Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RNN with Russell's circumplex model for emotion estimation and emotional gesture generation

Interactive Emotion Communication (IEC) has been proposed[1] and studied so far. IEC consists of three processes, recognition of human emotion, generation of robot emotion, and expression of robot emotion. Conventional studies designed those processes by hand one by one. This report proposes a comprehensive system that learns human emotion recognition and robot emotion expression both. The proposed system is a recurrent neural network introducing Russell's circumplex model explicitly and learns human emotion and corresponding motion pattern simultaneously. We show the validity of the proposed method through experiments.
Macroeconomic adjustment and private manufacturing investment in Turkey: a time-series analysis

Despite the drastic switch to market-based policies and outward orientation in Turkey during the 1980s, private investment in manufacturing industry has still not revived after seventeen years of structural adjustment. This paper examines the main determinants of private investment in the manufacturing sector and the impacts of structural adjustment (particularly financial liberalisation as an integral part of the reform) on it. The results show that liberalisation policies in financial markets appear to have positive effects by reducing the stringency of quantity constraints on investment while the high interest rates resulting from financial liberalisation had no significant impact on investment. Macroeconomic instability, proxied by the variability of the inflation rate, seems to have discouraged investment in manufacturing.
Combining Structured and Unstructured Information Sources for a Study of Data Quality: A Case Study of Zillow.Com

Zillow is a web-based, leading real-estate information service in the US. We studied user-contributed facts in a sample of Zillow records. User-contributed information seems to improve the completeness and the level of detail of the information on Zillow.com. However, the accuracy of user-contributed facts may not be high. An investigation of the sources of error revealed several weaknesses, including conceptual challenges, information integration failures, and design deficiencies. A lack of shared, user-friendly, conceptual foundation has been found to be a significant drawback. In part, errors are a product of Zillow's wide geographic coverage and highly networked operation. In addition, important peculiarities of a property are often unknown to the public. Information about such peculiarities is typically shared by a small group of people, whose levels of expertise and stakes in that property, and in real estate in general, may differ. This environment poses a challenge for harnessing the collective intelligence. The results demonstrate the success of our unique evaluation strategy, which utilizes a systematic review of a rich set of online sources. A similar strategy may also be useful for large-scale error detection and correction, if an efficient automated equivalent is developed to implement it.
The Use of Wavelet-Based Denoising Techniques to Enhance the First-Arrival Picking on Seismic Traces

Arrival time picking is a critical step in the analysis of geophysical data. This study aims at improving the standard short-term-average/long-term-average (STA/LTA) method using soft-thresholding denoising techniques based on the discrete wavelet transform. The suggested method has been first tested on simulated seismic traces. For the purpose of choosing the best parameters, we have investigated different analyzing wavelets, threshold selection rules (“minimaxi”, “universal”, “rigorousSURE”, and “heuristicSURE”), and threshold rescaling types (global and adaptive). It is shown that the best results are obtained using the Haar wavelet, the 'universal' rule, and the multiple-scale-dependent rescaling type. Afterward, simulated data sets with varying signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) have been used to compare the wave onset times picked using both STA/LTA versions (standard and denoised) and the modified energy ratio (MER) algorithm. The results show that, for data sets with high SNR values (greater than three), the MER algorithm yields the most accurate arrival times whereas, for low SNR values varying from 3 to 1.5, the denoised STA/LTA algorithm is the most effective picking algorithm. Furthermore, the picking techniques have been applied on real seismic traces recorded in the Algerian Sahara. It is again confirmed that the proposed technique provides the most reliable picking for high-noise traces. To conclude, the denoised STA/LTA algorithm is a powerful tool for identifying the first arrival for high-noise signals with SNR values lower than three and can tolerate an SNR value of about 1.5.
Comparative evaluation of the canal curvature modifications after instrumentation with One Shape rotary and Wave One reciprocating files

Aims: This study compared the canal curvature modifications after instrumentation with One Shape (Micro Mega) rotary file and Wave One primary reciprocating file (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). Materials and Methods: Thirty International Organization for Standardization 15, 0.02 taper, Endo Training Blocks (Dentsply Maillefer) were used. In all specimens working length (WL) was established at the reference point 0. Glide path was achieved with Path-File 1, 2 and 3 (Dentsply Maillefer) at the WL. Group 1 were shaped with One Shape file and group 2 with Wave One files. Pre and post-digital images were superimposed, processed with Corel draw Graphic Suite X5 (Corel Corporation, Ottawa, Canada), Adobe Photoshop CS3 (Adobe Systems Inc., San Jose, CA) and Solid works student Edition software (Dassault Systems Solid Works Corp, S.A., Velizy, France). Results: Mean was more for Wave One compared with One Shape. One-way ANOVA and t-test showed a significant difference between One Shape and Wave One at 5% level of significance (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Canals prepared with Wave One file preserved canal shape, respected the anatomical shape of J-shaped canal and produced a continuously tapered funnel.
Political elections and foreign investor trading in South Korea's financial markets

This article investigates the relationship between foreign investors’ trading behaviour and political election events in South Korea and the effect of the relationship on the financial markets via a bivariate GARCH (1,1) model analysis. The empirical results show that the KOSPI 200 index return (total trading volumes of spot) and the derivatives volume have a negative (positive) relationship for foreign investors. South Korea shifted to a free floating exchange rate system, however, it did not have an effect on foreign investors’ trading behaviour. In particular, foreign investors showed significant decrease in trading options contracts during the parliamentary election periods and the parliamentary elections stabilized derivatives trading volatility. It is evident from the results that the presidential elections create far more financial uncertainty in comparison to parliamentary elections.
Design and assembly procedures for large-sized biohybrid scaffolds as patches for myocardial infarct.

OBJECTIVE To assemble a biohybrid cardiac patch consisting of a large (5 × 5 cm) elastomer scaffold whose pores are filled with a self-assembling peptide (SAP) gel entrapping adipose stem cells, to be used as a novel implant in a big animal model (sheep) of myocardial infarction. The study focuses on the way to determine optimal procedures for incorporating the SAP solution and the cells in the patch to ensure cell colonization and a homogeneous cell distribution in the construct before implantation. The problems associated with the scale-up of the different procedures raised by the large size of the construct are discussed. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experiments were performed to choose between different assembling alternatives: incorporation of the SAP gel before cell seeding or simultaneous SAP and cell loading of the scaffold; surface seeding of cells or cell injection into the scaffold pores; dissemination of the cells throughout the scaffold before incubation by gentle shaking or by centrifugation. Immunocytochemistry techniques and confocal and scanning electron microscopies were employed to assess and quantify cell colonization of the material and early cell distribution. Cell concentrations and the uniformity of cellular distribution throughout the scaffold were taken as the main criteria to decide between the different alternative procedures. RESULTS The combination of peptide preloading, cell injection, and shaking before incubation yielded the best results in terms of greater cell density and the most uniform distribution after 24 h of culture compared with the other methods. These techniques could be scaled-up to obtain large biohybrid cardiac patches with success. CONCLUSIONS The results obtained after the different seeding methods allowed us to establish an effective protocol for the assembly of large biohybrid patches for their subsequent implantation in the heart of a big animal model of myocardial infarct in the context of a preclinical study.
Engaging Canadian First Nations women in cervical screening through education

Recognition of the need to decrease cervical cancer rates in Indigenous populations has been ongoing – yet few successful interventions have been reported. In addition, the literature addressing the challenges and barriers associated with designing screening programs aimed to specifically reach Indigenous women is limited. Here, we report findings from a mixed methods cervical cancer research project conducted in partnership with 10 First Nations communities in Northwest Ontario, Canada. Individual interviews with community health professionals (the majority of whom identified as First Nation) stressed that awareness of cervical screening benefits is lacking. In contrast, focus group participants (women with no formal health education) emphasized the desire to learn more about the science of human papillomavirus (HPV) and that a positive HPV or abnormal Papanicolaou test need not mean a woman will develop cervical cancer. Both the health professionals and the focus group participants highlighted that sexual health education must start early, in schools, preferably before girls are sexually active and that it has to continue throughout life to create a screening culture with a focus on women’s well-being. Health professionals elaborated mainly on special events for community women, whereas focus group participants also recognized the need to include community men in health education particularly for destigmatizing the sexually transmitted HPV infection.
Evaluation of endothelial dysfunction, lipid metabolism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: relationship of paraoxonase 1 activity, malondialdehyde levels, low-density lipoprotein subfractions, and endothelial dysfunction

The aim of this study was to assess relationship of insulin resistance, oxidant-antioxidant status, endothelial dysfunction, lipid metabolism, and their contribution to the risks of cardiovascular disease in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Forty-five women with PCOS and 17 healthy women were included in this study. Nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), malondialdehyde (MDA), Apo A1, Apo B, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, small, dense LDL cholesterol (sdLDL-C), large buoyant LDL cholesterol (LbLDL-C) levels, and paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity were measured in serum/plasma obtained from study groups. Insulin resistance [homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index] and serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), total testosterone (tT), free testosterone (fT), androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosteronsulfate (DHEAS) levels were also evaluated. Significantly decreased SHBG, NO, HDL-C levels, and PON1 activities, but increased tT, fT, androstenedione, DHEAS, HOMA index, MDA, ET-1, LDL-C, sdLDL-C, and LbLDL-C values were found in PCOS patients compared with those of controls. There was a positive correlation between MDA and fT levels; and a negative correlation between PON1 activity and fT. Our data show that insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress might contribute to the excess risk of cardiovascular disease reported in PCOS patients.
Robust double feedforward tracking control system using error based disturbance observer for optical disk systems

Recently, the size of digital content has continued to increase. In order to cope, manufacturers of digital storage media have tried to increase capacity by narrowing the track pitch of these digital storage media. In addition, recent advancements in technology have resulted in a new optical disk has a rotation speed of over 15,000 rpm. Considering all these factors, we believe that a high-precision tracking control system is needed for optical disks. Consequently, this paper proposes a new robust double feedforward control (RDFFC) system for high-precision control. The proposed system is constructed by using two error prediction-based zero phase error tracking (ZPET) control systems, and includes an error-based disturbance observer (EDOB) that uses notch filter to suppress non-periodic disturbances. The proposed control system is designed for DDU-1000 for DVD. The experimental results confirm that our proposed system is practicable and effective.
Viral and non-viral vectors for cancer gene therapy.

BACKGROUND Our research has focused on developing improved delivery vectors for treating cancer by gene therapy using the tumor suppressor p53 gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS Recombinant viral and non-viral vectors were used to deliver the p53 gene into non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells either in culture or as a subcutaneous tumor. Transduction of tumor cells was measured by beta-gal expression while tumor cell proliferation was used to measure the effect of p53. RESULTS High level transduction was obtained in vitro and in vivo with a recombinant adenoviral vector, resulting in tumor cell growth inhibition in both models. A targeted, non-viral gene delivery vector based on the use of an EGF/DNA polyplex also resulted in efficient (as high as 66% transduction) and specific gene delivery in vitro when replication defective adenovirus was used as an endosome release agent. CONCLUSION These vectors now provide improved methods to deliver therapeutic genes for cancer treatment by gene therapy.
Squamous atypia in the atrophic cervical vaginal smear

S ince their inception, cervical screening programs undeniably have contributed to a reduction in the incidence and mortality of carcinoma of the uterine cervix. The Papanicolaou smear, a deceptively simple test, nevertheless has received significant public criticism in recent years. Although this chiefly has been directed at falsenegative smears, the issues associated with false-positive reports, including the adverse psychologic impact on the woman and the significant added cost to already burdened health resources, are leading to a re-examination of diagnostic criteria and the introduction of additional methodologies in the attempt to refine accuracy. Postmenopausal squamous atypia is common. The entity manifests as a spectrum of nuclear changes that ranges from physiologic and technical factors associated with failing epithelial estrogenization to those predictive of intraepithelial neoplasia. Hence, reproducable cytologic criteria that separate the latter from benign processes are essential to distinguish between women who can continue safely in the routine screening program and those requiring investigation. Furthermore, such criteria and their relative predictive value are significant in the balance between spending the health dollar wisely, reducing unnecessary patient stress, and the timely recognition of intraepithelial neoplasia and potential sequelae. In this issue of Cancer Cytopathology Abati et al. review the interpretation of common nuclear changes in postmenopausal cervical vaginal smears, a perennial cytologic problem. They address the issue by selecting a series of 90 postmenopausal smears, each of which had to exhibit an atrophic pattern, and each of which had to be considered abnormal by one of three reviewing pathologists. The smears are allocated to three main categories: benign changes associated with atrophy (including a broad spectrum ranging from trivial inflammatory reaction through problems of vaginal dryness and smear preparation), atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS), and squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL). Each case is assessed based on the morphologic criteria of nuclear enlargement (3 to 4 times the size of a normal intermediate cell nucleus), nuclear hyperchromasia, and nuclear membrane irregularity. Follow-up, after either local estrogen therapy or biopsy, reaffirms the lack of predictive 200 CANCER CYTOPATHOLOGY
Prospective study of the ability of serial measurements of serum chromogranin A and gastrin to detect changes in tumor burden in patients with gastrinomas

Assessment of tumor burden changes is essential for the management of patients with neuroendocrine gastrointestinal (GI) tumors. Chromogranin A (CgA) is a tumor marker for such tumors; however, to the authors' knowledge, there is little information on whether serial assessments can assess changes in tumor burden. In this prospective study of patients with gastrinomas, serial changes in serum CgA levels were compared with changes in levels of the specific tumor marker gastrin to determine whether they reflected changes in tumor burden.
Energy Poverty in Rural and Urban India: Are the Energy Poor Also Income Poor?

Energy poverty is a frequently used term among energy specialists, but unfortunately the concept is rather loosely defined. Several existing approaches measure energy poverty by defining an energy poverty line as the minimum quantity of physical energy needed to perform such basic tasks as cooking and lighting. This paper proposes an alternative measure that is based on energy demand. The energy poverty line is defined as the threshold point at which energy consumption begins to rise with increases in household income. This approach was applied to cross-sectional data from a comprehensive 2005 household survey representative of both urban and rural India. The findings suggest that in rural areas some 57 percent of households are energy poor, versus 22 percent that are income poor. For urban areas the energy poverty rate is 28 percent compared with 20 percent that are income poor. Policies to reduce energy poverty would include support for rural electrification, the promotion of more modern cooking fuels, and encouraging greater adoption of improved biomass stoves. A combination of these programs would play a significant role in reducing energy poverty in rural India.
Emerging strategic people management of coalmines in Central Queensland

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to set a research agenda which will explore the link between strategic human resource management (HRM) and business performance of the coal industry in Central Queensland, Australia.Design/methodology/approach – Key performance indicators of coalmines are collected from official statistics and other publicly available records. A survey instrument is to be designed and used to collect data related to experiences and perceptions of managers and employees in coalmines. Statistical tools are used to test interrelationships between key variables.Findings – The research will be the first empirical study of the link between strategic HRM and business performance of the coal industry. The research outcomes will contribute to the body of knowledge concerning the relationship between strategic HRM and business performance. Studying people management practices in the coal industry enables us to paint a clearer picture of the key HRM issues currently faced by the industry. As manage.
An empirical investigation of retail rents in five European cities

Presents the findings of the first comparative econometric investigation into the influence of demand side forces on retail rent determination in European cities. Examines five major retail centres ‐ Amsterdam, Brussels, Hamburg, London and Paris ‐ over the period 1980 to 1994. Estimates for each city a theory consistent model which tests influences of GDP, retail sales and consumer expenditure on changes in retail rents. Univariate and multivariate regressions show that the relative explanatory capabilities of these influences exhibit a notable degree of variation between the cities. A time series cross‐sectional analysis demonstrates that contemporaneous changes in GDP are the most important common determinant of retail rents across the cities and that the process of rent determination in Paris is influenced by different structural factors from the other cities examined.
Danazol fails to increase factor VIII or IX levels in a double‐blind crossover study of patients with haemophilia A and B

Summary. Twenty‐one patients, 14 with haemophilia A and seven with haemophilia B, completed a double‐blind crossover study to evaluate the effects of danazol on factor VIII and factor IX levels. Clotting and immunoradiometric assays were used to measure factor levels at baseline, 2 weeks and 8 weeks on both danazol and placebo. Fibrinogen, plasminogen and activated partial thromboplastin time were measured on all patients during placebo and danazol treatment. Although plasminogen levels rose significantly (P<0.01) and fibrinogen decreased (P<0.01), factor VIII and IX levels did not change. While on danazol, three patients had increased bleeding and shortened euglobulin lysis times compared to their baseline levels. We conclude that danazol does not raise factor VIII or IX levels and increases bleeding in some patients.
Return to education in Vietnam during the recent transformation

A common phenomenon about transition economies is that the return to schooling improves as economic reform progresses. Existing evidence suggests that Vietnam is not an exception to the pattern. However, the rate of return for the period 1992 to 1998 is still low relative to that of the world and of other transitional economies. To provide up-to-date estimates of the return and to test whether the return to schooling in Vietnam is rising and reaches other transitional economies' rate of return, we re-examine the return in Vietnam from 1998 until before the current global economic crisis when the reforms have had a longer time to have an effect. We apply the OLS and Heckman selection estimators and find that the return has increased quickly during the later economic reform period but its pace has slowed down when the return reached the global average rate.
Temporal Bone Hemangiomas Involving the Facial Nerve

Objective Hemangiomas of the facial nerve are rare tumors that can mimic more common temporal bone tumors such as vestibular schwannomas and facial nerve schwannomas. This article reviews the diagnostic challenges in the surgical treatment of facial nerve hemangiomas. Study Design Two case reports and literature review. Results Early diagnosis and surgical excision of facial nerve hemangiomas can sometimes allow tumor removal with facial nerve preservation. In patients in whom the facial nerve needs to be resected to remove the hemangioma, primary anastomosis or cable nerve grafting can yield House-Brackmann Grade III/VI postoperative facial nerve function. Conclusion Complete surgical excision of facial nerve hemangiomas with primary facial nerve repair (when necessary) is the treatment of choice for these lesions.