Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Machine Learning-based approach to automatic POS tagging of Macedonian language

This paper presents the research that has contributed to the creation of an automatic part-of-speech (POS) tagger of Macedonian, a Slavic language that has a rich morphology, but limited language resources and contributions towards establishing of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools. The created system automatically tags only the part-of-speech category for each word, without giving the full annotation. For the purposes of this research, the existing large online lexicon was combined together with a self-created crowd-sourcing system intended for manual disambiguation of POS tags. The joint technique resulted in a POS tagged corpus that was used during the training and testing phase. Four different models were produced, built using: TnT tagger, averaged perceptron, cyclic dependency network and guided learning framework for bidirectional sequence classification and the performance of all the models was exhaustively compared. The final accuracy that has been achieved is 96.37%, reaching a result which is comparable to more researched languages.
Personal involvement as a determinant of argument based persuasion

It was suggested that there are two basic routes to persuasion. One route is based on the thoughtful consideration of arguments central to the issue, whereas the other is based on peripheral cues in the persuasion situation. To test this view, undergraduates expressed their attitudes on an issue after exposure to a counterattitudinal advocacy containing either strong or weak arguments that emanated from a source of either high or low expertise. For some subjects, the communication was high in personal relevance, whereas for others it was low. Interactions of the personal relevance manipulation with the argument quality and expertise manipulations revealed that under high relevance, attitudes were influenced primarily by the quality of the arguments in the message, whereas under low relevance, attitudes were influenced primarily by the expertise of the source. This suggests that the personal relevance of an issue is one determinant of the route to persuasion that will be followed.
Detection of fetal cocaine exposure by analysis of amniotic fluid.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether analysis of amniotic fluid (AF) using solid-phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography is useful in detecting fetal exposure to cocaine and its metabolites. METHODS Amniotic fluid and urine samples were obtained from 23 subjects with documented cocaine abuse during pregnancy and five subjects without a history of cocaine abuse. Urine samples were also collected from all newborns. Urine samples were screened using conventional immunoassay techniques and confirmed with thin-layer chromatography. Using a modified solid-phase extraction procedure, we removed cocaine and its metabolites from all AF samples and from the newborn urine samples in which the initial screening was positive. Subsequently, we analyzed the extracts with high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS Cocaine or benzoylecgonine was detected in 74% of AF samples taken from the 23 known cocaine abusers. In these subjects, conventional maternal and neonatal urine toxicology screens were positive in 61 and 35%, respectively. Concentrations in AF ranged from 400 to greater than 5000 ng/mL for benzoylecgonine and from trace to 250 ng/mL for cocaine. Mean benzoylecgonine recovery from AF was significantly greater than from newborn urine (1800 versus 280 ng/mL, respectively; P < .0001). CONCLUSION Analysis of AF appears to be useful in detecting gestational cocaine exposure.
The Effects of Anti-CD3/CD28 Coated Beads and IL-2 on Expanded T Cell for Immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND The activation of peripheral blood mononucleated cells (PBMCs) with anti-CD3/CD28-coated magnetic beads promotes intrinsic resistance to HIV as well as cell expansion. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to define an optimal cell isolation protocol for the expansion of PBMCs using anti-CD3/CD28-coated bead stimulation, with the ultimate goal of using these cells for adoptive therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS PBMCs were isolated from healthy donor blood samples. To determine the effect of varying the bead-to-cell ratios on the expansion rate and phenotypic characterization of the expanded cells, one million PBMCs were stimulated by anti-CD3/CD28-coated beads at bead-to-cell ratios of 0.1 : 1, 0.5 : 1 and 1.0 : 1 in the presence of 100 U/mL exogenous IL-2; also, one million PBMCs were stimulated by anti-CD3/CD28-coated beads at a bead-to-cell ratio of 0.5 : 1 in the presence of varying concentrations of IL-2 (20, 100 and 1000 U/mL). Cell expansion was carried out for three weeks. The cell numbers, cell viability and phenotypic characterization were determined by trypan blue exclusion and flow cytometry. RESULTS The initial experiments showed no difference in the expansion rate from cells grown with the three different bead-to-cell ratios. PBMCs can be expanded up to 1000-fold at a 0.5 : 1 bead-to-cell ratio after three weeks of cell expansion with a high viability (90%). Furthermore, in the presence of 100 U/mL IL-2, the percentages of CD3-CD16+CD56+ cells showed marked increases. CONCLUSIONS The results demonstrate that PBMCs were stimulated with anti-CD3/CD28-coated beads. This method may provide an alternative for driving T cell expansion, which may be very useful in adoptive immunotherapy.
High performance mV-amplifier for the planar multijunction thermal converter

A new amplifier concept is developed which combines the conventional master-slave operational amplifier structure and the flying supply technique. The new amplifier is viewed as an input stage for the planar multijunction thermal converter for ac-dc voltage transfer in the mV-range. High input impedance and adjustable ac-dc transfer differences are the main advantages of this design.
A self-configurable fault detection system for Industrial Ethernet networks

Abstract In this paper, a self-configurable fault detection system for automated production systems with Industrial Ethernet is proposed. The scope of the proposed fault detection system are process variables, i.e., the observed actuator and sensor signals. Self-configuration of the fault detection system is enabled by recording and analyzing the link connection of the Ethernet network during system start. In a subsequent training phase, a knowledge base is automatically built from the observed process variables. Knowledge-based fault detection is accomplished once the knowledge base is established. Fault detection has been evaluated for a glue production process. In this application case, the knowledge-based fault detection method yielded a balanced accuracy of 99.81%, while a model-based method, which has been used as reference, produced a balanced accuracy of 93.11%.
The Effects of Concentrated Ownership on Corporate Performance- EVIDENCE FROM Palestine "An Empirical Study of Corporate Companies listed at Palestine Exchange"

This study is aimed to determine the role of ownership structure on a company's performance using 31 Palestinian companies listed at Palestine Exchange during 2008-2013. The study use regression analysis method, the role of variables of ownership structure which includes: ownership concentration and institutional ownership. The results show insignificant positive relationship between ownership concentration and ROA, ROE, while there is a significant positive relationship between ownership concentration and Tobin Q. The research also found that there is insignificant positive relationship between institutional ownership and ROA, ROE, while there is a significant positive relationship between institutional ownership and Tobin Q.
Shannon entropy: A specular echo-insensitive imaging metric showing myocardial anisotropy

This work demonstrates the utility of Shannon entropy imaging of myocardial anisotropy in mice. Conventional acoustic microscopy measurements of excised short-axis myocardial slices may be used to delineate this anisotropy ex vivo. This approach often requires processing of specular echoes, which can cause artifacts in images that obscure detailed structures near interfacial boundaries. Two different ultrasonic signal receivers were evaluated using the same raw data as input: log energy(log[Ef ]) and Shannon entropy imaging( HS), entropic imaging is least influenced by specular echoes and is able to resolve anisotropy near interfacial boundaries.
Trends of Voluntary IC Disclosure in Chinese Firms

This research examines the trend of voluntary intellectual capital (IC) disclosure in China between 2006 and 2009, using content analysis of corporate annual reports of 100 top listed A-share Chinese companies. The results indicate that there was a generally upward trend for the disclosure of IC items, categories and the overall IC over the investigated period. Internal capital was the most highly reported IC category whereas external capital was the least reported for year 2008 and 2009. For disclosure items, “management processes” was the best performer during the time while “licensing agreements” for 2006 and “research collaborations” for 2008 and 2009 were the poorest. It is believed that our research should have some contributions to the existing literature on IC disclosure.
Detection issues over multiresolution subspaces

In this article we extend our earlier work and explore rigorously the environment supported by multiresolution subspaces. Specifically, we obtain the relationships between Karhunen-Loeve (KL) bases derived from the projections of signals onto subspaces and sums of subspaces; derive the detectability measures over subspaces and discuss detection strategies from the view point of maximizing detectability. The purpose of this paper is to establish the rules for optimal detection over multiresolution subspaces. It is expected that the theory developed will be useful in developing strategies for optimal and sub-optimal detectors.
SPIRAL1 Encodes a Plant-Specific Microtubule-Localized Protein Required for Directional Control of Rapidly Expanding Arabidopsis Cells

Highly organized interphase cortical microtubule (MT) arrays are essential for anisotropic growth of plant cells, yet little is known about the molecular mechanisms that establish and maintain the order of these arrays. The Arabidopsis thaliana spiral1 (spr1) mutant shows right-handed helical growth in roots and etiolated hypocotyls. Characterization of the mutant phenotypes suggested that SPR1 may control anisotropic cell expansion through MT-dependent processes. SPR1 was identified by map-based cloning and found to encode a small protein with unknown function. Proteins homologous to SPR1 occur specifically and ubiquitously in plants. Genetic complementation with green fluorescent protein fusion proteins indicated that the SPR1 protein colocalizes with cortical MTs and that both MT localization and cell expansion control are conferred by the conserved N- and C-terminal regions. Strong SPR1 expression was found in tissues undergoing rapid cell elongation. Plants overexpressing SPR1 showed enhanced resistance to an MT drug and increased hypocotyl elongation. These observations suggest that SPR1 is a plant-specific MT-localized protein required for the maintenance of growth anisotropy in rapidly elongating cells.
Absence of Respiratory Muscle Fatigue in High-Intensity Continuous or Interval Cycling Exercise

Abstract Kurti, SP, Smith, JR, Emerson, SR, Castinado, KM, and Harms, CA. Absence of respiratory muscle fatigue in high-intensity continuous or interval cycling exercise. J Strength Cond Res 29(11): 3171–3176, 2015—Respiratory muscle fatigue (RMF) occurs during prolonged exercise (∼15–20 minutes) at >85% V[Combining Dot Above]O2max. However, RMF has been reported to occur in ∼3–6 minutes in various modes of exercise at a high intensity. It is not known if continuous cycling exercise vs. repeated bouts of high-intensity interval training (HIT) at >85% V[Combining Dot Above]O2max will lead to RMF. We hypothesized that RMF would occur after a constant load test and would be present before end exercise in an HIT protocol. Eight moderately active healthy men (21.7 ± 1.7 years; 181.3 ± 5.2 cm; 81.3 ± 2.3 kg) completed a V[Combining Dot Above]O2max test on a cycle ergometer. Subjects then completed 2 bouts of HIT (7 × 1 minute, 2-minute recovery between intervals) and 3 bouts of continuous exercise (CE) tests at 90% of peak power (determined from an incremental exercise test to exhaustion). Maximal inspiratory pressure (PIMAX) and expiratory pressure (PEMAX) were measured pre- and post-exercise for both HIT and CE and after each interval during HIT. Decreases in postexercise PIMAX and PEMAX compared with baseline were used to determine RMF. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in PIMAX or PEMAX pre- to post-exercise for HIT (PIMAX pre: 134 ± 51, post: 135 ± 50 cmH2O; PEMAX pre: 143 ± 41, post: 148 ± 46 cmH2O) or CE (PIMAX pre: 135 ± 54, post: 133 ± 52 cmH2O; PEMAX pre: 146 ± 46, post: 148 ± 46 cmH2O) indicating RMF was not present following CE and HIT. These data suggest that repeated high-intensity cycling exercise at 90% peak power in a CE or HIT protocol does not lead to RMF.
Fast mode decision for h.264 intra prediction with prediction samples easy to generate

This paper presents a fast mode decision algorithm and its hardware structure for H.264/AVC intra prediction. For 4times4 luma blocks, the algorithm uses only 8 prediction samples to reduce the number of possible prediction modes from 9 to 4. The 8 prediction samples are easier to generate than original prediction samples used in the H.264/AVC intra prediction. Values of the 8 prediction samples are close to the values of the original prediction samples. For 16times16 luma and chroma blocks, the algorithm uses directions of each mode and it reduces the number of possible prediction modes from 4 to 2. Overall, the algorithm reduces the number of possible prediction modes from 17 to 8. Experimental results show that the algorithm has less degradation of peak signal-to-noise ratio than those of existing algorithms. The hardware structure for the algorithm reduces the computation time by performing the intra prediction for 4times4 luma blocks and the intra prediction for 16times16 luma blocks and chroma blocks in parallel.
In Vitro Fertilization Affects Growth and Glucose Metabolism in a Sex-Specific Manner in an Outbred Mouse Model1

ABSTRACT The preimplantation period is a time of reprogramming that may be vulnerable to disruption. This question has wide clinical relevance since the number of children conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) is rising. To examine this question, outbred mice (CF1 × B6D2F1) conceived by IVF and cultured using Whitten medium and 20% O2 (IVFWM group, less optimal) or K simplex optimized medium with amino acids and 5% O2 (IVFKAA group, more optimal and similar to conditions used in human IVF) were studied postnatally. We found that flushed blastocysts transferred to recipient mice provided the best control group (FB group), as this accounted for the effects of superovulation, embryo transfer, and litter size. We observed that many physiological parameters were normal. Reassuringly, IVFKAA offspring did not differ significantly from FB offspring. However, male IVFWM mice (but not females) were larger during the first 19 wk of life and exhibited glucose intolerance. Male IVFWM mice also showed enlarged left heart despite normal blood pressure. Expression of candidate imprinted genes (H19, Igf2, and Slc38a4) in multiple adult tissues did not show differences among the groups; only Slc38a4 was down-regulated following IVF (in both culture conditions) in female adipose tissue. These studies demonstrate that adult metabolism is affected by the type of conditions encountered during the preimplantation stage. Further, the postnatal growth trajectory and glucose homeostasis following ex vivo manipulation may be sexual dimorphic. Future work on the long-term effects of IVF offspring should focus on glucose metabolism and the cardiovascular system.
Design of an Annular Disc Subject to Thermomechanical Loading

Two solutions to design a thin annular disc of variable thickness subject to thermomechanical loading are proposed. It is assumed that the thickness of the disc is everywhere sufficiently small for the stresses to be averaged through the thickness. The state of stress is plane. The initiation of plastic yielding is controlled by Mises yield criterion. The design criterion for one of the solutions proposed requires that the distribution of stresses is uniform over the entire disc. In this case there is a relation between optimal values of the loading parameters at the final stage. The specific shape of the disc corresponds to each pair of such parameters. The other solution is obtained under the additional requirement that the distribution of strains is uniform. This solution exists for the disc of constant thickness at specific values of the loading parameters.
Financial Risk Tolerance: A Psychometric Review

This chapter provides an overview of the important role financial risk tolerance plays in shaping consumer financial decisions. A review of normative and descriptive models of risk tolerance is provided. Additional discussion regarding the measurement of risk tolerance is also presented. The chapter includes the presentation of a conceptual model of the principal factors affecting financial risk tolerance with recommendations designed to enhance the consumer finance field’s knowledge of risk tolerance. The chapter concludes with a summary of additional research needed to better understand the multidimensional nature of risk tolerance.
Hydrogen-bonding patterns of two dihydroxylactone derivatives.

In the hydrogen-bonding networks of 8-hydroxy-5-hydroxymethyl-3,6-dioxatricyclo[6.3. 1.0(1.5)]dodecan-2-one and 5,7-bis(hydroxymethyl)-3,6-dioxatricyclo[5.3. 1.0(1.5)]undecan-2-one, both C11H16O5, layers and double strands, respectively, lead to the formation of chains connected by hydroxy-to-hydroxy contacts, where the hydroxymethyl group, present in both structures, acts as a donor. The secondary structures differ in the hydrogen bonding of these chains via the second hydroxy group, which is involved in hydroxy-to-carbonyl and hydroxy-to-hydroxy bonds, respectively.
The genome of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

Ants have evolved very complex societies and are key ecosystem members. Some ants, such as the fire ant Solenopsis invicta, are also major pests. Here, we present a draft genome of S. invicta, assembled from Roche 454 and Illumina sequencing reads obtained from a focal haploid male and his brothers. We used comparative genomic methods to obtain insight into the unique features of the S. invicta genome. For example, we found that this genome harbors four adjacent copies of vitellogenin. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that an ancestral vitellogenin gene first underwent a duplication that was followed by possibly independent duplications of each of the daughter vitellogenins. The vitellogenin genes have undergone subfunctionalization with queen- and worker-specific expression, possibly reflecting differential selection acting on the queen and worker castes. Additionally, we identified more than 400 putative olfactory receptors of which at least 297 are intact. This represents the largest repertoire reported so far in insects. S. invicta also harbors an expansion of a specific family of lipid-processing genes, two putative orthologs to the transformer/feminizer sex differentiation gene, a functional DNA methylation system, and a single putative telomerase ortholog. EST data indicate that this S. invicta telomerase ortholog has at least four spliceforms that differ in their use of two sets of mutually exclusive exons. Some of these and other unique aspects of the fire ant genome are likely linked to the complex social behavior of this species.
Deep impact craters in the Isidis and southwestern Utopia Planitia regions of Mars: High target material strength as a possible cause

Using THEMIS, MOC and MOLA data, we have found 51 craters in the diameter range 6–11.8 km within southwestern Utopia Planitia and Isidis Planitia that are significantly deeper than typical fresh craters in the northern lowlands of Mars. The restricted geographic distribution of these craters, their simple morphology, and data from impact and explosion crater studies suggest that unusually strong target materials (as much as a factor of 2 greater than average materials in the Martian lowlands) are the cause of the excessive crater depth. We propose that the greater target material strength acts to delay gravity‐dominated collapse to larger crater sizes. Furthermore, we suggest that a regional, olivine‐rich mafic to untramafic rock unit identified by TES and THEMIS is a reasonable candidate for these strong materials. The unit is exposed on the southern edge of Isidis basin and in crater ejecta within the basin, and forms layers that dip toward the Isidis Basin center.
The development of a scale measuring integrated regulation in exercise.

OBJECTIVES This research aimed to develop and validate a measure of integrated regulation based on self-determination theory (SDT) in an exercise context. DESIGN Cross-sectional and prospective surveys were employed. METHODS The measure was developed from first principles from an initial item pool and items were selected using expert evaluators. The validity of the final item pool was tested across a high-active sample and a lower active sample (N= 488) using single- and multi-sample confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs). RESULTS Analyses supported the factorial, nomological, discriminant, and predictive validity of the scale. CONCLUSIONS The validity of the integrated regulation measure was supported. Present analyses provide evidence that the scale is a valid and reliable tool that may be used to evaluate the effectiveness of autonomy-supportive interventions in health-related behavioural contexts.
Epididymal maturation of rat spermatozoa studied by thin sectioning and freeze-fracture.

Rat spermatozoa in various segments of the epididymis were studied by thin sectioning and freeze-fracture. In the initial segment of the epididymis, a flocculent material fills the space be tween the plasma membrane and outer acrosome membrane. This disappears in the more distal segments. As spermatozoa move into the middle of the caput epididymidis, a variable glycocalyx material (VGM) accumulates upon the outer surface of the plasma membrane covering the acro some. In the distal caput, VGM begins to separate and becomes completely detached in the proxi mal cauda. As seen by freeze-fracture, the particles of the plasma membrane covering the acrosome change their arrangement during epididymal passage. A hexagonal arrangement of these particles was noted in spermatozoa from the middle of the caput, but the array became disorganized as the spermatozoa moved through more distal parts of the epididymis. The relations of VGM on the plasma membrane with the particles changed during maturation.
GENp2-4: Towards the NGOSS SID Ontology Based on Description Logics

The SID (shared information/data) model, which is the definition of business entities involved in telecommunication operations management, plays an important role in enabling NGOSS (new generation operations support system) integration and interoperability. TeleManagement Forum's current work on refining the SID model is based on UML metamodel. However, merely such a definition in UML is not sufficient to satisfy various demands for SID across the whole NGOSS lifecycle. In this research, we introduce the SOBDL (SID Ontology Based on Description Logics), a description logic based knowledge representation system, to provide a set of querying and reasoning services for SID requirements in NGOSS from design-time to run-time. In the paper, we describe the SOBDL in detail from various aspects such as architecture, inference services, and role in NGOSS integration. We also discuss the SOBDL languages intensively and give an example of SOBDL in OWL (Web ontology language). In the end, we draw a conclusion and introduce our future research.