Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PEARL: ProjEction of Annotations Rule Language, a Language for Projecting (UIMA) Annotations over RDF Knowledge Bases

In this paper we present a language, PEARL, for projecting annotations based on the Unstructured Information Management Architecture (UIMA) over RDF triples. The language offer is twofold: first, a query mechanism, built upon (and extending) the basic FeaturePath notation of UIMA, allows for efficient access to the standard annotation format of UIMA based on feature structures. PEARL then provides a syntax for projecting the retrieved information onto an RDF Dataset, by using a combination of a SPARQL-like notation for matching pre-existing elements of the dataset and of meta-graph patterns, for storing new information into it. In this paper we present the basics of this language and how a PEARL document is structured, discuss a simple use-case and introduce a wider project about automatic acquisition of knowledge, in which PEARL plays a pivotal role.
Expectancy after the first treatment and response to acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes

Background Evidence on the impact of expectancy on acupuncture treatment response is conflicting. Objectives This secondary analysis of a randomized sham-controlled trial on acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes investigated whether treatment expectancy score was associated with hot flash score at end-of-treatment. Secondary analyses investigated whether there were associations between other pre-specified factors and hot flash score. Study design Women experiencing moderately-severe hot flashes were randomized to receive 10 sessions of real or sham acupuncture over eight weeks. Hot flash score was collected using a seven-day hot flash diary, and expectancy using the modified Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire immediately after the first treatment. Linear mixed-effects models with random intercepts were used to identify associations between expectancy score and hot flash score at end-of-treatment. Regression was also used to identify associations between pre-specified factors of interest and hot flash score. Because there was no difference between real and sham acupuncture for the primary outcome of hot flash score, both arms were combined in the analysis. Results 285 women returned the Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire, and 283 women completed both expectancy measures. We found no evidence for an association between expectancy and hot flash score at end-of-treatment for individual cases in either acupuncture or sham group. Hot flash scores at end-of-treatment were 8.1 (95%CI, 3.0 to 13.2; P = 0.002) points lower in regular smokers compared to those who had never smoked, equivalent to four fewer moderate hot flashes a day. Conclusion In our study of acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes, higher expectancy after the first treatment did not predict better treatment outcomes. Future research may focus on other determinants of outcomes in acupuncture such as therapist attention. The relationship between smoking and hot flashes is poorly understood and needs further exploration.
User Acceptance of Open Data Portals in Korea: The Role of Policy Tools

Based on previous technology acceptance models, this poster attempts to understand the role of policy tools for the acceptance and use of government open data portals. Many governments around the world have developed open data portals and are using various policy tools to help make people aware of the existence of these portals and enable their use. The poster proposes a mixed-method research design in which data will be collected and analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods; specifically, we plan to conduct semi-structured interviews and a survey administered to daycare center directors and teachers in Changwon City in South Korea. The overall goal is to understand the role of policy tools for the acceptance and use of government open data portals.
Cooperative Learning and Writing Ability Improvement

The use of cooperative learning has become increasingly popular in recent years as pedagogy trends worldwide has shifted from teacher-centered to learner-centered methods. In teaching writing, there are many methods adopted by writing teachers in language classrooms to ensure that learners finally master writing and incorporation of CL is one recommended method (Kagan and High 2002). The present study investigated the effects of traditional learning (TL) and cooperative learning (CL) on students’ writing ability. The subjects were sixty grade 11 students in the first semester academic year 2009 at Hatyaiwittayalai 2 School, Songkhla. The subjects were divided into two groups of 30 subjects. The experimental group studied writing through CL and the control group studied writing through TL. Each group was taught writing for nine periods; each period lasted 120 minutes. The research instrument used was the identical pre- and post- writing proficiency test. The findings indicated that TL and CL had improved the students’ writing ability. However, the students who learned writing through CL had achieved higher level of writing ability and moved up to higher levels in greater number than those who studied through TL method. The resulting t-test of the post-test mean scores of both groups indicates a statistically significant difference.
Phase‐sensitive inversion recovery for myocardial T1 mapping with motion correction and parametric fitting

The assessment of myocardial fibrosis and extracellular volume requires accurate estimation of myocardial T1s. While image acquisition using the modified Look‐Locker inversion recovery technique is clinically feasible for myocardial T1 mapping, respiratory motion can limit its applicability. Moreover, the conventional T1 fitting approach using the magnitude inversion recovery images can lead to less stable T1 estimates and increased computational cost. In this article, we propose a novel T1 mapping scheme that is based on phase‐sensitive image reconstruction and the restoration of polarity of the MR signal after inversion. The motion correction is achieved by registering the reconstructed images after background phase removal. The restored signal polarity of the inversion recovery signal helps the T1 fitting resulting in improved quality of the T1 map and reducing the computational cost. Quantitative validation on a data cohort of 45 patients proves the robustness of the proposed method against varying image contrast. Compared to the magnitude T1 fitting, the proposed phase‐sensitive method leads to less fluctuation in T1 estimates. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modelling the decline in coronary heart disease deaths in England and Wales, 1981-2000: comparing contributions from primary prevention and secondary prevention

Abstract Objective To investigate whether population based primary prevention (risk factor reduction in apparently healthy people) might be more powerful than current government initiatives favouring risk factor reduction in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) (secondary prevention). Design, setting, and participants The IMPACT model was used to synthesise data for England and Wales describing CHD patient numbers, uptake of specific treatments, trends in major cardiovascular risk factors, and the mortality benefits of these specific risk factor changes in healthy people and in CHD patients. Results Between 1981 and 2000, CHD mortality rates fell by 54%, resulting in 68 230 fewer deaths in 2000. Overall smoking prevalence declined by 35% between 1981 and 2000, resulting in approximately 29 715 (minimum estimate 20 035, maximum estimate 44 675) fewer deaths attributable to smoking cessation: approximately 5035 in known CHD patients and approximately 24 680 in healthy people. Population total cholesterol concentrations fell by 4.2%, resulting in approximately 5770 fewer deaths attributable to dietary changes (1205 in CHD patients and 4565 in healthy people) plus 2135 fewer deaths attributable to statin treatment (1990 in CHD patients, 145 in people without CHD). Mean population blood pressure fell by 7.7%, resulting in approximately 5870 fewer deaths attributable to secular falls in blood pressure (520 in CHD patients and 5345 in healthy people) plus approximately 1890 fewer deaths attributable to antihypertensive treatments in people without CHD. Approximately 45 370 fewer deaths were thus attributable to reductions in the three major risk factors in the population: some 36 625 (81%) in people without recognised CHD and 8745 (19%) in CHD patients. Conclusions Compared with secondary prevention, primary prevention achieved a fourfold larger reduction in deaths. Future CHD policies should prioritise population-wide tobacco control and healthier diets.
SIFT vs. FREAK: Assessing the usefulness of two keypoint descriptors for 3D face verification

Many techniques in the area of 3D face recognition rely on local descriptors to characterize the surface-shape information around points of interest (or keypoints) in the 3D images. Despite the fact that a lot of advancements have been made in the area of keypoint descriptors over the last years, the literature on 3D-face recognition for the most part still focuses on established descriptors, such as SIFT and SURF, and largely neglects more recent descriptors, such as the FREAK descriptor. In this paper we try to bridge this gap and assess the usefulness of the FREAK descriptor for the task for 3D face recognition. Of particular interest to us is a direct comparison of the FREAK and SIFT descriptors within a simple verification framework. To evaluate our framework with the two descriptors, we conduct 3D face recognition experiments on the challenging FRGCv2 and UMB-DB databases and show that the FREAK descriptor ensures a very competitive verification performance when compared to the SIFT descriptor, but at a fraction of the computational cost. Our results indicate that the FREAK descriptor is a viable alternative to the SIFT descriptor for the problem of 3D face verification and due to its binary nature is particularly useful for real-time-recognition systems and verification techniques for low-resource devices such as mobile phones, tablets and alike.
Long‐term in vivo transduction of neurons throughout the rat central nervous system using novel helper‐dependent CAV‐2 vectors

Numerous genetic and environmental causes, variable pathophysiologies, and the blood‐brain barrier create a formidable challenge for the study and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases affecting the central nervous system. Although there are many intracellular strategies to address neurodegeneration, for example, which transgene to use, one fundamental criterion for the long‐term survival of neurons may be their genetic modification. Here, we describe the generation and in vivo efficacy of helper‐dependent canine adenovirus (CAV‐2) vectors that preferentially transduced neurons and efficiently trafficked via axonal retrograde transport. We used a flexible strategy and the synergy between Cre/loxP and nonlethal packaging‐defective helper vectors to generate high titer helper‐dependent vector stocks. One year after striatal injections in the rat brain, we found stable, high‐level expression in striatal neurons, ~50% of the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra, and the cholinergic neurons in the basal nuclei of Meynert. Due to the intrinsic properties of helper‐dependent CAV‐2 vectors (27‐kb cloning capacity; low preexisting, innate, and induced immunogenicity; retrograde transport; and long‐term transgene expression), they will aid fundamental and applied studies in neurobiology. Moreover, helper‐dependent CAV‐2 vectors may be clinically relevant for the treatment of many neurodegenerative diseases.
The effect of carnosine on methylglyoxal-induced oxidative stress in rats

Abstract Methylglyoxal (MG) is generated from glycolytic metabolites, lipid peroxidation, glucose autooxidation and protein glycation. It is a prooxidant inducing oxidative stress and formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE). Effect of carnosine (CAR) as an antioxidant on toxicity due to MG has generated interest. In this study, rats were given incrementally increased doses (100–300 mg/kg) of MG in drinking water for ten weeks. CAR (250 mg/kg i.p.) was administered with MG. Plasma thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl (PC), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) and AGE levels were elevated by MG, and CAR decreased PC, AOPP and AGE levels. MG increased liver reactive oxygen species (ROS), TBARS, PC and AOPP levels, which were decreased by CAR. Thus, in vivo role of CAR on chronic MG administration was observed to suppress the generated hepatic and plasma oxidative stress.
A Modified Valley Fill Electronic Ballast Having a Current Source Resonant Inverter With Improved Line-Current Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), High Power Factor, and Low Lamp Crest Factor

In this paper, a modified valley fill (VF) circuit is employed to combine with a current-fed resonant inverter as a passive high power factor (PF) electronic ballast. A conventional VF circuit limits the line current to conduct when the conduction angles are: 30deg les omegat les 150deg and 210deg les omegat les 330deg during the line period, which results in high total harmonic distortion (THD). The modified VF circuit has the following advantage: When the capacitors are connected in parallel, the voltage across the capacitors is one-third of the peak voltage, which allows the conduction angle of the line current to be further extended to 19.5deg les omegat les 160.5deg and 199.5deg les omegat les 340.5deg, so that a lower THD can be achieved. The high lamp crest factor (CF) problem generated by the high ripple voltage from the modified VF circuit is improved in the proposed ballast as variable frequency control is employed to continuously regulate the lamp current. An experimental prototype is then built in the laboratory to verify the feasibility of the proposed work for a 26-W compact fluorescent lamp. The final results confirm that a PF of 0.986 and a lamp CF of 1.49 are achieved with the proposed circuit, whereas a PF of 0.96 is achieved with the conventional VF ballast.
Thalamic projections to sensorimotor cortex in the macaque monkey: Use of multiple retrograde fluorescent tracers

We used several fluorescent dyes (Fast Blue, Diamidino Yellow, Rhodamine Latex Microspheres, Evans Blue, and Fluoro‐Gold) in each of eight macaques, to examine the patterns of thalamic input to the sensorimotor cortex of macaques 12 months or older. Inputs to different zones of motor, premotor, and postarcuate cortex, supplementary motor area, and areas 3b/1 and 2/5 in the postcentral cortex, were examined. Coincident labeling of thalamocortical neuron populations with different dyes (1) increased the precision with which their soma distributions could be related within thalamic space, and (2) enabled the detection by double labeling, of individual thalamic neurons that were common to the thalamic soma distributions projecting to separate, dye‐injected cortical zones.
Tell Me a Story: The Relationship Between Identity and Life Stories Following Brain Injury

vii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Chapter 2: Conceptual Framework 4 Narratives and TBI 5 Identity and TBI 6 Identity within Life Narratives 8 Chapter 3: Methods 9 Participants 9 Data Collection 10 Data Analysis 12 Rigor 14 Chapter 4: Owen 17 Childhood: Epilepsy 17 Brain Operation 18 Adulthood: Medical Issues 19 Perception of Self 19 Chapter 5: Andy 21 Life Before Brain Injury 21
Rolling horizon methods for games with continuous states and actions

It is often the case that games have continuous dynamics and allow for continuous actions, possibly with with some added noise. For larger games with complicated dynamics, having agents learn offline behaviours in such a setting is a daunting task. On the other hand, provided a generative model is available, one might try to spread the cost of search/learning in a rolling horizon fashion (e.g. as in Monte Carlo Tree Search). In this paper we compare T-HOLOP (Truncated Hierarchical Open Loop Planning), an open loop planning algorithm at least partially inspired by MCTS, with a version of evolutionary planning that uses CMA-ES (which we call EVO-P) in two planning benchmark problems (Inverted Pendulum and the Double Integrator) and in Lunar Lander, a classic arcade game. We show that EVO-P outperforms T-HOLOP in the classic benchmarks, while T-HOLOP is unable to find a solution using the same heuristics. We conclude that off-the-shelf evolutionary algorithms can be used successfully in a rolling horizon setting, and that a different type of heuristics might be needed under different optimisation algorithms.
Framework for Fair Comparisons of Underwater Vehicle Controllers - Showcasing the Robustness Properties of a Model-free Sliding Mode Controller Tuned with a Random-forest-based Bayesian Optimization Approach

Tasks with underwater vehicles present several challenges that include complex and hazardous environments, and unmodeled and/or unknown uncertainties. The setup of positioning controllers is therefore a difficult and laborious task and very often leads to suboptimal performance results on the field. This paper shows a framework for methodical evaluation and setup of dynamic positioning controllers for underwater vehicles with simulation-based optimization method using performance metrics. The proposed method can be configured to be mission specific and delivers a controller configuration that also allows a fair numerical comparison between control algorithms on similar scenarios.
Biodegradation of a Biocide (Cu-N-Cyclohexyldiazenium Dioxide) Component of a Wood Preservative by a Defined Soil Bacterial Community

ABSTRACT The wood protection industry has refined their products from chrome-, copper-, and arsenate-based wood preservatives toward solely copper-based preservatives in combination with organic biocides. One of these is Cu-HDO, containing the chelation product of copper and N-cyclohexyldiazenium dioxide (HDO). In this study, the fate of isotope-labeled (13C) and nonlabeled (12C) Cu-HDO incorporated in wood sawdust mixed with soil was investigated. HDO concentration was monitored by high-pressure liquid chromatography. The total carbon and the δ13C content of respired CO2, as well as of the soil-wood-sawdust mixture, were determined with an elemental analyzer-isotopic ratio mass spectrometer. The concentration of HDO decreased significantly after 105 days of incubation, and after 24 days the 13CO2 concentration respired from soil increased steadily to a maximum after 64 days of incubation. Phospholipid fatty acid-stable isotope probing (PFA-SIP) analysis revealed that the dominant PFAs C19:0d8,9, C18:0, C18:1ω7, C18:2ω6,9, C17:1d7,8, C16:0, and C16:1ω7 were highly enriched in their δ13C content. Moreover, RNA-SIP identified members of the phylum Acidobacteria and the genera Phenylobacterium and Comamonas that were assimilating carbon from HDO exclusively. Cu-HDO as part of a wood preservative effectively decreased fungal wood decay and overall microbial respiration from soil. In turn, a defined bacterial community was stimulated that was able to metabolize HDO completely.
Birth weight is associated with placental fat mass- and obesity-associated gene expression and promoter methylation in a Chinese population

Abstract Objective: To explore the relationship between birth weight and fat mass- and obesity-associated (FTO) gene expression and promoter methylation status in the Chinese population. Methods: Seventy-five neonates and their mothers were recruited from Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Subjects were divided into three groups by birth weight: low (<3500 g, n = 20), medium (3500–3999 g, n = 30) and high (≥4000 g, n = 25). Placental FTO transcript levels and promoter methylation were determined by quantitative PCR and Sequenom MassARRAY®. Results: Placental FTO mRNA expression was significantly increased in the high- and medium-weight groups compared to the low-weight group (p = 0.023). Methylation rates of CpG11 sites were significantly decreased in high-birth weight newborns (p = 0.018). Multiple linear regressions showed placental FTO mRNA, maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and CpG11 methylation rate were independently associated with increased fetal birth weight. Additionally, FTO mRNA expression was negatively associated with CpG6.7. 8.9 methylation in mothers that underwent C-section. Conclusions: High placental FTO expression is associated with increased birth weight in Chinese neonates, and FTO promoter methylation level at a specific CpG site is negatively associated with birth weight. Further work is needed to determine the functionality of this CpG site in placentas.
Stress, Anxiety, Resilience and Coping in Social Work Students (A Study from India)

Abstract Social work is a stressful occupation but continues to attract large numbers of students every year. This study was conducted by undergraduate students of all three cohorts at a women’s-only college in Tiruchirapalli in South India (N = 73). Standardised instruments to assess stress, anxiety, resilience and coping were administered. It was seen that anxiety and stress levels were relatively higher in the first- and third-year students while compared to those in the second year of their course, while resilience and coping was relatively low in the first-year group. Correlations were significantly positive for the stress and anxiety scores as well as the coping and resilience scores. However, it was seen that only the anxiety scores significantly predicted the manifestation of stress in the students. Implications of the findings and the limitations of the study have also been discussed.
Computational Higher Type Theory III: Univalent Universes and Exact Equality

This is the third in a series of papers extending Martin-L\"of's meaning explanations of dependent type theory to a Cartesian cubical realizability framework that accounts for higher-dimensional types. We extend this framework to include a cumulative hierarchy of univalent Kan universes of Kan types, exact equality and other pretypes lacking Kan structure, and a cumulative hierarchy of pretype universes. As in Parts I and II, the main result is a canonicity theorem stating that closed terms of boolean type evaluate to either true or false. This establishes the computational interpretation of Cartesian cubical higher type theory based on cubical programs equipped with a deterministic operational semantics.
Wastewater Analysis for Volatile Organic Sulfides Using Purge‐and‐Trap with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

This paper presented a modified method for the analysis of volatile organic sulfides (VOS) simultaneously with volatile organic compounds (VOC) in wastewater using purge‐and‐trap with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Calibration standards were prepared using filtered and nitrogen‐purged VOS‐free wastewater, acidified to pH 1.4. Samples were also acidified to pH 1.4. This approach minimized the oxidation of methanethiol to dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), which hampered the liquid‐phase analysis of VOS. Compounds were concentrated from the liquid phase, and automated analyses were performed without additional equipment, other than that required for routine wastewater VOC analysis. The linear range was 5 to 500 μg/L, with r 2 ≥ 0.99. The average recovery from replicate analyses of spiked samples was 81 ± 0.5% for methanethiol, 100 ± 1.5% for dimethyl sulfide (DMS), and 92 ± 1.5% for DMDS. Method detection limits were 4.8, 2.8, and 1.2 μg/L for methanethiol, DMS, and DMDS, respectively. The relative percent differences were between 0 and 8%.