Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alcohol Intoxication May Exacerbate the Effects of Blunt Cranial Trauma Through Changes in Brain Free Magnesium Levels

Abstract: Moderate to high levels of alcohol decrease brain intracellular free magnesium concentration, a factor known to be critical in brain injury. Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to examine changes to brain free magnesium concentration after blunt cranial trauma in alcohol‐intoxicated rats. Rats exposed acutely or chronically to alcohol sufficient to increase blood alcohol levels to between 150 and 350 mg/dL demonstrated a brain free magnesium level that was 20–50% less than in nonintoxicated animals (p < 0.01). After injury, brain free magnesium levels declined more rapidly and to a greater extent in alcohol‐affected animals than in nonintoxicated control animals (p < 0.001). As both preinjury depletion of magnesium and degree of magnesium decline after brain injury have been associated with poor recovery, these findings suggest that moderate to severe alcohol intoxication may predispose the brain to a worse outcome by reducing brain free magnesium levels, both before and after injury.
Learning with Previously Unseen Features

We study the problem of improving a machine learning model by identifying and using features that are not in the training set. This is applicable to machine learning systems deployed in an open environment. For example, a prediction model built on a set of sensors may be improved when it has access to new and relevant sensors at test time. To effectively use new features, we propose a novel approach that learns a model over both the original and new features, with the goal of making the joint distribution of features and predicted labels similar to that in the training set. Our approach can naturally leverage labels associated with these new features when they are accessible. We present an efficient optimization algorithm for learning the model parameters and empirically evaluate the approach on several regression and classification tasks. Experimental results show that our approach can achieve on average 11.2% improvement over baselines.
Intersection and Signed-Intersection Kernels for Intervals

In this paper two kernels for interval data based on the intersection operation are introduced. On the one hand, it is demonstrated that the intersection length of two intervals is a positive definite (PD) kernel. On the other hand, a signed variant of this kernel, which also permits discriminating between disjoint intervals, is demonstrated to be a conditionally positive definite (CPD) kernel. The potentiality and performance of the two kernels presented when applying them to learning machine techniques based on kernel methods are shown by considering three different examples involving interval data.
Realizing steep subthreshold swing with Impact Ionization Transistors

Recent developments in Impact Ionization Transistors (I-MOS) will be discussed here, including strained impact ionization transistors realized on the nanowire or multiple-gate device architecture. I-MOS devices achieve excellent subthreshold swings well below 5 mV/decade at room temperature. Techniques for enhancing impact ionization rate and reducing the breakdown voltage VBD for device performance improvement will be discussed. Challenges faced by I-MOS will be highlighted. Some challenges may be addressed through the strain and materials engineering. Limitations of the I-MOS will also be discussed.
Domain-specific Languages and Code Synthesis Using Haskell

There are many ways to give instructions to a computer: an electrical engineer might write a MATLAB program; a database administrator might write an SQL script; a hardware engineer might write in Verilog; and an accountant might write a spreadsheet with embedded formulas. Aside from the difference in language used in each of these examples, there is an important difference in form and idiom. Each uses a language customized to the job at hand, and each builds computational requests in a form both familiar and productive for programmers (although accountants may not think of themselves as programmers). In short, each of these examples uses a DSL (domain-specific language).
Effects of Growth in the Presence of Subinhibitory Concentrations of Dicloxacillin on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus haemolyticus Biofilms

ABSTRACT Low concentrations of antibiotics can inhibit microbial adherence to medical device surfaces. However, little is known about the changes that occur in the physiology of bacteria within biofilms formed in the presence of subinhibitory (sub-MIC) concentrations of antibiotics. In this study, the densities and matrix compositions ofbiofilms formed by two coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species in the absence and in the presence of sub-MIC concentrations of dicloxacillin were evaluated. Biofilms formed in the presence of sub-MIC concentrations of dicloxacillin contained less biomass, and there were notable changes in the composition of the biofilm matrix. Changes in the spatial structure were also verified by confocal scanning laser microscopy, indicating that biofilms grown in the presence of sub-MIC concentrations of dicloxicilln had a lower cell density. Physiological alterations in the bacteria within biofilms grown in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of the antibiotic were also evaluated. The results showed that there were differences in bacterial surface characteristics when cultures were grown in the presence of sub-MIC concentrations of dicloxacillin, including decreased hydrophobicity and decreased expression of the exopolysaccharide poly-N-acetylglucosamine. The elemental composition of the cell surface was also analyzed, and whereas in Staphylococcus epidermidis there were decreases in the oxygen and nitrogen contents, in Staphylococcus haemolyticus there were increases in these two parameters. Additionally, increases in resistance to several antibiotics were observed for the cells within biofilms formed in the presence of dicloxacillin.
Projection-based group delay scheme for speech recognition

This paper deals with speech recognition in a noisy environment. Some robust properties of the group delay spectrum are derived, and a projection-based group delay scheme is proposed for noisy speech recognition. Experiments show that the proposed new scheme obtains better recognition results, especially under low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions. When the features of speech signals are obtained from the group delay spectrum, the continuous hidden Markov models (CHMMs) are used for speaker-dependent speech recognition. The robustness of the noisy group delay spectrum is analyzed through a noisy speech model and histograms, respectively. We apply the projection measure to the CHMM and derive the correlative formulas.
Annual Life Cycle and Floral Development of 'Sarah Bernhardt' Peony in Israel

The life cycle and morphogenesis of the floral shoot of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas cv. Sarah Bernhardt were studied under Israeli conditions. The renewal buds for the following year originate on the underground crown, at the base of the annual stems. Bud emergence begins in early spring. Stems elongate rapidly and reach heights of 50-70 cm in 60-70 days. Flowering begins in April and continues until the end of May. After flowering, the leafy stems remain green until September-October, when the leaves senesce, and the peony plant enters the "rest" stage for 3-4 months. The new monocarpic shoot initiated in the renewal bud at the end of June with the formation of the first leaf primordia and continued to increase in size until February. During summer, the renewal buds remain vegetative. The apical meristem ceases leaf formation after senescence of the aboveground shoots in the fall. During September, the apical meristem of the renewal buds reaches the generative stage and achieves the form of a dome, but remains undifferentiated. In October, floral parts become visible. Floral differentiation is terminated at the beginning of December. Floral initiation and differentiation of peony do not require low temperatures. Morphological development and florogenesis were similar to other geophyte species with an annual thermoperiodic life cycle.
BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS IN CATTLE AND BADGERS IN LOCALIZED CULLING AREAS

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is a zoonotic disease that can have serious consequences for cattle farming and, potentially, for public health. In Britain, failure to control bovine TB has been linked to persistent infection of European badger (Meles meles) populations. However, culling of badgers in the vicinity of recent TB outbreaks in cattle has failed to reduce the overall incidence of cattle TB. Using data from a large-scale study conducted in 1998–2005, we show that badgers collected on such localized culls had elevated prevalence of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of bovine TB, suggesting that infections in cattle and badgers were indeed associated. Moreover, there was a high degree of similarity in the M. bovis strain types isolated from cattle and associated badgers. This similarity between strain types appeared to be unaffected by time lags between the detection of infection in cattle and culling of badgers, or by the presence of purchased cattle that might have acquired infection elsewhere. However, localized culling appeared to prompt an increase in the prevalence of M. bovis infection in badgers, probably by disrupting ranging and territorial behavior and hence increasing intraspecific transmission rates. This elevated prevalence among badgers could offset the benefits, for cattle, of reduced badger densities and may help to explain the failure of localized culling to reduce cattle TB incidence.
Mobile Delivery of Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorders

Several systems for treating alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) exist that operate on mobile phones. These systems are categorized into four groups: text-messaging monitoring and reminder systems, text-messaging intervention systems, comprehensive recovery management systems, and game-based systems. Text-messaging monitoring and reminder systems deliver reminders and prompt reporting of alcohol consumption, enabling continuous monitoring of alcohol use. Text-messaging intervention systems additionally deliver text messages designed to promote abstinence and recovery. Comprehensive recovery management systems use the capabilities of smart-phones to provide a variety of tools and services that can be tailored to individuals, including in-the-moment assessments and access to peer discussion groups. Game-based systems engage the user using video games. Although many commercial applications for treatment of AUDs exist, few (if any) have empirical evidence of effectiveness. The available evidence suggests that although texting-based applications may have beneficial effects, they are probably insufficient as interventions for AUDs. Comprehensive recovery management systems have the strongest theoretical base and have yielded the strongest and longest-lasting effects, but challenges remain, including cost, understanding which features account for effects, and keeping up with technological advances.
Contribution of Trimeric Autotransporter C-Terminal Domains of Oligomeric Coiled-Coil Adhesin (Oca) Family Members YadA, UspA1, EibA, and Hia to Translocation of the YadA Passenger Domain and Virulence of Yersinia enterocolitica

ABSTRACT The Oca family is a novel class of autotransporter-adhesins with highest structural similarity in their C-terminal transmembrane region, which supposedly builds a beta-barrel pore in the outer membrane (OM). The prototype of the Oca family is YadA, an adhesin of Yersinia enterocolitica and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. YadA forms a homotrimeric lollipop-like structure on the bacterial surface. The C-terminal regions of three YadA monomers form a barrel in the OM and translocate the trimeric N-terminal passenger domain, consisting of stalk, neck, and head region to the exterior. To elucidate the structural and functional role of the C-terminal translocator domain (TLD) and to assess its promiscuous capability with respect to transport of related passenger domains, we constructed chimeric YadA proteins, which consist of the N-terminal YadA passenger domain and C-terminal TLDs of Oca family members UspA1 (Moraxella catarrhalis), EibA (Escherichia coli), and Hia (Haemophilus influenzae). These constructs were expressed in Y. enterocolitica and compared for OM localization, surface exposure, oligomerization, adhesion properties, serum resistance, and mouse virulence. We demonstrate that all chimeric YadA proteins translocated the YadA passenger domain across the OM. Y. enterocolitica strains producing YadA chimeras or wild-type YadA showed comparable binding to collagen and epithelial cells. However, strains producing YadA chimeras were attenuated in serum resistance and mouse virulence. These results demonstrate for the first time that TLDs of Oca proteins of different origin are efficient translocators of the YadA passenger domain and that the cognate TLD of YadA is essential for bacterial survival in human serum and mouse virulence.
Sweet Mercy: A Scientific Investigation

SWEET MERCY: A SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION By Aubrey L. Gartner, Ph.D A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2012 Major Director: Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Professor, Psychology The purpose of the following studies is to understand the factors that are related to and influence a person’s merciful behavior toward an offender. I define mercy as an act by a person who has the authority to do so that administers or recommends less negative consequence or punishment than is deserved by someone justly deserved. In Study 1, undergraduate students (N = 400) completed the Mercy Meter, a self-report measure of mercy. The Mercy Meter’s scale structure and psychometric properties were examined using Item Response Theory Rasch Analysis. A 14-item, 2-factor scale was established with good psychometric properties. Evidence for the construct validity of the Mercy Meter was also found. In Study 2, I examined the effect of group status and empathy on a participant’s merciful behavior towards an offender who is being punished. Undergraduate students (N = 77) participated in a laboratory experiment in which they watched another student confess to an offense, receive a punishment sentence from a second student, and carry out the prescribed punishment. Participants’ level of mercy was measured by the length of time that they allowed the punishment to continue. Results suggest that the offender’s group status, but not the participant’s empathy towards the offender, had a direct effect on mercy. Implications, next steps for future research, and limitations of the current study are discussed.
Cross-Sectional Patterns of Mortgage Debt During the Housing Boom: Evidence and Implications

In this paper, we use two comprehensive micro-data sets to study how the distribution of mortgage debt evolved during the 2000s housing boom. We show that the allocation of mortgage debt across the income distribution remained stable, as did the allocation of real estate assets. Any theory of the boom must replicate these facts, and a general equilibrium model shows that doing so requires two elements: (1) an exogenous shock that increases expected house price growth or, alternatively, reduces interest rates and (2) financial markets that endogenously relax borrowing constraints in response to the shock. Empirically, the endogenous relaxation of constraints was largely accomplished with subprime lending, which allowed the mortgage debt of low-income households to increase at the same rate as that of high-income households.
Computational Insights into Zebrafish Brain Development during Gastrulation

Computer simulations are advancing to become the third pillar of science besides theory and experiment. In this work, I want to showcase two interdisciplinary projects in which computer simulations greatly enhanced the understanding of novel experimental results. Both of these works cover events during the early developmental stages of zebrafish Danio rerio, (Hamilton, 1822) and elucidate the early stages of brain development. The first work clarifies whether or not a novel short-range transport method via specialized filopodia is able to form the necessary long-range gradient for the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain differentiation. The second work employs a cellular Potts model to clarify if a single strongly adhesive progenitor cell group is able to shape the early notochord.
T-Junctions and Perceived Slant of Partially Occluded Surfaces

Häkkinen and Nyman (1997 Perception 26 29–38) reported that perceived slant is reduced when occlusion is a possible interpretation for the visual system. We present data from three experiments that confirm and expand on their finding. Our stimuli consisted of four types of stereograms depicting white central rectangles flanked on either side by two grey rectangles. The central white rectangles varied in height, thus manipulating the polarity of the T-junction information between the central and flanking rectangles. Perceived slant was smallest or not apparent when T-junction information indicated the central rectangles were nearer than the flanking rectangles and greatest when T-junction information indicated a farther central rectangle. Slant estimates for a stimulus containing a subjective pacmen-induced central rectangle were biased towards a depth step when an occlusion interpretation was possible.
An Exploratory Study of Functionality and Learning Resources of Web APIs on ProgrammableWeb

Web APIs provide various functionalities that can be leveraged by developers in building their applications. ProgrammableWeb, which is the largest and most active web API and mashup collection, provides a record of thousands of web APIs and mashups. However, important properties about these large number of web APIs, such as their functionality and support/resources for learning, have never been studied by the existing research work. In this study, we perform an exploratory analysis on functionality and learning resources of 9,883 web APIs and 4,315 mashups listed on ProgrammableWeb, and find that: (1) web APIs provide a wide range of functionalities related to business solution, text analysis, data source, etc.; many of them are substitutable; only a minority have been used with other APIs; (2) a majority of web APIs on ProgrammableWeb have provided resources to support developers in learning how to use the APIs.
Glandular or mucus‐secreting components in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

A review of 195 patients with carcinoma of the esophagus disclosed 41 cases (21.0%) with glandular and/or mucus‐secreting components, in addition to the ordinary component of squamous cell carcinoma. These tumors could be grouped into three types according to representative histologic features of glandular and mucus‐secreting portions: glandular type (23 cases), cribriform type (11 cases), and mucoepidermoid type (7 cases). The histologic features of the three types were reminiscent of those of adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and mucoepidermoid carcinoma of salivary glands, respectively. Moreover, areas showing glandular or mucus‐secreting differentiation were in greater part located in the submucosa and the lamina propria mucosae, thereby suggesting that such differentiation had arisen in the esophageal glands or their ducts. In all 41 cases, the ordinary element of squamous cell carcinoma, invasive, or noninvasive, was admixed in various proportions with the glandular components, indicating that this type of esophageal tumor had originated not only from the covering squamous epithelium but also from esophageal mucous‐gland or ductal epithelium. The findings also support the concept of the field origin of carcinogenesis in esophageal carcinoma.
The Impact of Process-Induced Mechanical Stress in Narrow Width Devices and Circuit Design Issues

In this work we present a simulation based study of the impact of process-induced mechanical stress in narrow width devices and its implication on circuit design. We observe that the channel stress and hence drive current of narrow width devices significantly depend upon the actual width of a device. We present a model for estimating width dependent channel stress and effective drive current in strain engineered devices. Width dependent change in drive strength causes WP/WN ratio (also referred to as 'ß') in inverters to change with inverter scaling factor 'S'. If not accounted for, this results into a suboptimal circuit design. Finally with the help of CMOS tapered buffer design examples we show that assigning ß individually to each stage while considering the narrow width effects (NWE) results into simultaneous improvement in delay, power and silicon area.
A Universal Reference Line-Based Differential Phase Shifter Structure With Simple Design Formulas

The conventional differential phase shifter configurations usually require different reference lines to provide constant phase shifts over a certain bandwidth. This results in high design complexity, especially for the multiway and poly-phase applications. To solve this problem effectively, a new differential phase shifter configuration based on the parallel stubs loaded transmission line is proposed. The phase of different main lines in the proposed structure can be easily aligned with that of the same reference line by simply changing the position of the loading stubs, which has a linear relationship with the desired phase shift. The new phase aligning approach and the universal reference line bring about simplicity in design and implementation. For demonstration purposes, a group of differential phase shifters is designed, fabricated, and measured. The corresponding constant phase shifts (from 45° to 135° with a step of 15°) are obtained between the main lines and the reference line, over a bandwidth of 55.6% with small insertion loss and phase deviation.
Xylaria coprinicola, a new species that antagonizes cultivation of Coprinus comatus in China

The species known in China as the chicken-claw fungus is described as a new species, Xylaria coprinicola. This species is known as an antagonist of cultivation of the edible mushroom Coprinus comatus. Stromata of X. coprinicola are cylindrical, terminate in a sterile apex and arise in fascicles from a relative large submerged base; perithecia are immersed and have conspicuously conical ostiolar openings; ascospores are minute. Phylogenetic analyses based on combined partial sequences of rpb2, β-tub and α-act genes showed that X. coprinicola is closely related to those Xylaria species exclusively associated with termite nests.
Near-infrared-ray and side-view video based drowsy driver detection system: Whether or not wearing glasses

In the paper, a near-infrared-ray (NIR) and side-view video based low-complexity drowsy driver detection system is developed for day and night applications. The proposed system detects drowsy conditions effectively whether or not glasses. To reduce the redundant computations, the pre-defined ROI (region of interest) is used at the procedures of face, glasses bridge, eyes, and nose feature detections. By the geometric based facial image processing, the eyes and nose positions are recognized, and the closed eyes and nod situations due to drowsiness are detected effectively. After simulating by self-made driver's video datasets, the average open/closed eyes detection accuracy rates without/with glasses are 95% and 84% in day, and are 89% and 87% in night, and the average drowsy detection accuracy is up to 90%. By software optimizations, the processing speed operates up to 150fps and 20fps in PC and the embedded system respectively for real-time drowsy driver detections.