Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
‘Britain's Irish Question: Britain's European Question?’ British-Irish relations in the context of European Union and The Belfast Agreement

If students of world politics can be reasonably accused of ignoring the Troubles in Northern Ireland—in part because they seemed to have little to do with the larger East-West confrontation and partly because they were so obviously about something distinctly national in character—then by the same token specialists on Northern Ireland can justly be accused of a certain intellectual parochialism and of failing to situate the long war within a broader global perspective. The quite unexpected outbreak of peace however only emphasizes the need for a wider understanding of the rise and fall of the Northern Irish conflict. This article explores the relationship between the partial resolution of the Irish Question—as expressed in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998—and the changing character of the European landscape. Its central thesis is that while there were many reasons for the outbreak of peace in the 1990s, including war weariness, it is difficult to understand what happened without situating it in a larger European framework and the new definition of sovereignty to which the EU has given birth.
Design of a Disturbance Observer for a Two-Link Manipulator With Flexible Joints

This brief proposes a method for designing a disturbance observer (DOB) to decouple joint interactions in robot dynamics with nonlinearity. The traditional DOB based on filter design theory has limited performance since the cut-off frequency of its Q-filter is the only tunable parameter to deal with disturbance suppression and model uncertainty. In this brief, a robust optimal design method is developed for the DOB, which can achieve optimal performance of suppressing disturbance by systematically shaping its Q-filter. Simulation results of application to a two-link manipulator with flexible joints show the improvements in disturbance suppression, which illustrates the validity of the proposed method.
Running head : Gaze leading is associated with liking Gaze leading is associated with liking

Gaze plays a pivotal role in human communication, especially for coordinating attention. The ability to guide the gaze orientation of others forms the backbone of joint attention. Recent research has raised the possibility that gaze following behaviors could induce liking. The present study seeks to investigate this hypothesis. We designed two physically different human avatars that could follow the gaze of users via eye-tracking technology. In a preliminary experiment, 20 participants assessed the baseline appeal of the two avatars and confirmed that the avatars differed in this respect. In the main experiment, we compared how 19 participants rated the two avatars in terms of pleasantness, trustworthiness and closeness when the avatars were following their gaze versus when the avatar generated gaze movements autonomously. Although the same avatar as in the preliminary experiment was rated more favorably, the pleasantness attributed to the two avatars increased when they followed the gaze of the participants. This outcome provides evidence that gaze following fosters liking independently of the baseline appeal of the individual.
Caudal dexmedetomidine combined with bupivacaine inhibit the response to hernial sac traction in children undergoing inguinal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND Caudal bupivacaine is widely used for inguinal hernia repair in children, but often cannot totally eliminate responses to hernial sac traction. The current study examined whether supplementation of caudal bupivacaine with dexmedetomidine could achieve better results. METHODS Sixty children aged 12-72 months undergoing unilateral inguinal hernia repair received standardized premedication with midazolam, i.v. ketamine anaesthesia, and then were randomly assigned to receive either bupivacaine 0.25% (1 ml kg(-1); Group B) or bupivacaine plus dexmedetomidine (1 μg kg(-1); Group BD). The response to hernial sac traction was defined as an increase in heart rate or systolic arterial pressure by >20%, and was treated with ketamine rescue (2 mg kg(-1)). After the surgery, fentanyl was administered as needed with a nurse-controlled analgesia pump. RESULTS Only one subject in Group BD (3.33%) needed ketamine rescue, as opposed to 13 subjects in Group B (43.33%; P<0.001). The first fentanyl injection occurred at a much later time point in Group BD (median: 860 vs 320 min in Group B; P<0.001). Total fentanyl consumption of fentanyl was significantly lower in Group BD [2.5 (1.2) vs 6.9 (1.6) μg kg(-1) 24 h(-1) in Group B; P=0.008]. CONCLUSIONS The addition of dexmedetomidine to caudal bupivacaine could reduce the response to hernial sac traction, and prolong the duration of postoperative analgesia in children undergoing inguinal hernia repair.
Simultaneous blockade of the epidermal growth factor receptor/mammalian target of rapamycin pathway by epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors and rapamycin results in reduced cell growth and survival in biliary tract cancer cells

The prognosis of patients with biliary tract adenocarcinomas (BTA) is still poor due to lack of effective systemic treatment options. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this disease is of importance for the development of new treatment strategies. We determined the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and activated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) in paraffin-embedded surgical specimens of BTA (n = 89) by immunohistochemistry. Overall survival was analyzed with Cox models adjusted for clinical and pathologic factors. Combined EGFR/p-mTOR expression was significantly associated with relapse-free survival [adjusted hazard ratio for relapse, 2.20; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.45-3.33; P < 0.001] and overall survival (adjusted hazard ratio for death, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.50-3.58; P < 0.001) of the patients. The effect of the EGFR inhibitors erlotinib or cetuximab and the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin on growth and survival of five BTA cell lines was tested in short-term 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays and long-term colony formation assays. Simultaneous blockade of EGFR and mTOR in biliary tract cancer cell lines results in a synergistic inhibition of both phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, leading to reduced cell growth and survival. These results suggest that combined targeted therapy with EGFR and mTOR inhibitors may potentially benefit patients with BTAs and should be further evaluated in clinical trials. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(6):1547–56]
Semi-automated identification and extraction of Callitris intratropica from Eucalypt dominant savanna

The Northern Cypress Pine, Callitris intratropica (fam: Cypressae) exists in a variety of environments across the northern regions of Australia's Northern Territory. Due to its inherent characteristics the species has been described as a potential indicator of fire regimes within the landscape. Its susceptibility to intense fires means that populations are vulnerable under late season high intensity burning regimes. Mapping of the distribution of the species will provide a level of data that will further the understanding of its ecology and population dynamics. The method described here applies multi-level region growing and thresholding techniques to high spatial resolution multispectral satellite imagery to delineate Callitris crowns from surrounding Eucalypt dominant savanna. Detected crowns are compared against recorded field observations and a manual delineation method.
A Fast Rejuvenation Technique for Server Consolidation with Virtual Machines

As server consolidation using virtual machines (VMs) is carried out, software aging of virtual machine monitors (VMMs) is becoming critical. Performance degradation or crash failure of a VMM affects all VMs on it. To counteract such software aging, a proactive technique called software rejuvenation has been proposed. A typical example of rejuvenation is to reboot a VMM. However, simply rebooting a VMM is undesirable because that needs rebooting operating systems on all VMs. In this paper, we propose a new technique for fast rejuvenation of VMMs called the warm-VM reboot. The warm-VM reboot enables efficiently rebooting only a VMM by suspending and resuming VMs without accessing the memory images. To achieve this, we have developed two mechanisms: on-memory suspend/resume of VMs and quick reload of VMMs. The warm- VM reboot reduces the downtime and prevents the performance degradation due to cache misses after the reboot.
Demographic Characteristics and Motives of Individuals Viewing Reality Dating Shows

Over the last few years, the number of television dating shows has increased exponentially from 2 to over 28 during the period of 2000 to 2002. The purpose of this study was to examine demographic variables, personality characteristics, and attachment styles of individuals who view television dating shows. Furthermore, motives for viewing television dating shows and viewers' responses to the content were examined. A convenience sample of 601 participants, including 413 who watch television dating shows, were solicited to complete the Internet-mediated study. Results revealed significant demographic differences between the two groups and demographic variables were associated with specific television viewing practices. An exploratory factor analysis revealed three motives for viewing television dating shows: excitability, social learning, and escape. Sensation-seeking, attachment style, and motives for watching television dating shows were predictive of viewing practices. These findings suggest that viewing television programming such as dating shows may be a viable source of arousal for sensation seekers. Both theoretical and applied implications of these findings are explored.
Preventive Policing and Security Plans: The Reception of New Crime Prevention Strategies in Three Finnish Cities

In Western countries today, security is seen predominantly as a problem of public places. This has given rise to a growing demand for new strategies of governing public places, the most popular of which are crime prevention, community policing (e.g., zero tolerance) and partnership. Their aim is to encourage the public sector, voluntary organizations and market actors to work more closely with the police in a local effort to create and maintain a safe living environment. This article looks at what kind of reception the new methods of governing public places have received in three Finnish cities (Helsinki, Lappeenranta, and Tampere) by reviewing their newly formulated security plans and programmes. The analysis of this document material makes use of the concept of moral regulation. The analysis focuses on the kind of local security problems that are identified in these security plans as targets of moral regulation; what kinds of techniques they propose for addressing and resolving these problems; and in what kind of crime prevention role they position the subjects of moral regulation (police officers and police partners) and the objects of moral regulation. The analysis shows that Helsinki aims to regulate the problems occurring in public places by emphasizing a neoliberal ethos. Lappeenranta, on the other hand, walks a tightrope in its security plan between communitarian and welfare state ambitions. Tampere, for its part, responds to the security threat in public places by adopting a neoleftist stance (cf. the Third Way).
Evidence that BCL3 plays a role in the etiology of nonsyndromic oral clefts in Brazilian families

The BCL3 gene has been considered a susceptibility locus for nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCL/P), based on association and linkage studies in some populations. We evaluated an intragenic marker at the BCL3 gene and the microsatellite D19S178 (1.1 cM distant from the BCL3 gene) among 98 infants born with NSCL/P and their parents, using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and a method for haplotype analysis. Our analysis, based on BCL3 alleles, revealed the existence of a marginal association of allele 135pb of the BCL3 gene with NSCL/P (χ2=3.60; P=0.058; 1 df), with a major effect in female (χ2=5.77; P=0.016; 1 df) and in familial cases (χ2=3.79; P=0.051; 1 df). However, the haplotype analysis detected no significant segregation distortion, even if the alleles of the D19S178 were grouped into two classes. These findings support previous findings that BCL3 plays a role in the etiology of NSCL/P as an allele of low penetrance or as a modifier locus. We hypothesize that there might be more than one mutation in this gene associated with NSCL/P, or alternatively, that more than one mutation has arisen associated with the 135‐bp allele. Genet. Epidemiol. 23:364–374, 2002 © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Advantages of Demographic Change after the Wave: Fewer and Older, but Healthier, Greener, and More Productive?

Population aging is an inevitable global demographic process. Most of the literature on the consequences of demographic change focuses on the economic and societal challenges that we will face as people live longer and have fewer children. In this paper, we (a) briefly describe key trends and projections of the magnitude and speed of population aging; (b) discuss the economic, social, and environmental consequences of population aging; and (c) investigate some of the opportunities that aging societies create. We use Germany as a case study. However, the general insights that we obtain can be generalized to other developed countries. We argue that there may be positive unintended side effects of population aging that can be leveraged to address pressing environmental problems and issues of gender inequality and intergenerational ties.
Organizational Factors in the Diffusion of an Industry Standard: Implementing an Online Documentation System for Australian Exporters

At present, governments in many countries are actively engaged in the development of electronic trading and certification standards to enable the smooth operation of export markets. Standards and their usability underpin confidence in the operations of markets and their effective functioning. In institutional markets, an important role for government agencies lies in developing the initial specifications for standards for interoperable systems. Once these specifications are accepted, governments can then facilitate the eventual diffusion of a standard to the B2B marketplace. Acceptance of an industry standard can determine demand, which defines the viability of that market. In this paper, we describe an initiative by a government agency, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS), in developing EXDOC, a standard for export documentation and the role that AQIS played in its implementation and diffusion. Our case study illustrates a successfully facilitated B2G implementation. It demonstrates how a standard can be supported and promulgated for the effective functioning of markets in the transition from manual to online export documentation. Once the overarching specifications for related industries have been established and diffused by government, opportunities arise for private sector markets to develop across these industries. Government agencies can promote the effective operation of standards for electronic markets. The EXDOC implementation and its iterations provide an exemplar of active engagement in the development of electronic trading and certification standards for an institutional market. Its successful diffusion provides a model of the implementation process for other export sectors and agencies.
Live varicella vaccine polarizes the mucosal adjuvant action of cholera toxin or its B subunit on specific Th1‐type helper T cells with a single nasal coadministration in mice

This study was undertaken to determine whether the specific Th1‐ or Th2‐cell response to varicella‐zoster virus was induced predominantly by a mucosal adjuvant, cholera toxin, in mice. A commercially available live varicella vaccine (Oka strain) and cholera toxin or its B subunit were administered simultaneously via the nasal route. Delayed‐type hypersensitivity to the Oka vaccine was induced, but the systemic neutralizing antibody response was low. The delayed‐type hypersensitivity evoked after a single administration was relatively higher than that on administration three times. When spleen cells from mice immunized once with the vaccine and cholera toxin or its B subunit were restimulated with the live vaccine in vitro, there was greater thymidine uptake and production of interleukin‐ 2 (IL‐2) than controls, but only a low level of IL‐4 production. The production of IL‐2 induced by the B subunit of cholera toxin was less than that by cholera toxin and a mutant of Escherichia coli enterotoxin on co‐immunization with the vaccine in mice. Cholera toxin and its B subunit have been reported to induce predominantly a specific Th2‐type T‐cell response to various antigens. However, the Oka vaccine is an antigen that polarizes the activation of specific Th1/Th2‐type T cells by cholera toxin or its B subunit to the Th1‐type side. Cholera toxin and its B subunit are thus useful mucosal adjuvants for inducing cellular immunity to the Oka vaccine similar to Escherichia coli enterotoxin. J. Med. Virol. 70: 329–335, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Do students’ beliefs about knowledge and knowing predict their judgement of texts’ trustworthiness?

We examined whether epistemic beliefs predict students’ evaluation of documents. Undergraduates read two texts on climate change. Participants judged the trustworthiness of each text and then indicated the criteria for their rating. We found that readers who believe strongly in relying on personal interpretations rather than on authorities trusted both documents less and used the document’s content or their own opinion as criteria for judging trustworthiness. We also found that readers who believe that knowledge claims should be critically evaluated through logic and rules rated the science text as more trustworthy and used the criteria of their own opinion, author and content more than readers who believe in relying on their own experiences. These effects hold true while controlling for readers’ prior knowledge and text comprehensibility.
σ54 Enhancer Binding Proteins and Myxococcus xanthus Fruiting Body Development

ABSTRACT A search of the M1genome sequence, which includes 97% of the Myxococcus xanthus genes, identified 53 sequence homologs of σ54-dependent enhancer binding proteins (EBPs). A DNA microarray was constructed from the M1genome that includes those homologs and 318 other M. xanthus genes for comparison. To screen the developmental program with this array, an RNA extract from growing cells was compared with one prepared from developing cells at 12 h. Previous reporter studies had shown that M. xanthus has initiated development and has begun to express many developmentally regulated genes by 12 h. The comparison revealed substantial increases in the expression levels of 11 transcription factors that may respond to environmental stimuli. Six of the 53 EBP homologs were expressed at significantly higher levels at 12 h of development than during growth. Three were previously unknown genes, and they were inactivated to look for effects on fruiting body development. One knockout mutant produced fruiting bodies of abnormal shape that depended on the composition of the medium.
Language Attitudes at the Handover: Communication and Identity in 1997 Hong Kong

Britain's 150 year colonial administration of Hong Kong came to an end in June 1997 when the territory reverted to Chinese sovereignty. Because the fate of languages is closely related to the power of different groups in a society, this constitutional transition raises important issues of language and identity. At present English continues to play an important role in business and administration while Cantonese is the lingua franca of a highly cohesive and independent community. However, the extent to which the colonial language is a component of the Territory's identity, and the prospect of it retaining an influential role, remains to be seen. Reunification is likely to have a considerable impact on language attitudes and use with Putonghua, the official language of mainland China, emerging to challenge English and Cantonese as a high status language in public domains. This paper builds on previous studies by Pierson et al. (1980) and Pennington & Yue (1994) to examine the changing language attitudes brought about by the handover. A questionnaire was administered to 900 Hong Kong undergraduates to discover students' perspectives on language and cultural identity, social, affective and instrumental attitudes and general predictions for language use with a view towards the political transition.
Breaches in the Wall

Objectives: Drawing on theories that emphasize the salience of social ties, this study examines the different kinds of experiences prisoners have with visitation and the implications of those experiences for behavior after release. Method: This study uses data from a release cohort of prisoners to (1) explore how visitation experiences unfold for different cohorts of individuals serving different amounts of time in prison and to (2) test the effects of longitudinal visitation patterns on recidivism. Results: Findings suggest that individuals who maintain connections with their social networks outside of prison have lower rates of reoffending and that the timing and consistency with which visitation occurs also affect criminal behavior. Specifically, prisoners who are visited early and who experience a sustained pattern of visitation are less likely to recidivate. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of social ties for understanding the prisoner experience and its implications for offending. More research is needed that seeks to explain the effects identified here and that explores, using nuanced approaches, other prison experiences, and the implications of those experiences.
Gender Differences Relating to Metabolic Syndrome and Proinflammation in Finnish Subjects with Elevated Blood Pressure

Fasting insulin, adiponectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) were determined in 278 men and 273 women with blood pressure ≥130 and/or ≥85 mmHg and/or with antihypertensive medication. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) with the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria was observed in 35% of men and 34% of women. Men with MetS had lower hs-CRP and IL-1Ra than women. The absolute gender difference in adiponectin was smaller and those in IL-1Ra and hs-CRP were greater in subjects with MetS compared to those without. After adjustment with body mass index the association between insulin and the odd's ratio (OR) for MetS remained significant in both genders, in females also the association between the OR for MetS and adiponectin. There are gender differences in subjects with elevated blood pressure and MetS with respect to inflammatory markers and the relationship between adiponectin levels and MetS.