Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automatic Extraction and Evaluation of Arabic LFG Resources

This paper presents the results of an approach to automatically acquire large-scale, probabilistic Lexical-Functional Grammar (LFG) resources for Arabic from the Penn Arabic Treebank (ATB). Our starting point is the earlier, work of (Tounsi et al., 2009) on automatic LFG f(eature)-structure annotation for Arabic using the ATB. They exploit tree configuration, POS categories, functional tags, local heads and trace information to annotate nodes with LFG feature-structure equations. We utilize this annotation to automatically acquire grammatical function (dependency) based subcategorization frames and paths linking long-distance dependencies (LDDs). Many state-of-the-art treebank-based probabilistic parsing approaches are scalable and robust but often also shallow: they do not capture LDDs and represent only local information. Subcategorization frames and LDD paths can be used to recover LDDs from such parser output to capture deep linguistic information. Automatic acquisition of language resources from existing treebanks saves time and effort involved in creating such resources by hand. Moreover, data-driven automatic acquisition naturally associates probabilistic information with subcategorization frames and LDD paths. Finally, based on the statistical distribution of LDD path types, we propose empirical bounds on traditional regular expression based functional uncertainty equations used to handle LDDs in LFG.
The SGN comparative map viewer

MOTIVATION With the rapid accumulation of genetic data for a multitude of different species, the availability of intuitive comparative genomic tools becomes an important requirement for the research community. Here we describe a web-based comparative viewer for mapping data, including genetic, physical and cytological maps, that is part of the SGN website (http://sgn.cornell.edu/) but that can also be installed and adapted for other websites. In addition to viewing and comparing different maps stored in the SGN database, the viewer allows users to upload their own maps and compare them to other maps in the system. The viewer is implemented in object oriented Perl, with a simple extensible interface to write data adapters for other relational database schemas and flat file formats.
SOD3 Reduces Inflammatory Cell Migration by Regulating Adhesion Molecule and Cytokine Expression

Inflammatory cell migration characteristic of ischemic damages has a dual role providing the tissue with factors needed for tissue injury recovery simultaneously causing deleterious development depending on the quality and the quantity of infiltrated cells. Extracellular superoxide dismutase (SOD3) has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory role in ischemic injuries where it increases the recovery process by activating mitogen signal transduction and increasing cell proliferation. However, SOD3 derived effects on inflammatory cytokine and adhesion molecule expression, which would explain reduced inflammation in vascular lesions, has not been properly characterized. In the present work the effect of SOD3 on the inflammatory cell extravasation was studied in vivo in rat hind limb ischemia and mouse peritonitis models by identifying the migrated cells and analyzing SOD3-derived response on inflammatory cytokine and adhesion molecule expression. SOD3 overexpression significantly reduced TNFα, IL1α, IL6, MIP2, and MCP-1 cytokine and VCAM, ICAM, P-selectin, and E-selectin adhesion molecule expressions in injured tissues. Consequently the mononuclear cell, especially CD68+ monocyte and CD3+ T cell infiltration were significantly decreased whereas granulocyte migration was less affected. According to our data SOD3 has a selective anti-inflammatory role in ischemic damages preventing the migration of reactive oxygen producing monocyte/macrophages, which in excessive amounts could potentially further intensify the tissue injuries therefore suggesting potential for SOD3 in treatment of inflammatory disorders.
Communicating new sexual desires and the factors that influence message directness

When fantasies and desires go unfulfilled, people may become bored with their sexual relationship. To help prevent this potential infidelity provoking issue, the current study examined patterns of communication to introduce new sexual behaviors to established sexual relationships. Study 1 identified and categorized communication message strategies used by participants’ responses to an open-ended question (N = 102). We found that although participants used indirect language most, a significant number of individuals were direct with their initiation strategies. Study 2 examined the associations between relational and sexual factors (intimacy, uncertainty, number of sexual partners, biological sex, and sexual communication) and message directness (N = 213). Survey results show that sex, uncertainty, and intimacy were correlated with level of directness for introducing a new sexual behavior (p < .05). Results are consistent with the relational turbulence model showing that at moderate levels of intimacy and high uncertainty, people use indirect communication.
Zur Bedeutung des Unterrichtsklimas für die Entwicklung schulbezogener Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen

Zusammenfassung. Im Rahmen des bundesweiten Modellversuchs “Verbund Selbstwirksamer Schulen” wurde der langsschnittliche Zusammenhang zwischen Unterrichtsklima und schulbezogenen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen zu drei Meszeitpunkt innerhalb von zwei Jahren untersucht. Dabei wurde zwischen dem Unterrichtsklima als kollektiver Wahrnehmung auf Klassenebene und dem Unterrichtsklima als individueller Wahrnehmung auf Schulerebene unterschieden. Konkret wurde die Hypothese uberpruft, das ein wohlwollendes, unterstutzendes und individualisiertes Klima zwischen Lehrern und Schulern zum Aufbau schulbezogener Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung fuhren kann. An der Untersuchung beteiligten sich mehr als 3.000 Schuler aus zehn Schulen. Die Schuler bearbeiteten einen eigens entwickelten Fragebogen. Die Analysen eines langsschnittlichen Strukturgleichungsmodells auf Schuler- und Klassenebene legen den Schlus nahe, das eine dynamische Wechselwirkung zwischen den schulbezogenen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen und dem Unterrichtsklim.
Effect of missing RR-interval data on heart rate variability analysis in the time domain

In this study, the effects of missing RR-interval data on time-domain analysis were investigated using simulated missing data in real RR-interval tachograms and actual missing RR data in an ECG obtained by an unconstrained measurement. For the simulation, randomly selected data (0–100 s) were removed from real RR data obtained from the MIT-BIH normal sinus rhythm database. In all, 2615 tachograms of 5 min durations were used for this analysis. For certain durations of missing data, the analysis was performed by 1000 Monte Carlo runs. MeanNN, SDNN, SDSD, RMSSD and pNN50 were calculated as the time-domain parameters in each run, and the relative errors between the original and the incomplete tachograms for these parameters were computed. The results of the simulation revealed that MeanNN is the parameter most robust to missing data; this feature can be explained by the theory of finite population correction (FPC). pNN50 is the parameter most sensitive to missing data. MeanNN was also found to be the most robust to real missing RR data derived from a capacitive-coupled ECG recorded during sleep; furthermore, the parameter patterns for the missing data were considerably similar to those for the original RR data, although the relative errors may exceed those of the simulation results.
Simultaneous dialog act segmentation and classification from human-human spoken conversations

An accurate identification dialog acts (DAs), which represent the illocutionary aspect of communication, is essential to support the understanding of human conversations. This requires 1) the segmentation of human-human dialogs into turns, 2) the intra-turn segmentation into DA boundaries and 3) the classification of each segment according to a DA tag. This process is particularly challenging when both segmentation and tagging are automated and utterance hypotheses derive from the erroneous results of ASR. In this paper, we use Conditional Random Fields to learn models for simultaneous segmentation and labeling of DAs from whole human-human spoken dialogs. We identify the best performing lexical feature combinations on the LUNA and SWITCHBOARD human-human dialog corpora and compare performances to those of discriminative D classifiers based on manually segmented utterances. Additionally, we assess our models' robustness to recognition errors, showing that DA identification is robust in the presence of high word error rates.
SiC MOSFET Dual Active Bridge converter for harsh environment applications in a more-electric-aircraft

Due to size and weight limitations, possible integrations of power electronics devices with electrical machines and propulsion engines are welcome in More-Electric-Aircrafts (MEA). Consequently, power converters are required to operate in harsh environments with high temperatures. SiC power devices are preferable in this context since they can tolerate high junction temperature and contribute reducing size and weight of the cooling system. In this paper, a 270/28 V SiC MOSFET Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter is presented. In particular, its thermal behavior in harsh environments is investigated. Using two different tools, the performances of the system are analyzed at two levels: the single SiC MOSFET power module and the complete DAB converter. Results confirm the feasibility of the proposed power stage also when the ambient temperature rises above 300 C.
Regional integration theory: understanding our past and anticipating our future

ABSTRACT This article is a reflection on the field of European integration studies, a product of four years of collaboration within the ‘Laguna Beach Project. ’ This project, co-organized by Alec Stone Sweet and Wayne Sandholtz, will be published as Supranational Governance: The Institutionalization of the European Union (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995). Three themes are explored in this article: the growing importance of institutions in the EU over time; the changing relevance of different theories, especially reflected in the increasing importance of comparative politics approaches; and an assessment of the current theoretical debate, contrasting several competing theories with the approach outlined in the book. While the EU has experienced profound changes over the last five decades, it is often unnoticed that its scholarly counterpart has changed in important ways too.
LIQUIDITY AND RESILIENCE OF CREDIT NETWORK : A SIMULATION STUDY

We consider a model of credit network introduced in [1], and extend the analysis to account for properties empirically observed in real credit network, notably degree-preference transaction regime, risk-averse and external shocks. Trade-off between transaction path length and capacity of path is also studied. It is shown that credit network does not need to be very dense to obtain high liquidity level. Network size has no effect on the success probability for BA graphs. Credit network is robust, especially with respect to the condition of edges failure in ER graph. Transactions with degree-preference regime will perform better liquidity level than transactions with uniform regime at low network density. We find that risk of transactions will tend to become stable when average degree increases. Success probability is higher in the case of minimum-capacity transaction than it is for shortest-path transaction at low network density.
Kurtoxin, A Gating Modifier of Neuronal High- and Low-Threshold Ca Channels

Studies of Ca channels expressed in oocytes have identified kurtoxin as a promising tool for functional and structural studies of low-threshold T-type Ca channels. This peptide, isolated from the venomous scorpion Parabuthus transvaalicus, inhibits low-threshold α1G and α1H Ca channels expressed in oocytes with relatively high potency and high selectivity. Here we report its effects on Ca channel currents, carried by 5 mmBa2+ ions, in rat central and peripheral neurons. In thalamic neurons 500 nm kurtoxin inhibited T-type Ca channel currents almost completely (90.2 ± 2.5% at −85 mV;n = 6). Its selectivity, however, was less than expected because it also reduced the composite high-threshold Ca channel current recorded in these cells (46.1 ± 6.9% at −30 mV;n = 6). In sympathetic and thalamic neurons, 250–500 nm kurtoxin partially inhibited N-type and L-type Ca channel currents, respectively. It similarly reduced the high-threshold Ca channel current that remains after a blockade of P-type, N-type, and L-type Ca channels in thalamic neurons. In contrast, kurtoxin facilitated steady-state P-type Ba currents in Purkinje neurons (by 34.9 ± 3.7%; n = 10). In all cases the kurtoxin effect was voltage-dependent and entailed a modification of channel gating. Exposure to kurtoxin slowed current activation kinetics, although its effects on deactivation varied with the channel types. Kurtoxin thus appears as a unique gating-modifier that interacts with different Ca channel types with high affinity. This unusual property and the complex gating modifications it induces may facilitate future studies of gating in voltage-dependent ion channels.
Effect of mechanically simulated diaphragmatic respiratory motion on myocardial SPECT processed with and without attenuation correction.

UNLABELLED The goal of this study was to assess the effect of diaphragmatic respiratory motion on inferior wall cold artifact in myocardial SPECT and to assess the ability of attenuation correction (AC) to correct for this artifact in the presence of diaphragmatic motion. METHODS We used an anthropomorphic phantom with ventricular wall activity, variable ventricular caudal tilt, attenuating liver and spleen cold inserts, and variable vertical (diaphragmatic) motion amplitude and pattern. Cardiac SPECT images were acquired on a gamma camera with dual scanning transmission line sources and commercially available AC software (with scatter correction and iterative reconstruction). The acquired data were processed either using filtered backprojection or with the AC software. The resulting myocardial activity maps were processed with polar plots and with standardized inferior-to-anterior and anterior-to-lateral wall ratios. RESULTS Subdiaphragmatic attenuation reduces inferior wall counts and this component of inferior wall artifact is fully corrected by AC relative to anterior wall counts both with and without diaphragmatic respiratory motion. In the phantom, diaphragmatic motion artifact manifests as reduction in relative count density in both the anterior wall and the inferior wall relative to the lateral wall, which is not corrected by AC. This artifact becomes more marked with increasing respiratory amplitude and its symmetry depends on the pattern of diaphragmatic motion. CONCLUSION Images with AC acquired at small respiratory amplitudes (approximately 2 cm) in the phantom resemble images with AC found in published normal patient databases. These results support a clinical need for respiratory gating of myocardial SPECT images.
Being Known in Undergraduate Social Work Education: The Role of Instructors in Fostering Student Engagement and Motivation

Most undergraduate students pursue a social work major because of their desire to help others. Students tend to be more interested in doing than in understanding the research and knowledge of the profession and the complexities of social work practice. Instructors are often faced with the challenge of enhancing student motivation to learn challenging course material. This study explored student perceptions of instructor influences on their motivation and engagement in learning. Through online surveys, students described their experiences of being known and how those experiences affected their participation in practice, research, and human behavior in the social environment courses. Results showed that instructor caring (providing recognition, expressing relational qualities, and responding to students) positively influences student motivation and affective learning by increasing comfort, willingness to ask questions, take risks, and overall participation. Conversely, of those who reported mixed experiences or who felt unknown, most reported a negative impact on their motivation and participation. These findings suggest that social work faculty can influence student motivation and engagement with essential social work curriculum by expressing care and helping students feel known in the classroom.
Best Practices: Gauging Software Readiness with Defect Tracking

In the competitive commercial software market, companies feel compelled to release software the moment it is ready. Their task is treacherous, treading the line between releasing poor quality software early and high quality software late, Finding a sound answer to the question: "is the software good enough to release now? " can be critical to a company's survival. That answer is, sometimes based on gut instinct, but several techniques can put this judgment on firmer footing.
Kcnq 1 ot 1 noncoding RNA mediates transcriptional gene silencing by interacting with Dnmt 1

INTRODUCTION Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon in mammals whereby the expression of a subset of autosomal genes is restricted to one of the parental chromosomes such that they are expressed either from the maternal or the paternal chromosome. So far more than 80 imprinted genes have been identified and most often they are organized in clusters. The short stretches of differentially methylated DNA sequences known as imprinting control regions (ICRs) play a crucial role in regulating the imprinting of multiple genes through various mechanisms (Bartolomei, 2009). Interestingly, some of the ICRs that map to introns of protein coding genes act as promoters for long noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs); for example, for Kcnq1ot1 and Airn. Transcription of these long ncRNAs is functionally linked to the epigenetic silencing of multiple genes in cis (Latos and Barlow, 2009; Lewis and Reik, 2006; Mercer et al., 2009; Whitehead et al., 2008). Kcnq1ot1 is 91.5 kb ncRNA, which maps to the 1 Mb Kcnq1 imprinted cluster located at the distal end of mouse chromosome 7 (Pandey et al., 2008; Redrup et al., 2009). The Kcnq1ot1 promoter maps to the Kcnq1 ICR and is expressed only from the paternal chromosome, as the ICR is methylated on the maternal chromosome (Smilinich et al., 1999). The expression of Kcnq1ot1 on the paternal chromosome is functionally linked to the silencing of eight to ten genes in cis (Mancini-Dinardo et al., 2006). The genes that are located near the Kcnq1ot1 promoter (Kcnq1, Cdkn1c, Slc22a18 and Phlda2) are imprinted both in the embryo and in the placenta, and hence they are considered to be ubiquitously imprinted genes. By contrast, the genes that are located far from the Kcnq1ot1 promoter (Ascl2, Cd81, Tssc4 and Osbpl5) are imprinted only in the placenta and are considered to be placental-specific imprinted genes (Fig. 1A). Although Kcnq1ot1 RNA regulates both ubiquitously and placental-specific imprinted genes, the mechanisms regulating these two classes of genes remain unclear. Long ncRNAs such as Kcnq1ot1 and Airn interact with members of the polycomb repressive complexes (PRC1 and PRC2) and/or with G9a, and recruit these proteins to the promoters of flanking genes to establish repressive chromatin marks (Nagano et al., 2008; Pandey et al., 2008; Terranova et al., 2008; Wagschal et al., 2008). However, the functional sequences within these long ncRNAs that mediate the silencing of cis-linked imprinted genes remain unknown. By using an episome-based system, we have previously shown that an 890 base pair (bp) silencing domain, 610 bp downstream of the Kcnq1ot1 transcription start site, plays a central role in bidirectional silencing (Mohammad et al., 2008). Here, we show that a targeted deletion of the 890-bp silencing domain in mouse resulted in a selective relaxation of imprinting of the ubiquitously imprinted genes. We found that the 890-bp region regulates the imprinting of ubiquitously imprinted genes by maintaining DNA methylation of the somatic DMRs through interacting with Dnmt1.
Finding Answers in Large Collections of Texts : Paragraph Indexing W Abductive Inference

This paper describes a methodology of answering questions by using information retrieved from very large collections of texts. We argue that combinations of information retrieval and extractions techniques cannot be used, due to the open-domain nature of the task. We propose a solution based on indexing techniques that identify paragraphs from texts where the answers can be found. The validity of the answers is obtained through a lightweight process of abduction.
Trappy Minimax - using Iterative Deepening to Identify and Set Traps in Two-Player Games

Trappy minimax is a game-independent extension of the minimax adversarial search algorithm that attempts to take advantage of human frailty. Whereas minimax assumes best play by the opponent, trappy minimax tries to predict when an opponent might make a mistake by comparing the various scores returned through iterative-deepening. Sometimes it chooses a slightly inferior move, if there is an indication that the opponent may fall into a trap, and if the potential profit is high. The algorithm was implemented in an Othello program named Desdemona, and tested against both computer and human opponents. Desdemona achieved a higher rating against human opposition on Yahoo! Games when using the trappy algorithm than when it used standard minimax
Negative perceived paternal parenting is associated with dopamine D2 receptor exon 8 and GABA(A) alpha 6 receptor variants: An explorative study

Twin studies suggest a genetic influence upon perceived parenting. The D2 dopaminergic receptor is involved in the modulation of social behaviors, and might influence parenting and its perception. A polymorphism (E8) in exon 8 of the D2 receptor gene (DRD2) has been previously associated with alcoholism‐related phenotypes. Similarly, the Pro385Ser variant of GABRA6, the polymorphic gene for GABA(A) receptor α6 subunit, has been associated with alcohol‐ and depression‐related traits; and rat pups maintained a more immature GABAR phenotype after brief separation distress. The relationships among DRD2 (E8) and GABRA6 (Pro385Ser) polymorphisms, and perceived parenting were studied here. The association of DRD2 (E8) and GABRA6 (Pro385Ser) genotypes and perceived parental rearing behavior (short‐EMBU; questionnaire concerning own memories concerning upbringing) were determined in 207 unrelated adults using multivariate analysis of variance. Temperaments (Temperament and Character Inventory; TCI) were included as covariates. Probands with DRD2 (E8) A/A genotype showed higher scores for father rejection (P = 0.011), parents overprotection (P = 0.021), and father overprotection (P = 0.016) in the total group. An interaction between DRD2 and GABRA6 genotypes on father rejection (P = 0.010) and parents rejection (P = 0.030) was also observed. Further analyses showed that these associations were restricted to the female subgroup only; however, secondary gender‐specific analyses were not corrected for multiple testing. Our findings support a role for DRD2 (E8) and GABRA6 (Pro385Ser) in perceived parenting. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.