Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The use of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) in goal pursuit in the daily lives of middle-aged adults

Abstract The current study investigated the use of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) in association with momentary goal conflict and facilitation in middle adulthood. In contrast to previous studies on SOC that focused on the habitual use of the SOC-strategies, the current study investigated the momentary SOC-use in the everyday lives of adults who face the developmental challenge of combining the demands of multiple life domains (e.g., work, family, leisure). In a sample of N = 89 employed middle-age adults, momentary SOC-use as well as momentary goal conflict and facilitation were assessed in a measurement burst design encompassing 20 days (M = 126 measurement points per person). Time-lagged analyses showed that momentary goal conflict was positively related to subsequent optimization and compensation, and momentary goal facilitation lead to lower subsequent loss-based selection and compensation. In contrast, SOC predicted neither subsequent goal conflict nor facilitation. Thus, the use of SOC-strategies seems to be a response to – rather than an antecedent of - currently experienced goal relations (conflict, facilitation), underscoring the importance of these strategies for managing multiple goals.
A two-stage framework for blind image quality assessment

Most present day no-reference/blind image quality assessment (NR IQA) algorithms are distortion specific - i.e., they assume that the distortion affecting the image is known. Here we propose a novel two stage framework for distortion-independent blind image quality assessment based on natural scene statistics (NSS). The proposed framework is modular in that it can be extended beyond the distortion-pool considered here, and each module proposed can be replaced by better-performing ones in the future. We describe a 4-distortion demonstration of the proposed framework and show that it performs competitively with the full-reference peak-signal-to-noise-ratio on the LIVE IQA database. A software release of the proposed index has been made available online: http://live.ece. utexas.edu/research/quality/BIQI_4D_release. zip.
Recombinant Listeria Vaccines Containing PEST Sequences Are Potent Immune Adjuvants for the Tumor-Associated Antigen Human Papillomavirus-16 E7

Previous work in our laboratory has established that the fusion of tumor-associated antigens to a truncated form of the Listeria monocytogenes virulence factor listeriolysin O (LLO) enhances the immunogenicity and antitumor efficacy of the tumor antigen when delivered by Listeria or by vaccinia. LLO contains a PEST sequence at the NH2 terminus. These sequences, which are found in eukaryotic proteins with a short cellular half-life, target proteins for degradation in the ubiquitin-proteosome pathway. To investigate whether the enhanced immunogenicity conferred by LLO is due to the PEST sequence, we constructed new Listeria recombinants that expressed the HPV-16 E7 antigen fused to LLO, which either contained or had been deleted of this sequence. We then compared the antitumor efficacy of this set of vectors and found that Listeria expressing the fusion protein LLO-E7 or PEST-E7 were effective at regressing established macroscopic HPV-16 immortalized tumors in syngeneic mice. In contrast, Listeria recombinants expressing E7 alone or E7 fused to LLO from which the PEST sequence had been genetically removed could only slow tumor growth. Because CD8+ T cell epitopes are generated in the ubiquitin-proteosome pathway, we also investigated the ability of the vaccines to induce E7-specific CD8+ T cells in the spleen and to generate E7-specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. A strong correlation was observed between CD8+ T-cell induction and tumor homing and the antitumor efficacy of the Listeria-E7 vaccines. These findings suggest a strategy for the augmentation of tumor antigen-based immunotherapeutic strategies that may be broadly applicable.
SECONDARY METABOLITE PRODUCTION IN HYPERICUM PERFORATUM L. CELL SUSPENSIONS UPON ELICITATION WITH FUNGAL MYCELIA FROM ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS

We investigated the production of phenylpropanoids (phenolic compounds, flavanols, flavonols and anthocya- nins) and naphtodianthrones (hypericins) in elicited Hypericum perforatum L. cell suspensions. To determine whether secondary metabolite production could be enhanced, Hypericum cell suspensions were exposed to mycelia extract from the fungus Aspergillus flavus. Elicited Hypericum cell suspension cultures displayed reduced growth and viability and a modification of secondary metabolites production. Anthocyanins were only stimulated in fungal-elicited cell suspensions. Secondary metabolite production in elicited Hypericum cells revealed an antagonism between the flavonoid/naphtodian- throne and anthocyanin pathways. The data suggest a modification of the channeling of the phenylpropanoid compounds. Together, these results represent useful data for monitoring the channeling in different secondary metabolite pathways during the scaled-up production of naphtodianthrones for medicinal uses.
A High-Accuracy, Low-Latency Technique for Talker Localization in Reverberant Environments Using Microphone Arrays

Engineering with departmental honors. He went on to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island to study signal processing and began research on microphone arrays. He received a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1993 and continued to pursue his work towards a Doctor of Philosophy degree. While a student at Brown, he held several appointments as a research assistant. He also held several appointments as a teaching assistant for various electrical engineering courses. iv Acknowledgements I wish to thank my advisor, Professor Harvey Silverman, for his constant support and feedback. Thanks to the other members of the microphone array group for their efforts to keep the project going: thank all my fellow graduate students, my friends, for all those special lunches, inside and outside: Michael Blane, Aaron Smith, Mike Wazlowski and the array group. Thanks to my readers, Professor Michael Brandstein and Professor David Cooper for their corrections to my thesis and their attentiveness during my defense. Thanks to Professor Bill Patterson for answering a wide range of questions for me. Thanks to the Department of Engineering for the research and teaching assistant appointments that were granted to me as I worked towards my degree. Thanks to LEMS for providing the laboratory facilities for my research and to Arpie Kaloustian for all his technical assistance on the array systems and other equipment in the lab. I would also like to thank my parents, Peter and Linda, for their investment in my education and their assurance that this was a worthwhile goal. And to my wife, Furhana, for providing support when I needed it the most and for helping me laugh during this long and challenging process.
A species clustering method based on variation of molecular data with the aid of variance proportion

In order to infer evolutionary relationships as well as reconstruct phylogenetic trees, evolutionists often employ two general approaches: character-based and distance-based. Inasmuch as character based methods could be inordinately expensive in computational process, researchers have to use some estimation methods with practical run time. In this context, distance based methods are exceedingly quicker due to the utilizing of distance matrices. In Computational Biology, sequence comparison is of fundamental importance which tries to find similar sequences. Many different techniques have been developed to calculate the right distance measure among DNA sequences, however, they are almost only used for making distance matrix; additionally, they usually work in the absence of using models of evolution too. In this paper, a novel technique, based on mathematical variance calculation, is proposed to show how much gene sequences in a group are all to be similar. In this strategy, we use mathematical formula of variance to acquire the average of differences amongst all sequences of a specific set (called cluster). Eventually, all sequences with variation lower than the predefined variance will be clustered into some groups while each group contains a phylogenetic tree. We are of the idea that our method, in spite of simplicity in design, could be used as a logical criterion to cluster sequences of DNA and it also could prove useful as a simple technique to build phylogenetic networks based on distance, especially when there are a large number of input sequences.
Assumptions of the model in Macy and Sato ( 2002 ) extracted from the source code

The paper at hand aimes at identifying the assumptions that lead to the results presented in an article by Michael Macy and Yoshimichi Sato published in PNAS. In answer to a failed replication, the authors provided the source code of their model and here the results of carefully studying that code are presented. The main finding is that the simulation program implements an assumption that is most probably an unwilling, unintended, and unwanted implication of the code. This implied assumption is never mentioned in Macy and Sato's article and if the authors wanted to program what they describe in their article then it is due to a programming error. After introducing the reader to the discussion, data that stem from a new replication based on the assumptions extracted from the source code is compared with the results published in Macy and Sato's original article. The replicated results are sufficiently similar to serve as a strong indicator that this new replication implements the same relevant assumptions as the original model. Afterwards it is shown that a removal of the dubious assumption leads to results that are dramatically different from those published in Macy and Sato's PNAS article. Replication, Social Dilemma Situations, Trust, Simulation Methodology, Cooperation Introduction In Will and Hegselmann (2008a) we reported to JASSS on how we failed to replicate the results presented in Macy and Sato (2002). We considered several aspects of the model as causes of our failure. The most plausible explanation we could find, was that we had missed the way in which transaction costs were implemented. Lacking the opportunity to analyse the source code of the model, we were not able to verify this conjecture. Shortly after the publication of our paper, the authors' reply appeared in the same journal (Macy and Sato (2008)). No clear answer on why our replication might have failed was given in this text (Will and Hegselmann 2008b) but Macy and Sato published their source code in answer to our article. In the present text, I am presenting the insights I gained from studying the code carefully, trying to uncover those assumptions of the original model that we got wrong in our replication. Macy and Sato's model is quite appealing. It implements a social structure that distinguishes between interactions in (a) more or less small groups of people that know each other comparatively well and (b) usually larger groups of strangers. This is a structural scenario that corresponds well to real-world interactions of people. The model predicts that social mobility, as long as it is not extremely high, has a large positive effect on trust among strangers. In a world with probably increasing social mobility this is an interesting finding. Thus Macy and
Electroacupuncture Reduces Weight Gain Induced by Rosiglitazone through PPARγ and Leptin Receptor in CNS

We investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on protecting the weight gain side effect of rosiglitazone (RSG) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) rats and its possible mechanism in central nervous system (CNS). Our study showed that RSG (5 mg/kg) significantly increased the body weight and food intake of the T2DM rats. After six-week treatment with RSG combined with EA, body weight, food intake, and the ratio of IWAT to body weight decreased significantly, whereas the ratio of BAT to body weight increased markedly. HE staining indicated that the T2DM-RSG rats had increased size of adipocytes in their IWAT, but EA treatment reduced the size of adipocytes. EA effectively reduced the lipid contents without affecting the antidiabetic effect of RSG. Furthermore, we noticed that the expression of PPARγ gene in hypothalamus was reduced by EA, while the expressions of leptin receptor and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) were increased. Our results suggest that EA is an effective approach for inhibiting weight gain in T2DM rats treated by RSG. The possible mechanism might be through increased levels of leptin receptor and STAT3 and decreased PPARγ expression, by which food intake of the rats was reduced and RSG-induced weight gain was inhibited.
An Empirical Investigation of the Arts Audience Experience Index

Radbourne et al. proposed an Arts Audience Experience Index (AAEI) which stipulated that performing arts experiences consist of four components: authenticity, collective engagement, knowledge, and risk. Authenticity is associated with truth and believability of a performance. Collective engagement is an audience’s experience of engagement with performers and other audience members. Knowledge is concerned with understanding of and intellectual stimulation created by a performance. Risk is the extent to which a performance meets one’s expectation, is value for money, and fits with one’s self-image. We administered the AAEI to 465 spectators who attended a drama performance and 126 spectators who attended a musical performance. Supporting Radbourne et al.’s framework, confirmatory factor analysis found that audience members could differentiate among the four components of authenticity, collective engagement, knowledge, and risk along the two facets of importance and satisfaction. Regression analyses also showed that satisfaction with these four components contributes meaningfully to the overall evaluation of the performances, although collective engagement was found to be a relatively weaker predictor.
Effects of Renal Impairment on the Pharmacokinetics of Morinidazole: Uptake Transporter-Mediated Renal Clearance of the Conjugated Metabolites

ABSTRACT Morinidazole is a novel 5-nitroimidazole antimicrobial drug that undergoes extensive metabolism in humans via N+-glucuronidation (N+-glucuronide of S-morinidazole [M8-1] and N+-glucuronide of R-morinidazole [M8-2]) and sulfation (sulfate conjugate of morinidazole [M7]). Our objectives were to assess the effects of renal impairment on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of morinidazole and to elucidate the potential mechanisms. In this parallel-group study, healthy subjects and patients with severe renal impairment received an intravenous infusion of 500 mg of morinidazole. Plasma and urine samples were collected and analyzed. The areas under the plasma concentration-time curves (AUC) for M7, M8-1, and M8-2 were 15.1, 20.4, and 17.4 times higher, respectively, in patients with severe renal impairment than in healthy subjects, while the AUC for morinidazole was 1.5 times higher. The urinary recovery of the major metabolites was not significantly different between the two groups over 0 to 48 h, but the renal clearances of M7, M8-1, and M8-2 in patients were 85.3%, 92.5%, and 92.2% lower, respectively. In vitro transporter studies revealed that M7 is a substrate for organic anion transporter 1 (OAT1) and OAT3 (Km = 28.6 and 54.0 μM, respectively). Only OAT3 transported M8-1 and M8-2. Morinidazole was not a substrate for the transporter-transfected cells examined. These results revealed that the function or activity of renal uptake transporters might be impaired in patients with severe renal impairment, which accounted for dramatically increased plasma exposure and reduced renal clearance of the conjugated metabolites of morinidazole, the substrates of renal transporters in patients. It will help clinicians to adjust the dose in patients with severe renal impairment and to predict possible transporter-based drug-drug interactions.
Treatment of Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia with Rituximab: Prognostic Factors for Response and Progression

Recent data have suggested that rituximab is an active agent for the treatment of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM). However, the patients that are more likely to benefit have not been clearly defined. In order to address this question we evaluated 52 patients who were treated with single-agent rituximab in the context of prospective studies. Several clinical and laboratory variables were assessed for their correlation with response and time to progression. Twenty-three (44%) patients achieved a partial response after treatment with rituximab. Previously untreated and pretreated patients had the same probability for response. Higher response rates were noted in patients with serum monoclonal protein < 40 g/l, with serum albumin > or = 35 g/l and with kappa light chain. The median time to progression for all patients was 13.8 months. A multivariate analysis indicated that elevated serum monoclonal protein levels and low serum albumin were the dominant variables associated with shorter progression. Presence of two, one or none of these adverse prognostic factors was associated with time to progression of 3.6 months, 11 months and more than 40 months, respectively. We conclude that rituximab is an effective treatment modality for patients with WM. Patients with both low levels of monoclonal protein and normal albumin are the best candidates for treatment with standard dose rituximab.
Location of DC Line Faults in Conventional HVDC Systems With Segments of Cables and Overhead Lines Using Terminal Measurements

This paper presents a novel algorithm to determine the location of dc line faults in an HVDC system with a mixed transmission media consisting of overhead lines and cables, using only the measurements taken at the rectifier and inverter ends of the composite transmission line. The algorithm relies on the traveling-wave principle, and requires the fault-generated surge arrival times at two ends of the dc line as inputs. With accurate surge arrival times obtained from time-synchronized measurements, the proposed algorithm can accurately predict the faulty segment as well as the exact fault location. Continuous wavelet transform coefficients of the input signal are used to determine the precise time of arrival of traveling waves at the dc line terminals. Two possible input signals-the dc voltage measured at the converter terminal and the current through the surge capacitors connected at the dc line end-are examined and both signals are found to be equally effective for detecting the traveling-wave arrival times. Performance of the proposed fault-location scheme is analyzed through detailed simulations carried out using the electromagnetic transient simulation software PSCAD. The impact of measurement noise on the fault-location accuracy is also studied in this paper.
Effects of training periodization on cardiac autonomic modulation and endogenous stress markers in volleyball players

We investigated the effects of selective loads of periodization model (SLPM) on autonomic modulation of heart rate variability (HRV) and endogenous stress markers before and after a competition period in volleyball players (N=32). The experimental protocol for the evaluation of HRV consisted of using spectral analysis of time series composed of the R–R intervals derived from electrocardiogram obtained in the supine position and during the tilt test. Stress marker levels were determined by quantifying the plasma concentration of endogenous catecholamines, cortisol and free testosterone. The results showed no changes between the levels of HRV before and after a competition period. In contrast, the quantification of the plasma concentration of endogenous stress markers revealed reductions in the levels of total catecholamines, noradrenaline and cortisol. These changes were accompanied by increases in the concentration of free testosterone and in the testosterone/cortisol ratio. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the SLPM did not change the cardiac autonomic modulation of HRV, but promoted beneficial adaptations in athletes, including positive changes in the plasma concentration of the endogenous stress markers. The absence of changes in HRV indicates that there is no direct relationship between cardiac autonomic modulation and endogenous stress markers in the present study.
Effectiveness of community-based peer-led diabetes self-management programmes (COMP-DSMP) for improving clinical outcomes and quality of life of adults with diabetes in primary care settings in low and middle-income countries (LMIC): a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction Globally, an estimated 380 million people live with diabetes today—80% in low-income and middle-income countries. The Middle East, Western Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa and South-East Asia remain the most affected regions where economic development has transformed lifestyles, people live longer and there is an increase in the adult population. Although peer support has been used in different conditions with varied results, yet there is limited evidence to date supporting its effectiveness, particularly for individuals with diabetes. In this review, we will focus on community-based peer-led diabetes self-management programmes (COMP-DSMP) and examine the implementation strategies and diabetes-related health outcomes associated with them in LMIC primary healthcare settings. Methods and analysis In accordance with reporting equity-focused systematic reviews PRISMA-P (preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols 2015 checklist) guidelines, a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomised controlled trials, quasi-randomised controlled trials (CCTs) that involve contact with an individual or group of peers (paid or voluntary). Electronic searches will be performed in The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PubMed, SCOUPS, CINAHL and PsycINFO Database for the period January up to July 2000 along with manual searches in the reference lists of relevant papers. The analyses will be performed based on baseline data from RCTs, CCTs and preintervention and postintervention means or proportions will be reported for both intervention and control groups, and the absolute change from baseline will be calculated, together with 95% CIs. For dichotomous outcomes, the relative risk of the outcome will be presented compared to the control group. The risk difference will be calculated, which is the absolute difference in the proportions in each treatment group. Ethics and dissemination Ethics is not required for this study, given that this is a protocol for a systematic review, which utilises published data. The findings of this study will be widely disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Trial registration number PROSPERO (2014:CRD42014007531).
The RWTH Aachen German-English Machine Translation System for WMT 2014

This paper describes the statistical machine translation (SMT) systems developed at RWTH Aachen University for the German! English translation task of the ACL 2014 Eighth Workshop on Statistical Machine Translation (WMT 2014). Both hierarchical and phrase-based SMT systems are applied employing hierarchical phrase reordering and word class language models. For the phrase-based system, we run discriminative phrase training. In addition, we describe our preprocessing pipeline for German! English.