Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AN ASSESSMENT USE ARGUMENT FOR SPANISH FOR THE PROFESSIONALS

This study focuses on reflective practice journal entries and compares intermediate Spanish learners’ journals of their own oral performance through two different opportunities an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and a Virtual Oral Interview Classroom/based Exam (VOICES) within the framework of a Spanish for the Professions course. Students’ journals reveal that both types of assessment have their advantages in the learning process, which results in more autonomous and more efficient learners (Ziegler, 2014). Moreover, data from the two focus groups reveals information about sufficiency, relevance, beneficence, and usefulness about the Spanish speaking activities used in the Spanish for the Professions course. This study presents an assessment use argument following Bachman and Damböck (2017) that may be used to design and teach language courses using micro-formative and macrosummative oral assessments. Using an assessment use argument, claims were made about the use of VOICES and OPI. Participants in this study were 13 undergraduate students at a large public university in the Midwest of the United States and one instructor. They were enrolled in an intermediate Spanish conversation course designed for professionals. Language performance data for oral assessments from face-to-face and online formats were evaluated comparing instances of language use. The data showed that the two types of oral assessments engaged learners in different types of learning opportunities.
New resistance sources to root-knot nematode in Capsicum pepper

Thirty seven pepper genotypes, Capsicum chinense, C. annuumand C. frutescens, were characterized for resistance to three root-knot nematode species (Meloidogyne javanica, M. incognita race 1 and M. enterolobii) aiming to find potential resistance sources to be used in breeding programs.
Galápagos' Opuntia (prickly pear) cacti: extensive morphological diversity, low genetic variability.

Due to the pronounced morphological variation and geographical distribution of Galapagos' Opuntia cacti, numerous hypotheses have been advanced regarding their radiation, diversification, and classification. The currently accepted classification is based on morphology and recognizes six species and fourteen varieties, but the plasticity of many of the characteristics renders any morphological taxonomy problematic. Our analysis of previously published morphological data agrees only partially with the current classification. We present the first molecular phylogeny of these plants. Multiple DNA sequences indicate little genetic distinction among the currently identified species, despite restricted gene flow and limited long distance dispersal within the archipelago. No clear relationship exists between morphological and genetic differences. These results suggest that both molecular and morphological data should be used in conservation planning. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 96, 451–461.
Sensitivity maps for time-reverse imaging: an accuracy study for the Los Humeros Geothermal Field (Mexico)

The estimation of the source–location accuracy of microseismic events in reservoirs is of significant importance. Time-reverse imaging (TRI) provides a highly accurate localization scheme to locate events by time-reversing the recorded full wavefield and back propagating it through a velocity model. So far, the influence of the station geometry and the velocity model on the source–location accuracy is not well known. Therefore, sensitivity maps are developed using the geothermal site of Los Humeros in Mexico to evaluate the spatial variability of the source–location accuracy. Sensitivity maps are created with an assumed gradient velocity model with a constant vp–vs ratio and with a realistic velocity model for the region of Los Humeros. The positions of 27 stations deployed in Los Humeros from September 2017 to September 2018 are used as surface receivers. An automatic localization scheme is proposed that does not rely on any a priori information about the sources and thus negates any user bias in the source locations. The sensitivity maps are created by simulating numerous uniformly distributed sources simultaneously and locating these sources using TRI. The found source locations are compared to the initial source locations to estimate the achieved accuracy. The resulting sensitivity maps show that the station geometry introduces complex patterns in the spatial variation of accuracy. Furthermore, the influence of the station geometry on the source–location accuracy is larger than the influence of the velocity model. Finally, a microearthquake recorded at the geothermal site of Los Humeros is located to demonstrate the usability of the derived sensitivity maps. This study stresses the importance of optimizing station networks to enhance the accuracy when locating seismic events using TRI.
Mitochondrial DNA Diversity and Evolutionary History of Native Human Populations of Northwest Patagonia (Argentina)

Recommended Citation Postillone, María Bárbara; Cobos, Virginia Agustina; Urrutia, Celmira; Dejean, Cristina Beatriz; Gonzalez, Paula N. ; Perez, Sergio Ivan; and Bernal, Valeria, "Mitochondrial DNA Diversity and Evolutionary History of Native Human Populations of Northwest Patagonia (Argentina)" (2020). Human Biology Open Access PrePrints. 157. https://digitalcommons.wayne. edu/humbiol_preprints/157
Can Conversing with a Computer Increase Turnout? Mobilization Using Chatbot Communication

Abstract According to the burgeoning voter mobilization field experiments literature, impersonal contact has little-to-no effect. A conversation with a computer is, by definition, an impersonal interaction. However, chatbots are form of communication wherein a computer imitates conversations by interacting using natural language. Human-to-chatbot interactions are often perceived as similar to human-to-human interactions. How ubiquitous are chatbots? Just ask Siri, Cortana, Bixby, or Alexa, or ask for help on any e-commerce website (these are each chatbots). A simple voter mobilization treatment reminding users of a political chatbot (Resistbot) to vote and providing information about polling locations and hours increased turnout by 1.8 percentage points in a 2019 election. The results replicate previously unpublished field experiments by Resistbot in 2018 that found smaller but statistically significant increases in turnout.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the Japanese rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta japonica Clark, 1907)

Abstract The rock ptarmigan Lagopus muta is a grouse widely distributed in the arctic and subarctic regions of Eurasia and North America. The range of Japanese endemic subspecies (Japanese rock ptarmigans: L. m. japonica) is the southernmost of this species, but their origin is little known. Here, we determined the complete mitogenome of this subspecies and carried out the phylogenetic analysis. It was demonstrated that Japanese rock ptarmigans are old divergent lineage.
A complete guide to monkeys, apes, and other primates

experience over many years and a 'good theoretical knowledge of nutrition, human health and biology'. Despite this, their report is somewhat inconsequential and thin on facts. They did, however, conclude that 'Any risk to the survival of the bowhead whale that might be posed by the continuance of aboriginal whaling cannot be justified on nutritional grounds'. The Cultural Anthropology Panel, benefitting from a larger participation, produced a more solid document, the value of which may be less ephemeral than the others.
240 Gbit/s Silicon Photonic Mach-Zehnder Modulator Enabled by Two 2.3-Vpp Drivers

We recently reported for the first time 200 Gbit/s/$\lambda$ net rate data transmission with a single silicon photonic modulator in an intensity modulation direct detection link. Our demonstration relied on an in-house designed, O-band segmented-electrode MZM. In this article, we detail the optimization of the modulator driving scheme, bandwidth/efficiency trade-off and modulation format enabling this result. We use two single-ended RF signals, each having 2.3-Vpp amplitude only, to drive two 1.5-mm modulator segments and transmit data at 80 Gbaud PAM-8 (240 Gbit/s) across 2 km under the 20% soft-decision forward error correction BER threshold of 2E-02. We further decrease the BER using maximum likelihood sequence detection (MLSD), and discuss the related implications. Additionally, we present the system margins regarding modulator drive voltage, received optical power and equalizer taps. At 240 Gbit/s line rate, the modulator energy consumption is only 73 fJ/bit at the SD-FEC threshold. We finally discuss practical implementation considerations for our system.
Starshade formation flying II: formation control

Abstract. Several starshade concepts for imaging exo-Earths would operate at the second Earth–Sun Lagrange point (L2) and consist of a starshade flying in formation tens to hundreds of thousands of kilometers from a telescope. The starshade would need to maintain meter-level lateral alignment with the line of sight from telescope to target star. A companion paper describes an optical sensing scheme using a pupil imaging camera in the telescope that can sense the relative lateral position to a few centimeters. A full flight-traceable formation flying framework that leverages this sensor is presented. In particular, a two-dimensional “disk deadbanding” algorithm is introduced for lateral control. The framework also maximizes the drift time between thruster burns to reduce interruption to scientific observations. The main sources of uncertainty affecting the control performance are compared, and it is found that spacecraft mass uncertainty is a driving factor. The formation flying environment is also analyzed to identify conditions that lead to worst-case differential gravity and solar radiation pressure disturbances. Finally, for a representative observation scenario with the Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope, this control system is tested through Monte Carlo simulations. The results show robust meter-level control with essentially optimal drift time between thruster burns.
Adaptive Speech Separation Based on Beamforming and Frequency Domain-Independent Component Analysis

Voice signals acquired by a microphone array often include considerable noise and mutual interference, seriously degrading the accuracy and speed of speech separation. Traditional beamforming is simple to implement, but its source interference suppression is not adequate. In contrast, independent component analysis (ICA) can improve separation, but imposes an iterative and time-consuming process to calculate the separation matrix. As a supporting method, principle component analysis (PCA) contributes to reduce the dimension, retrieve fast results, and disregard false sound sources. Considering the sparsity of frequency components in a mixed signal, we propose an adaptive fast speech separation algorithm based on multiple sound source localization as preprocessing to select between beamforming and frequency domain ICA according to different mixing conditions per frequency bin. First, a fast positioning algorithm allows calculating the maximum number of components per frequency bin of a mixed speech signal to prevent the occurrence of false sound sources. Then, PCA reduces the dimension to adaptively adjust the weight of beamforming and ICA for speech separation. Subsequently, the ICA separation matrix is initialized based on the sound source localization to notably reduce the iteration time and mitigate permutation ambiguity. Simulation and experimental results verify the effectiveness and speedup of the proposed algorithm.
Research on Mobile Marketing Recommendation Method Incorporating Layout Aesthetic Preference for Sustainable m-Commerce

The strong interactivity and size limitation of the mobile interface calls for the utilization of users’ aesthetic preferences to provide better mobile marketing recommendations in order to promote the sustainable development of m-commerce. Existing studies mostly focus on matching user interests by analyzing marketing content properties. The studies for utilizing the layout information and user aesthetic preferences for the layout of the mobile marketing interface from an aesthetic perspective are insufficient. This paper proposes a mobile marketing recommendation method (LAPR) that incorporates layout aesthetic preferences. Based on the traditional content-based and collaborative filtering recommendation methods, this method introduces users’ aesthetic preferences for interface layout into a mobile marketing recommender. From an aesthetic perspective, a new interface layout design quantification method, a user aesthetic preference similarity measurement model, and a recommendation result ranking method are designed. Experiments show that compared to traditional methods, LAPR is significantly higher in recommendation precision in the task for recommending the same content and outperforms traditional methods in recall, precision, and F-metrics in the common recommendation task. We conclude that incorporating aesthetic preference for layout can improve mobile marketing recommendation quality and promote the sustainable development of m-commerce.
Epitope Mapping using Local Alignment Features

Our immune system uses antibodies to neutralize pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Antibodies bind to parts of foreign proteins with high efficiency and specificity. We call such parts epitopes. The identification of epitopes, namely epitope mapping, may contribute to various immunological applications such as vaccine design, antibody production and immunological diagnosis.Therefore, a fast and reliable method that can predict epitopes from the whole proteome is highly desirable. In this work we have developed a computational method that predicts epitopes based on sequence information. We focus on using local alignment to extract features from peptides and classifying them using Support Vector Machine. We also propose two approaches to optimize the features. Results show that our method can reliably predict epitopes and significantly outperforms some most commonly used tools.
A Multi-Function Integrated Circuit Breaker for DC Grid Applications

The protection and current flow regulation of high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) grids requires the deployment of additional semiconductor-based equipment including dc circuit breakers (DCCBs) and current flow controllers (CFCs). However, the inclusion of multiple devices could significantly increase the total cost of an HVDC system. To potentially reduce costs, this paper presents an innovative multi-function integrated DCCB (MF-ICB). The proposed device exhibits a reduced number of semiconductor switches and can fully block dc faults at different locations while regulating dc currents. The configuration of the integrated solution and its operating principle are assessed, with its performance being examined in PSCAD/EMTDC using a three-terminal HVDC grid. Simulation results demonstrate the capability and effectiveness of the MF-ICB to regulate grid current and isolate dc faults.
High energy burden and low-income energy affordability: conclusions from a literature review

In an era of U.S. energy abundance, the persistently high energy bills paid by low-income households is troubling. After decades of weatherization and bill-payment programs, low-income households still spend a higher percent of their income on electricity and gas bills than any other income group. Their energy burden is not declining, and it remains persistently high in particular geographies such as the South, rural America, and minority communities. As public agencies and utilities attempt to transition to a sustainable energy future, many of the programs that promote energy efficiency, rooftop solar, electric vehicles, and home batteries are largely inaccessible to low-income households due to affordability barriers. This review describes the ecosystem of stakeholders and programs, and identifies promising opportunities to address low-income energy affordability, such as behavioral economics, data analytics, and leveraging health care benefits. Scalable approaches require linking programs and policies to tackle the complex web of causes and impacts faced by financially constrained households.
DNA fingerprinting of Alberta bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) populations

Bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) populations from Alberta river drainage systems were compared using molecular techniques. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP's) within the ND1 and ND5/6 regions of the mitochondrial genome were observed. In addition, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA profiles (RAPD's) from total genomic DNA extracts were compared. Interdrainage comparisons using mtONA revealed significant population heterogeneity among Alberta bull trout. Percent sequence divergence in mtDNA ranged from 0.14% to 0.92%. Most fish in each population were composed of a small number of common haplotypes, and the remaining fish displayed rare or locally unique haplotypes. RAPD profiles were used to calculate genetic distance values for Alberta, Canada and Montana, U.S.A. populations. Both Nei and Cavalli-Sforza distance values were used to generate neighborjoining, FITCH and KITSCH distance trees. Two genetically distinct groups of bull trout were revealed by the RAPD analysis and the possibility that post-glacial bull trout populations are derived from two separate refugia is suggested.
Multidecadal Changes in Wet Season Precipitation Totals Over the Eastern Amazon

Instrumental observations indicate that Amazon precipitation and streamflow extremes have increased during the last 40 years, possibly due to anthropogenic changes and natural variability. How unprecedented these changes might be is difficult to determine because some paleoclimatic, instrumental, and climate model simulations suggest that Amazonian precipitation and streamflow may be subject to multidecadal variability with return intervals longer than most direct observations. A new 258‐year long tree‐ring chronology of Cedrela odorata has been developed in the eastern Amazon and has been used to reconstruct wet season precipitation totals from 1759–2016. Reconstructed drought extremes are associated with significant sea surface temperature anomalies over the tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Strong multidecadal variance is identified in the reconstruction that may reflect a component of natural rainfall variability relevant to forest ecosystem dynamics and suggesting that recent hydroclimate changes over the eastern Amazon may not be unprecedented over the past 258 years.
38-GHz CMOS Linearized Receiver With IM3 Suppression, P1 dB/IP3/RR3 Enhancements, and Mitigation of QAM Constellation Diagram Distortion in 5G MMW Systems

This article proposes a 35–39-GHz high linearity in-phase and quadrature components receiver (I/Q Rx) using a 65-nm CMOS for quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) carrier demodulation in 5G millimeter wave (MMW) systems. An innovative cold-bias transistor passive mixer core with low local oscillator (LO) power is proposed. Built-in MMW linearizers are adopted in the low-noise amplifier (LNA) and downconverter to improve the linearity with significant third-order intermodulation (IM3) power suppression in a wide RF/IF power range for QAM demodulation. According to the Rx measurement at 38 GHz, it exhibits the −13 dBm IP1dB/0.8 dBm OP1dB and 2 dBm IIP3/16.8 dBm OIP3 with the highest IM3 reduction of 31 dB. The maximum output (IF) power with a third-harmonic rejection ratio (RR3) lower than −40/−30 dBc is −4.7/−2 dBm, which exhibits a superior IM3 suppression capability at high power level. Moreover, QAM constellation diagram (CD) distortions due to IM3 interferences of the Rx in high RF/IF power are investigated. Experiments verify that distorted CDs are recovered by using the proposed linearizers. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the proposed Rx exhibits the highest IF linear power with RR3 ≤ −30 dBc compared to the published Rxs/downconverters and is the first MMW linearized Rx that demonstrates an ability to mitigate QAM CD distortions.
Specimen Collection, Transport, and Processing: Bacteriology

One of the key principles of good specimen collection is to avoid introduction of colonizing bacteria surrounding the site of infection or on the skin or mucous membranes near the infectious site. A relatively recently introduced type of swab, the flocked swab, has proved to be superior to fiber swabs for collection of nasopharyngeal samples for detection of respiratory viruses, but there were no significant differences between flocked and rayon swabs when throat cultures were evaluated. For abscess contents, body fluids, and other fluid collections below the skin, aspirates obtained through disinfected intact skin are preferred over swabs. Expectorated sputum is the best sample for diagnosis of pneumonia, a disease of the distal lung alveolar spaces. Urine can be collected by midstream collection, catheterization, cystoscopic collection, or suprapubic aspiration. Urine specimens should be transported to the laboratory immediately and processed within 2 h of collection. Testing more than one stool for bacterial pathogens is usually not productive. Fresh stool should be examined visually, and the areas showing blood, pus, or mucus should be sampled preferentially. In spite of acceptable labeling, some specimen collection sites, transport containers, or transport conditions render the specimen unacceptable for processing. Although blood has not yet been used widely for detection of bacteria using nucleic acid amplification (NAA) tests or hybridization, such tests are in development. Swabs should be transported to the laboratory in special media.
Experience of Choice and Control for Service Users and Families of Direct
 Payments in Residential Care Trailblazers

Context: Direct payments (DP) – cash for care – have been promoted in England as a mechanism to enhance the choice and control of service users living in community settings who are eligible for state-funded care. In 2011, the government decided to pilot DPs in residential care in a few areas and to commission an evaluation of the pilot programme. Objective: To explore the experiences of care home residents and their families offered a DP, in terms of choice of and control over their care and of their consumer power in local care home markets. Methods: We held 34 semi-structured interviews with care home residents and family members as part of the evaluation. Interviews were analysed using the “Antagonisms of Choice” framework to study the frictions caused by promoting self-directed care via private market mechanisms within publicly funded systems. Findings: Findings suggest unequal access to DPs according to residents’ access to family networks, level of cognitive function and underlying physical health. Some participants expressed concern about the effects of DPs on quality of care home services. Several family members using DPs perceived enhanced power in relation to the care providers; others saw no benefit from DPs. Limitations: Uptake of DPs was lower than expected, potentially limiting the generalisability of these findings.
Analysis on pathogenesis-related morphogenesis in Magnaporthe grisea

報告番号: 乙15857 ; 学位授与年月日: 2004-01-13 ; 学位の種別: 論文博士 ; 学位の種類: 博士(農学) ; 学位記番号: 第15857号 ; 研究科・専攻: 農学生命科学研究科