Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Educational Context on Learners' Ratings of a Synthetic Voice

Studies suggest that the context in which synthetic voices are evaluated has a significant bearing on the evaluators’ assessments of the voices. The present study is based on learners’ evaluations of an Irish synthetic voice which is used in a Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) context. Previous studies have allowed a number of extraneous variables, such as different voices being used or pitch or speech rate manipulations, to enter the study. The present study involves a single synthetic Irish HTS voice being evaluated in three different contexts, one of which is highly interactive, a second less so and a third which does not require the evaluator to perform any specific task. Results show that the voice was rated more favourably when presented in a highly interactive context. This finding has significant implications for the way we interpret the results of evaluations of synthetic voices.
Prolonged Neutrophil Dysfunction after Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Is Related to Hemolysis and Heme Oxygenase-1 Induction

It is not known why people are more susceptible to bacterial infections such as nontyphoid Salmonella during and after a malaria infection, but in mice, malarial hemolysis impairs resistance to nontyphoid Salmonella by impairing the neutrophil oxidative burst. This acquired neutrophil dysfunction is a consequence of induction of the cytoprotective, heme-degrading enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in neutrophil progenitors in bone marrow. In this study, we assessed whether neutrophil dysfunction occurs in humans with malaria and how this relates to hemolysis. We evaluated neutrophil function in 58 Gambian children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria [55 (95%) with uncomplicated disease] and examined associations with erythrocyte count, haptoglobin, hemopexin, plasma heme, expression of receptors for heme uptake, and HO-1 induction. Malaria caused the appearance of a dominant population of neutrophils with reduced oxidative burst activity, which gradually normalized over 8 wk of follow-up. The degree of neutrophil impairment correlated significantly with markers of hemolysis and HO-1 induction. HO-1 expression was increased in blood during acute malaria, but at a cellular level HO-1 expression was modulated by changes in surface expression of the haptoglobin receptor (CD163). These findings demonstrate that neutrophil dysfunction occurs in P. falciparum malaria and support the relevance of the mechanistic studies in mice. Furthermore, they suggest the presence of a regulatory pathway to limit HO-1 induction by hemolysis in the context of infection and indicate new targets for therapeutic intervention to abrogate the susceptibility to bacterial infection in the context of hemolysis in humans.
Collaboration Both Hurts and Helps Memory

Humans spend a majority of their lives in a social context. So historically, several disciplines have pursued a study of the social aspects of memory. Yet, research on memory in cognitive psychology has, for more than a century, concentrated mainly on individuals working in isolation. A recent shift in this orientation has led to a rapid growth in cognitive research revealing both counterintuitive and complex effects of collaboration on learning and remembering. For example, despite subjective reports to the contrary, collaboration impairs a group’s recall performance compared to its potential. Yet, individual group members also show improvements in recall after collaboration. This article highlights the role of cognitive mechanisms in producing these and other benefits and costs of collaboration and in shaping both individual and collective memories.
Analysis and Experiment on the Modulation Sensitivity of Doppler Radar Vibration Measurement

This letter analyzes the modulation sensitivity of Doppler radar vibration measurement using both 24 GHz and 2.4 GHz Doppler radars. A rigorous analysis is developed in terms of radar modulation sensitivity. In contrast to the common observation that the modulation sensitivity increases as the carrier frequency increases, it is shown that, for a given vibration motion, there exists a specific carrier frequency for optimal measurement. Experimental demonstration was carried out using both 24 GHz and 2.4 GHz radars to measure the same vibration, and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the receiver input was compared. It is shown that for cm scale movement, 2.4 GHz radar has a higher modulation sensitivity, while the 24 GHz radar has the optimal modulation sensitivity in the mm scale.
Linear Electric Machines, Drives, and MAGLEVs: An Overview

Linear motion is rather common in the industry, and linear electric motors (LEMs) can provide it directly (without a mechanical transmission) through electromagnetic field forces. LEMs may be considered counterparts of rotary electric machines, but specific topologies lead to characteristics that differ (in some cases notably) from those of the latter. This paper attempts an overview on recent progress of LEMs, from innovative topologies to advanced modeling, design, and control, with case studies and examples related to specific industrial applications from people movers to small compressors solenoids, speakers, and microphones.
Testing the Fill‐and‐Spill Model of Subsurface Lateral Flow Using Ground‐Penetrating Radar and Dye Tracing

Lateral flow patterns revealed by dye tracing agreed with time‐lapse GPR data. Lateral flow downslope varied from <1 to 1 m at adjacent sites. 3D radar detected banding in the strike direction but dye fingering did not. Fractured saprock modifies the fill‐and‐spill model by facilitating vertical flow.
SASUM: A Sharing-Based Approach to Fast Approximate Subgraph Matching for Large Graphs

Subgraph matching is a fundamental operation for querying graph-structured data. Due to potential errors and noises in real-world graph data, exact subgraph matching is sometimes inappropriate in practice. In this paper we consider an approximate subgraph matching model that allows missing edges. Based on this model, approximate subgraph matching finds all occurrences of a given query graph in a database graph, allowing missing edges. A straightforward approach is to first generate query subgraphs of a given query graph by deleting edges and then perform exact subgraph matching for each query subgraph. In this paper we propose a sharing-based approach to approximate subgraph matching, called SASUM. Our method is based on the fact that query subgraphs are highly overlapped. Due to this overlapping nature of query subgraphs, the matches of a query subgraph can be computed from the matches of a smaller query subgraph, which results in reducing the number of query subgraphs that require expensive exact subgraph matching. Our method uses a lattice framework to identify sharing opportunities between query subgraphs. To further reduce the number of graphs that need exact subgraph matching, SASUM generates small base graphs that are shared by query subgraphs and chooses the minimum number of base graphs whose matches are used to derive the matching results of all query subgraphs. A comprehensive set of experiments shows that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art approach by orders of magnitude in terms of query execution time. key words: graph database, approximate subgraph matching
Draft Genome Sequence of the Butanoic Acid-Producing Bacterium Clostridium luticellarii DSM 29923, Used for Strong Aromatic Chinese Liquor Production

ABSTRACT The strictly anaerobic, Gram-positive bacterium Clostridium luticellarii, which has straight or slightly curved rod-shaped cells, polar endospores, and peritrichous flagella, is used for the production of strong aromatic Chinese liquors. C. luticellarii is able to produce butanoic acid. The draft genome sequence consists of 3.757 Mbp, including 3,632 predicted protein-encoding genes.
Productivity and Learning‐by‐Exporting: A Firm‐Level Analysis of Indian Manufacturing

type="main" xml:id="twec12136-abs-0001"> In this paper, we examine whether firms become productive by learning through exporting. To this end, we estimate the production function using microdata of Indian manufacturing firms operating in the period 1991–2001. In contrast to studies on developed countries, our results provide evidence that Indian manufacturing firms are experiencing a rise in productivity through entering export markets and thus experience the learning effect. We also find that there is a productivity rise prior to exporting. Therefore, our results also support the self-selection mechanism for exporting.
Self‐treatment Using a 0.5% Podophyllotoxin Cream of External Genital Condylomata Acuminata in Women: A Placebo‐controlled, Double‐blind Study

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, self-treatment with a 0.5% podophyllotoxin cream was evaluated among 60 women afflicted solely with outer vulvoanal warts; 12 women received treatment with placebo cream and 48 women with active substance, administered twice daily in 3-day cycles once weekly for up to 3 weeks. Patients who were not completely cured after three cycles were classified as treatment failures. Four patients treated with podophyllotoxin cream were excluded: two were considered drop-outs, another patient was concurrently afflicted with intraanal warts, and a fourth patient refused further therapy with the cream due to the severity of local side effects occurring from the first course of therapy. Of the remaining 44 patients treated with active substance, the primary cure rates were 43%, 66%, and 91% after 1, 2, and 3 treatment cycles, respectively. Within a 3-month follow-up period, 6 (14%) patients who were originally considered cured exhibited some degree of either "recurrence" or "reoccurrence". Thus, a complete and permanent cure from podophyllotoxin cream occurred in 38 out of 44 patients (77%). Placebo lacked therapeutic influence. A slight-to-moderate tenderness, pain, burning, or all of the above in the treated areas was noted by more than 60% of the women who were treated with the podophyllotoxin cream.
Utility-based multicriteria model for evaluating BOT projects

Abstract Owing to the urgent demands for new developments and maintenances of the existing infrastructures under limited government budget and time, increasing BOT (build-operate-transfer) projects have been a significant factor affecting the economic developments in many countries. However, as BOT projects usually induce huge capital investments, government sectors must prudently evaluate the project feasibility from both financial and nonfinancial aspects before the implementation. Therefore, how to establish an objective evaluation model which can comprehensively assess the feasibility of each BOT project and determine the priority of its implementation has become an important issue. This study incorporates analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and utility theory to develop a utility-based multicriteria model for supporting the selection of BOT projects. A case study is provided to demonstrate that the implementation of the proposed model can effectively help decision-making teams participate in economical .
Impedance to Globalization

Abstract As globalization proceeds at a seemingly inexorable pace, there are signs that consumers in some countries may reject imported products because of ethnocentric tendencies. Although a literature has developed on the impact of country-of-origin and ethnocentrism on attitudes to imported products, less attention has been given to the role of perceived economic threat. The goal of this study is to examine how a consumer's economic threat impacts their purchase decision of imported products given different levels of ethnocentrism. Data were collected from Singapore and New Zealand to examine this issue using moderator regression analysis. The results clearly show that perceived economic threat plays a significant moderating role in intervening between a consumer's level of ethnocentrism and his/her attitude about purchasing imported products. The results also indicate that this relationship existed for American imported products. Implications are discussed in how marketers can mitigate the detrimental impact that perceived economic threat may have when ethnocentrism exits. Questions for future research are also provided.
Temperature and voltage effects on HTRB and HTGB stresses for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

This paper investigates the degradation of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs submitted to HTRB and HTGB step-stresses. Steps in terms of temperature and voltage were performed in order to distinguish the effect of each stressor. The main aim is to establish a lifetime model taking into account several degradation mechanisms over a large range of temperatures and voltages. The experiments indicate the activation of different failure mechanisms during the stresses depending on the different ranges. In this work, experimental analysis has been performed in order to characterize and to verify when multiple failure mechanisms can be activated on such components and on which range these mechanisms may superpose.
The effect of aerobic exercise in the maintenance treatment of depression

We investigated the efficacy of aerobic exercise alongside antidepressant medication as an adjuvant maintenance treatment for depression. Fifty patients in remission were randomly assigned to either medication only or medication plus exercise. Assessment of psychopathology was made at 6-weekly intervals (for 24 weeks) using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. The medication-plus-exercise group showed significantly more improvement at 12 and 24 weeks than the medication-only group. This study adds to a growing evidence base that suggests aerobic exercise is worthy of further development in the treatment of depressive disorders.
The role of causal links in performance measurement models

Purpose – Several well‐known managerial accounting performance measurement models rely on causal assumptions. Whilst users of the models express satisfaction and link them with improved organizational performance, academic research, of the real‐world applications, shows few reliable statistical associations. This paper seeks to provide a discussion on the “problematic” of causality in a performance measurement setting.Design/methodology/approach – This is a conceptual study based on an analysis and synthesis of the literature from managerial accounting, organizational theory, strategic management and social scientific causal modelling.Findings – The analysis indicates that dynamic, complex and uncertain environments may challenge any reliance upon valid causal models. Due to cognitive limitations and judgmental biases, managers may fail to trace correct cause‐and‐effect understanding of the value creation in their organizations. However, even lacking this validity, causal models can support strategic lear.
Ultramorphological and molecular characteristics of the larval stages of the horse nasal‐myiasis fly, Rhinoestrus sp. (Diptera: Oestridae) from Mongolian horse in China

Rhinoestrus sp. (Diptera: Oestridae) is an economically important parasite that can cause severe nasal myiasis in equids and can also affect humans. The ultrastructure of all Rhinoestrus sp. larval instars from Mongolian horse was examined by light and scanning electron microscopy to characterize the features of Rhinoestrus. The structure of the anterior region, posterior region, and the spines of the third segment was analyzed for 10 specimens in each larval stage. Additionally, 34 third‐instar (L3) larvae of Rhinoestrus sp. from Mongolian horse were subjected to molecular characterization by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Partial sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene (COXI) was performed. Phylogenetic relationships for Rhinoestrus sp. from Mongolian horse were reconstructed based on COXI sequences and COXI homologs from 12 oestrid species available in GenBank, and inter‐ and intraspecies variations in nucleotide sequences were analyzed. The cephalopharyngeal skeleton of Rhinoestrus sp. from Mongolian horse at immature stages was composed of “H”‐shaped hypopharyngeal sclerites and “Y”‐shaped pharyngeal sclerites. Pairs of papillary sensillae in the cephalic region maintained the same number and location in all three instars, but the third instar additionally included two pairs of verruciform sensillae. COXI sequences of Rhinoestrus sp. larvae collected from Mongolian horses were separated from those of Cephenemyia sp. and other species of Rhinoestrus (R. phacochoeri and R. usbekistanicus). Our sequence analyses demonstrate that all samples greatly resembled Rhinoestrus purpureus but were not R. purpureus. Further studies will be needed to confirm the existence of a new species. The pairs of papillary sensilla in the cephalic region retained the same number and location in all three instars, but included two pairs of verruciform sensilla in the third‐instar larvae collected from Mongolian horses were more closely related to those of Oestrus ovis and Pharyngomyia picta.
Comparing the effects of hydrotherapy and land-based therapy on balance in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a randomized controlled pilot study

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a hydrotherapy treatment in patients with Parkinson’s disease and the effectiveness of this treatment on balance parameters in comparison to a traditional land-based physical therapy. Design: A randomized single-blind controlled trial. Setting: Outpatients. Subjects: Thirty-four patients with Parkinson’s disease in Hoehn-Yahr stage 2.5–3. Intervention: Group 1 hydrotherapy treatment, group 2 land-based rehabilitation treatment. The two groups underwent the same rehabilitation period (60 minutes of treatment, five days a week for two months). Main measures: The primary outcome measures were the centre of the pressure sway area recorded with open and closed eyes, using a stabilometric platform. Secondary outcome measures were Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale II and III, Timed Up and Go Test, Berg Balance Scale, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale, Falls Efficacy Scale, Falls diary and Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39. Results: Hydrotherapy treatment proved to be feasible and safe. Patients in both groups had a significant improvement in all outcome variables. There was a better improvement in patients who underwent hydrotherapy than in patients treated with land-based therapy in the centre of pressure sway area closed eyes (mean SD change: 45.4 SD64.9 vs. 6.9 SD45.3, p = 0.05), Berg Balance Scale (51.2 SD3.1 vs. 6.0 SD3.1, p = 0.005), Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (16.8 SD10.6 vs. 4.1 SD5.4, p = 0.0001), Falls Efficacy Scale (−5.9 SD4.8 vs. −1.9 SD1.4, p = 0.003), Parkinson’s Disease Quetionnaire-39 (−18.4 SD12.9 vs. −8.0 SD7.0, p = 0.006) and falls diary (−2.4 SD2.2 vs. −0.4 SD0.5, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our study suggests that hydrotherapy may constitute a possible treatment for balance dysfunction in Parkinsonian patients with moderate stage of disease.
Precious metal markets, stock markets and the macroeconomic environment: a FAVAR model approach

This empirical study investigates the nature of spillovers between precious metal prices, i.e. gold and silver, stock markets and a number of macroeconomic variables for the G7 countries over the period 1981 to 2010. Through the methodological approach of the factor-augmented vector autoregressive (FAVAR) model, the empirical findings display that the price transmission across precious metal markets, stock markets and the macroeconomy is substantial. In particular, the results exemplify the role of the macroeconomic environment in explaining the behaviour of both gold and silver returns, while the performance of the stock markets does not appear to contribute as much.
Automatic Processing of Changes in Facial Emotions in Dysphoria: A Magnetoencephalography Study

It is not known to what extent the automatic encoding and change detection of peripherally presented facial emotion is altered in dysphoria. The negative bias in automatic face processing in particular has rarely been studied. We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to record automatic brain responses to happy and sad faces in dysphoric (Beck’s Depression Inventory ≥ 13) and control participants. Stimuli were presented in a passive oddball condition, which allowed potential negative bias in dysphoria at different stages of face processing (M100, M170, and M300) and alterations of change detection (visual mismatch negativity, vMMN) to be investigated. The magnetic counterpart of the vMMN was elicited at all stages of face processing, indexing automatic deviance detection in facial emotions. The M170 amplitude was modulated by emotion, response amplitudes being larger for sad faces than happy faces. Group differences were found for the M300, and they were indexed by two different interaction effects. At the left occipital region of interest, the dysphoric group had larger amplitudes for sad than happy deviant faces, reflecting negative bias in deviance detection, which was not found in the control group. On the other hand, the dysphoric group showed no vMMN to changes in facial emotions, while the vMMN was observed in the control group at the right occipital region of interest. Our results indicate that there is a negative bias in automatic visual deviance detection, but also a general change detection deficit in dysphoria.
Energetic and entropic contributions to the interactions between like‐charged groups in cationic peptides: A molecular dynamics simulation study

The interaction between like‐charged amino acid residues has been proposed to stabilize the folded state of peptides and proteins, and to modulate the substrate binding and the action mechanism of enzymes. We have used an alanine‐ and lysine‐based peptide as a model system to study the interaction between like charges, and we have performed a 16‐nsec molecular dynamics simulation in solution. The calculated potential of mean force for the approach of the lysine's Nζ atoms showed a minimum at a distance of 0.7 nm, in agreement with the separation probabilities obtained from analysis of protein crystal structures. The analysis of the individual energy components showed that the solvent polarization pays for the approach of the like charges and that the van der Waals energies do not contribute significantly. The entropic contributions have been divided in conformational and desolvation terms. Both terms favor the formation of the charge pair. A 10‐fold increase in counterion concentration was observed—with respect to its bulk concentration—next to the peptide charges, which helps to stabilize the peptide charges at a close distance.