Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Discourse interpretation and the scope of operators

The problem of ambiguity is central to any theory of language interpretation, whether we are interested in language processing in humans or in developing a usable natural language processing system. Psycholinguistic evidence suggests that human subjects are able to choose an interpretation when necessary, and that competing factors are involved in this choice; however, no theory of language interpretation deals satisfactorily with the combinatorial explosion paradox--the fact that no matter how ambiguous natural language sentences are, they are usually interpreted without significant effort. The main idea presented in this dissertation is that the scope preferences observed in the literature are not the result of an independent 'scope disambiguation' module, but of independent interpretation processes such as definite description interpretation or the interpretation of modals. None of these interpretive procedures is especially concerned with 'scope disambiguation,' but the result of these inferences is that relations of contextual dependency such as anaphoric reference or presuppositionality become part of the common ground; the scope preferences observed in the literature reflect these relations of dependency. The dissertation includes a formal proposal concerning the representation of contextual dependency, and its impact on the semantics of sentence constituents. My theory of ambiguity is based on a distinction between semantic ambiguity, that can be captured implicitly, by means of underspecified representations, and perceived ambiguity, that results from the process of discourse interpretation. My model of the common ground can be used to characterize both situations characterized by the presence of semantic ambiguity, and situations characterized by the existence of perceived ambiguity. The reasoning that leads to the establishment of scoping preferences makes use, I argue, of information that is pragmatic in nature; this calls for a model of discourse interpretation in which the 'common ground' contains such information. In the case of spoken language conversations, the common ground must be a model of the discourse situation of the conversational participants.
An Exploratory Study on the Central Nervous Correlates of Sexual Excitation and Sexual Inhibition

The Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES) measure sexual excitation and sexual inhibition proneness. We used SIS and SES scores of 62 heterosexual teleiophilic men (Mage 34.3, SD = 9.9) to predict brain activation levels during the presentation of male and female visual sexual stimuli in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Statistical analyses revealed significant correlations. SES and SIS1 scores were positively associated with brain activation in various brain regions during the presentation of both male and female stimuli. SIS2 turned out to be a weaker predictor of brain activation, still revealing one significant correlation in the right lateral orbitofrontal cortex. Significant regions for SES and SIS1 were, among others, primary and supplementary motor areas, the caudate nucleus, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, anterior insula, and prefrontal areas. Our study can be seen as an exploratory investigation of SIS and SES with means of functional brain imaging. The results provide a promising contribution to the assertion of neurophysiological systems of sexual inhibition and excitation proneness.
SVC CE1: STool - a native spatially scalable approach to SVC

A rear gear for a bicycle, in which a driving member having two or more sprockets is supported rotatably and axially movably with respect to a driven member. Clutch mechanisms are provided at the axially opposite surfaces between the driving and the driven members so that the driving member may be axially moved to cooperate with the driven member through the connection of each of the clutch mechanisms, thereby permitting rotation of the driving and driven members together.
Elevated copper in urine of Bangladeshi ethnic group living in the United Kingdom

Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) was used to monitor urinary selenium, copper and zinc in a group of Bangladeshi (n = 54), Indian (n = 25), Pakistani (n = 21), and White Caucasian (n = 23) volunteers living in the UK. The most striking findings were far higher urinary copper levels (P < 0.001) in the Bangladeshi group (median: 30.2 μg Cu/l) compared to other ethnicities (15.6 μg Cu/l, Pakistani; 14.8 μg Cu/l, Indian; 10.5 μg Cu/l, Caucasians) and to reference values reported for the UK population. Although no significant difference was found for Zn (P = 0.22; medians: 430 μg Zn/l for Bangladeshis, 377 μg Zn/l for Pakistani, 350 μg Zn/l for Caucasians, 355 μg Zn/l for Indians), a significantly (P < 0.001) higher Cu:Zn ratio was found for the Bangladeshis. Urinary Se of Bangladeshis (17.6 μg Se/l) was significantly (P < 0.001) higher compared to Indians (13.8 μg Se/l) and Pakistani (4.1 μg Se/l), although urinary selenium was generally within the reported reference values reported for the UK population. Exposure to copper via ethnic food consumption or altered copper metabolism may contribute to higher levels of Cu and Cu:Zn ratio in the Bangladeshi group. Previous studies have correlated high serum copper levels to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Bangladeshis have higher than UK average mortality from HCC and a disproportionately higher incidence of CVD. The high urinary Cu levels and Cu:Zn ratio detected in UK Bangladeshis may therefore reflect early onset of disease process, and may ultimately result in these conditions for members of the Bangladeshi community.
Mercury and cadmium in swordfish and yellowfin tuna and health risk assessment for Sri Lankan consumers

ABSTRACT Commercially important marine fish, yellowfin tuna (YFT), and swordfish (SF), collected from the Indian Ocean around Sri Lanka were analysed for mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) content. The ranges for Hg were < 0.07–1.60 and < 0.07–4.30 mg/kg, while for Cd < 0.006–0.134 and 0.006–0.180 mg/kg in YFT and SF, respectively. In SF 13.3% and in YFT 9.2% exceeded the 1 mg/kg limit for Hg, while 3.1% of YFT exceeded the 0.1 mg/kg limit for Cd. All other samples were well below the maximum limits. Human health risk assessment was investigated using Estimated Daily Intake, Total Hazard Quotient, Hazard Index, and Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake values for Hg and Cd. The data indicated that the current YFT and SF consumption pattern in Sri Lanka poses no threat to consumer’s health. However, further research and awareness on food safety aspects is needed on specific groups such as children and for areas in which consumption of seafood is high.
Complications of robotic surgery in urological diseases: are we using standardized methodology to report complications?

Purpose of review The current data on complications reporting related to robot-assisted procedures (RAPs) in the urology literature are not comparable and do not use a validated classification. In this review, findings from various studies reporting positive and negative outcomes will be outlined. Recent findings Robotic procedures have outcomes similar to open and laparoscopic techniques but generally cause fewer adverse events. However, the lack of standards for presenting surgical morbidity related to RAP leads to underreporting of surgical complications, makes comparisons of surgical outcomes difficult and prevents adequate knowledge about the outcomes of procedures. Summary Although a reasonable number of positive outcomes of RAP have been reported in the literature, the extent of underreporting with this process is unknown. Further research and the development of a validated classification for reporting surgical complications will facilitate a better understanding of the actual outcomes.
Use of Levosimendan in Intensive Care Unit Settings: An Opinion Paper

Abstract: Levosimendan is an inodilator that promotes cardiac contractility primarily through calcium sensitization of cardiac troponin C and vasodilatation via opening of adenosine triphosphate–sensitive potassium (KATP) channels in vascular smooth muscle cells; the drug also exerts organ-protective effects through a similar effect on mitochondrial KATP channels. This pharmacological profile identifies levosimendan as a drug that may have applications in a wide range of critical illness situations encountered in intensive care unit medicine: hemodynamic support in cardiogenic or septic shock; weaning from mechanical ventilation or from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; and in the context of cardiorenal syndrome. This review, authored by experts from 9 European countries (Austria, Belgium, Czech republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland), examines the clinical and experimental data for levosimendan in these situations and concludes that, in most instances, the evidence is encouraging, which is not the case with other cardioactive and vasoactive drugs routinely used in the intensive care unit. The size of the available studies is, however, limited and the data are in need of verification in larger controlled trials. Some proposals are offered for the aims and designs of these additional studies.
Prevalence of drug use: key findings from the 2001/2002 British Crime Survey.

The British Crime Survey (BCS) is a large national survey of adults who live in a representative cross-section of private households in England and Wales. In addition to asking respondents about their experiences of crime, the BCS also asks about a number of other crime-related topics. Since 1994, the BCS has included a comparable module of questions on drug misuse. This Findings examines the prevalence and trends of illicit drug misuse among 16to 59year-olds, with particular focus on estimates for 16to 24-year-olds. Additionally, estimates are given for two new sets of questions that were introduced in the 2001/2002 survey, concerning the age when drug-use started and how easy it was to get access to drugs.
Industrial hand injuries as seen at Avenue hospital, Nairobi

Background : Industrial hand injuries can result in functional and economic loss and poor quality of life. Objective: To determine the cause and mechanism of industrial hand injuries, the risk factors and safety measures taken in industries. Design : Prospective study from September 2009 to March 2012. Setting : Avenue Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. Methodology : A Prospective study of consented hand injured adult workers admitted and operated on from September 2009 to March 2012. Noted was age, gender, occupation, experience, cause of injury and mechanism, industry involved, time of injury, duration of shift at injury and whether safety measures were taught. Results : Of the 75 patients, males were 71 (94.7%). The average age was 34.2 years with a range of 19 to 62 years. All patients had right hand dominance. Majority 52 (69.3%) of the patients were machine operators. This together with the assistant machine operators and technicians comprised 61 (81.3%). Patients with work experience of less than 6 months and more than 60 months had a greater risk of sustaining injury and loss of concentration 25 (33.3%) was the main contributory factor. Plastic products manufacturing firms contributed 36 (48.0%) of the injuries. The mechanism of injury was crushing, 63 (84.0%) and cutting 12 (16.0%). The morning shift (7:00am to 12:00 noon) accounted for 34 (45.3%) of the injuries, with 23 (30.7%) occurring between 10:00am and 12:00 noon. The first 4 hours of the shift accounted for 39 (52%) of the injuries. A shift of 9 hours or more accounted for 15 (20%). The majority 55 (73.3%) of the workers had been taught safety measures with 96.4% having been taught more than once. Conclusion: Inexperienced workers and those with long experience of more than 60 months tended to have a higher risk of injury. Most of the injuries occurred during the morning shift. A shift of 9 hours or more seemed not to be associated with increased risk of injury. Only 20 (26.7%) of the injured had not been taught safety measures compared with 55 (73.3%) who had been taught. Loss of concentration was the main contributory factor. Recommendation : Enhancement in safety education and training, proper design and maintenance of equipment and machines coupled by greater involvement by management and possibly taking punitive measures on workers who flout safety measures may help to minimize injuries at the workplace.
The Effect of Hypermedia Assisted Instruction on Second Language Learning

Literature on hypermedia has been growing. Although its potentials and educational implications are being explored, not much empirical research has been done to substantiate its rich theoretical assumptions and verify its promises. The purpose of this study was to provide some results on the practical application of the technology. It intended to investigate the effect of hypermedia technology on enhancing vocabulary learning among non-native English speakers.
The Physical Environment of Nursing Homes for People with Dementia: Traditional Nursing Homes, Small-Scale Living Facilities, and Green Care Farms

It is well recognized that the physical environment is important for the well-being of people with dementia. This influences developments within the nursing home care sector where there is an increasing interest in supporting person-centered care by using the physical environment. Innovations in nursing home design often focus on small-scale and homelike care environments. This study investigated: (1) the physical environment of different types of nursing homes, comparing traditional nursing homes with small-scale living facilities and green care farms; and (2) how the physical environment was being used in practice in terms of the location, engagement and social interaction of residents. Two observational studies were carried out. Results indicate that the physical environment of small-scale living facilities for people with dementia has the potential to be beneficial for resident’s daily life. However, having a potentially beneficial physical environment did not automatically lead to an optimal use of this environment, as some areas of a nursing home (e.g., outdoor areas) were not utilized. This study emphasizes the importance of nursing staff that provides residents with meaningful activities and stimulates residents to be active and use the physical environment to its full extent.
Headache Trigger Sensitivity and Avoidance after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Most patients with primary headache disorders identify environmental stimuli (e.g., visual glare), situational factors (e.g., stress), physiological states (e.g., hormones), or activities (e.g., exercise) as triggers that elicit or worsen headache episodes. Headache triggers have not been previously studied in post-traumatic headache (PTH). The present study explored the frequency of headache triggers and their avoidance in PTH. Participants with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) were recruited from outpatient specialty clinics and completed questionnaires at or soon after their initial clinic visit. The research assessment included a list of 12 possible headache triggers where participants were asked to rate sensitivity (how often they get a headache when exposed to the trigger) and avoidance (how often they try to avoid the trigger). Enrolled participants were 40.6 years old (standard deviation [SD] = 11.8 years) on average, predominantly female (69.8%) and Caucasian (69.8%), and injured in a motor vehicle crash (47.2%) or fall (20.8%). They were assessed at 9.4 weeks (SD = 6.8) post-injury. Most patients with mild TBI in this consecutive series (82.7%) reported ongoing headaches. Mental exertion, stress, and lack of sleep were rated as the most potent headache triggers and among the most frequently avoided. Odors or foods, hunger, and weather conditions were rated as the least potent triggers. Headache trigger sensitivity and avoidance were moderately correlated (r = 0.736, p < 0.001). Headache severity was more associated with trigger sensitivity [F(2,49) = 13.45, p < 0.001] than trigger avoidance [F(2,47) = 2.97, p = 0.062]. In summary, the pattern of headache triggers in persistent PTH after mild TBI appears somewhat different from that in primary headache disorders, with mental exertion emerging as uniquely important. Pervasive avoidance of mental exertion to prevent headaches (cogniphobia) might be a worthwhile behavioral intervention target after mild TBI.
Data Hiding in Color Images: A High Capacity Data Hiding Technique for Covert Communication

A high capacity data hiding technique using color images as cover medium and referred to as 4R-4G-4B technique has been investigated and presented in this paper. The color image is firstly divided into its constituent bit planes followed by data embedding. To thwart the adversary different embedding algorithms have been used for embedding data in Red, Green and Blue planes. Additional layer of security to the embedded data is added by embedding secret data at the pseudorandom locations determined by Main Address Vector (MAV) and Complementary Address Vector (CAV). The comparison of our method with an existing technique shows that proposed technique is capable of providing better quality stego-images even if the embedded data is slightly more. A 2.7dB increase in PSNR in case of proposed technique substantiates the argument.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of STEM Simulations

: This paper describes the initial findings of a systematic meta-analysis of the literature of computer simulations related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning. Features of the simulations, quality of the research design, and the assessments/instruments used to measure learning are the primary moderating variables of interest. A meta-analysis of 55 research studies of K-12 science education, published between 1991 and 2012, found that on average simulations had a positive effect on science achievement.
Comparison of echocardiographic variables between systemic lupus erythematosus patients and a control group

Background: Cardiovascular diseases increase morbidity and mortality in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The cardiac involvement could be silent. Echocardiography can be used as a noninvasive tool for the assessment of the ventricular function. Objectives: We sought to evaluate different echocardiographic parameters via tissue Doppler imaging and speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in addition to conventional echocardiography. Patients and Methods: This case-control study was conducted in 45 SLE patients (88% female; mean age = 31.2 ± 8.2 years) and 25 healthy controls (87% female; mean age = 30.3 ± 7.7 years), matched in terms of age and sex. Both groups had no clinical signs and symptoms of cardiac problems or risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Both SLE and control groups underwent echocardiography for the assessment of the ventricular function and the sizes and diameters of the chambers. Two-dimensional STE was used for the measurement of the left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal systolic strain. Results: The mean duration of SLE was 5.5 ± 3.4 years in our patients. No significant difference was found between the two groups concerning the LV and left atrium size, LV ejection fraction, right ventricular (RV) systolic function, RV and LV diastolic function, and pulmonary artery pressure. The LV global longitudinal strain was less in the SLE patients (-18.56 ± 2.50% vs. -19.89 ± 1.94%; P = 0.028). The LV mass was greater, though not statistically significant, in the SLE patients (111 ± 29.54 g vs. 104.37 ± 27.39 g; P = 0.468). The interventricular septal diameter was thicker in the SLE patients (0.79 ± 0.15 cm vs. 0.77 ± 0.10 cm; P = 0.046). Conclusions: Silent ventricular systolic dysfunction was more common in the patients with SLE than in the control group. Newer echocardiographic techniques such as two-dimensional STE provide an earlier chance for the detection of subclinical LV systolic dysfunction. Our findings were independent of the traditional risk factors.
OKUMA ÇEMBERİ YÖNTEMİNİN OKUDUĞUNU ANLAMA BECERİSİNE ETKİSİ

Bu arastirmanin amaci, okuma cemberi yonteminin ortaokul yedinci sinif ogrencilerinin okudugunu anlama becerilerine etkisini belirlemektir. Arastirmanin calisma grubunu, Ankara ili Etimesgut ilcesinde 2015 - 2016 egitim - ogretim yilinda ogrenim gormekte olan ortaokul yedinci sinif ogrencileri olusmaktadir. Arastirmanin orneklemi, 2 deney ve 2 kontrol grubunda bulunan toplam 117 ogrenciden ibarettir. Bu ogrencilerin 58’i deney, 59’u ise kontrol grubundadir. Uygulama 5.5 ay (22 hafta) surmustur. Dersler, deney grubunda Turkce Dersi Ogretim Programi’na dayali ogretime ek olarak yeni bir strateji olan okuma cemberi yontemine gore; kontrol gruplarinda ise sadece Turkce Dersi Ogretim Programi’na dayali ogretime gore islenmistir. Ogrenciler programin belirledigi sekilde okumaya yonlendirilmistir. On - test ve son - test uygulama sonuclarina gore deney grubunda okudugunu anlama becerisi, kontrol grubuna gore anlamli duzeyde daha cok artis gostermistir. Bu artis, deney oncesi okudugunu anlama becerisi dusuk olanlarda, yuksek olanlara gore daha cok gerceklesmistir.
Robust Drivable Road Region Detection for Fixed-Route Autonomous Vehicles Using Map-Fusion Images

Environment perception is one of the major issues in autonomous driving systems. In particular, effective and robust drivable road region detection still remains a challenge to be addressed for autonomous vehicles in multi-lane roads, intersections and unstructured road environments. In this paper, a computer vision and neural networks-based drivable road region detection approach is proposed for fixed-route autonomous vehicles (e.g., shuttles, buses and other vehicles operating on fixed routes), using a vehicle-mounted camera, route map and real-time vehicle location. The key idea of the proposed approach is to fuse an image with its corresponding local route map to obtain the map-fusion image (MFI) where the information of the image and route map act as complementary to each other. The information of the image can be utilized in road regions with rich features, while local route map acts as critical heuristics that enable robust drivable road region detection in areas without clear lane marking or borders. A neural network model constructed upon the Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), namely FCN-VGG16, is utilized to extract the drivable road region from the fused MFI. The proposed approach is validated using real-world driving scenario videos captured by an industrial camera mounted on a testing vehicle. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms the conventional approach which uses non-fused images in terms of detection accuracy and robustness, and it achieves desirable robustness against undesirable illumination conditions and pavement appearance, as well as projection and map-fusion errors.
Examination of Coronary Artery Anomalies in an Adult Turkish Population

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of anomalous aortic origins of coronary arteries, to classify these anomalies and to define their consequences. Therefore, 5000 coronary artery angiograms were analysed. Twenty-five (0.5%) coronary arteries with anomalous origins were found, and these anomalies were classified in four main groups. Origin of the circumflex artery from the right side was the most frequent anomaly (12 cases). In 8 cases the right coronary artery originated from the left side, in 3 cases the left coronary artery originated from the right side and finally we found 2 left anterior descending arteries originating from the right side. The clinical importance of these anomaly categories was defined and our results were compared and discussed in the light of previous reports.