Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lexical Semantic Change Analysis with Contextualised Word Representations

How does the meaning of a word change over time? This thesis introduces a bottom-up procedure that aggregates word usages into groups of meaningful usage types in order to detect and investigate lexical semantic change within diachronic collections of texts. Computational measures of semantic change have relied on distributional and predictive word representations as well as on models for word sense induction. While the first fail to take word polysemy into account, the second involve an a priori selection of the number of underlying word senses, use a limited context window and treat sentences as bags of words. In order to address these limitations, we use a neural language model to obtain contextualised word representations which are uniquely defined by a word form together with its entire sentential context, and we aggregate said representations by automatically selecting the number of saliently different usage types, in a data-driven fashion. We then propose three metrics of semantic shift to quantify the degree of change undergone by a word and evaluate them against human judgements. Furthermore, we analyse the linguistic properties that guide the formation of clusters of word usages and probe our method with various types of semantic change. Results show that we are able to detect, in corpora of varying temporal granularity, the narrowing, broadening, and metaphorisation of a word’s interpretation. We can recognise cultural drifts driven by technological innovations, cultural transitions, and specific events, as well as more subtle linguistic shifts such as changes in the subcategorisation frames of nouns and verbs. Besides its empirical findings, this thesis demonstrates that language models and contextualised word representations constitute a versatile and fruitful framework for computational analyses of language change and variation.
Managing ‘Egan’ Wheat with a Gene for High Grain Protein

Received 22 Mar. 2019. Accepted 28 May 2019. *Corresponding author (jessica.torrion@ montana.edu). AbstrACt Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars with Gpc-B1 gene are known to achieve high grain protein, which may reduce the N input for achieving high grain yield and quality. Our objectives were to: (i) determine the minimum N input for grain yield and protein in ‘Egan’ wheat at varying moisture levels and (ii) identify the grain yield-limiting components for Egan. A study was conducted during 2016–2017 at Creston, MT, on fine sandy loam soil. The experimental design was a stripsplit plot with four replicates. Water regimes of 50% evapotranspiration (50ET), 75% (75ET), 100% (100ET), and rainfed comprised the vertical strips arranged randomly with the horizontal N treatments (control, 168, 224, and 280 kg N ha-1). The grain protein, at N > 100 kg ha-1, was stable regardless of yield. An inverse relationship between grain yield and protein was observed only when N was limiting (45 kg ha-1 NO3–N; 2017 control) where tissue N value is approaching the critical N level (1.8%). Overall, the grain protein also was impacted by environment (year). The yield was mostly influenced by moisture. During 2016 (average year), yield of the deficit treatments was similar to 100ET due to the rainfall events. During 2017 (dry/hot year), yield was reduced with decreasing moisture, which was mostly attributed to the reduced yield sink capacity–reduced productive tiller and grain number at lower moisture levels. Providing the total N does not fall below 100 kg ha-1, yield can be optimized with irrigation with premium protein values.
Sustainability of Ache Hunting in the Mbaracayu Reserve , Paraguay

A n understanding of native hunting and its impact on faunal density is critical fifor biodiversity conservation in the neotropics because more forested habitat designated as indigenous reserve than all other types of conservation units combined (Rylands 1991; IUCN 1992; DaSilva and Sites 1995; Peres and Terborgh 1995). Despite a good deal of information on the overall structure of native game harvest in the neotropics (Beckerman and Sussenbach 1983; Vickers 984; Redford and Robinson 1987) little is known about the way that harvest unpacts animal populations through time and space. Some studies have suggested at hunted areas are depleted of game relative to nonhunted areas (see Hill et al. 1997 for review and discussion), but often these studies are based on census methods that are problematic. Specifically, many hunting impact studies to date (a) £ail to distinguish changes in encounter rates due to evasive prey behavior from anges in animal density; (b) fail to control for the effects of variables other than unting that also might be associated with differences in aninial density; (c) do not :>rovide independent measures of human hunting activity in areas assumed to be unted; (d) are based on data collected exclusively on established trails that animals ·ther avoid or use extensively depending on the amount of human activity in the dy area; (e) are based on repeated transects in the same location, but inappropriely assume statistical independence of data and extrapolate to unsampled areas. Ye recently developed a procedure to measure the impact of human hunting on mimal density that eliminates many of these problems (Hill et al. 1997). N evertheless, other problems remain . Most importantly, many human hunting dies do not examine the relationship between hunting and animal densities over adequate spatial scale to draw relevant conservation conclusions about the pact of hunting on the true unit stock of a prey population. The unit stock is the
Investigating the influence of water in lysozyme structure and dynamics using FTIR and XRD Thesis for The Bachelor ’ s Degree in Medical Radiation Physics

Water is “the matrix of life” for its fascinating properties. The well-known simple water molecule consists of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, covering most of planet earth’s surface. It is the most studied element in science; however, its properties are still not fully understood. Another essential building block of life is proteins, which manifest naturally in aqueous environments. The protein activity is controlled by the protein folding process that is dependent on the surrounding environment. It is hypothesized that the hydrogen bond network of water plays an important role in the folding process. Here, we investigate the protein lysozyme in liquid water as well as in the crystalline state ice Ih, exploring various temperatures, using FT-IR and XRD. Our main finding is that a transition occurs at approximately T=210 K, indicative of the hypothesised protein dynamic “glass” transition observed by previous studies in supercooled water at similar temperatures.
Prevalence of generalized joint hypermobility, musculoskeletal injuries, and chronic musculoskeletal pain among American university students

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) in a university-aged population, whether young adults (aged 18–25 years) with GJH are prone to sustain more musculoskeletal injuries, and are more likely to suffer from chronic musculoskeletal pain. The study used an interactive survey to gather data; GJH was assessed using a cut-off Beighton score of ≥5 in accordance with the 2017 International Classification of EDS criteria. The analyzed sample consisted of 482 female and 172 male participants from Florida Gulf Coast University (USA). The prevalence of GJH in a university-aged population can be estimated at 12.5%. Women did not have higher rates of GJH than men. However, female participants showed significantly higher rates of hypermobility of the spine as well as the right knee and elbow joints. The Beighton scores did not differ by ethnicity/race. Female participants had a lower rate of self-reported injuries than male participants, although this difference was not significant. There was no difference in the proportion of all participants classified within different categories (0; 1–4; 5–9) of Beighton scores and whether or not they reported having been injured. Male and female participants reported chronic pain of joints and neck or back at the same rates across the Beighton score categories. Female participants, however, reported higher pain intensity for chronic neck and back pain. This study increases knowledge about a correlation between GJH, musculoskeletal injuries, and chronic pain of joints, neck, and back in a university-aged population.
IMES Discussion Paper Series 2018-E15 October 2018 Redistribution and Fiscal Uncertainty Shocks

This paper studies the macroeconomic impact of an uncertainty shock about fiscal policy in a dynamic general equilibrium framework. Motivated by the observation that many fiscal policies are redistributive and that a sizable fraction of U.S. households do not own capital, I introduce household heterogeneity in the form of limited capital market participation. I show that household heterogeneity significantly magnifies the aggregate effect and induces co-movement of macroeconomic variables in a contraction that is generated by a fiscal uncertainty shock. This is because the limited capital market participation model captures individual uncertainty about redistribution that is absent in representative agent models. When agents are ambiguity averse, this uncertainty about redistribution has first-order effects because it shows up as heterogeneous worst-case scenarios. As a result, the model matches the empirical responses of macro variables to fiscal uncertainty shocks better than the representative agent counterpart.
Exploration of Optimal Powertrain Design Using Realistic Load Profiles

The electrification of bus-based public transportation contributes to the goal of reducing the adverse environmental impacts caused by urban transportation. However, the penetration of electric vehicles has been slow due to their lower vehicle range and total costs in comparison to vehicles driven by internal combustion engines. By improving the powertrain efficiency, the total costs can be reduced for the same vehicle range. Therefore, this paper proposes a holistic design exploration approach to investigate and identify the optimal powertrain concept for electric city buses based on the component costs and energy consumption costs. The load profiles of speed, slope, and passenger occupancy profiles are derived for a selected bus route in Singapore, which is used in a powertrain design exploration for a 30-passenger vehicle. Six different powertrain architectures are analyzed, together with single and multi-speed gearbox configurations, to identify the optimal powertrain architecture and the resulting component sizes. The powertrain configurations are further analyzed in terms of their influence on the vehicle characteristics and total costs. Multi-motor configurations were found to have better vehicle characteristics and lower total costs in comparison to single rear motor configurations. Concepts with motors on the front and a rear axle could shift the load points to a higher efficiency region, resulting in lower energy consumption and energy costs. The optimal powertrain concept was a fixed-speed two-motor configuration, with a booster motor on the front axle and a motor on the rear axle.
Population , habitat and prey characteristics of blue whales foraging in the South Taranaki Bight , New Zealand

A short field project was conducted in January and February 2014 to test the hypothesis that the South Taranaki Bight (STB), New Zealand is a blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) foraging ground for krill, specifically the euphausiid Nyctiphanes australis. Over five days of field effort we observed 50 blue whales, documented foraging behavior, confirmed blue whale prey, observed defecation, documented similar isotopic values across individuals sampled, and linked blue whale occurrence with frontal margins exhibiting relatively high biological productivity. These observations and data strongly support the hypothesis that the STB is a blue whale foraging ground. Genetic analysis determined New Zealand blue whales to be most genetically similar to Australian ‘pygmy’ blue whales, yet we also identified a new haplotype and found no photo-identification matches to 174 individual Australian blue whales assessed (compared to 1 in 44 individual New Zealand whales assessed). These results suggest that New Zealand pygmy blue whales may comprise a unique population. There are multiple anthropogenic activities in the STB, including oil and gas exploration and extraction, potential seabed mining, vessel traffic, and commercial fishing. Given the proximity of blue whales in this region to industrial activity with associated direct (e.g., vessel strike, toxicity from oil spills, hearing damage from seismic operations) and indirect (e.g., lost foraging opportunities, acoustic masking) threats, there is imminent need for effective regulation. Management efficacy of these anthropogenic activities in the STB depends on robust, well-directed science to avoid direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts on blue whales. Therefore, continued data collection and analyses are needed to determine the significance and extent of this foraging ground to fill critical data gaps and inform management decisions. Otherwise, industrial activities will persist and increase undeterred in the STB.
Technology of forming media literacy of children of the senior pre-school age of Ukraine

The article substantiates the technology of forming media literacy of senior preschool children in the establishments of preschool education of Ukraine.The features of preschool media education have been determined. Its relevance has been shown. The focus is on conducting the all-Ukrainian experiment on media education for 2017–2022.The problems in implementation of media education in preschool establishments have been identified and the prospects for their solution have been determined. The psychological factors of forming media literacy of children of the senior preschool age have been highlighted. It has been proved that preschool age is sensitive for the formation of critical thinking. The concept of “preschool media education” as part of the educational process has been characterized by the three-component structure.The peculiarities of conducting ascertaining and forming experiments in the establishments of preschool education of Ternopil, Khmelnytskyi have been shown. The expediency of media education for educators of the establishments of preschool education of Ukraine has been proved.
Are Nuclear Accents Easier to Acquire than Prenuclear Accents? ― Using Peak Alignment in Advanced Mandarin EFL Learners as an Example

This study investigated how advanced EFL learners of Taiwan Mandarin align accent peaks in their L1 and L2, as compared to their native English counterparts. Twenty-two advanced Mandarin EFL learners and 22 native American English speakers read 21 English monosyllabic stimuli embedded in a declarative carrier sentence. The EFL learners also read an additional list of 21 sentences in which phonotactically-matched Mandarin stimuli were embedded. Results showed that EFL learners aligned pitch peaks in Mandarin earlier than those in English in the prenuclear position but later in the nuclear position. Moreover, EFL learners' relative peak alignment of English H* pitch peaks were comparable to that of their native English counterparts in both prenuclear and nuclear accents. However, there was a tendency for EFL learners to realize the prenuclear accent as L+H* instead of the default H*. Such difference is not likely due to L1 transfer, but insufficient L2 proficiency.
Frequency of ( G 428 A ) Polymorphism within FUT 2 Gene among Symptomatic UTI Diseases in Sudanese Patients

National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) reports that UTIs account for over 8 million doctor visits annually disease significantly affects females. Bacteria cause the vast majority of UTIs. Fungi or viruses can also cause UTIs. Symptoms of UTI depend upon what part of the urinary tract is infected; Singlenucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) play a major role in the understanding of the genetic basis of many complex human diseases. Also, the genetics of human phenotype variation could be understood by knowing the functions of these SNPs. This study was carried out in Omdurman Military hospital aimed to determine the frequency of the (G428A) polymorphism among Sudanese UTI patients and explore if it has a correlation with age and gender or not. A total of 49 patients with UTI were enrolled in this study; blood samples were collected from patients and control in EDTA; genomic DNA was extracted from all samples using salting out method, allele specific PCR used to analyze the samples. The allele specific PCR showed that, 9(18.4%) of the 49 patients were homozygous "AA" while that 30 (61.2%) of the 49 patients were heterozygous (Guanine and Adenine alleles), and just 10 (20.4%) individuals were homozygous "GG". In conclusion, In conclusion, frequency of the FUT2 gene polymorphism among urinary tract infection was significantly high among female. Large percentage of Sudanese individuals has got a "GA" genotype allele in FUT2 gene; this large percentage could be according to human genomes variations worldwide.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF CHRONIC ALUMINUM SULFATE INTAKE ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN RATS

To evaluate the consequences of chronic aluminum sulfate intake in some biochemical parameters (plasmatic proteins, albumens, globulins, urea and creatinins) in rats, 28 white Wistar rats was divided in three experimental groups (E1, E2, E3) and in one control group (C) to which aluminum sulfate was administered in water during six month as follows: E1 – 200 ppb; E2: 400 ppb; E3 1000 ppb and C: tape water 50-70 ppb aluminum. Chronic aluminum sulfate in drinking water determined in rats significant decrease of total proteins and albumens comparative to C group, indirectly related to aluminum intake; significant increase of globulins in E1 and E2 groups and significant decrease in E3 comparative to C group; significant uremia and creatinemia increase in E groups comparative to C group (excepting creatinine in E1 and E3 groups).
Grennhalgh, R and Dempsey-Hibbert, N and Vagg-Whitehead, Kathryn (2018)Antimicrobial Strategies and Economic Considerations for Polymeric Medical Implants. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, 136

Healthcare acquired infections (HAI's) are a worldwide problem that can be exacerbated by surgery and the implantation of polymeric medical devices. The use of polymer based medical devices which incorporate antimicrobial strategies are now becoming an increasingly routine way of trying to prevent the potential for reduce chronic infection and device failure. There are a wide range of potential antimicrobial agents currently being incorporated into such polymers. However, it is difficult to determine which antimicrobial agent provides the greatest infection control. The economics of replacing current methods with impregnated polymer materials further complicates matters. It has been suggested that the use of a holistic system wide approach should to be developed around the implantation of medical devices which minimises the potential risk of infection. However, the use of such different approaches is still being developed. The control of such infections is important for individual patient health and the economic implications for healthcare services.
Assessing Parkinson's Disease from Speech Using Fisher Vectors

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neuro-degenerative disorder that affects primarily the motor system of the body. Besides other functions, the subject’s speech also deteriorates during the disease, which allows for a non-invasive way of automatic screening. In this study, we represent the utterances of subjects having PD and those of healthy controls by means of the Fisher Vector approach. This technique is very common in the area of image recognition, where it provides a representation of the local image descriptors via frequency and high order statistics. In the present work, we used four frame-level feature sets as the input of the FV method, and applied (linear) Support Vector Machines (SVM) for classifying the speech of subjects. We found that our approach offers superior performance compared to classification based on the i-vector and cosine distance approach, and it also provides an efficient combination of machine learning models trained on different feature sets or on different speaker tasks.
Multiscale hybrid failure approach for strength analysis of composite structures subjected to complex 3 D loadings

Due to their high specific properties, the use of fibre-reinforced composites has spread increasingly, over the past few years, for the conception of high performance structures in a large range of industrial applications. Nevertheless, due to the specific nature of composite materials, complex failure mechanisms occur and lead to a lack of confidence in the existing strength design tools and to high security margins that induce a loss of competitiveness of composite solutions. The capabilities of some existing multiscale failure approaches, to predict the final failure of laminates subjected to multiaxial in-plane loading, have been evaluated on different test cases defined in the framework of the first “World Wide Failure Exercise” (WWFE) [1]. A first attempt of multiscale progressive failure approach has been proposed by Onera and compared successfully on the different test cases proposed in the WWFE [2]. Nevertheless, the strength analysis of composite structures subjected to triaxial loadings, encountered in tapered specimens or in radius of corner L-angle specimens, or subjected to combined in-plane loading and hydrostatic pressure, remains a key problem in the design analysis.
The Role of Prosody in Distinguishing Different Types of Causal Relations in English

A growing body of psycholinguistic research carried out in Germanic languages shows that listeners infer contextual alternatives to an element in a sentence when it has a contrastive accent, even when the alternatives are not explicitly mentioned in the discourse. This paper reports a cross-modal priming experiment conducted to test the role of contrastive prominence in priming alternatives of subject nouns in Mandarin Chinese. The results showed that alternatives were recognized faster when the subject carried contrastive prominence than when it did not, suggesting a common mechanism of focus generating alternatives across languages when prosodic prominence is used to signal focus in the language.
European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus ( Linnaeus , 1758 ) from the Gulf of Annaba , east Algeria : age , growth , spawning period , condition factor and mortality

Age, growth, spawning period, condition factor and mortality were determined in the European anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus populated the Gulf of Annaba, east Algeria. The age structure of the total population is composed of 59.1% females, 33.5% males and 7.4% undetermined. The size frequency distribution method shows the existence of 4 cohorts with lengths ranging from 8.87 to 16.56 cm with a predominance of age group 3 which represents 69.73% followed by groups 4, 2 and 1 with respectively 19.73, 9.66 and 0.88%. The VONBIT software package allowed us to estimate the growth parameters: asymptotic length L∞ = 17.89 cm, growth rate K = 0.6 year and t0 = -0.008. The theoretical maximum age or tmax is 4.92 years. The height-weight relationship shows that growth for the total population is a major allometry. Spawning takes place in May, with a gonado-somatic index (GSI) of 4.28% and an annual mean condition factor (K) of 0.72. The total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) are 2.31, 0.56 and 1.75 year respectively, with exploitation rate E = F/Z is 0.76 is higher than the optimal exploitation level of 0.5.