Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Emotional Responses to Opioid Public Service Announcements; Testing Trait Empathy’s Impact on Message Processing and Attitude Change

Addiction to opioids, including abusing prescription pain killers and using heroin, is on a dramatic rise in the United States. Communities across the country are in the process of adapting new ways of addressing the issue, which have been met with significant opposition from the general public. This study examined the impact an individual’s trait empathy has on whether persuasive public service announcements (PSAs) dealing with opioid addiction will be processed centrally or peripherally. Empathy has evolved, growing from an emotional experience, to a cognitive ability, to a function of both emotional and cognitive elements that can work both independently and interdependently of each other (Nathanson, 2003). The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) suggests that motivation and ability are the determinants for whether a message will be processed centrally or peripherally. Given the dual nature of empathy, it is plausible that the emotional and cognitive elements of trait empathy could drive motivation and reinforce ability, making those individuals more likely to centrally process a message seeking to enhance attitudes toward opioid addicts. A 2 (high v low trait empathy) x 2 (high v low empathetic message) x 2 (strong v weak) between participant experiment was conducted. Outcome measures included reported empathy, stigmatized and stereotypical attitudes towards opioid addicts, and support for prosocial policies.
Training audio events detectors with a sound effects corpus

This paper describes the work done in the framework of the VIDIVIDEO European project in terms of audio event detection. Our first experiments concerned the detection of nonvoice sounds, such as birds, machines, traffic, water and steps. Given the unavailability of a corpus labelled in terms of audio events, we used a relatively small sound effect corpus for training. Our initial experiments with one-against-all SVM classifiers for these 5 classes showed us the feasibility of using this type of data for training, thus avoiding the extremely morose task of manual labelling of a very high number of audio events. Preliminary integration experiments are quite promising.
Novelty Enhances Visual Salience Independently of Reward in the Parietal Lobe

Novelty modulates sensory and reward processes, but it remains unknown how these effects interact, i.e., how the visual effects of novelty are related to its motivational effects. A widespread hypothesis, based on findings that novelty activates reward-related structures, is that all the effects of novelty are explained in terms of reward. According to this idea, a novel stimulus is by default assigned high reward value and hence high salience, but this salience rapidly decreases if the stimulus signals a negative outcome. Here we show that, contrary to this idea, novelty affects visual salience in the monkey lateral intraparietal area (LIP) in ways that are independent of expected reward. Monkeys viewed peripheral visual cues that were novel or familiar (received few or many exposures) and predicted whether the trial will have a positive or a negative outcome—i.e., end in a reward or a lack of reward. We used a saccade-based assay to detect whether the cues automatically attracted or repelled attention from their visual field location. We show that salience—measured in saccades and LIP responses—was enhanced by both novelty and positive reward associations, but these factors were dissociable and habituated on different timescales. The monkeys rapidly recognized that a novel stimulus signaled a negative outcome (and withheld anticipatory licking within the first few presentations), but the salience of that stimulus remained high for multiple subsequent presentations. Therefore, novelty can provide an intrinsic bonus for attention that extends beyond the first presentation and is independent of physical rewards.
A Structural Customization Approach for Low Power Embedded Systems Design

Power consumption is a critical design issue in embedded systems. This paper presents a structural customization approach, targeting two basic design structures for a multiple choice function that is common in an embedded system: tree structure and chain structure. A theoretical comparison between these two structures is performed. We find that the chain structure has a lower area cost and offers more customization opportunities, for improving performance and power efficiency, than the tree structure. We then propose two algorithms to reduce power consumption of the chain design for different performance constraints. A case study on ALU (Arithmetic and Logic Unit) customization has been carried out, Our experiments show that up to 50 percent of ALU power consumption can be saved with our customization approach.
A tunable proof of ownership scheme for deduplication using Bloom filters

Deduplication is a widely used technique in storage services, since it affords a very efficient usage of resources-being especially effective for consumer-grade storage services (e.g. Dropbox). Deduplication has been shown to suffer from several security weaknesses, the most severe ones enabling a malicious user to obtain possession of a file it is not entitled to. Standard solutions to this problem require users to prove possession of data prior to its upload. Unfortunately, the schemes proposed in the literature are very taxing on either the server or the client side. In this paper, we introduce a novel solution based on Bloom filters that provides a flexible, scalable, and provably secure solution to the weaknesses of deduplication, and that overcomes the deficiencies of existing approaches. We provide a formal description of the scheme, a thorough security analysis, and compare our solution against multiple existing ones, both analytically and by means of extensive benchmarking. Our results confirm the quality and viability of our approach.
Impact of Network Infrastructure Parameters to the Effectiveness of Cyber Attacks Against Industrial Control Systems

The fact that modern Networked Industrial Control Systems (NICS) depend on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), is well known. Although many studies have focused on the security of SCADA systems, today we still lack the proper understanding of the effects that cyber attacks have on NICS. In this paper we identify the communication and control logic implementation parameters that influence the outcome of attacks against NICS and that could be used as effective measures for increasing the resilience of industrial installations. The implemented scenario involves a powerful attacker that is able to send legitimate Modbus packets/commands to control hardware in order to bring the physical process into a critical state, i.e. dangerous, or more generally unwanted state of the system. The analysis uses a Boiling Water Power Plant to show that the outcome of cyber attacks is influenced by network delays, packet losses, background traffic and control logic scheduling time. The main goal of this paper is to start an exploration of cyber-physical effects in particular scenarios. This study is the first of its kind to analyze cyber-physical systems and provides insight to the way that the cyber realm affects the physical realm.
A fast-response current controller for microprocessor-based SCR-DC motor drives

The design of reversing armature power supplies for DC motors is considered. An LSI firing circuit, in conjunction with a high-speed digital signal processor (DSP), has been developed to adjust the firing angle between 0 degrees and 180 degrees for both positive and negative current control in a dual antiparallel-connected three-phase converter connected to a DC motor. A fast-response current controller is obtained by using feedforward techniques and a variable-structure proportional-integral compensator to produce an optimal current response under both continuous and discontinuous current conduction. <<ETX>>
Feature-preserving smoothing of point-sampled geometry

Based on noise intensity, in this paper, we propose a feature-preserving smoothing algorithm for point-sampled geometry (PSG). The noise intensity of each sample point on PSG is first measured by using a combined criterion. Based on mean shift clustering, the PSG is then clustered in terms of the local geometry-features similarity. According to the cluster to which a sample point belongs, a moving least squares surface is constructed, and in combination with noise intensity, the PSG. is finally denoised. Some experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm is robust, and can smooth out the noise efficiently while preserving the surface features.
Dependability analysis of nano-scale FinFET circuits

FinFET technology has been proposed as a promising alternative for deep sub-micro bulk CMOS technology, because of its better scalability. Previous works have studied the performance or power advantages of FinFET circuits over bulk CMOS circuits. This paper provides the dependability analysis of FinFET circuits, studying the soft error vulnerability of FinFET circuits and the impact of process variation. Our experiments compare FinFET circuits against bulk CMOS circuits in both 32 nm and 45 nm technologies, showing that FinFET circuits have better dependability and scalability, which is indicated by better soft error immunity and less impact of process variation. It is concluded that FinFET-based circuit design is more robust than the bulk CMOS based circuit design
Regulation of DNA Replication within the Immunoglobulin Heavy-Chain Locus During B Cell Commitment

The temporal order of replication of mammalian chromosomes appears to be linked to their functional organization, but the process that establishes and modifies this order during cell differentiation remains largely unknown. Here, we studied how the replication of the Igh locus initiates, progresses, and terminates in bone marrow pro-B cells undergoing B cell commitment. We show that many aspects of DNA replication can be quantitatively explained by a mechanism involving the stochastic firing of origins (across the S phase and the Igh locus) and extensive variations in their firing rate (along the locus). The firing rate of origins shows a high degree of coordination across Igh domains that span tens to hundreds of kilobases, a phenomenon not observed in simple eukaryotes. Differences in domain sizes and firing rates determine the temporal order of replication. During B cell commitment, the expression of the B-cell-specific factor Pax5 sharply alters the temporal order of replication by modifying the rate of origin firing within various Igh domains (particularly those containing Pax5 binding sites). We propose that, within the Igh CH-3′RR domain, Pax5 is responsible for both establishing and maintaining high rates of origin firing, mostly by controlling events downstream of the assembly of pre-replication complexes.
Japanese Word Sense Disambiguation using the Simple Bayes and Support Vector Machine Methods

We submitted four systems to the Japanese dictionary-based lexical-sample task of Senseval-2. They were i) the support vector machine method ii) the simple Bayes method, iii) a method combining the two, and iv) a method combining two kinds of each. The combined methods obtained the best precision among the submitted systems. After the contest, we tuned the parameter used in the simple Bayes method, and it obtained higher precision. An explanation of these systems used in Japanese word sense disambiguation was provided.
A Novel Multi-target Detecting and Tracing Method for Robot Vision System

In this paper we study on multi-target detecting and tracing system for intelligent robot and give a good method to detect and track the targets such as pedestrians, which needs to extract the moving targets from the background in image sequence, and track them by probability statistics and controlling theory. In the first stage, we segment the foreground and background regions through GMM (Gaussian Mixture Model) [1] algorithm. Based on the results of the first stage, we build the tracing system with Kalman filter and Mean-Shift in order to capture the moving targets. At last, the experimental results show that our method is correct and robust, it lays a solid foundation for further study on target recognition.
Construction of an Artificial MicroRNA Expression Vector for Simultaneous Inhibition of Multiple Genes in Mammalian Cells

Recently, artificial microRNA (amiRNA) has become a promising RNA interference (RNAi) technology. Here, we describe a flexible and reliable method for constructing both single- and multi-amiRNA expression vectors. Two universal primers, together with two specific primers carrying the encoding sequence of amiRNA were designed and utilized to synthesize the functional amiRNA cassette through a one-step PCR. With appropriate restriction sites, the synthesized amiRNA cassettes can be cloned into any site of different destination vectors. Using the method, we constructed both single- and multi-amiRNA expression vectors to target three reporter genes, which code firefly luciferase (Fluc), enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and β-galactosidase (LacZ), respectively. The expressions of three genes were all specifically inhibited by either the corresponding single- or the multi-amiRNA expression vector in 293T cells. And the RNAi efficiency of each amiRNA produced by both single- and multi-amiRNA expression vectors was comparable.
Physiological Mapping of Human Auditory Cortices with a Silent Event-Related fMRI Technique

Cortical field boundaries of sensory areas can be physiologically defined. The delineation of the human auditory cortical architecture remains incomplete. Here we used systematic variation of pitch and duration of sinusoidal tones to define auditory cortical fields along Heschl's gyrus with a silent, event-related fMRI scanning technique that allowed us to determine spatially small shifts of neuronal responses. Thus, we were able to establish higher-resolution tonotopic maps. Acoustic intervals of two octaves correspond to an average 2-mm anatomical distance along Heschl's gyrus. We also demonstrate that one tonotopic map with a medio-lateral low- to high-frequency gradient is located on the lateral half of Heschl's gyrus, which might correspond to field R in primates. Furthermore, we studied cortical responses to brief (50-ms) transients with fMRI and demonstrate that silent, event-related fMRI is capable of measuring significant blood oxygen level-dependent effect to such brief events in the acoustic domain. Our results add to current knowledge on the number and precise localization of multiple tonotopic maps in human auditory cortex. More specifically, they support the hypothesis that there may be two primary auditory cortical fields with mirror tonotopic organization on Heschl's gyrus in man.
A Robust Method of Measuring Other-Race and Other-Ethnicity Effects: The Cambridge Face Memory Test Format

Other-race and other-ethnicity effects on face memory have remained a topic of consistent research interest over several decades, across fields including face perception, social psychology, and forensic psychology (eyewitness testimony). Here we demonstrate that the Cambridge Face Memory Test format provides a robust method for measuring these effects. Testing the Cambridge Face Memory Test original version (CFMT-original; European-ancestry faces from Boston USA) and a new Cambridge Face Memory Test Chinese (CFMT-Chinese), with European and Asian observers, we report a race-of-face by race-of-observer interaction that was highly significant despite modest sample size and despite observers who had quite high exposure to the other race. We attribute this to high statistical power arising from the very high internal reliability of the tasks. This power also allows us to demonstrate a much smaller within-race other ethnicity effect, based on differences in European physiognomy between Boston faces/observers and Australian faces/observers (using the CFMT-Australian).
Exploring Kindergarten Students’ Early Understandings of the Equal Sign

ABSTRACT This study explores kindergarten students’ early notions of mathematical equivalence in the United States. In particular, it uses qualitative methods to examine the understandings children hold about the equal sign prior to formal instruction and how these understandings shift throughout an 8-week classroom teaching experiment designed to develop relational thinking about this symbol. Findings suggest that, even prior to formal instruction, young children hold an operational view of the equal sign that can persist throughout instruction. This early and persistent operational perspective underscores the critical need to design mathematical experiences in kindergarten, and even preschool, that will orient students towards a relational understanding of the equal sign upon its introduction in first grade.
Non-native Perception and Production of Foreign Sequences

We, the dissertation committee for the above candidate for the Doctor of Philosophy degree, hereby recommend acceptance of this dissertation. 2011 A major question in the study of second language learning is the extent to which mispronunciations originate in the inability to correctly perceive vs. the inability to correctly produce foreign language structures. The goal of this thesis is to determine the extent to which second language (L2) learners' pronunciation errors reflect errors in perception or gestural mistiming, by investigating Korean L2 learners' production and perception of English stop-nasal sequences. Such sequences are prohibited in Korean, where a stop before a nasal obligatorily undergoes nasalization (/kukmul/[kuŋmul] 'soup'). In production experiments where Korean L2 learners pronounced English nonsense words containing those sequences, vowel insertion after the stop and devoicing of the stop were common errors even though nasalization is the native repair strategy. More importantly, two asymmetries in the choice of repair were that (1) vowel insertion occurred almost exclusively after voiced stops, especially after velar stops (tegnaltegVnal) and (2) devoicing occurred most frequently with labial stops (tebnaltepnal). These asymmetric repair choices are puzzling because neither of the languages in contact provides evidence for such repairs. Investigation of Korean speakers' perception of these sequences employing both behavioral tasks and EEG revealed that the greater frequency of vowel insertion after voiced stops was rooted in misperception: Korean listeners tended to hear an illusory vowel after voiced stops and had difficulty distinguishing voiced stop-nasal sequences from voiced stop-vowel-nasal sequences. This misperception is an effect of the native language system, in which voiced stops occur only preceding a vowel. In contrast, the frequent devoicing of labial consonants was not reflected in perception. I propose that instead, this pattern has its origin in the articulatory timing patterns of Korean, in which bilabial stops are much more closely overlapped with a following consonant than are velar stops, causing devoicing of [b]. Results of this project show that second language phonology involves a complex interplay between the native language grammar, misperception through the filter of L1, and mastery of new articulatory programs.
Immunity Elicited by Peptide Vaccination Activity, as well as Long-Lasting Tumor -Dependent Antiangiogenic g with IFN-T Cells + Activation of Tumor-Primed CD4 Regulatory Cells Inhibit + /CD25+ CD4

CD25 (cid:1) regulatory T (T reg) cells suppress the activation/proliferation of other CD4 (cid:1) or CD8 (cid:1) T cells in vitro. Also, down-regulation of CD25 (cid:1) T reg cells enhance antitumor immune responses. In this study, we show that depletion of CD25 (cid:1) T reg cells allows the host to induce both CD4 (cid:1) and CD8 (cid:1) antitumoral responses following tumor challenge. Simultaneous depletion of CD25 (cid:1) and CD8 (cid:1) cells, as well as adoptive transfer experiments, revealed that tumor-speciﬁc CD4 (cid:1) T cells, which emerged in the absence of CD25 (cid:1) T reg cells, were able to reject CT26 colon cancer cells, a MHC class II-negative tumor. The antitumoral effect mediated by CD4 (cid:1) T cells was dependent on IFN- (cid:2) production, which exerted a potent antiangiogenic activity. The capacity of the host to mount this antitumor response is lost once the number of CD25 (cid:1) T reg cells is restored over time. However, CD25 (cid:1) T reg cell depletion before immunization with AH1 (a cytotoxic T cell determinant from CT26 tumor cells) permits the induction of a long-lasting antitumoral immune response, not observed if immunization is conducted in the presence of regulatory cells. A study of the effect of different levels of depletion of CD25 (cid:1) T reg cells before immunization with the peptide
Indicators of Client Engagement in a University Psychotherapy Training Clinic

A retrospective research study evaluated archival data on client engagement from a program evaluation project implemented at the Psychological Services Center at Antioch University New England. Student researchers from the Center for Behavioral Health Innovation (formerly Center for Research of Psychological Practices) partnered with the Antioch University Psychological Services Center (PSC) to investigate the impact of client early engagement on drop-out rates and therapy outcomes of mental health clients. Potential participants were administered a brief questionnaire, prior to the first session via phone call, to assess their readiness, expectations of therapy, potential barriers to seeking treatment, and their initial impression of the clinic. Evaluating the effects of client readiness on the working alliance and early treatment outcomes of 28 participants did not yield a significant effect. However, a nested path analysis revealed a significant effect for clinic timeliness as a moderator between two groups. In other words, predictive effects were observed between client readiness variables and the working alliance.
Eecient Routing in All-optical Networks

Communication in all-optical networks requires novel routing paradigms. The high bandwidth of the optic ber is utilized through wavelength-division multiplexing: A single physical optical link can carry several logical signals, provided that they are transmitted on diierent wavelengths. We study the problem of routing a set of requests (each of which is a pair of nodes to be connected by a path) on sparse networks using a limited number of wavelengths, ensuring that diierent paths using the same wavelength never use the same physical link. The constraints on the selection of paths and wavelengths depend on the type of photonic switches used in the network. We present ee-cient routing techniques for the two types of photonic switches that dominate current research in all-optical networks. Our results es-0 tablish a connection between the expansion of a network and the number of wavelengths required for routing on it.
Parameters Estimation Method for STAR Based on Clutter Degree of Freedom

Space-time autoregression (STAR) is a parametric clutter suppression method based on AR model. The basic theory for clutter suppression of STAR is firstly analyzed. Then a simple and fast parameter estimation method for AR model order based on clutter degree of freedom (DOF) is presented according to the theory of subspace clutter cancellation. The simulation results demonstrate its effectiveness.