Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interaction of Image and Language in the Construction of the Theme "Terrorist Threat" in Newspaper Texts: A Critical Study of Media Discourse

With the increasing global expansion of the media communications, the study of media discourse and their diverse roles have become the focus of recent academic researches. Apart from verbal texts, a growing amount of space is being given to visual images in the press, which indicates that visual metaphor as well as verbal metaphor is employed in the construction of meanings in media discourse. This study draws on the theory of social semiotics and the concepts of cognitive metaphor theory to analyze two multimodal newspaper articles on the theme ”terrorist threat”, specifically the functions these visual and verbal modes of the texts perform, the specific role visual metaphor plays and its relationship to verbal metaphor in the construction of this theme.
Variations in soil carbon sequestration and their determinants along a precipitation gradient in seasonally dry tropical forest ecosystems

The effect of precipitation regime on the C cycle of tropical forests is poorly understood, despite the existence of models that suggest a drier climate may substantially alter the source‐sink function of these ecosystems. Along a precipitation regime gradient containing 12 mature seasonally dry tropical forests growing under otherwise similar conditions (similar annual temperature, rainfall seasonality, and geological substrate), we analyzed the influence of variation in annual precipitation (1240 to 642 mm) and duration of seasonal drought on soil C. We investigated litterfall, decomposition in the forest floor, and C storage in the mineral soil, and analyzed the dependence of these processes and pools on precipitation. Litterfall decreased slightly – about 10% – from stands with 1240 mm yr−1 to those with 642 mm yr−1, while the decomposition decreased by 56%. Reduced precipitation strongly affected C storage and basal respiration in the mineral soil. Higher soil C storage at the drier sites was also related to the higher chemical recalcitrance of litter (fine roots and forest floor) and the presence of charcoal across sites, suggesting an important indirect influence of climate on C sequestration. Basal respiration was controlled by the amount of recalcitrant organic matter in the mineral soil. We conclude that in these forest ecosystems, the long‐term consequences of decreased precipitation would be an increase in organic layer and mineral soil C storage, mainly due to lower decomposition and higher chemical recalcitrance of organic matter, resulting from changes in litter composition and, likely also, wildfire patterns. This could turn these seasonally dry tropical forests into significant soil C sinks under the predicted longer drought periods if primary productivity is maintained.
Adaptive Robust Precision Motion Control of High-speed Linear Motors with On-line Cogging Force Compensations

— This paper studies the precision motion control of high-speed/acceleration linear motors in a commercial gantry which are subject to significant nonlinear cogging forces. A discontinuous projection based desired compensation adaptive robust controller (ARC) is constructed and implemented. Design models consisting of known basis functions with unknown weights are used to approximate various unknown nonlinear forces with model approximation errors being explicitly accounted for in the controller design process. On-line parameter adaptation is then utilized to reduce the effect of various parametric uncertainties while certain robust control laws are synthesized to effectively handle various modeling uncertainties for a guaranteed robust performance. Comparative experimental results obtained on an Anorad commercial gantry with a linear encoder resolution of 0.5 µm and a position measurement resolution of 20 nanometers by external laser interferometers are presented to illustrate the achievable control performance of the proposed control strategy in implementation. Experiments are also performed to explicitly identify the cogging forces via external force sensors. Various comparative experimental results with and without the proposed cogging force compensations are then obtained to validate the effectiveness of the approach in practical applications.
Brain lesion detection in MRI with fuzzy and geostatistical models

Automated image detection of white matter changes of the brain is essentially helpful in providing a quantitative measure for studying the association of white matter lesions with other types of biomedical data. Such study allows the possibility of several medical hypothesis validations which lead to therapeutic treatment and prevention. This paper presents a new clustering-based segmentation approach for detecting white matter changes in magnetic resonance imaging with particular reference to cognitive decline in the elderly. The proposed method is formulated using the principles of fuzzy c-means algorithm and geostatistics.
Simultaneous RNA-Seq Analysis of a Mixed Transcriptome of Rice and Blast Fungus Interaction

A filamentous fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, is a causal agent of rice blast disease, which is one of the most serious diseases affecting cultivated rice, Oryza sativa. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying both rice defense and fungal attack are not yet fully understood. Extensive past studies have characterized many infection-responsive genes in the pathogen and host plant, separately. To understand the plant-pathogen interaction comprehensively, it is valuable to monitor the gene expression profiles of both interacting organisms simultaneously in the same infected plant tissue. Although the host-pathogen interaction during the initial infection stage is important for the establishment of infection, the detection of fungal gene expression in infected leaves at the stage has been difficult because very few numbers of fungal cells are present. Using the emerging RNA-Seq technique, which has a wide dynamic range for expression analyses, we analyzed the mixed transcriptome of rice and blast fungus in infected leaves at 24 hours post-inoculation, which is the point when the primary infection hyphae penetrate leaf epidermal cells. We demonstrated that our method detected the gene expression of both the host plant and pathogen simultaneously in the same infected leaf blades in natural infection conditions without any artificial treatments. The upregulation of 240 fungal transcripts encoding putative secreted proteins was observed, suggesting that these candidates of fungal effector genes may play important roles in initial infection processes. The upregulation of transcripts encoding glycosyl hydrolases, cutinases and LysM domain-containing proteins were observed in the blast fungus, whereas pathogenesis-related and phytoalexin biosynthetic genes were upregulated in rice. Furthermore, more drastic changes in expression were observed in the incompatible interactions compared with the compatible ones in both rice and blast fungus at this stage. Our mixed transcriptome analysis is useful for the simultaneous elucidation of the tactics of host plant defense and pathogen attack.
Unmasking Athlete Microaggressions: Division I Student-Athletes' Engagement With Members of the Campus Community

The purpose of this study was to explore student-athletes’ (n = 122) perceptions of discriminatory acts by professors and other students at a large Division I university in the western United States. The majority of respondents reported either positive or neutral experiences with other campus community members, but a small number described instances where professors and other students questioned their intellectual abilities, academic motivation, or treatment by the university. The author introduces the label “athlete microaggressions” to classify and validate the existence of insensitive and demeaning behaviors directed at student-athletes. The author identifies new directions for future work that builds on this research.
The Ethics of Excellence in Tourism Research

This article examines the challenges that have emerged in tourism as a result of the new audit culture, and the effects this system is having on the creation of knowledge. A premium is now being placed on quantifying just about every type of output in our efforts to rank one agent or entity against another: people, programs, journals, disciplines, and so on. This analysis departs from other works on the topic through the use of philosophy, and in particular, the work of the Canadian philosopher John Ralston Saul. Saul’s thoughts on corporatism, instrumental reason, utilitarianism, and knowledge are fundamental to the situation we find ourselves in at present. I argue, as Saul does, for a return to content over structure and form. Although working within these systems may be beneficial to some scholars and their programs and universities, the practice is not helping to build a cohesive and well-organized field.
NIVEL SOCIOCULTURAL, PRÁCTICAS EDUCATIVAS FAMILIARES Y AUTOESTIMA DE LOS HIJOS EN EDADES TEMPRANAS

Empirical research on the relation between sociocultural level of families and self-esteem of children at an early age is scarce . Even rarer are those which take into account the child’s perception of his/her father’s or mother’s “ educational practices” at an early age . Two studies (one is the replication of the other) analyzed the relation between family educational practices and self-esteem in high sociocultural level families ( Alonso and Roman , 2005a), and family educational practices and self-esteem in low sociocultural level families ( Alonso and Roman, 2005b ). This article made the comparison of both studies taking family sociocultural level as an independent variable, and educational practices and self-esteem of young children as dependent variables . The results showed that sociocultural level determined: ( a) differences in perceptions of family educational practices held by parents and children, ( b) the level of agreement between both perceptions, and ( c) the influence on children’s self-esteem . Keywords: family sociocultural level; family educational practices; self-esteem of young children .
Analyzing the language evolution of a science classroom via a topic model

In this paper, we introduce a topic model to analyze the temporal change in the spoken language of a science classroom based on a dataset of conversations among a teacher and students. One of the key goals is discovering the root of the change in the language usage of students. To accomplish this, we defined 4 categories which generate words: 1) back ground (general) 2) activity, 3) session subject, and 4) personal. Our experimental results support the hypothesis that the change in the language of students mainly consists of using more activity-based language which can be interpreted as using more scientific discourse. Such an approach can be used to investigate the effect of teaching methods or to represent an individual’s progress.
Beamspace MIMO prototype for low-complexity Gigabit/s wireless communication

The rapid proliferation of data hungry devices is creating a bandwidth crisis, with aggregate data rates expected to increase 1000 fold by 2020. Millimeter-wave (mm-wave) systems, operating in the 30-300GHz band, are poised to meet this exploding demand through large bandwidths and high-dimensional MIMO operation. However traditional MIMO techniques result in prohibitively high-complexity transceivers. In this paper, we report initial results on a Continuous Aperture Phase MIMO (CAP-MIMO) prototype that uses a discrete lens array (DLA) for analog spatial beamforming to reduce complexity. The CAP-MIMO prototype is based on the theory of beamspace MIMO communication - modulating data onto orthogonal spatial beams - to achieve near-optimal performance with the lowest transceiver complexity. We build on previous theoretical and experimental results to construct a prototype CAP-MIMO link at 10GHz for line-of-sight communication and for initial proof-of-concept demonstration. The prototype supports four spatial channels with Gigabits/s data rates.
Asymptotic Stability of Software Systems with Rejuvenation Policy

Asymptotic stability of software systems with rejuvenation policy is studied. Both partial restart and reboot from crash are considered in gradually deteriorating software systems. An integral-differential mathematical model of software systems is constructed. We show that the system operator generates a positive Co-semigroup of contractions in the state Banach space. Moreover, 0 is an eigenvalue with algebraical multiplicity 1 and it is also a unique spectral point on the imaginary axis. As a result, the asymptotic stability of software systems is then obtained and the steady-state space of the system is spanned by the eigenfunction of eigenvalue 0.
Improved in vitro gene transfer mediated by fluorinated lipoplexes in the presence of a bile salt surfactant

Progress in the field of gene transfer with non‐viral vectors requires systems that allow efficient gene expression in the presence of biological fluids such as pulmonary surfactants, for gene transfer to the respiratory epithelium for cystic fibrosis gene therapy, or bile salts (which contain powerful anionic detergents), for gene transfer to the biliary epithelium for gene therapy of the hepatobiliary disease associated with cystic fibrosis (CF). We have performed a comparative analysis of the disintegration and DNA accessibility of fluorinated and conventional lipoplexes, and their in vitro transfection potential in the presence of a powerful biliary surfactant.
Metabolic Impact of Education in NIDDM

Objective To evaluate the impact of a model program of diabetes education and weight reduction on diabetes control and weight loss in obese individuals with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Research Design and Methods Eighty-two obese diabetic subjects were randomized to three levels of educational intensity: 1) a single individual session, 2) a 12-wk behavior-oriented diabetes education and weight control group intervention, or 3) group intervention plus six individual follow-up sessions. Repeated measures of weight, fasting blood glucose, and HbA1c were collected. Measures of diabetes knowledge, skills, and attitudes were also obtained. Results By 6 mo, all three intervention groups had a significant weight loss (P < 0.01). The mean weight loss of ∼ 10 lb was independent of treatment group and was maintained over the duration of the study. However, significant improvement in metabolic control was associated with participation in the diabetes education-weight reduction intervention. Conclusions The findings of this study indicate that a cognitive behavioral group intervention of diabetes knowledge and weight reduction training can produce weight loss and improvements in diabetes control. The addition of individual counseling as a follow-up maintenance strategy does not appear to have any advantage.
Neural patterns to speech and vocabulary growth in American infants

We report infant auditory event-related potentials to native and foreign contrasts. Foreign contrasts are discriminated at 11 months of age, showing significant differences between the standard and deviant over the positive (P150–250), or over the negative (N250–550) part of the waveform. The amplitudes of these deflections have different amplitude scalp distributions. Infants were followed up longitudinally at 18, 22, 25, 27 and 30 months for word production. The infant speech discriminatory P150–250 and N250–550 are different components with different implications for later language development.
A Review of Empirical Research on Dynamic Competitive Strategy

Beginning with Chandler's 1962 seminal work, researchers have emphasized that competitive strategy is not a static phenomenon, but rather a sequence of interconnected actions and reactions unfolding over time. This paper reviews the empirical research on dynamic competitive strategy published between 1986 and 2005 in nine leading strategic management journals. An integrated framework is used to showcase the research in terms of antecedents, strategic actions and outcomes. The literature review demonstrates that significant progress has been made in the field of dynamic competitive strategy, and yet that there are still many promising lines of inquiry for future theoretical and empirical research, particularly in the areas of strategic action timing and path dependency.
A Peculiar Mutation Spectrum Emerging from Young Peruvian Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma usually afflicts individuals in their later years following longstanding liver disease. In Peru, hepatocellular carcinoma exists in a unique clinical presentation, which affects patients around age 25 with a normal, healthy liver. In order to deepen our understanding of the molecular processes ongoing in Peruvian liver tumors, mutation spectrum analysis was carried out on hepatocellular carcinomas from 80 Peruvian patients. Sequencing analysis focused on nine genes typically altered during liver carcinogenesis, i.e. ARID2, AXIN1, BRAF, CTNNB1, NFE2L2, H/K/N-RAS, and TP53. We also assessed the transcription level of factors involved in the control of the alpha-fetoprotein expression and the Hippo signaling pathway that controls contact inhibition in metazoans. The mutation spectrum of Peruvian patients was unique with a major class of alterations represented by Insertions/Deletions. There were no changes at hepatocellular carcinoma-associated mutation hotspots in more than half of the specimens analyzed. Furthermore, our findings support the theory of a consistent collapse in the Hippo axis, as well as an expression of the stemness factor NANOG in high alpha-fetoprotein-expressing hepatocellular carcinomas. These results confirm the specificity of Peruvian hepatocellular carcinoma at the molecular genetic level. The present study emphasizes the necessity to widen cancer research to include historically neglected patients from South America, and more broadly the Global South, where cancer genetics and tumor presentation are divergent from canonical neoplasms.
Differential survival and growth of wild and cultivated seedlings of columnar cacti: Consequences of domestication.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Studies of domestication of cacti in the Tehuacán Valley have identified morphophysiological divergences between wild and cultivated populations. To determine whether such divergences are associated with differential survivorship in xeric and mesic environments characterizing wild and cultivated habitats, respectively, we hypothesized that seedlings from cultivated populations are less tolerant of xeric environments and that differences between wild and cultivated populations are greater in species with higher management intensity. METHODS We compared size, survivorship, and absolute and relative growth rates (AGRs, RGRs) in shade and humidity gradients of seedlings from wild and cultivated populations of Stenocereus pruinosus, S. stellatus, Polaskia chichipe, and Escontria chiotilla. These species represent a range of management intensity, from highest to lowest, respectively. KEY RESULTS Seedlings of cultivated populations were larger than those of wild populations in all species studied. The AGRs were significantly different in P. chichipe and E. chiotilla associated with management, whereas the RGRs and seedling survival were significantly different in S. pruinosus and P. chichipe throughout the shade gradient tested. We also found significant differences in seedling survival among humidity treatments in E. chiotilla and among shade treatments in P. chichipe. CONCLUSIONS Artificial selection favoring larger fruits favors larger seeds and seedlings. Seedling survivorship and growth of managed plants are generally higher in mesic environments apparently because of natural selection associated with habitat conditions. Such differences may contribute to morphophysiological divergences between wild and cultivated populations. Interspecific differences might be associated with adaptations to the natural environments where each species occurs.
Revision of the Alycaeidae of China, Laos and Vietnam (Gastropoda: Cyclophoroidea) I: The genera Dicharax and Metalycaeus.

This is the first part of the revision of the Alycaeidae of China, Laos and Vietnam. Here we revise the species hitherto classified in Chamalycaeus Möllendorff, 1897 (genera Dicharax and Metalycaeus in this study). We show that no Chamalycaeus live in the region, and the alycaeid species of the investigated region can be classified into five genera: Alycaeus Baird, 1850, Dicharax Kobelt & Möllendorff, 1900, Dioryx Benson, 1859, Metalycaeus Pilsbry, 1900 and Pincerna Preston, 1907. We propose Dioryx dautzenbergi Páll-Gergely nom. nov. as a replacement name for Alycaeus (Dioryx) major Bavay & Dautzenberg, 1900, non Alycæus (Dioryx) granum var. major Godwin-Austen, 1893. Alycaeus anceyi Mabille, 1887, A. eydouxi Venmans, 1956, A. mouhoti L. Pfeiffer, 1862, A. rolfbrandti Maassen, 2006 and A. vanbuensis Bavay & Dautzenberg, 1900 are retained in Alycaeus. Alycaeus costulosa Bavay & Dautzenberg, 1912 and A. maolanensis Luo, Zhang & Zhuo 2009 were transferred to Pincerna. We examined newly collected specimens and the type specimens of all species with the exception of the following: A. elevatus Heude, 1886, A. expansus Heude, 1890, A. neglectus Heude, 1885, Chamalycaeus libonensis Chen, Li & Luo 2003, C. panshiensis Chen, 1989, C. tangmaiensis Chen & Zhang, 2001, C. zayuensis Zhang, Chen & Zhou, 2008. Fifteen new species are described as follows: Dicharax (? ) abdoui Páll-Gergely, n. sp. , Dicharax (? ) alticola Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Dicharax (? ) ellipticus Páll-Gergely n. sp. , Dicharax (? ) immaculatus Páll-Gergely n. sp. , Dicharax bison Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Dicharax draco Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Dicharax imitator Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Dicharax microcostatus Páll-Gergely n. sp. , Dicharax micropolitus Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Dicharax robustus Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi, n. sp. , Metalycaeus (? ) awalycaeoides Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Metalycaeus (? ) ibex Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Metalycaeus laosensis Páll-Gergely n. sp. , Metalycaeus oharai Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi n. sp. , Metalycaeus (? ) okuboi Páll-Gergely & Hunyadi, n. sp. A total of twelve names are synonymised with valid species. In this revision we payed special attention to conchological characters hitherto neglected, such as the fine sculpture of the embryonic whorls and the fine structure of the microtunnels along the breathing tube. We described the radula and penis morphology of five Dicharax species.