Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SEQUENTIAL RADIATIONS AND PATTERNS OF SPECIATION IN THE HAWAIIAN CRICKET GENUS LAUPALA INFERRED FROM DNA SEQUENCES

The tremendous diversity of endemic Hawaiian crickets is thought to have originated primarily through intraisland radiations, in contrast to an interisland mode of diversification in the native Hawaiian Drosophila. The Hawaiian cricket genus Laupala (family Gryllidae) is one of several native genera of flightless crickets found in rain‐forest habitat across the Hawaiian archipelago. I examined the phylogenetic relationships among mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences sampled from 17 species of Laupala, including the 12S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), transfer RNA (RNA)val and 16S rRNA regions. The distribution of mtDNA variants suggests that species within Laupala are endemic to single islands. The phylogenetic estimate produced from both maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony supports the hypothesis that speciation in Laupala occurred mainly within islands. The inferred biogeographical history suggests that diversification in Laupala began on Kauai, the oldest rain‐forested Hawaiian island. Subsequently, colonization to younger islands in the archipelago resulted in a radiation of considerable phylogenetic diversity. Phylogenetic patterns in mtDNA are not congruent with prior systematic or taxonomic hypotheses. Hypotheses that may explain the conflict between the phylogenetic patterns of mtDNA variation and the species taxonomy are discussed.
Priming effects from gaps to antecedents

Abstract Recent research has suggested that null anaphors or gaps can prime their antecedents analogous to facilitation from pronouns. These results are open to alternative interpretations and may reflect other factors such as processing load rather than actual priming effects from gaps. An experiment designed to eliminate alternative interpretations was conducted using passive sentences, where gap and no-gap conditions differed by only one word. In a probe recognition task, subjects responded faster to a probe word when that word corresponded to the antecedent of a gap than when it did not. Responses in three control measures indicated that facilitation effects were due to the gap and not to extraneous factors. The stimuli were evaluated in Experiment 2. Ratings on measures critical for the presence of a gap correctly predicted Experiment 1 response times to the gap's antecedent; additional ratings indicated that the priming effect could not be attributed to discourse focus shifts. The results reveal tha.
Baseball’s Digital Disconnect: Trust, Media Credentialing, and the Independent Blogger

Non-media affiliated sports blogs represent the largest contingent of sports blogs today, yet bloggers continue to face accessibility problems when it comes to coverage. Most professional sports teams employ media relations personnel who serve as gatekeepers, deciding who receives access and who does not. Such choices are often based on the abstract concept of trust, which this study focused on. The survey results from 126 professional baseball gatekeepers reinforce the fact that accessibility is most likely to restricted for bloggers, especially those not connected with a media outlet. However, this study sought to determine the differences, if any, between the levels of trust gatekeepers place in traditional news media and bloggers as well as how such disparities might impact accessibility.
Attributional style for negative events: A proposition for a more reliable and valid measure of attributional style

This study examines the concept of attributional style, first by testing Seligman's (1990) assumption that attributions for positive and negative events do form a single dimension; second by challenging the cross-situational consistency of the causal dimension of internality; and third by investigating the reliability and validity of negative stability and globality as measures of pessimism and confidence. The results supported the hypothesis that attributional style for positive events and attributional style for negative events should be considered as orthogonal variables and that the dimensions of internality (positive and negative) are not consistent across situations. Finally, even though both negative stability and negative globality were shown to be reliable measures, only negative globality was proven to be a valid measure of pessimism and confidence.
Learning and evolving combat game controllers

The design of the control mechanisms for the agents in modern video games is one of the main tasks involved in the game design process. Designing controllers grows in complexity as either the number of different game agents or the number of possible actions increase. An alternative mechanism to hard-coding agent controllers is the use of learning techniques. This paper introduces two new variants of a hybrid algorithm, named WEREWoLF and WERESARSA, that combine evolutionary techniques with reinforcement learning. Both new algorithms allow a group of different reinforcement learning controllers to be recombined in an iterative process that uses both evolution and learning. These new algorithms have been tested against different instances of predefined controllers on a one-on-one combat simulator, with underlying game mechanics similar to classic arcade games of this kind. The results have been compared with other reinforcement learning controllers, showing that WEREWoLF outperforms the other algorithms for a series of different learning conditions.
Using Cognitive Mapping to Understand Innovative Software Use by Adolescents

This study is the second step of a long-term research project, which investigates the innovative uses of a software application by adolescents in an all girls’ high school in the southern United States. In the first phase, we proposed a research model that can be used to predict innovative use following mandatory adoption by conducting surveys and quantitative analysis of the results (Singletary et al. 2002a, 2002b). In this second phase, we will more deeply investigate innovative use phenomenon through qualitative analysis using cognitive mapping methodology. The current study is based in large part on Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura 1986; Wood and Bandura, 1989). We will also utilize the Diffusion of Innovations Theory (Rogers, 1995) and the Task-Technology Fit Theory (Goodhue and Thompson, 1995).
Face Sketch Matching via Coupled Deep Transform Learning

Face sketch to digital image matching is an important challenge of face recognition that involves matching across different domains. Current research efforts have primarily focused on extracting domain invariant representations or learning a mapping from one domain to the other. In this research, we propose a novel transform learning based approach termed as DeepTransformer, which learns a transformation and mapping function between the features of two domains. The proposed formulation is independent of the input information and can be applied with any existing learned or hand-crafted feature. Since the mapping function is directional in nature, we propose two variants of DeepTransformer: (i) semi-coupled and (ii) symmetrically-coupled deep transform learning. This research also uses a novel IIIT-D Composite Sketch with Age (CSA) variations database which contains sketch images of 150 subjects along with age-separated digital photos. The performance of the proposed models is evaluated on a novel application of sketch-to-sketch matching, along with sketch-to-digital photo matching. Experimental results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed models in comparison to existing state-of-the-art sketch matching algorithms and a commercial face recognition system.
Comparative Evaluation of Data Stream Indexing Models

In recent years, the management and processing of data streams has become a topic of active research in several fields of computer science such as, distributed systems, database systems, and data mining. A data stream can be thought of as a transient, continuously increasing sequence of data. In data streams' applications, because of online monitoring, answering to the user's queries should be time and space efficient. In this paper, we consider the special requirements of indexing to determine the performance of different techniques in data stream processing environments. Stream indexing has main differences with approaches in traditional databases. Also, we compare data stream indexing models analytically that can provide a suitable method for stream indexing.
Barnacle biology before, during and after settlement and metamorphosis: a study of the interface

ABSTRACT Mobile barnacle cypris larvae settle and metamorphose, transitioning to sessile juveniles with morphology and growth similar to that of adults. Because biofilms exist on immersed surfaces on which they attach, barnacles must interact with bacteria during initial attachment and subsequent growth. The objective of this study was to characterize the developing interface of the barnacle and substratum during this key developmental transition to inform potential mechanisms that promote attachment. The interface was characterized using confocal microscopy and fluorescent dyes to identify morphological and chemical changes to the interface and the status of bacteria present as a function of barnacle developmental stage. Staining revealed patchy material containing proteins and nucleic acids, reactive oxygen species amidst developing cuticle, and changes in bacteria viability at the developing interface. We found that as barnacles metamorphose from the cyprid to juvenile stage, proteinaceous materials with the appearance of coagulated liquid were released into and remained at the interface. It stained positive for proteins, including phosphoprotein, as well as nucleic acids. Regions of the developing cuticle and the patchy material itself stained for reactive oxygen species. Bacteria were absent until the cyprid was firmly attached, but populations died as barnacle development progressed. The oxidative environment may contribute to the cytotoxicity observed for bacteria and has the potential for oxidative crosslinking of cuticle and proteinaceous materials at the interface. Summary: Barnacles have complex interactions with bacteria during settlement and metamorphosis. Barnacle attachment uses multiple proteinaceous glues, which attract bacteria to the interface; bacteria at this interface are eventually killed.
Cloning of BCAS3 (17q23) and BCAS4 (20q13) genes that undergo amplification, overexpression, and fusion in breast cancer †

In breast cancer, several chromosomal sites frequently undergo amplification, implicating the location of genes important for tumor development and progression. Here we cloned two novel genes, breast carcinoma amplified sequence 3 (BCAS3) and 4 (BCAS4), from the two most common amplification sites in breast cancer, 17q23 and 20q13. The BCAS3 gene at 17q23 spans more than 600 kb at the genomic level and was predicted to encode a 913 amino acid nuclear protein. The BCAS4 gene at 20q13.2 encodes a 211 amino acid cytoplasmic protein. Both BCAS3 and BCAS4 represent novel genes with no homologies to any other known gene or protein. In the MCF7 breast cancer cell line, the BCAS3 and BCAS4 genes were co‐amplified, and cloning of a highly overexpressed 1.3‐kb transcript revealed a rearrangement fusing the last two exons of BCAS3 with BCAS4. The fusion led to a novel message in which only the first exon of BCAS4 and part of exon 23 of BCAS3 were transcribed. The BCAS4–BCAS3 fusion transcript was detected only in MCF7 cells, but the BCAS4 gene was also overexpressed in nine of 13 breast cancer cell lines. In conclusion, our results indicate that these novel genes, BCAS3 at 17q23 and BCAS4 at 20q13.2, undergo amplification, overexpression, and fusion in breast cancer and therefore may have a role in the frequent chromosomal alterations affecting these two loci. Published 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Grades as Incentives: A Quantitative Assessment with Implications for Study Abroad Programs

The problem under investigation is to examine if grades motivate students and, if so, by how much. This article uses a unique data set of 436 students enrolled in an American university located in Europe composed of approximately 50% study-abroad students and 50% degree-seeking students to examine whether there is a significant difference in semester grade point average (GPA) outcomes between students whose grades are averaged into their cumulative GPA with those who take courses on a pass/fail basis. Using linear regression models controlling for academic ability as well as other relevant variables, the study finds that students whose grades are averaged into their cumulative GPA are estimated to have an increase in the mean semester GPA of . 36 points, or 11.4% above the average. For study-abroad students who take courses on a pass/fail basis, the results suggest that academic incentives are adversely affected by this grade transfer policy.
Molecular and Structural Analysis of a Continuous Birch Profilin Epitope Defined by a Monoclonal Antibody*

The interaction of a mouse monoclonal antibody (4A6) and birch profilin, a structurally well conserved actin- and phosphoinositide-binding protein and cross-reactive allergen, was characterized. In contrast to serum IgE from allergic patients, which shows cross-reactivity with most plants, monoclonal antibody 4A6 selectively reacted with tree pollen profilins. Using synthetic overlapping peptides, a continuous hexapeptide epitope was identified. The exchange of a single amino acid (Gln-47 → Glu) within the epitope was found to abolish the binding of monoclonal antibody 4A6 to other plant profilins. The NMR analyses of the birch and the nonreactive timothy grass profilin peptides showed that the loss of binding was not due to major structural differences. Both peptides adopted extended conformations similar to that observed for the epitope in the x-ray crystal structure of the native birch profilin. Binding studies with peptides and birch profilin mutants generated by in vitro mutagenesis demonstrated that the change of Gln-47 to acidic amino acids (e.g. Glu or Asp) led to electrostatic repulsion of monoclonal antibody 4A6. In conclusion the molecular and structural analyses of the interaction of a monoclonal antibody with a continuous peptide epitope, recognized in a conformation similar to that displayed on the native protein, are presented.
HA-Pseudotyped Retroviral Vectors for Influenza Antagonist Screening

Influenza infections are initiated by the binding of the influenza hemagglutinin (HA) and the cellular receptor sialic acids. The binding is followed by internalization, endocytosis, and uncoating to release the influenza genome to the cytoplasm. It is conceivable that specific inhibitors that antagonize any one of these events could prevent the replication of influenza infections. The authors made HA pseudotyped retroviral vectors that express luciferase reporter activities upon transduction to several recipient cells. The transduction of the HA-pseudotype virus particles (HApp) was mediated through the specific interactions between an avian HA and the terminal disaccharides of sialic acid (SA) and galactose (Gal) in α-2,3 linkage. The HApp-mediated transduction method was used to develop a high-throughput screening assay and to screen for hits from a fermentation extract library. Specific hits that inhibited the HA-mediated but were noninhibitory to the vesicular stomatitis virus—mediated pseudoviral transductions were identified. A few of these hits have anti-influenza activities that prevent the replication of both H1N1 (WSN) and H5N1 (RG14) influenza viruses. ( Journal of Biomolecular Screening 2009:294-302)
At-speed interconnect test and diagnosis of external memories on a system

This work presents a built-in self test (BIST) implementation for external memories like DDR (double data rate), double DDR, QDR (quad data rate) SRAM, DDR FCRAM (fast cycle RAM), and RLDRAM (reduced latency DRAM). We utilize the memory controller in the functional block to design the BIST so that the BIST design can be simplified and executed at the functional speed. However, there are many different types of the memory controllers depending on the types of external memories, functional interface protocols, and implementation methodologies. In order to support the various memory controllers, we defined the latency of the memory controllers and classified them into three different categories: fixed latency, handshake, and both fixed latency, and handshake memory controllers. With these three models, we developed a general BIST architecture to support different types of memory controllers. During the boundary-scan driven BIST operation in the board and the system-level test and diagnosis, system clock, system hard reset, soft reset, and other programmable features were considered carefully to make the BIST operate properly. This work also presents a unique way of utilizing special BIST functions during the board and system level test, and also during the system mission operation.
The Rate of Wallerian Degeneration in Cultured Neurons from Wild Type and C57BL/WldS Mice Depends on Time in Culture and may be Extended in the Presence of Elevated K+ Levels

Wallerian degeneration of severed axons is delayed in C57BL/Wlds mice. We have examined this further in cultured sympathetic, sensory and CNS neurons using superior cervical ganglion (SCG), dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and cerebellar granule neurons respectively from neonatal mice. We found that the time taken for the neurites to degenerate depends upon the length of time in culture before cutting, reaching a maximum by ‐7 days when C57BL/WldS neurites survive for >6 days after axotomy. The onset of degeneration could also be extended in SCG and DRG neurites from wild type C57BL/6J mice. After 7 days in culture these neurites normally degenerate within ‐12–16 h of axotomy, but in the presence of raised K+ (50 mM) degeneration often did not begin until a further 2 days had lapsed. Under similar conditions degeneration of neurites from C57BL/WldS mice was also found to be further delayed, extending survival from ‐5–6 days to >7 days. The L‐type Ca2+ channel blockers nifedipine (5 μM) and verapamil (10 μM) both blocked the effect of raised [K+], although not completely. Thapsigargin, which raises cytoplasmic [Ca2+], and the cAMP analogue 8‐(4‐chlorophenylthio)cAMP were also able to delay degeneration, but only when added 24 h prior to axotomy. These results show that it is possible to influence the course of Wallerian degeneration and that increases in levels of cytoplasmic Ca2+ can protect neurites from its onset.
Continuous collision detection for non-rigid contact computations using local advancement

We present a novel algorithm to perform continuous collision detection(CCD) between non-rigid, deformable models using local advancement. Given the initial and final configurations of a deformable model, our algorithm computes linear deformation by interpolating the vertices from the initial to the final configurations with a straight line path and checks for collision along that path. Our approach is applicable to polygon-soup models with arbitrary topology, handles self-collisions and makes no assumption about the underlying non-rigid motion. We accelerate the algorithm by computing motion bounds on the primitives and their bounding volumes. These bounds are combined with hierarchical culling techniques and used for fast collision checking. In practice, we have observed up to four times improvement in running time because of local advancement.
Blind Carrier Phase Recovery for General 2π/M-rotationally Symmetric Constellations

This paper introduces a novel blind carrier phase recovery estimator for general 2 �/M-rotationally symmetric constellations. This estimation method is a generalization of the non-data-aided (NDA) nonlinear Phase Metric Method (PMM) estimator already designed for general quadrature amplitude constellations. This unbiased estimator is seen here as a fourth order PMM then generalized to M th order (M th PMM) in such manner that it covers general 2 �/M-rotationally symmetric constellations such as PAM, QAM, PSK. Simulation results demonstrate the good performance of this M th PMM estimation algorithm against competitive blind phase estimators already published for various modulation systems of practical interest.
Simultaneous High Dynamic Range and Superresolution Imaging without Regularization

Modern digital camera sensors capture only a limited amplitude and frequency range of the irradiance of a scene. A recent trend is to acquire and combine multiple images to raise the quality of the final image. Multi-image techniques are used in high dynamic range processing, where multiple exposure times are used to reconstruct the full range of irradiance. With multi-image superresolution, the difference between sampling grids caused by the motion of the camera is used to generate a high resolution image. It is possible to combine these two processes into one to generate a superresolved image with a full dynamic range. In this paper, we study the reconstruction error of high dynamic range superresolution imaging without regularization, under an affine motion hypothesis. From this study, we deduce a strategy for choosing the number of images and the exposure times, which makes the unregularized problem well conditioned. With these acquisition parameters, if the affine motion hypothesis holds and sufficie.
Breathing exercises with vagal biofeedback may benefit patients with functional dyspepsia

Objective. Many patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) have postprandial symptoms, impaired gastric accommodation and low vagal tone. The aim of this study was to improve vagal tone, and thereby also drinking capacity, intragastric volume and quality of life, using breathing exercises with vagal biofeedback. Material and methods. Forty FD patients were randomized to either a biofeedback group or a control group. The patients received similar information and care. Patients in the biofeedback group were trained in breathing exercises, 6 breaths/min, 5 min each day for 4 weeks, using specially designed software for vagal biofeedback. Effect variables included maximal drinking capacity using a drink test (Toro® clear meat soup 100 ml/min), intragastric volume at maximal drinking capacity, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), skin conductance (SC) and dyspepsia-related quality of life scores. Results. Drinking capacity and quality of life improved significantly more in the biofeedback group than in the control group (p=0.02 and p=0.01) without any significant change in baseline autonomic activity (RSA and SC) or intragastric volume. After the treatment period, RSA during breathing exercises was significantly correlated to drinking capacity (r=0.6, p=0.008). Conclusions. Breathing exercises with vagal biofeedback increased drinking capacity and improved quality of life in FD patients, but did not improve baseline vagal tone.
Empowerment of the European Parliament

One of the most remarkable democratic developments in Europe in recent decades has been the empowerment of the only directly elected supranational assembly in the world: the European Parliament (EP). We first review the development of the legislative powers of the EP vis-a-vis the other European Union (EU) institutions, discussing the theoretical models of the power of the EP and the main empirical methods that have been used to evaluate these models. We then turn to the impact of the growing power of the EP on political organization and behavior inside the legislature. We demonstrate that the “electoral connection” is weak and discuss what this means for understanding legislative politics in the EP. The concluding section demonstrates differences in behavior across policy areas, which have received scant attention, and suggests avenues for further research.