendency to set avoidance goals may be a trait-like vulnerability to depression. Previously depressed individuals also reported higher activation of the behavioural approach system (BAS) raising the possibility that this system is energising approach behaviour in the service of avoiding aversive consequences.
Human parechoviruses in infants with systemic infection

Human parechoviruses (HPeVs) are RNA viruses related to neonatal sepsis, meningoencephalitis and other infections in young children. Little clinical and epidemiological information is available on these viruses. HPeVs were sought in cerebrospinal fluid from 397 infants aged less than 12 months from whom a sample was obtained to exclude meningitis or encephalitis from 2006 to 2009. HPeV infections were also tested in stool samples from 271 children aged less than 3 years old with gastroenteritis from November 2008 to March 2009. HPeV detection was by real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay (region 5′UTR), followed by genotyping (region VP3/VP1). HPeVs were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid of nine infants (2.3%), one aged 6 months and eight aged 14–55 days old. All were admitted to hospital for febrile syndrome with abrupt clinical deterioration and suspected systemic infection without clear laboratory signs of meningeal inflammation. The same virus was detected in all the available nasopharyngeal aspirates, stool, and/or serum samples from each patient. At least eight of the nine cases were caused by HPeV3. HPeVs were detected in stool samples from 17 children (6.3%), the most prevalent types being types 1 and 3. In conclusion, HPeV infection is common in the Basque Country (Spain) and HPeV3 is a significant cause of hospital admission due to systemic infection in the first few months of life. In these patients, HPeVs should be investigated as part of routine tests for enterovirus. J. Med. Virol. 82:1790–1796, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Engineering of Ralstonia eutropha H16 for Autotrophic and Heterotrophic Production of Methyl Ketones

Ralstonia eutropha is a facultatively chemolithoautotrophic bacterium able to grow with organic substrates or H2 and CO2 under aerobic conditions. Under conditions of nutrient imbalance, R. eutropha produces copious amounts of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] (PHB). Its ability to utilize CO2 as a sole carbon source renders it an interesting new candidate host for the production of renewable liquid transportation fuels. We engineered R. eutropha for the production of fatty acid-derived, diesel-range methyl ketones. Modifications engineered in R. eutropha included overexpression of a cytoplasmic version of the TesA thioesterase, which led to a substantial (>150-fold) increase in fatty acid titer under certain conditions. In addition, deletion of two putative β-oxidation operons and heterologous expression of three genes (the acyl coenzyme A oxidase gene from Micrococcus luteus and fadB and fadM from Escherichia coli) led to the production of 50 to 65 mg/liter of diesel-range methyl ketones under heterotrophic growth conditions and 50 to 180 mg/liter under chemolithoautotrophic growth conditions (with CO2 and H2 as the sole carbon source and electron donor, respectively). Induction of the methyl ketone pathway diverted substantial carbon flux away from PHB biosynthesis and appeared to enhance carbon flux through the pathway for biosynthesis of fatty acids, which are the precursors of methyl ketones.
On a conjecture of Tsfasman and an inequality of Serre for the number of points on hypersurfaces over finite fields

We give a short proof of an inequality, conjectured by Tsfasman and proved by Serre, for the maximum number of points on hypersurfaces over finite fields. Further, we consider a conjectural extension, due to Tsfasman and Boguslavsky, of this inequality to an explicit formula for the maximum number of common solutions of a system of linearly independent multivariate homogeneous polynomials of the same degree with coefficients in a finite field. This conjecture is shown to be false, in general, but is also shown to hold in the affirmative in a special case. Applications to generalized Hamming weights of projective Reed-Muller codes are outlined and a comparison with an older conjecture of Lachaud and a recent result of Couvreur is given.
Directing Attention to Pronunciation in the Second Language Classroom

Motivated by predictions of the theory of Input Processing, this study adds to previous research on second language (L2) Spanish pronunciation learning by investigating the impact of two distinct types of pronunciation assignments on first language (L1) English L2 Spanish students’ improvement in pronunciation of the vowels /e, o/. Two sections of a Spanish conversation class (n = 28) received identical instruction in Spanish articulatory phonetics over the course of one semester. One section (n = 15) completed a production-based pronunciation assignment five times throughout the semester in addition to this instruction. In this assignment, students recorded themselves and received feedback from the instructor. The other section (n = 13) completed a perception-based pronunciation assignment designed to force students to attend to English and Spanish phonetic differences five times throughout the semester. This assignment required students to listen to non-native Spanish speakers speaking in Spanish and to provide feedback on their pronunciation. Findings suggest that when students are forced to attend to differences in L1 and L2 articulatory phonetics, they are likely to improve their own pronunciation more than when they only receive articulatory phonetic instruction or when they complete assignments that do not require strict attention to L1 and L2 phonetic differences, such as speaking and receiving feedback.
Pivotal Roles of T-Helper 17-Related Cytokines, IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23, in Inflammatory Diseases

T-helper 17 (Th17) cells are characterized by producing interleukin-17 (IL-17, also called IL-17A), IL-17F, IL-21, and IL-22 and potentially TNF-α and IL-6 upon certain stimulation. IL-23, which promotes Th17 cell development, as well as IL-17 and IL-22 produced by the Th17 cells plays essential roles in various inflammatory diseases, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, and Concanavalin A-induced hepatitis. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of the functional role of Th17 cells, with particular focus on the Th17 cell-related cytokines such as IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23, in mouse models and human inflammatory diseases.
Sense of coherence and work characteristics: A cross-lagged structural equation model among managers

This study investigated the dominance of predictive relationships between Sense of Coherence (SOC) and work characteristics (organizational climate and job control) in cross-lagged longitudinal data with two measurement points and a time lag of 3 years. The sample consisted of 615 (587 men and 28 women) managers, aged between 27 and 64 years. The cross-lagged longitudinal analysis was done by the use of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) within the framework by LISREL. The results of the chi-square difference tests indicated that the model where SOC at Time 1 predicted work characteristics at Time 2 better accounted for the data than the competitive models. However, the only significant path in addition to test–retest stabilities was the path from SOC at Time 1 to organizational climate at Time 2 indicating that high SOC predicts good organizational climate over a 3-year follow-up period. The path from SOC at Time 1 to job control at Time 2 was not significant. Thus, it seems that SOC, as a relatively stable disposition, influences the ability to mobilize and generate social resources in the workplace but not the ability to produce job control.
A Closer Look at the Paradox: Examining Immigration and Youth Reoffending in Arizona

The bulk of existing research on immigration and crime suggests that, counter to a number of theoretical perspectives and overall public and political opinion, indicators of immigration are either unrelated or negatively related to criminal behavior. Notably absent from this line of research is assessments of the impact of immigration on the social outcomes of ex-offenders and youth. Youthful ex-offenders in particular represent a vulnerable population that could be expected to benefit most from the protective effects of immigration as identified in the literature. Accordingly, in the present study we determine the importance of concentrated immigration (net of individual-level factors) in reoffending for a sample of previously arrested youth in the state of Arizona. In addition, we examine whether the effects of immigration on reoffending behavior are contingent on the individual characteristics (e.g. race, ethnicity, and gender) of youth. The implications for the ongoing theoretical, empirical, and policy debates surrounding immigration and crime are discussed.
The entrepreneurial subjectivity of successful researchers

This article begins the work of examining what kind of doctoral experiences positively influence researcher development, and what other attributes may contribute to a successful research career. It reports preliminary findings from the analysis of survey responses by a sample of successful mid-career researchers. Positive doctoral experiences and the early establishment of research activity are found to be important to researcher development. Successful researchers were also found to be able to acknowledge the importance of their ‘soft skills’, and to have flexible, responsive and adaptive dispositions. We term this disposition ‘an entrepreneurial subjectivity’ and argue that it is an important and under-examined characteristic of the successful researcher.