Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perceived liveliness and speech comprehensibility in aphasia: the effects of direct speech in auditory narratives.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that in semi-spontaneous speech, individuals with Broca's and anomic aphasia produce relatively many direct speech constructions. It has been claimed that in 'healthy' communication direct speech constructions contribute to the liveliness, and indirectly to the comprehensibility, of speech. AIMS To examine the effects of the occurrence of direct speech constructions on the perceived liveliness and speech comprehensibility of narratives produced by individuals with and without aphasia. METHODS & PROCEDURES Thirty-seven naive listeners rated 30 speech fragments with and without direct speech from ten speakers with and ten speakers without aphasia. The fragments originated from semi-structured interviews. The raters scored the perceived liveliness and the perceived comprehensibility of these fragments. OUTCOMES & RESULTS For both groups of speakers, fragments containing direct speech constructions received higher scores for liveliness than fragments without direct speech constructions. However, no effect of direct speech was found on perceived comprehensibility. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS This is the first research to demonstrate that communication is perceived as more lively when it contains direct speech than when it does not, but yet is not more comprehensible. Individuals with Broca's and anomic aphasia are known to produce regularly direct speech constructions in elicited narratives. Given that liveliness is known to increase listeners' involvement and to help listeners stay focused, we suggest that this relative increase in direct speech by aphasic speakers may reflect a strategy to increase not only the liveliness of their discourse, but also listener focus and involvement.
An investigation into why projects fail in agriculture, a case study of horticulture and food crops development project (HFCDP) in the central region of Malawi.

This is a report of a research on an investigation into why projects fail in agriculture. It is a case study of a Malawi government’s horticulture and food crops development project (HFCDP) which was implemented in some districts of the central region of Malawi between 2002 and 2008. This research has been conducted as a requirement for an award for a Master of Science Degree in Project Management. The report covers the background of the study, literature review, research design and methodology, data collection and analysis, research findings, conclusions and recommendations. To a larger extent, the findings of the research showed that there were gaps in the initiation, planning and designing, execution, monitoring and closure of the HFCDP which led to its failure. The research findings were meant to inform project managers on the best way to manage projects in order to reduce project failure. In the academic circle, the findings of the research added new knowledge and insights on why projects fail in agriculture by bringing in contemporary knowledge from Malawi. The study recommended that projects need to involve right people with appropriate expertise, promote ownership, adopt bottom-up approach and assess contractors. It further recommended proper project monitoring, execution of situational assessment, need to undertake a comprehensive needs assessment, strengthen cooperatives and establishing linkages of the project beneficiaries to markets where they can sell their produce. The recommendations did not spare the introduction of project technologies which are simple, cost-effective and appropriate to community expertise and resources.
Fisher Vectors for PolSAR Image Classification

In this letter, we study the application of the Fisher vector (FV) to the problem of pixelwise supervised classification of polarimetric synthetic aperture radar images. This is a challenging problem since information in those images is encoded as complex-valued covariance matrices. We observe that the real parts of these matrices preserve the positive semidefiniteness property of their complex counterpart. Based on this observation, we derive an FV from a mixture of real Wishart densities and integrate it with a Potts-like energy model in order to capture spatial dependencies between neighboring regions. Experimental results on two challenging data sets show the effectiveness of the approach.
Manual and virtual rotation of three-dimensional object

An orientation-matching task, based on a mental rotation paradigm, was used to investigate how participants manually rotated a Shepard-Metzler object in the real world and in an immersive virtual environment (VE). Participants performed manual rotation more quickly and efficiently than virtual rotation, but the general pattern of results was similar for both. The rate of rotation increased with the starting angle between the stimuli meaning that, in common with many motor tasks, an amplitude-based relationship such as P. M. Fitts' (1954) law is applicable. When rotation was inefficient (i.e., not by the shortest path), it was often because participants incorrectly perceived the orientation of one of the objects, and this happened more in the VE than in the real world. Thus, VEs allow objects to be manipulated naturally to a limited extent, indicating the need for timing-scale factors to be used for applications such as method-time-motion studies of manufacturing operations.
Estimates of the Bycatch of Yukon River Chinook Salmon in U.S. Groundfish Fisheries in the Eastern Bering Sea, 1997-1999

Record low runs of chinook salmon to the Yukon River in the late 1990s intensified concerns about salmon bycatch by U.S. groundfish fisheries in the eastern Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI). We estimated the bycatch of Yukon River chinook salmon by the BSAI groundfish fisheries in 1997-1999, and evaluated the effect of the BSAI bycatch on Yukon River fisheries and resources. Estimated interceptions of Yukon River chinook salmon by the BSAI fisheries were 7,266 fish in 1997, 8,908 fish in 1998, and 3,074 fish in 1999. Adult equivalent (AEQ) bycatch estimates were 6,522 fish in 1997, 7,510 fish in 1998, and 2,721 fish in 1999. The AEQ bycatch was equal to 1-4% of the minimum run, 12-51% of the minimum (lower river) escapement, 10-38% of upper river (Canadian) escapement, 3-35% of the Alaska commercial catch, 6-9% of the Alaska subsistence catch, or 22-84% of the Canadian catch of chinook salmon in the Yukon River in 1997-2000. We conclude that in years when chinook salmon runs are low, even relatively low incidental catches of salmon by non-target marine fisheries may reduce local utilization of chinook salmon resources and impede management and conservation efforts in the Yukon River.
Extrahepatic Autoimmune Diseases in Patients with Autoimmune Liver Diseases: A Phenomenon Neglected by Gastroenterologists

Autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) often coexist with other extrahepatic autoimmune diseases (EHAIDs). The spectrum of EHAIDs in patients with AILDs is similar, whereas the incidence is different. Notably, autoimmune thyroid disease and Sjogren's syndrome are the most common EHAIDs. Associated extrahepatic diseases may predate the appearance of AILDs or coincide with their onset. More frequently, they may appear during the course and even occur years after the diagnosis of AILDs. Importantly, associated EHAIDs may influence the natural course and prognosis of AILDs. To date, a definite pathophysiological pathway which contributes to the coexistence of AILDs and EHAIDs is still lacking. The current view of autoimmunity clustering involves a common susceptibility genetic background which applies to related pathologies. Herein, we review the current published researches regarding EHAIDs in patients with AILDs, particularly in relation to their clinical impact and pathophysiology. In managing patients with AILDs, gastroenterologists should be aware of the possibly associated EHAIDs to ensure a prompt diagnosis and better outcome.
Aerosol pollution in some Chinese cities (IUPAC Technical Report)

Abstract Emissions caused by the use of coal and by traffic have caused serious photochemical smog and aerosol pollution with unique characteristics in most Chinese cities. This report gives an overview of aerosol concentrations in China based on data obtained from both the literature and recent research by the authors. The results show that TSP (total suspended particulate) and PM-10 (particles with aerodynamic diameter 10 µm) concentrations frequently exceed the National Ambient Air Quality Standard and that ambient aerosol concentrations constitute a serious air pollution problem. PM-2.5 concentrations are also high and account for 60 % of the PM-10 mass. Organic carbon and sulfate are the most abundant components of PM-2.5, while crustal elements represent a minor portion.Nitrate concentrations are almost the same as sulfate in summertime, which implies that NOx control is very important in lowering fine particle concentrations and in improving air visibility. The chemical mass balance (CMB) method was applied in Beijing to identify the sources of PM-2.5. The main sources include fugitive dust, coal burning/industrial processes, traffic emissions, and secondary aerosol produced by atmospheric chemical conversion.
BVOCs emission in a semi-arid grassland under climate warming and nitrogen deposition

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) profoundly affect atmospheric chemistry and ecosystem functioning. BVOCs emission and their responses to global change are still unclear in grasslands, which cover one quarter of the Earth's land surface and are currently undergoing the largest changes. Over two growing seasons, we conducted a field experiment in a semi-arid grassland (Inner Mongolia, China) to examine the emission and the responses of BVOCs emissions to warming and nitrogen deposition. The natural emission rate (NER) of monoterpene (dominant BVOCs here) is 107 +/- 16 mu g m(-2) h(-1) in drought 2007, and 266 +/- 53 mu g m(-2) h(-1) in wet 2008, respectively. Warming decreased the standard emission factor (SEF) by 24% in 2007, while it increased by 43% in 2008. The exacerbated soil moisture loss caused by warming in dry season might be responsible for the decrease of SEF in 2007. A possible threshold of soil moisture (8.2% (v/v)), which controls the direction of warming effects on monoterpene emission, existed in the semiarid grassland. Nitrogen deposition decreased the coverage of Artemisia frigida and hence reduced the NER by 24% across the two growing seasons. These results suggest that the grasslands dominated by the extended Artemisia frigida are an important source for BVOCs, while the responses of their emissions to global changes are more uncertain since they depend on multifactorial in-situ conditions.
The signature of auroral kilometric radiation on Isis 1 ionograms

Auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) appears on the Isis 1 topside sounder ionograms as intense noise bands between the electron cyclotron frequency and 700 kHz. A variable gap occurs between the cyclotron frequency and the lowest AKR frequency. As Isis 1 traverses the source region, the gap narrows, and the AKR signals at higher frequencies weaken. This signature suggests that the AKR waves are generated directly in the extraordinary mode at frequencies just above the local cutoff frequency and that the radiation is initially perpendicular to the magnetic field.
Weighting the World: IPBES and the Struggle over Biocultural Diversity

This article has two aims. The first is to provide an account of the struggle over the term biocultural diversity during the intergovernmental approval of the first IPBES thematic assessment report. Second, in detailing this struggle, we aim to contribute to scholarship on global environmental negotiating processes and the place and power of knowledge within these by introducing the notion of a weighted concept. Our analysis starts with the observation that the emergence of new scientific terms through global assessments has the potential to activate political struggle, which becomes part of the social construction of the concept and may travel with it into other international negotiating settings. By analyzing the way in which the term biocultural diversity initiated reaction from delegates negotiating the Summary for Policy Makers of the Pollination Assessment, we illuminate the distribution of authority or symbolic power to determine its meaning and place in the text. We suggest that the weighted concept enables us to explore the forms of knowledge underpinning political order and, in this case, unpack how biocultural diversity challenges the primacy of scientific knowledge by authorizing the place of indigenous knowledge in global biodiversity politics, which initiated attempts to remove or confine its usage in the text.
Retired Farmers' Perceptions regarding the Riparian Forests in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon Catchment

In Far North Queensland, Australia, riparian (streamside) forests are of great importance in preserving good water quality in the waterways that drain into the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. This paper presents the findings of an open‐ended semi‐structured face‐to‐face interview with 11 retired farmers about their ideas, opinions, beliefs, and their experience with riparian forest, and with government agencies. It included an intervention in the form of an information fact sheet on the biophysical functions and environmental importance of riparian forests. The interviewees' general attitudes, appraised from evaluative statements were mainly positive but most of them, 73% (n=8) did not believe or accept the scientific information, and 55% (n=6) felt the Great Barrier Reef was not influenced by farmers’ actions. All expressed mistrust in the government and only considered financial support helpful. Landcare agencies were known to very few of the retired farmers.
Faulting structure above the Main Himalayan Thrust as shown by relocated aftershocks of the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake

The 25 April 2015, Mw7.8 Gorkha, Nepal, earthquake ruptured a shallow section of the Indian‐Eurasian plate boundary by reverse faulting with NNE‐SSW compression, consistent with the direction of current Indian‐Eurasian continental collision. The Gorkha main shock and aftershocks were recorded by permanent global and regional arrays and by a temporary local broadband array near the China‐Nepal border deployed prior to the Gorkha main shock. We relocate 272 earthquakes with Mw>3.5 by applying a multiscale double‐difference earthquake relocation technique to arrival times of direct and depth phases recorded globally and locally. We determine a well‐constrained depth of 18.5 km for the main shock hypocenter which places it on the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT). Many of the aftershocks at shallower depths illuminate faulting structure in the hanging wall with dip angles that are steeper than the MHT. This system of thrust faults of the Lesser Himalaya may accommodate most of the elastic strain of the Himalayan orogeny.
Detecting Temporal Changes in Riyadh's Urban Heat Island

ABSTRACT Urban heat islands (UHIs) exist when temperature in the atmospheric boundary layer is warmer above the urban area than it is above rural areas. Surface UHIs (SUHIs) exist when the temperature of the surface is warmer in urban areas than in rural areas. Several cities in arid climates have showed a weak or negative UHI and SUHI. In addition, UHIs and SUHIs have not been thoroughly studied in many arid environments around the globe, especially in cities of the Arabian Peninsula. By integrating Landsat remote sensing data and long-term air temperature data from 1985 through 2010, we analyzed changes in the SUHI and UHI to better understand their behavior in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. Signals of both UHI and SUHI sinks were found and significant decreasing trends were found in the mean annual nocturnal UHI, nocturnal UHI in winter and autumn, and in diurnal UHI during winter. Rural areas were found to exhibit warmer land surface temperatures (LSTs) than urban areas, which was evidence of the incidence of the SUHI sink in the study area. Within the built-up areas, the main road areas and surfaces in the east parts of the city exhibited higher LSTs in all the studied years.
Finite State Automata Resulting from Temporal Information Maximization and a Temporal Learning Rule

We extend Linkser's Infomax principle for feedforward neural networks to a measure for stochastic interdependence that captures spatial and temporal signal properties in recurrent systems. This measure, stochastic interaction, quantifies the Kullback-Leibler divergence of a Markov chain from a product of split chains for the single unit processes. For unconstrained Markov chains, the maximization of stochastic interaction, also called Temporal Infomax, has been previously shown to result in almost deterministic dynamics. This letter considers Temporal Infomax on constrained Markov chains, where some of the units are clamped to prescribed stochastic processes providing input to the system. Temporal Infomax in that case leads to finite state automata, either completely deterministic or weakly nondeterministic. Transitions between internal states of these systems are almost perfectly predictable given the complete current state and the input, but the activity of each single unit alone is virtually random. The results are demonstrated by means of computer simulations and confirmed analytically. It is furthermore shown numerically that Temporal Infomax leads to a high information flow from the input to internal units and that a simple temporal learning rule can approximately achieve the optimization of temporal interaction. We relate these results to experimental data concerning the correlation dynamics and functional connectivities observed in multiple electrode recordings.
A population study of ethnic variations in the angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D polymorphism: relationships with gender, hypertension and impaired glucose metabolism.

BACKGROUND The presence of the deletion allele of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) I/D polymorphism is associated with an excess risk of vascular disease and diabetic nephropathy. OBJECTIVE To examine the importance of this polymorphism as a determinant of hypertension and impaired glucose metabolism in a population-based study of three ethnic groups and assess the potential modifying effect of gender. DESIGN Population-based cross-sectional study in South London. The population-based sample of 1577 men and women, age 40-59 years, was obtained from stratified random sampling of general practice lists where 25% of the residents were born outside the UK. The ACE I/D polymorphism was determined for 1366 individuals (86.6%): 462 whites, 462 of African descent and 442 of South Asian origin. RESULTS The genotype frequency within each ethnic group was in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The frequencies were similar in whites and those of African descent (II, ID, DD: 18.4%, 49.6%, 32.0% for whites and 18.4%, 50.5%, 30.9% for those of African descent), but there was a much higher frequency of the II genotype in those of South Asian origin (39.8%, 41.8%, 18.3%; chi2 = 77.6; P < 0.0001). There was no association between the I/D polymorphism and impaired glucose metabolism in any ethnic group. There were also no significant associations between the I/D polymorphism and hypertension in whites and in those of South Asian origin. This contrasts with a highly significant association between the D allele and hypertension in women of African descent (OR = 2.54; 95% CI 1.38-4.65; P = 0.003) but not in men of African descent (0.79; 0.36-1.72) (test for differences between sexes P = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS These observations provide estimates of the frequency distribution of the ACE I/D polymorphism in whites, in people of African descent and in people of South Asian origin. Moreover, these results highlight the potential importance of gender-dependent interactions between genetic background and expression of hypertensive phenotype.
Electrokinetic dissipation induced by seismic waves

When a fluid electrolyte moves relative to a solid, an electric field is generated that migrates ions and thus dissipates energy. This “electrokinetic” dissipation is theoretically compared to the viscous shear dissipation for fluid flow generated by a fixed time harmonic pressure gradient in a planar quartz duct. It is shown that, regardless of frequency, it is safe to ignore the electrokinetic losses when the electrolyte molarity is on the order of 0.1 M or greater. For low molarity electrolytes (<10-3M), however, the electrokinetic losses do become significant compared to the viscous losses for flow in sufficiently tight pores. The ratio of electrokinetic dissipation DE to viscous dissipation DV is always a maximum when the electrokinetic radius (the duct haft‐width divided by the Debye length) is ≈1.5. The maximum value of DE/DV does not exceed 0.5 for the NaCl, KCl, and quartz systems considered. The generated electric field pushes on the excess ions in the duct in a direction opposite to the applied.
FlowBlaze: Stateful Packet Processing in Hardware

While programmable NICs allow for better scalability to handle growing network workloads, providing an expressive yet simple abstraction to program stateful network functions in hardware remains a research challenge. We address the problem with FlowBlaze, an open abstraction for building stateful packet processing functions in hardware. The abstraction is based on Extended Finite State Machines and introduces the explicit definition of flow state, allowing FlowBlaze to leverage flow-level parallelism. FlowBlaze is expressive, supporting a wide range of complex network functions, and easy to use, hiding low-level hardware implementation issues from the programmer. Our implementation of FlowBlaze on a NetFPGA SmartNIC achieves very low latency (in the order of a few microseconds), consumes relatively little power, can hold per-flow state for hundreds of thousands of flows, and yields speeds of 40 Gb/s, allowing for even higher speeds on newer FPGA models. Both hardware and software implementations of FlowBlaze are publicly available.
Sexual Harassment in Public Spaces

In this article, we examine the situational conditions of female sexual victimization in public spaces. Using survey questionnaire methodology, we explore gender differences in perceptions of the occurrence and location of sexual harassment in public spaces as well as the extent to which such behaviors are considered serious. The study’s methodology relies on using multistage cluster and quota sampling technique, where we interviewed nearly 1,387 respondents (both men and women) from the capital city of India, New Delhi. This study finds an overall congruence between perceived likelihood of female sexual harassment victimization and actual self-reported victimization in most public transportation modes, but there is a significant gap between these two indicators for occurrences that take place in certain transportation modes, such as taxis and auto-rickshaws. There are statistically significant gender differences in the seriousness ratings of various behaviors that constitute sexual harassment to women. Policy implications include adoption of a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of sexual harassment in public spaces.