Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Perceptions of Autonomous and Known Human Controlled Robots

—Nomura et al. had a goal of creating a psychological scale to examine people’s attitudes, anxiety, and assumptions about robots as a means to understand how people would react to robots in everyday situations [1]–[3]. After development and reﬁnement, NARS (“Negative Attitudes toward Robots Scale”) was created in 2003 [1]. In 2004, Nomura et al. continued their work in developing a scale to examine people’s “emotions of anxiety or fear preventing individuals from interaction with robots having functions of communications in daily-life” which became RAS (“Robot Anxiety Scale”) [3]. NARS and RAS have been used by researchers to understand the attitudes and anxieties of different people towards robots under different circumstances.Toourknowledge, NARS and RAS have only been used with robots perceived to be autonomous. Our goal was to evaluate if NARS and RAS could be extended to robots that were known to have a human-in-the-loop. Towards this end, we ﬁrst veriﬁed the validity of the scales with telepresence robots using an online video survey. We found differences across different cultures and gender much like other researchers in the past. Once the consistency of the scales was veriﬁed, we used NARS and RAS in subsequent studies that involved the use of telepresence robots from the perspective of the robot operator and the person physically present with the robot.
EFL Literature Studies : Student Feedback on Teaching Methodology

Research indicates that authentic literature is more frequently finding itself placed on university and college English as a Foreign Language syllabi. This paper examines this growing pedagogical trend. As Paran (2008) notes, enough conclusive evidence that specifically analyzes student reaction to how literature is incorporated in the classroom is lacking. This paper attempts to help partially fill this void. The research herein examines student reactions to three teaching methodologies that incorporate authentic literature in the classroom. This research was carried out over the fall 2009 semester at a foreign language university in Japan. Students were asked to respond critically to three short works of fiction. Student feedback was obtained through questionnaires and one-on-one interviews with the instructor. Qualitative data confirms previous research (Kellem, 2009) that argued for the inclusion of multiple approaches to literary analysis. It also reveals learner preferences for material that engages meta-cognitive awareness, and demonstrates that this awareness leads to improved performance and higher levels of workrelated student satisfaction. This paper will discuss some of these findings, and make suggestions and recommendations for both further research and classroom methodology.
Hemodynamic and vascular response to resistance exercise with L-arginine.

PURPOSE L-arginine, the precursor to nitric oxide (NO), has been shown to improve endothelial function in patients with endothelial dysfunction. Resistance exercise has been shown to increase arterial stiffness acutely with no definitive cause. It is possible that a reduction in NO bioavailability is responsible for this. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of acute L-arginine supplementation and resistance exercise on arterial function. METHODS Eighteen (N = 18) young men (24.2 +/- 0.7 yr) volunteered for this study. In a crossover design, subjects underwent body composition testing, 1-repetition maximum testing for the bench press and the biceps curls and performed two acute bouts of resistance exercise in which they consumed either placebo or 7 g L-arginine before each resistance exercise bout. Anthropometric measures, augmentation index (AIx), arterial stiffness, and forearm blood flow (FBF) were assessed before and after each treatment condition. RESULTS There were significant (P < 0.05) time effects after the resistance exercise; there was a reduction in brachial stiffness (P = 0.0001), an increase in central aortic stiffness (P = 0.004), an increase in AIx (P = 0.023), an increase in FBF (P = 0.000), and an increase in arm circumference (P = 0.0001) after exercise. CONCLUSIONS The increase in central arterial stiffness and wave reflection was not attenuated by acute supplementation with L-arginine; furthermore, blood flow was not augmented with supplementation. On the basis of these data, l-arginine does not appear to change the hemodynamic and vascular responses to resistance exercise.
Generalized Replicator Dynamics as a Model of Specialization and Diversity in Societies

We consider a generalization of replicator dynamics as a non-cooperative evolutionary game-theoretic model of a community of N agents. All agents update their individual mixed strategy profiles to increase their total payoff from the rest of the community. The properties of attractors in this dynamics are studied. Evidence is presented that under certain conditions the typical attractors of the system are corners of state space where each agent has specialized to a pure strategy, and/or the community exhibits diversity, i.e., all strategies are represented in the final states. The model suggests that new pure strategies whose payoff matrix elements satisfy suitable inequalities with respect to the existing ones can destabilize existing attractors if N is sufficiently large, and be regarded as innovations that enhance the diversity of the community.
Effect of Posterior Capsular Repair on Early Dislocation in Primary Total Hip Replacement

Formal repair of the posterior capsule and short external rotator tendons has been described as a surgical approach to reduce the incidence of posterior dislocation after posterolateral surgical approach to primary total hip replacement. The purpose of the current study was to compare the incidence of early posterior dislocation (within the first 6 months after surgery) using a complete posterior capsulectomy versus a formal posterior capsular repair. In patients with a complete posterior capsulectomy, 52 of 1078 primary total hip replacements (4.8%) had an early posterior dislocation. In patients with posterior capsular repair, three of 437 primary total hip replacements (0.7%) had an early posterior dislocation. This difference was statistically significant. The only complication in the capsular repair group was an avulsion fracture of the greater trochanter in four of 437 total hip replacements (0.9%).
Substance Use Disorders in Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence in a Forensic Setting

This study investigates the point prevalence of substance use disorders in 150 perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a forensic setting and compares participants with and without substance use disorders on demographic and offence-related variables. Furthermore, it investigates the frequency of IPV perpetrated under the influence of substances. Half the sample (50.0%) meets diagnostic criteria for at least one substance-related diagnosis. Significantly more IPV perpetrators without substance use disorders compared with IPV perpetrators with substance use disorders have children living at home and have abused their children. Relative to IPV perpetrators without substance use disorders, significantly more IPV perpetrators with substance-related disorders are found to be under the influence of substances at the time of the offence. Results highlight the importance of understanding the prevalence of substance use disorders in IPV perpetrators in forensic settings.
Dorsal Anterior Midcingulate Cortex: Roles in Normal Cognition and Disruption in Attention-Defi cit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

Main Observations and Models of daMCC Functions 254 Emotion 254 Error Detection 254 Anticipation/Timing/Expectency 255 Novelty Detection 255 Selection for Action: Attention, Target Selection, and Response Selection 255 Working Memory 256 Diffi culty Monitoring 256 Competition/Performance Monitoring 256 Prediction Error/Error Likelihood 257 Autonomic Control 258 Feedback-Mediated Decision-Making 258 Nociception/Pain 261
Disturbances of grip force behaviour in focal hand dystonia: evidence for a generalised impairment of sensory-motor integration?

Background: Focal task specific dystonia occurs preferentially during performance of a specific task. There may be an inefficiently high grip force when doing manipulative tasks other than the trigger task, possibly reflecting a generalised impairment of sensory-motor integration. Objective: To examine how well subjects with writer’s cramp (n = 4) or musician’s cramp (n = 5) adapted their grip force when lifting a new object or catching a weight. Methods: Nine patients with focal hand dystonia and 10 controls were studied. Experiments addressed different motor behaviours: (A) lifting and holding an object; (B) adjusting grip force in anticipation of or in reaction to a change in load force by catching a small weight dropped expectedly or unexpectedly into a hand held receptacle. Results: In (A), patients produced a grip force overshoot during the initial lifts; force overflow was most pronounced in those with writer’s cramp. Patients and controls adjusted their grip force to object weight within one or two lifts, though patients settled to a steady force level above normal. In (B), patients with focal hand dystonia and normal controls showed similar predictive grip force adjustments to expected changes in object load, suggesting that this aspect of sensory-motor integration was normal. Patients had a shorter latency of grip force response than controls after an unexpected load increase, reflecting either a greater level of preparatory motor activity or a disinhibited spinal reflex response. Conclusions: The overall increased grip force in patients with focal hand dystonia is likely to be a prelearned phenomenon rather than a primary disorder of sensory-motor integration.
FETAL HEART RATE MONITORING USING THE ABDOMINAL FETAL ELECTROCARDIOGRAM

An evaluation of a prototype abdominal fetal electrocardiogram (ECG) module for use in a Sonicaid FM3R monitor is described; 103 antenatal recordings of fetal heart rate (FHR) were attempted in 56 patients between 21 and 43 weeks gestation. The overall success rate was 54 per cent but the proportion of successful recordings was reduced between 24 and 36 weeks gestation. Most successful recordings were obtained with the first electrode placings and the quality of the recordings was generally higher than those obtained by simultaneously recorded FHR from ultrasound. Monitoring using the abdominal ECG during parturition was found to be unreliable. The advantages of the method are that it is non‐invasive, the patient is not restricted by belts and the technique is easy to apply. However the uncertainty of obtaining a FHR trace between 24 and 36 weeks gestation is a major disadvantage.
Back contact passivation effects in Bi-facial thin CIGS solar cells

Bi-facial solar cells with ultrathin CIGS solar cells are fabricated to investigate the influence of back contact passivation. Solar cells with CIGS thicknesses of 300 and 500 nm and with an ultrathin transparent Mo layer are characterized using EQE measurements from both the front and the rear side as well as with I-V measurements. Back contact passivation consisting of Al2O3 deposited by atomic layer deposition and nano-sized point contact openings is used. The results are compared to cells with only the transparent Mo layer as back contact. We find a significant effect of the passivation manifested as an increase in the current density of the solar cells with the passivation.
Socioeconomic status and prevalence of allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema symptoms in young adolescents

Environmental factors are known to influence the development of allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema in genetically susceptible individuals. Socioeconomic status (SES) may be an important indicator of risk for these conditions. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase 1 written questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence and severity of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and atopic eczema symptoms in 4947 pupils aged 13–14 years attending 30 schools in socioeconomically diverse areas of Cape Town. Home addresses were used to stratify participants into five SES bands. Relationships between symptom prevalence and severity, and SES, recent urbanization and upward socioeconomic mobility were examined. Logistic regression was used to generate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in order to assess overall trends by SES. The prevalences of self‐reported allergic rhinitis symptoms and recurrent itchy rash in the past year were 33.2% and 11.9% respectively. Girls had a significantly higher prevalence of all symptoms than boys. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis symptoms increased from lowest to highest SES (overall OR for rhinitis symptoms in past year = 1.16, 95% CI 1.11–1.21). There was no significant trend in reported eczema symptoms by SES other than for the question, ‘Have you ever had eczema’ (OR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.83–0.93). Longer period of urbanization was weakly associated only with recurrent itchy skin rash (OR = 1.05, 95% CI 1.01–1.09). ‘Socially mobile’ pupils, i.e. those resident in the lowest SES areas but attending highest SES schools showed significantly higher prevalences of eczema and some rhinitis symptoms than pupils attending lowest SES schools. These findings may reflect differences in reporting related to language, culture and access to medical care rather than real differences in prevalence.
Characterizing the mode of resistance inheritance and cross resistance in pink bollworm against Cry1Ac toxin and organophosphate pesticides in Pakistan.

A pest population that exhibits a significantly lower mortality response to a pesticide than a normal population dose is considered resistant (Georghiou,1986). Resistance development to insecticides, in insects, was first reported by Melander (1914). Since, then, different strategies have been employed to manage insect pests including resistant hybrids, biological control using predators and parasitoids, and cultural control, in an effort to overcome resistance development. Likewise, transgenic crops were developed, which have achieved high levels of control against the target pests, thereby reducing pesticide applications and increasing profits (Mendelsohn et al., 2003; National Research Council, USA 2010). Today, more than 90% of countries have adopted biotech crops (James, 2017) The evolution of resistance is a primary threat to the continuous success of transgenic crops (Tabashnik, 1994). Similar to pesticides, selection pressures on insects may result in resistance development to transgenic crops. Target pests have already developed resistance to transgenic crops under laboratory and field conditions (Huang et al., 1997; Bolin et al., 1999; Chaufaux et al., 2001; Ferre and van Rie, 2002; Gasteigeret et al., 2003; Siqueira et al., 2004; Ali et al., 2006; Li et al., 2007; Van Rensburg 2007; Tabashnik et al., 2008; Pereira et al., 2008). Lepidopteran pests have also developed resistance to Bt cotton in Pakistan (reviewed by Alvi et al., 2012; Akhtar et al., 2018). As a result, pests such as rice stem borers (Qu et al., 2003) have shown high levels of resistance against the organophosphate pesticide triazophos. To control pink bollworm, different strategies including pesticides, sterile insect techniques, Bt cotton, cultural practices, and sex pheromones are used successfully (Hoy 2019). Among these techniques, transgenic cotton expressing Cry1Ac is the primary tool. Resistance to Cry1Ac expressing Bt cotton has been reported in China (Wan et al., 2012), USA (Tabashnik et al., 2000a), and Pakistan (Akhtar et al., 2016). However, pink bollworm has also developed resistance to organophosphate pesticides sprayed in fields of Bt cotton in Pakistan (Akhtar et al., 2018a;Akhtar et al., 2018b). Cross resistance was observed in the lepidopteran pest, cotton bollworm, in Pakistan, in which Cry1Ac was tested for cross resistance with spore forming λ-endotoxin (Ahmed et al., 2006). Pak. J. Agri. Sci., Vol. 57(4), 1101-1106; 2020 ISSN (Print) 0552-9034, ISSN (Online) 2076-0906 DOI: 10.21162/PAKJAS/20.9765 http://www.pakjas. com.pk
Prevalence of Baseline Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in an Australian Cohort of Men with Localized Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complication following prostate cancer treatment. Post-treatment erectile function (EF) preservation is strongly dependent on the baseline EF prior to treatment. AIM To assess the baseline EF among patients with localized prostate cancer, and the factors associated with baseline EF. METHODS All men with clinically localized prostate cancer had their baseline EF assessed prior to brachytherapy at our institution. Six hundred ninety-nine men who completed the International Index of Erectile Function five-item questionnaires pre-treatment between 2001 and 2013 were included in the study. Data on patient factors (medical comorbidities and smoking history) and prostate cancer clinicopathological characteristics were recorded. Ordinal logistic regressions were used to estimate the effects of each variable on the severity of ED. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Baseline EF among men with localized prostate cancer, and factors associated with ED. RESULTS Prior to permanent seed brachytherapy, 335 (48%) patients reported no ED, 129 (17%) mild ED, 42 (6%) mild-moderate ED, 37 (5%) moderate ED, and 165 (24%) severe ED. In multivariate analyses, age, diabetes, and hypertension remained to be independently associated with ED, with diabetes most strongly associated with worse ED (odds ratio = 2.6; 95% confidence interval = 1.3-5.3). CONCLUSIONS ED is common among patients with localized prostate cancer prior to any curative treatment. Assessment of baseline ED is important prior to curative treatment of prostate cancer in order to offer appropriate advise on likelihood of EF preservation post-treatment and avoid patient dissatisfaction with treatment outcomes due to unrealistic expectations.
Pre-operative ondansetron vs. metoclopramide for prevention of post-operative nausea and vomiting in elective lower-segment caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia

Background: The problem of nausea and vomiting is a very old but a less thought of problem. Nausea and vomiting are the most common distressing symptom in the postoperative period. Antiemetic drugs play an important role in therapy of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Though many drugs have been tried as prophylaxis and treatment of PONV, no drug has been proved significantly effective and hence, the present study was undertaken to compare the efficacy and safety of IV metoclopramide and IV Ondansetron as prophylaxis for postoperative nausea and vomiting in lower-segment caesarean section (LSCS) under spinal anaesthesia. Methods: After institutional approval and informed consent 100 ASA I & II patients undergoing non emergent LSCS taken for study. The patients were divided randomly into 2 groups of 50 each. Group I received IV metoclopramide 10mg and Group II received IV. Ondansetron 4mg. Anaesthetic management was standardized. The incidence of vomiting and retching as number of episodes was studied. Nausea was graded depending on the severity and data derived. Results : The mean age, weight and duration of surgery was not significantly different when compared group-1 parturiants with group-2. The mean episodes of emesis, nausea and retching at different postoperative duration were significantly decreased (p<0.05) in Ondansetron group when compared to metoclopramide group as postoperative time progresses. Conclusions: Injection ondansetron 4mg provided decrease in the incidence of PONV than metoclopramide as the side effects with these drugs were minimal.
Modulating the electronic and optical properties of monolayer arsenene phases by organic molecular doping

Recently, arsenene monolayer structure of the arsenic with two phases has displayed semiconducting behavior. We have systematically investigated the electronic and optical properties of single-layer arsenene with two types of functionalized organic molecules; an electrophilic molecule [tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ)] and a nucleophilic molecule [tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)], as an electron acceptor and electron donor, respectively. The interfacial charge transfer between the arsenene monolayer and TCNQ/TTF molecules extensively reduces the band gap of arsenene and accordingly resulted in a p- or n-type semiconducting behavior, respectively. We have also performed the interfacial charge transfer from organic molecules to monolayer arsenene and vice versa. The interfacial surface molecular modification has established an efficient way to develop the light harvesting of arsenene in different polarization directions. Our theoretical investigation suggests that such n- and p-type arsenene semiconductors would broaden the applications in the field of nanoelectronic and optoelectronic devices such as photodiodes and it is also useful for constructing functional electronic systems.
Neuroretinal Dysfunction With Intact Blood-Retinal Barrier and Absent Vasculopathy in Diabetes Type 1

It is unknown whether independent neural damage may occur in the pre-/absent vascular diabetic retinopathy (DR). To exclude vasculopathy, it is important to measure the integrity of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). This crosssectional study addressed this problem in type 1 diabetic patients with normal ocular fundus and absent breakdown of the BRB (confirmed with vitreous fluorometry). These were compared with a group with disrupted BRB (with normal fundus or initial DR) and normal controls. Multifocal electroretinography and chromatic/achromatic contrast sensitivity were measured in these 42 patients with preserved visual acuity. Amplitudes of neurophysiological responses (multifocal electroretinogram) were decreased in all eccentricity rings in both clinical groups, when compared with controls, with sensitivity >78% for a specificity level of 90%. Implicit time changes were also found in the absence of initial DR. Impaired contrast sensitivity along chromatic axes was also observed, and achromatic thresholds were also different between controls and both clinical groups. The pattern of changes in the group without baseline BRB permeability alterations, as probed by psychophysical and electrophysiological measurements, does thereby confirm independent damage mechanisms. We conclude that retinal neuronal changes can be diagnosed in type 1 diabetes, independently of breakdown of the BRB and onset of vasculopathy.
ESTIMATORS FOR GAUSSIAN MODELS HAVING A BLOCK-WISE STRUCTURE

Many multivariate Gaussian models can conveniently be split into in- dependent, block-wise problems. Common settings where this situation arises are balanced ANOVA models, balanced longitudinal models, and certain block-wise shrinkage estimators in nonparametric regression estimation involving orthogonal bases such as Fourier or wavelet bases. It is well known that the standard, least squares estimate in multidimensional Gaussian models can often be improved through the use of minimax shrinkage estimators or related Bayes estimators. In the following we show that the tradi- tional estimators constructed via independent shrinkage can be improved in terms of their squared-error risk, and we provide improved minimax estimators. An al- ternate class of block-wise shrinkage estimators is also considered, and fairly pre- cise conditions are given that characterize when these estimators are admissible or quasi-admissible. These results can also be applied to the classical Stein-Lindley estimator that shrinks toward an overall mean. It is shown how this estimator can be improved by introducing additional shrinkage.