Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnetoencephalographic mapping: basic of a new functional risk profile in the selection of patients with cortical brain lesions.

OBJECTIVE Surgical management of cortical lesions adjacent to or within the eloquent cerebral cortex requires a critical risk: benefit analysis of the procedure before intervention. This study introduced a measure of surgical risk, based on preoperative magnetoencephalographic (MEG) sensory and motor mapping, and tested its value in predicting surgical morbidity. METHODS Forty patients (21 men and 19 women; mean age, 36.5 yr) with cortical lesions (12 arteriovenous malformations and 28 tumors) in the vicinity of the sensorimotor cortex were classified into high-, medium-, or low-risk categories by using the MEG-defined functional risk profile (FRP). This was based on the minimal distance between the lesion margin and the sensory and motor MEG sources, superimposed on a magnetic resonance imaging scan. Case management decisions were based on the MEG mapping-derived FRP in combination with biopsy pathological findings, radiographic findings, and anatomic characteristics of the lesion. A recently developed protocol was used to transform MEG source locations into the stereotactic coordinate system. This procedure provided intraoperative access to MEG data in combination with stereotactic anatomic data displays routinely available on-line during surgery. RESULTS It was determined that 11 patients diagnosed as having gliomas had high FRPs. The margin of the lesion was less than 4 mm from the nearest MEG dipole or involved the central sulcus directly. A nonoperative approach was used for six patients of this group, based on the MEG mapping-derived FRP. In the group with arteriovenous malformations, 6 of 12 patients with high or medium FRPs underwent nonoperative therapy. The remaining 28 patients, whose lesions showed satisfactory FRPs, underwent uneventful lesion resection, without postoperative neurological deficits. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that MEG mapping-derived FRPs can serve as powerful tools for use in presurgical planning and during surgery.
Analisis User Opinion Twitter Pada Level Fine-grained Sentiment Analysis Terhadap Tokoh Publik

Berbagai situs social media, sering kali menimbulkan feedback dari para follower terkait user yang mereka follow sebelumnya. Review dari follower dapat dijadikan pertimbangan sebagai sumber informasi yang berguna baik untuk pihak follower itu sendiri maupun untuk pihak user tersebut. Namun untuk user yang memiliki jumlah follower yang sangat banyak. Ini dapat menyulitkan follower lain jika harus membaca satu per satu semua review yang ada. Maka dari itu diperlukan suatu sistem yang dapat menilai review atau opini dari follower berdasarkan tweet. Salah satu solusi yang diusulkan adalah melakukan suatu penilaian terhadap opini dari user. Heterogenous graph model adalah salah satu metode berorientasikan graph dimana pemodelan datanya dimodelkan dalam bentuk graph dalam hal ini user yang terhubung langsung secara langsung atau directed yang akan dipakai dalam penentuan klasifikasi user yang akan diambil. Hasil pengujian menunjukan bahwa nilai akurasi berdasarkan directed graph lebih baik jika dibandingkan penilaian berdasarkan komentar asli saja dengan rata-rata akurasi yang dihasilkan pada kisaran 69%. Besarnya nilai akurasi ini dipengaruhi oleh jumlah kata dan varian kata pada tiap review user Kata kunci : Social media, Sentiment analysis, Opinion mining, Twitter
Characterization of a Thermoacidophilic l-Arabinose Isomerase from Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius: Role of Lys-269 in pH Optimum

ABSTRACT The araA gene encoding l-arabinose isomerase (AI) from the thermoacidophilic bacterium Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius was cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli. Analysis of the sequence revealed that the open reading frame of the araA gene consists of 1,491 bp that encodes a protein of 497 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 56,043 Da. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of A. acidocaldarius AI (AAAI) with other AIs demonstrated that AAAI has 97% and 66% identities (99% and 83% similarities) to Geobacillus stearothermophilus AI (GSAI) and Bacillus halodurans AI (BHAI), respectively. The recombinant AAAI was purified to homogeneity by heat treatment, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration. The purified enzyme showed maximal activity at pH 6.0 to 6.5 and 65°C under the assay conditions used, and it required divalent cations such as Mn2+, Co2+, and Mg2+ for its activity. The isoelectric point (pI) of the enzyme was about 5.0 (calculated pI of 5.5). The apparent Km values of the recombinant AAAI for l-arabinose and d-galactose were 48.0 mM (Vmax, 35.5 U/mg) and 129 mM (Vmax, 7.5 U/mg), respectively, at pH 6 and 65°C. Interestingly, although the biochemical properties of AAAI are quite similar to those of GSAI and BHAI, the three AIs from A. acidocaldarius (pH 6), G. stearothermophilus (pH 7), and B. halodurans (pH 8) exhibited different pH activity profiles. Based on alignment of the amino acid sequences of these homologous AIs, we propose that the Lys-269 residue of AAAI may be responsible for the ability of the enzyme to act at low pH. To verify the role of Lys-269, we prepared the mutants AAAI-K269E and BHAI-E268K by site-directed mutagenesis and compared their kinetic parameters with those of wild-type AIs at various pHs. The pH optima of both AAAI-K269E and BHAI-E268K were rendered by 1.0 units (pH 6 to 7 and 8 to 7, respectively) compared to the wild-type enzymes. In addition, the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of each mutant at different pHs was significantly affected by an increase or decrease in Vmax. From these results, we propose that the position corresponding to the Lys-269 residue of AAAI could play an important role in the determination of the pH optima of homologous AIs.
EU Regional Policy and the Neighbour's Curse: Analyzing the Income Convergence Effects of ESIF Funding in the Presence of Spatial Spillovers

The European structural and investment funds (ESIF) constitute the prime instrument of EU regional policy. We study the ESIF's effectiveness in terms of fostering intra‐EU income convergence through investment support to lagging regions. Our empirical results for the period 1997–2007 indicate that the ESIF's contribution to income growth is insignificant or even negative for several peripheral EU regions. We argue that the negative link between funding and regional growth is mainly attributable to spatial spillovers. While the latter may reflect the intensified competition for scarce production factors among highly funded regions in geographical proximity, we also discuss the role played by structural backwardness in a macro‐regional context to explain this sobering result. As such, we show that negative funding effects significantly correlate with lower levels of regional institutional quality. Taken together, our findings indicate that unintended distortionary effects restrain EU regional policy from working effectively to foster income convergence.
A treadmill test of sprint running

Anaerobic power is characterized by a high degree of specificity regarding both the recruited muscles as well as the recruitment pattern. The popular Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) is a cycling test that does not satisfy the need for a running‐specific anaerobic test. We describe such a test, using a novel type of a commercially available treadmill (BRL 1800, Gymrol, France). The ergometer is equipped with a torque motor to neutralize the frictional resistance of the treadmill belt, and a hip‐belt harness connected to a horizontal rod. Force applied to the harness is monitored by a strain gauge mounted on the rod, while vertical movement is monitored by a potentiometer at the posterior fixed end of the rod. These, in conjunction with the treadmill belt speed, enable the computation of horizontal and vertical power as well as the combined total output. Power is calculated both as ‘peak’ power (highest 2.5 s segment) and ‘mean’ power (20 s duration). Preliminary results of young athletes were generally consistent with the expected age‐related changes in anaerobic power. Values obtained on the anaerobic treadmill were always higher than the corresponding WAnT values previously obtained in comparable age groups. The higher values were probably due to the larger muscle mass involved and the shorter peak and mean power durations (2.5 and 20 s versus 5 and 30 s in the WAnT, respectively). This test should enable not only running‐specific anaerobic power monitoring but also the characterization of the relationship between the horizontal and vertical components of that power.
Teacher perspectives on social thinking

v List of Tables . vii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Chapter 2: Review of Literature . 5 Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities . 5 Importance of Social Skills . 6 Social Skills Intervention Strategies . 7 Social Skills Intervention Using Technology . 11 Summary.13 Chapter 3: Methodology . 15 Settings and Participants . 15 Procedure . 16 Variables . 18 Limitations . 18 Chapter 4: Results . 19 Summary . 19 Results . 19 Chapter 5: Discussion . 26 Limitations and Future Studies . 28 Practical Implications . 29 Conclusion . 29 References . 31
Patient Characteristics Associated with Nonprescription Drug Use in Intentional Overdose

Objective: Over-the-counter (OTC) medications remain freely available to suicidal patients, despite their potential lethality and common use in suicide. The study's main objective was to identify patient characteristics, particularly psychiatric diagnosis associated with the use of OTC medications in intentional overdose. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 95 charts from patients who presented to St Paul's Hospital from August 1, 1997, to July 31, 1998, with a discharge diagnosis of intentional drug overdose. Univariate analysis was carried out to identify potential risk markers for OTC medication use, and logistic regression was performed using these variables. Results: When the variables age, sex, and concurrent psychiatric diagnoses were controlled, use of OTC medications in overdose was significantly lower in patients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of substance abuse (OR 0.11, P = 0.005) and in those who possessed prescription medications at the time of overdose (OR 0.18, P = 0.007). Most patients in this cohort (82%) had at least 1 of these 2 traits. Although not statistically significant, younger patients appeared more likely to choose OTC medications for overdose. Conclusion: Suicide-prone patients with a diagnosis of substance abuse and who possess prescription medications are unlikely to use OTC medications in overdose. For this cohort, this represents a relatively small proportion of patients whom clinicians should consider to be at greater risk for attempting suicide when using OTC medication, especially acetaminophen.
Delayed treatment of secondary degeneration following acute optic nerve transection using a combination of ion channel inhibitors

Studies have shown that a combined application of several ion channel inhibitors immediately after central nervous system injury can inhibit secondary degeneration. However, for clinical use, it is necessary to determine how long after injury the combined treatment of several ion channel inhibitors can be delayed and efficacy maintained. In this study, we delivered Ca2+ entry-inhibiting P2X7 receptor antagonist oxidized-ATP and AMPA receptor antagonist YM872 to the optic nerve injury site via an iPRECIO@ pump immediately, 6 hours, 24 hours and 7 days after partial optic nerve transection surgery. In addition, all of the ion channel inhibitor treated rats were administered with calcium channel antagonist lomerizine hydrochloride. It is important to note that as a result of implantation of the particular pumps required for programmable delivery of therapeutics directly to the injury site, seromas occurred in a significant proportion of animals, indicating infection around the pumps in these animals. Improvements in visual function were observed only when treatment was delayed by 6 hours; phosphorylated Tau was reduced when treatment was delayed by 24 hours or 7 days. Improvements in structure of node/paranode of Ranvier and reductions in oxidative stress indicators were also only observed when treatment was delayed for 6 hours, 24 hours, or 7 days. Benefits of ion channel inhibitors were only observed with time-delayed treatment, suggesting that delayed therapy of Ca2+ ion channel inhibitors produces better neuroprotective effects on secondary degeneration, at least in the presence of seromas.
Trajectory Planning of Biped Robot with Two Kinds of Inverted Pendulums

In recent years, studies about walking motion of biped robots have been developed rapidly. In many researches, biped robots are often treated as inverted pendulums since the structure of biped robots are very complicated. This simplification makes trajectory planning for a biped robot easy. An inverted pendulum model, however, gives some constraints to the robot. Walking motion using one kind of inverted pendulum has low robustness of walking. Hence, we propose a trajectory planning method with combination of two kinds of inverted pendulums in this paper. Trajectory planning of the swing leg for this new method is also proposed. With these, more stable and humanlike walking motion is achieved than that with one kind of inverted pendulum. The proposed method is more effective when a biped robot walks with lager range of strides
It’s the economy, stupid! When economics and politics override health policy goals – the case of tax reliefs to build private hospitals in Ireland in the early 2000s

Objectives: To analyse the policy process that led to changes to the Finance Acts in 2001 and 2002 that gave tax-reliefs to build private hospitals in Ireland. Methods: Qualitative research methods of documentary analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews with elites involved in the policy processes, were used and examined through a conceptual framework devised for this research. Results: This research found a highly politicised and personalised policy making process where policy entrepreneurs, namely private sector interests, had significant impact on the policy process. Effective private sector lobbying encouraged the Minister of Finance to introduce the tax-reliefs for building private hospitals despite advice against this policy measure from his own officials, officials in the Department of Health and the health minister. The Finance Acts in 2001 and 2002 introduced tax-reliefs for building private hospitals, without any public or political scrutiny or consensus. Conclusion: The changes to the Finance Acts to give tax-reliefs to build private hospitals in 2001 and private for-profit hospitals 2002 is an example of a closed, personalised policy making process. It is an example of a politically imposed policy by the finance minister, where economic policy goals overrode health policy goals. The documentary analysis and elite interviews examined through a conceptual framework enabled an in-depth analysis of this specific policy making process. These methods and the framework may be useful to other policy making analyses.
Eosinophilic differentiation is promoted by blockage of Notch signaling with a gamma‐secretase inhibitor

Although increasing evidence supports the inhibitory role of Notch in granulocyte differentiation, the direct effects of Notch on the differentiation and maturation of eosinophils, one type of granulocyte, have not yet been studied. We investigated whether a blockage of Notch signaling promoted the differentiation of eosinophils from umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells. Freshly isolated UCB cells were cultured with IL‐3, IL‐5 and GM‐CSF in the presence or absence of a γ‐secretase inhibitor L‐685,458, and examined for the expression of major basic protein (MBP). Freshly isolated UCB cells expressed mRNA and proteins for Notch 1, Notch 2, Delta 1, and Jagged 1. MBP expression in cultures with the inhibitor was significantly increased, as compared with the cultures in the absence of the inhibitor. Treatment with the inhibitor was accompanied by a decrease in Hes 1 mRNA expression, indicative of Notch‐mediated signaling for the inhibitor effect. UCB cells cultured with the inhibitor for 28 days displayed similar levels of CCR3, a late marker of eosinophil development, as compared with the cells cultured without the inhibitor, but almost completely lost chemotaxis response to eotaxin. Our data suggest that Notch signaling may modulate eosinophil migration at the mature stage as well as inhibit eosinophil differentiation.
Empirical analysis on the determinants of FDI in Brazil for the period of the post 1990

Abstract The objective of this article is to analyse the factors that determine the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Brazil after 1995, a period in which there was monetary stabilisation. The study includes analysing the theoretical aspects of this investment and investigating the empirical aspects of the Brazilian reality of FDI. Applying an econometrical model to statistically analyse the possible determinants of FDI in Brazil is one the specific objectives of this study. Compared to the others, the difference of this study lies in the focus given to the macroeconomic variables of the economy in relation to the inflow of FDI. It also studies the possibility of using the vector error correction (VEC) model, which allows a greater number of observations and better adjustments of the model. The study finds that gross domestic product (GDP), country risk, and FDI inflows themselves appear to have a more significant impact on new inflows of FDI.
Interpreting the Intentions of Internet Predators: An Examination of Online Predatory Behavior

ABSTRACT Internet predators are finding new ways to prey on the vulnerabilities of youth in chat rooms and lure them into sexual activities. This study will examine three chat room transcripts between adult predators and adult volunteers of the group “Perverted Justice” posing as youth. These conversations will be analyzed to interpret the underlying meanings behind the words and actions of the predators and how they affect potential victims. The purpose of this article is to provide insight to the reader of the increased amount of child sexual abuse on the Internet, the often-blatant tactics used by online predators to pursue this abuse, and how they are continuing to successfully manipulate children with them.
Revisiting the Impact of Stock Market Liquidity on Bank Liquidity Creation: Evidence from Malaysia

ABSTRACT This article examines the impact of stock market liquidity on bank liquidity creation in Malaysia. Our results indicate that a stock market enhances the liquidity creation of banks both on and off the banks’ balance sheets when the market liquidity increases. Further analysis shows that the positive impact of stock market liquidity is evident on the liquidity creation of publicly listed banks as the banks’ cost of equity finance becomes cheaper. Our results are robust to the influence of the 2008 financial crisis and different estimation methods. Our results refute the traditional view that increased stock market liquidity “steals” banks’ business and crowds out bank liquidity creation.
The Propaganda Model Today: Filtering Perception and Awareness

While the individual elements of the propaganda system (or filters) identified by the Propaganda Model (PM) – ownership, advertising, sources, flak and anti-communism – have previously been the focus of much scholarly attention, their systematisation in a model, empirical corroboration and historicisation have made the PM a useful tool for media analysis across cultural and geographical boundaries. Despite the wealth of scholarly research Herman and Chomsky’s work has set into motion over the past decades, the PM has been subjected to marginalisation, poorly informed critiques and misrepresentations. Interestingly, while the PM enables researchers to form discerning predictions as regards corporate media performance, Herman and Chomsky had further predicted that the PM itself would meet with such marginalisation and contempt. In current theoretical and empirical studies of mass media performance, uses of the PM continue, nonetheless, to yield important insights into the workings of political and economic power in society, due in large measure to the model’s considerable explanatory power.
Carbon Tax at the Pump in British Columbia and Québec

Abstract:La Colombie-Britannique et le Québec ont imposé une taxe carbone à la vente au détail d'essence, respectivement en juillet 2008 et en octobre 2007. Nos résultats suggèrent que cette taxe a eu, en Colombie-Britannique, un effet négatif à court terme sur la consommation d'essence par habitant et qu'elle a entraîné une réponse comportementale amplifiée, mais seulement au début, ce qui est peut-être lié au fait que la taxe carbone est restée constante à partir de 2012. Au Québec, par contre, la taxe semble n'avoir eu que peu d'effets négatifs sur la consommation d'essence par habitant ni avoir entraîné de réponse comportementale amplifiée significative ; de plus, ces effets ne sont apparus que quelques années après l'imposition de la taxe. Ce délai s'explique peut-être par l'augmentation du coût du carbone chez les distributeurs de combustibles fossiles après le début de leur participation au marché régional du carbone de la Western Climate Initiative en janvier 2015. Nous croyons toutefois qu'il faudrait réaliser de nouvelles recherches pour obtenir des conclusions décisives sur l'effet des taxes carbone sur la consommation d'essence.Abstract:British Columbia and Quebec introduced a carbon tax on the sale of retail gasoline in July 2008 and October 2007, respectively. Our findings suggest that the BC carbon tax had a short-term negative effect on gasoline consumption per capita and led to an amplified behavioural response, but only initially. This amplified response might have been the consequence of a constant carbon tax after July 2012. In comparison, we find weak evidence that the QC carbon tax had a negative effect on gasoline consumption per capita and created an amplified behavioural response. Moreover, these impacts appeared only years after the introduction of the QC carbon tax. This delay might be explained by the increase in carbon cost incurred by QC fossil fuel distributors after their participation in the Western Climate Initiative Regional Carbon Market, which started in January 2015. We believe, however, that more research is necessary to reach more definitive conclusions about the effect of carbon taxes on gasoline consumption.
Follow-walking motions of a biped humanoid robot

We would like to give biped humanoid robots a following motion as one of the functions capable of supporting humans. Unfortunately, not much attention has been paid to research on human-following motions to date. In this paper, a follow-walking control method is described to realize such motions, which consists of a pattern synthesis part and a balance motion control part. First, we generate switchable unit patterns of a biped humanoid robot, based on human-robot interaction. Second, the unit patterns are synthesized according to the sense of the resultant contact forces. Finally, the compensatory motion of the trunk and waist is calculated by a cooperative motion control algorithm for the balance of the biped robot.