Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protecting the Invisible Victim: Incorporating Coercive Control in Domestic Violence Statutes

All states have domestic violence statutes that offer legal remedies to victims of intimate partner abuse. To qualify for these remedies, the victim must demonstrate that they have been subject to certain elements of abuse. Thus, the definition of abuse under these statutes is crucial, as it determines who qualifies as a victim of abuse and as a result is afforded legal protection. Despite the clear importance of an efficient definition, the elements of abuse are outlined differently by each state. Two-thirds of states define abuse in their domestic violence statutes as criminal acts or imminent threats or acts of physical violence. Limiting the definition of abuse to purely physical acts or threats of physical acts does not address the unforgiving realities of domestic abuse. In reality, all forms of abuse--emotional, economic, and physical--are interrelated, and based on the desire for power and control. Adding the definition of coercive control can effectively address the complex issues faced by these victims. However, the definition of coercive control itself must be outlined as a gender-neutral term. Doing so will address the numerous plights faced by victims of domestic abuse and afford them the availability of the protection they deserve. This Note proposes a recognition that coercive control affects all genders and urges legislatures to adopt language based on proposed legislation in the United Kingdom that labels and defines coercive control as abuse, permitting its victims to seek legal remedies. Key Points for the Family Court Community: * Two-thirds of state domestic violence statutes require the victim to prove they are victims of physical violence or were threatened physically in order to be considered victims of abuse and be able to petition for a civil protection order. * Nonphysical abuse can be just as, if not more, devastating than physical violence for victims. * Coercive control is a catch-all term that emphasizes the core of most domestic abuse, which is the need for power and control over another person and incorporates numerous types of nonphysical domestic abuse. * Adding coercive control under the definition of abuse in these statutes will better match the reality of intimate partner abuse, afford protection to victims, and aid in preventing further abuse. * The definition of coercive control must be gender neutral in order to provide protection for all potential victims of this form of abuse and not bar anyone from recovery based on gender. * The proposed legislation in the United Kingdom provides worthy model language and an effective definition of coercive control. Language: en
Calculation of AC losses in HTS tape with FEA program ANSYS

The commercially available finite element analysis program ANSYS, primarily designed for solving problems for ferromagnetic materials and conventional conductors, has been used for simulating the ac losses in HTS tape carrying transport current or exposed to a perpendicular field. Details on how to develop the program as a calculation tool for HTS materials are presented; in particular some factors related to the numerical accuracy and efficiency are discussed. The approach is based on a 2D electromagnetic transient analysis, where the conductivity of the HTS material is simulated in terms of a power law. The commonly used flux creep model and Bean model can be realized by adjusting the power law index value from 2 to /spl infin/. For the Bean model, the simulated results are verified by comparison with the analytical formulas given by Norris, which shows the error to be less than 0.5%. For the flux creep model, the accuracy is estimated by comparison with Brandt's method for a basic cylinder geometry, showing a good agreement.
An efficient out-of-core volume rendering method based on ray casting and GPU acceleration

Volume rendering techniques have been used widely for high quality visualization of 3D data sets, especially in the fields of biomedical image processing. However, when rendering very large (out-of-core) volume data sets, the conventional in-core volume rendering algorithms cannot run efficiently due to the impossibility of fitting the entire input data in the internal memory of a computer. In order to solve this problem, an efficient out-of-core volume rendering method based on volume ray casting and GPU acceleration, with a new out-of-core framework for visualizing large volume data sets, are proposed in this paper. The new framework gives a transparent and efficient access to the volume data set cached in the hard disk, while the new volume rendering method minimize the times of reloading volume data from the hard disk to the internal memory and perform comparatively fast high-quality volume rendering. The experimental results indicate that the new method and framework are effective and efficient for the visualization of out-of-core medical data sets.
Beyond change blindness: embracing the technology revolution in higher education

Abstract The pace of education technology innovation outpaces many professors’ abilities to thoughtfully integrate new tools in their teaching practice. This poses challenges for higher education faculty as well as those responsible for planning professional development in higher education. This article explores recent trends in education technology and the capabilities that new pedagogical tools make possible. It also introduces readers to three foundational educational technology theories: Rogers’ diffusion model, Davis’s technology acceptance model and Mishra & Koehler’s technological, pedagogical and content knowledge model. Each theory holds important implications for those interested in helping higher education faculty members to make the most of emerging classroom technologies. Higher education leadership can help their faculties make the most of education technology tools by including the implications of these theories in their professional development designs.
Impact of Initial Pathogen Density on Resistance and Tolerance in a Polymorphic Disease Resistance Gene System in Arabidopsis thaliana

The evolution of natural enemy defense shapes evolutionary trajectories of natural populations. Although the intensity of selection imposed by enemies clearly varies among natural populations, little is known about the reaction norm of genotypes under a gradient of selective pressure. In this study, we measure the quantitative responses of disease symptoms and plant fitness to a gradient of infection, focusing on the gene-for-gene interaction between the Rpm1 resistance gene in Arabidopsis thaliana and the AvrRpm1 avirulence gene in the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Two complementary sets of plant material were used: resistant (R) and susceptible (S) isogenic lines and a set of six natural accessions, three of which are Rpm1 resistant (R) and three of which are rpm1 susceptible (S). Nine initial pathogen densities were applied to each plant line. Using isogenic lines allows any differences between R and S lines to be attributed directly to the Rpm1 gene, whereas using natural accessions allows the natural variation of resistance and tolerance over a gradient of infection dosages within R and S accessions to be described. For both sets of plant material, increased infection dosage results in more extensive disease symptoms, with a subsequent decrease in seed production. The severity of disease symptoms was reduced in R relative to S subgroups, and the presence of the Rpm1 allele led to an increase in plant fitness. Tolerance, defined as the ability to sustain infection without a reduction in fitness, was directly affected by Rpm1, providing a novel demonstration of an R gene affecting tolerance. Genetic variation for tolerance was also found within the S and R natural accessions, suggesting the potential for selection to act upon this important trait.
Evolution of Metacognition

The importance of metacognition, in the evolution of human consciousness, has been emphasized by thinkers going back hundreds of years. While it is clear that people have metacognition, even when it is strictly defined as it is here, whether any other animals share this capability is the topic of this chapter. The empirical data on nonhuman metacognition are reviewed. It is concluded that three monkeys have now shown evidence of metacognition. Even in these primates, however, the capabilities are limited. Despite claims that rats have metacognition, the data can be explained in terms of mere conditioning contingencies. No other species have been shown to have metacognition. Thus, metacognition appears to be a very recently evolved capability. It is one that may confer on humans an ability to escape from being stimulus bound, and allow self control of their learning, and actions.
Meiotic checkpoints and the interchromosomal effect on crossing over in Drosophila females

During prophase of meiosis I, genetic recombination is initiated with a Spo11-dependent DNA double-strand break (DSB). Repair of these DSBs can generate crossovers, which become chiasmata and are important for the process of chromosome segregation. To ensure at least one chiasma per homologous pair of chromosomes, the number and distribution of crossovers is regulated. One system contributing to the distribution of crossovers is the pachytene checkpoint, which requires the conserved gene pch2 that encodes an AAA+ATPase family member. Pch2-dependent pachytene checkpoint function causes delays in pachytene progression when there are defects in processes required for crossover formation, such as mutations in DSB-repair genes and when there are defects in the structure of the meiotic chromosome axis. Thus, the pachytene checkpoint appears to monitor events leading up to the generation of crossovers. Interestingly, heterozygous chromosome rearrangements cause Pch2-dependent pachytene delays and as little as two breaks in the continuity of the paired chromosome axes are sufficient to evoke checkpoint activity. These chromosome rearrangements also cause an interchromosomal effect on recombination whereby crossing over is suppressed between the affected chromosomes but is increased between the normal chromosome pairs. We have shown that this phenomenon is also due to pachytene checkpoint activity.
As in the Question, So in the Answer? Language Style of Human and Machine Speakers Affects Interlocutors’ Convergence on Wordings

People adapt their word choice to both humans and computers. In this study, language style (elaborated vs. restricted) and perceived conversational partner (human vs. spoken dialogue system) were varied. Convergence was greater when reacting to a restricted language style. Participants preferred human partners and an elaborated language style. In line with communication accommodation theory, results suggest that considering restricted capabilities (cognitive organization) constitutes a central motive for convergence. Implications for spoken dialogue system design are discussed.
Sampled data output regulation of a linear system based on finite time impulsive observer

This paper deals with the impulsive output feedback regulation of linear time invariant systems. The considerable restriction is the accessibility of only sampled measurements of the continuous-time plant and the reference signal. An impulsive estimation technique is proposed for the finite time state estimation under the given constraints. A continuous-time controller is then used to achieve the regulation such that the estimation and tracking errors converge exponentially. The scheme is applied on a magnetic levitation system, to show the effectiveness of the design.
A semi-blind approach to structured channel equalization

This paper describes a direct equalization approach for channels with some underlying structure. A semi-blind approach is taken here where a small amount of training symbols is available. A family of MMSE equalizers is obtained that includes some prior information about the channel structure. The channel structure assumed in this paper is that the channel vector lies approximately in the subspace of a matrix associated with the samples of the transmit pulse shape. Blind identifiability issues of the structured equalizer are also addressed. Numerical results using experimental indoor channel data indicate that these structured equalisers can achieve bit error rates that are significantly lower than traditional non-blind MMSE equalizers.
A Naive-Bayes strategy for sentiment analysis on Spanish

This article describes the strategy underlying the system presented by our team for the sentiment analysis task at TASS 2013. The system is mainly based on a naive-bayes classifier for detecting the polarity of Spanish tweets. The experiments have shown that the best performance is achieved by using a binary classifier distinguishing between just two sharp polarity categories: positive and negative. To identify more polarity levels, the system is provided with experimentally set thresholds for detecting strong, average, and weak (or neutral) values. In addition, in order to detect tweets with and without polarity, the system makes use of a very basic rule that searchs for polarity words within the analysed text. Evaluation results show a good performance of the system (about 67% accuracy) when it is used to detect four sentiment categories.
The Influence of Human Rights Instruments on Children’s Rights Jurisprudence: An Appraisal of the Ethiopian Federal Cassation Court

This article seeks to present the work of the Ethiopian Federal Cassation Court in fostering the application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children, and the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. It discovers that children‟s rights jurisprudence is gradually evolving through the utilization of these legal instruments. This development challenges the current academic debate over the silence of Ethiopian courts with respect to their duty to invoke human rights provisions. Equally, it clarifies the confusion about whether Ethiopian courts exercise their mandate to interpret and apply human rights treaties. Nonetheless, the Court‟s involvement in areas including ensuring compliance with the vertical obligation of children‟s socio-economic rights is limited. The article then identifies the challenges that limit exercise of the Court‟s mandate, and suggests potential ways to enhance the Court‟s constitutional duty of protecting and promoting children‟s rights in the country.
Self-Reported Non-Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Repeatedly assessed by Two Questions Predicts Treatment Failure in Virologically Suppressed Patients

Background The aim of this study was to explore the predictive value of longitudinal self-reported adherence data on viral rebound. Methods Individuals in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study on combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) with RNA <50 copies/ml over the previous 3 months and who were interviewed about adherence at least once prior to 1 March 2007 were eligible. Adherence was defined in terms of missed doses of cART (0, 1, 2 or >2) in the previous 28 days. Viral rebound was defined as RNA >500 copies/ml. Cox regression models with time-independent and -dependent covariates were used to evaluate time to viral rebound. Results A total of 2,664 individuals and 15,530 visits were included. Across all visits, missing doses were reported as follows: 1 dose 14.7%, 2 doses 5.1%, >2 doses 3.8%, taking <95% of doses 4.5% and missing ≥2 consecutive doses 3.2%. In total, 308 (11.6%) patients experienced viral rebound. After controlling for confounding variables, self-reported non-adherence remained significantly associated with the rate of occurrence of viral rebound (compared with zero missed doses: 1 dose, hazard ratio [HR] 1.03, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72–1.48; 2 doses, HR 2.17, 95% CI 1.46–3.25; >2 doses, HR 3.66, 95% CI 2.50–5.34). Several variables significantly associated with an increased risk of viral rebound irrespective of adherence were identified: being on a protease inhibitor or triple nucleoside regimen (compared with a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor), >5 previous cART regimens, seeing a less-experienced physician, taking co-medication, and a shorter time virally suppressed. Conclusions A simple self-report adherence questionnaire repeatedly administered provides a sensitive measure of non-adherence that predicts viral rebound.
Archaeal Population Dynamics during Sequential Reduction Processes in Rice Field Soil

ABSTRACT The population dynamics of Archaea after flooding of an Italian rice field soil were studied over 17 days. Anoxically incubated rice field soil slurries exhibited a typical sequence of reduction processes characterized by reduction of nitrate, Fe3+, and sulfate prior to the initiation of methane production. Archaeal population dynamics were followed using a dual approach involving molecular sequence retrieval and fingerprinting of small-subunit (SSU) rRNA genes. We retrieved archaeal sequences from four clone libraries (30 each) constructed for different time points (days 0, 1, 8, and 17) after flooding of the soil. The clones could be assigned to known methanogens (i.e., Methanosarcinaceae,Methanosaetaceae, Methanomicrobiaceae, andMethanobacteriaceae) and to novel euryarchaeotal (rice clusters I, II, and III) and crenarchaeotal (rice clusters IV and VI) lineages previously detected in anoxic rice field soil and on rice roots (R. Grosskopf, S. Stubner, and W. Liesack, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 64:4983–4989, 1998). During the initiation of methanogenesis (days 0 to 17), we detected significant changes in the frequency of individual clones, especially of those affiliated with theMethanosaetaceae and Methanobacteriaceae. However, these findings could not be confirmed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of SSU rDNA amplicons. Most likely, the fluctuations in sequence composition of clone libraries resulted from cloning bias. Clonal SSU rRNA gene sequences were used to define operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for T-RFLP analysis, which were distinguished by group-specific TaqI restriction sites. Sequence analysis showed a high degree of conservation of TaqI restriction sites within the different archaeal lineages present in Italian rice field soil. Direct T-RFLP analysis of archaeal populations in rice field soil slurries revealed the presence of all archaeal lineages detected by cloning with a predominance of terminal restriction fragments characteristic of rice cluster I (389 bp), Methanosaetaceae (280 bp), andMethanosarcinaceae/rice cluster VI (182 bp). In general, the relative gene frequency of most detected OTUs remained rather constant over time during the first 17 days after flooding of the soil. Most minor OTUs (e.g., Methanomicrobiaceae and rice cluster III) and Methanosaetaceae did not change in relative frequency. Rice cluster I (37 to 30%) and to a lesser extent rice cluster IV as well as Methanobacteriaceae decreased over time. Only the relative abundance of Methanosarcinaceae(182 bp) increased, roughly doubling from 15 to 29% of total archaeal gene frequency within the first 11 days, which was positively correlated to the dynamics of acetate and formate concentrations. Our results indicate that a functionally dynamic ecosystem, a rice field soil after flooding, was linked to a relatively stable archaeal community structure.
Dynamic Batch Bayesian Optimization

Bayesian optimization (BO) algorithms try to optimize an unknown function that is expensive to evaluate using minimum number of evaluations/experiments. Most of the proposed algorithms in BO are sequential, where only one experiment is selected at each iteration. This method can be time inefficient when each experiment takes a long time and more than one experiment can be ran concurrently. On the other hand, requesting a fix-sized batch of experiments at each iteration causes performance inefficiency in BO compared to the sequential policies. In this paper, we present an algorithm that asks a batch of experiments at each time step t where the batch size p_t is dynamically determined in each step. Our algorithm is based on the observation that the sequence of experiments selected by the sequential policy can sometimes be almost independent from each other. Our algorithm identifies such scenarios and request those experiments at the same time without degrading the performance. We evaluate our proposed method using the Expected Improvement policy and the results show substantial speedup with little impact on the performance in eight real and synthetic benchmarks.
Early Activation of Microglia Triggers Long-Lasting Impairment of Adult Neurogenesis in the Olfactory Bulb

Microglia, the innate immune cells of the brain, engulf and eliminate cellular debris during brain injury and disease. Recent observations have extended their roles to the healthy brain, but the functional impact of activated microglia on neural plasticity has so far been elusive. To explore this issue, we investigated the role of microglia in the function of the adult olfactory bulb network in which both sensory afferents and local microcircuits are continuously molded by the arrival of adult-born neurons. We show here that the adult olfactory bulb hosts a large population of resident microglial cells. Deafferentation of the olfactory bulb resulted in a transient activation of microglia and a concomitant reduction of adult olfactory bulb neurogenesis. One day after sensory deafferentation, microglial cells proliferate in the olfactory bulb, and their numbers peaked at day 3, and reversed at day 7 after lesion. Similar lesions performed on immunodeficient mice demonstrate that the both innate and adaptive lymphocyte responses are dispensable for the lesion-induced microglial proliferation and activation. In contrast, when mice were treated with an antiinflammatory drug to prevent microglial activation, olfactory deafferentation did not reduce adult neurogenesis, showing that activated microglial cells per se, and not the lack of sensory experience, relates to the survival of adult-born neurons. We conclude that the status of the resident microglia in the olfactory bulb is an important factor directly regulating the survival of immature adult-born neurons.
Spectrum sensing in opportunity-heterogeneous cognitive radio networks: Non-cooperative case

Majority of the existing works on cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) in cognitive radio networks (CRNs) explicitly or implicitly assume that all secondary users (SUs) share the same occupancy of the licensed channel and the problem of CSS is always modeled as a common binary hypothesis test, i.e., the presence or absence of a primary user (PU), among all SUs. However, in practice, SUs at different locations may experience different (or heterogeneous) spectrum opportunities, in which case the common hypothesis does not hold any more. In this paper, we extend the traditional detection of the presence of the PU to the detection of spectrum opportunity in spatial and temporal domains jointly. Under a stochastic geometry model of the SU network, we drive the close-form expressions of spatial-temporal false alarm, detection and access probabilities for energy-based non-cooperative case. The simulated results match the theoretical results very well.