Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intelligibility research in Brazil: empirical findings and methodological issues

Abstract The current paper addresses intelligibility, a dimension used to assess second language speech, which has also been proposed as one of the goals in pronunciation instruction. Studies carried out on this construct in Brazil are revisited (BECKER, 2013; CRUZ, 2005; 2006; 2008, 2012a, 2012b; CRUZ; PEREIRA, 2006; GONCALVES, 2014; REIS; CRUZ, 2010; RIELLA, 2013; SCHADECH, 2013), and their main findings are discussed taking into account Jenkins’ (2002) Lingua Franca core. Furthermore, methodological issues are discussed, pointing out the different foci of the studies conducted in Brazil, the variables examined by the Brazilian studies at present, and the myriad of variables contemplated by international studies that still need investigation in the Brazilian context. Some of these variables are related to the speaker/listener or are of linguistic nature (e.g., L2 proficiency, accent familiarity, lexical frequency), all of which could help us to understand the intelligibility construct. Finally, the paper brings concluding remarks about the investigation of intelligibility and possible implications for the classroom and the research realms. Keywords: Intelligibility; Brazilian English; Research method; Pronunciation assessment. A pesquisa em inteligibilidade no Brasil: resultados empiricos e questoes metodologicas Resumo Este artigo tem como foco a inteligibilidade, uma dimensao utilizada para avaliar a fala na segunda lingua, que tambem foi proposta como uma das metas para o ensino de pronuncia na sala de aula. Estudos realizados no Brasil sao revisitados BECKER, 2013; CRUZ, 2005; 2006; 2008, 2012a, 2012b; CRUZ; PEREIRA, 2006; GONCALVES, 2014; REIS; CRUZ, 2010; RIELLA, 2013; SCHADECH, 2013) e os principais achados desses estudos sao discutidos, levando-se em consideracao a proposta de Jenkins (2002), o Lingua Franca core. Por fim, questoes metodologicas sao discutidas, ressaltando os diferentes focos estabelecidos nos estudos sobre inteligibilidade, assim como a miriade de variaveis contempladas em estudos internacionais que ainda precisam ser incorporadas em investigacoes no territorio nacional. Algumas dessas variaveis estao relacionadas ao falante, ao ouvinte, ou sao de natureza linguistica (proficiencia na lingua estrangeira, familiaridade com o sotaque, frequencia lexical). Por fim, sao apresentadas conclusoes sobre os estudos envolvendo inteligibilidade e possiveis implicacoes para a sala de aula e para a pesquisa de cunho aplicado. Palavras-chave : Inteligibilidade; Ingles brasileiro; Metodo de pesquisa. Avaliacao da pronuncia.
Immediate Load Implants: Systematic Review on the Clinical Success Assessment and Follow Up

Introduction: The first studies of implant follow-up constituted the scientific basis of modern implantology. Early loading was identified as a critical factor and therefore, several waiting times were attempted until the establishment of a period of at least three months for the mandible and five to six months for the maxilla. Then Immediate loading (IL) was defined as “installation of a prosthetic element on implant, without osseointegration having occurred”. Objective: To demonstrate, through a systematic review, the clinical success indexes of the immediate loading technique, to present the criteria of indication and the follow-up of the procedures. Methods: The main descriptors (Mesh Terms) used were immediate loading, early loading, late loading, implants, implantology, clinical trials. A total of 165 articles were found. A total of 60 articles were evaluated in full, and 46 were included and discussed in this study. Conclusion: The analysis of the bibliography obtained showed that the success rates with the IL technique are compatible with those of the late load, as long as certain guidelines have been followed which were divided into: factors related to the patient, the surgical technique, the implant, the prosthesis and to esthetics. The high success rate is a consequence of correct surgical and prosthetic planning, harmony between implant system, patient and dentist surgeon.
Helium removal and recycling

Removal of helium, the ash from the D-T-fusion reaction, from a burning plasma flame, is one of the critical issues for future thermonuclear burning plasma. Even in plasmas driven by additional heating to large Q-values this is a severe problem. Recombination of fuel and ash ions at plasma exposed surfaces, re-emission as neutral particles and subsequent pumping (“recycling”) provides, at least in principle, the mechanism to flush the plasma from its ash. However, plasma surface interaction has to be limited in order to protect vessel components from excessive thermal load, often a conflicting requirement.
Biometric relationships, condition factor and relative weight of Lingula anatina (Lamarck, 1801) at Thuy Trieu lagoon, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam

The present study investigated biometric relationships, condition factor (K) and relative weight (Wr) of Lingula anatina at two locations: Cam Hai Tay (CHT) and Cam Thanh Bac (CTB) in Thuy Trieu lagoon (Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam). Length weight relationship equations were W = 0.0473 L and W = 0.0728 L for L. anatina at CHT and at CTB, respectively. The b value was isometric for L. anatina at CHT, but negative allometric for L. anatina at CTB. Length – weight and shell dimension were significant correlation, with r over 0.885. K and Kmean were significantly higher in CTB compared to CHT (P < 0.001). Relative weight (Wr) values of L. anatina did not significantly differ between the two locations (CHT and CTB), and Wr values of Lingula at both CHT and CTB were not significantly different from critical value (100). Relationships between Kmean and shell size were significantly linear, but with a positive correlation for the population at CHT, and an inverse correlation for the population at CTB.
Peer Effects in Capital Structure Adjustments

This study investigates whether there are “peer effects” in capital structure adjustments using an instrumental variable (IV) approach proposed by Leary and Roberts (2014, Journal of Finance). This study finds that firms refer to peer firms’ decisions and characteristics in setting target leverage ratios and in adjusting their leverage toward their leverage targets. This study also finds evidence for “asymmetric” peer effects for over-levered and under-levered firms: (i) over-levered firms increase the speed of the adjustment when adverse equity shocks happen to their peers, while under-levered firms do so when there are positive equity shocks to their peers; (ii) peer effects regarding leverage adjustment speeds are more significant for over-levered firms than for under-levered firms.
Analyse et évaluation de techniques de commutation Ethernet pour l'interconnexion des systèmes avioniques

Les nouvelles generations d'aeronefs embarquent de plus en plus de systemes avioniques, pour augmenter a la fois la securite et le confort des passagers, tout en maintenant une haute rentabilite pour les compagnies aeriennes. Ces nouvelles fonctions entrainent une forte hausse des echanges de donnees, ce qui necessite plus de debit et de possibilites d'interconnexion. Les bus classiques de communications avioniques ne peuvent repondre a cette nouvelle demande, ce qui a pousse les constructeurs Airbus et Boeing a installer a bord un reseau de communication utilisant la technologie Ethernet commute. Le principal apport de cette these est le developpement d'une methode de preuve du determinisme de ce type de reseaux, demonstration fondamentale pour permettre leur certification aeronautique. Cette methode, utilisant la theorie du Network Calculus, a ete retenue par Airbus pour la certification du reseau AFDX de l'A380. Nous proposons egalement des optimisations de ce reseau (politiques de service des commutateurs, interconnexion des elements reseau) en vue d'ameliorer les resultats de son analyse de determinisme par la methode precedente. Enfin, nous proposons une extension de nature stochastique a notre methode deterministe, qui pourrait dans le cadre d'un futur programme permettre de dimensionner au plus juste les ressources physiques du reseau.
Analysing homogenous patient journeys to assess quality of care for patients admitted outside of their 'home-ward'

This study is the first to explore the quality of care based on the outlier or the inlier status of patients for a large heterogeneous General Medicine (GM) service at a busy public hospital. The study compared the quality of care between ward outliers and ward inliers based on a homogenous group of patients using Two-step clustering method. Contrary to common perception, ward outliers had overall shorter Length of Stay (LOS) than ward inliers. The study also was unable to support the perception of shorter LOS in the outlier group being associated with higher in-hospital mortality. The study confirmed that overall the outliers received inferior quality of care as discharge summaries for the outliers were delayed and more outliers were re-admitted within 7 days of discharge in comparison to the inliers.
Molecular Cloning and In Silico Sequence Analysis of Glycine Betaine Biosynthesis Genes in Bacillus subtilis

Glycine betaine (N, N, N-trimethylglycine) is a effective compatible solute, which maintains fluidity of membranes and protects the biological structure of the organisms under stress. In this study, betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase (GbsA) and betaine alcohol dehydrogenase (GbsB) genes encoding for glycine betaine biosynthesis were PCR amplified from genomic DNA of Bacillus subtilis isolated from salted anchovies (Thrissina thryssa) collected from retail fish market of Cochin, Kerala, India. The amplified genes were cloned and nucleotide sequences were determined. The sequencing results showed that GbsA and GbsB genes contain ORF of 1473 bp and 1182 bp long, encoding 474 and 266 amino acids respectively (GenBank accession nos. FJ823257 and FJ823258). In silico sequence analysis revealed that the GbsA and GbsB sequences of B. subtilis were conserved in many eubacteria.
Education, skills, and labor market outcomes : evidence from Ghana

In a wide-ranging paper on education, incomes, poverty, and inequality, teal (2001) estimates the returns to education in Ghana, using four waves of data from 1988 to 1999. Unlike much of the international literature, this study estimates the returns to education not only in wage employment, but also in the two other major occupations-agriculture (which employed 64 percent of the labor force in 1998-99) and self-employment. Pooling the four rounds of Ghana data, author introduces round dummies to examine how earnings changed over time in each occupation. A major contribution of the paper is that it showcases how the availability of data over time enhances understanding of the poverty-reducing potential of education. Such data permits the decomposition of any increase in incomes due to changes in the average amount of education, as well as to underlying technical progress, over a given time period.
Final-state interactions in two-nucleon knockout reactions

Background: Exclusive two-nucleon knockout after electroexcitation of nuclei [A(e,e'NN) in brief] is considered to be a primary source of information about short-range correlations (SRCs) in nuclei. For a proper interpretation of the data, final-state interactions (FSIs) need to be theoretically controlled. Purpose: Our goal is to quantify the role of FSI effects in exclusive A(e,e' pN) reactions for four target nuclei representative of the whole mass region. Our focus is on processes that are SRC driven. We investigate the role of FSIs for two characteristic detector setups corresponding to "small" and "large" coverage of the available phase space. Method: Use is made of a factorized expression for the A(e,e' pN) cross section that is proportional to the two-body center-of-mass (c.m.) momentum distribution of close-proximity pairs. The A(e,e' pp) and A(e,e' pn) reactions for the target nuclei C-12, Al-27, Fe-56, and Pb-208 are investigated. The elastic attenuation mechanisms in the FSIs are included using the relativistic multiple-scattering Glauber approximation (RMSGA). Single-charge exchange (SCX) reactions are also included. We introduce the nuclear transparency T-A(pN), defined as the ratio of exclusive (e,e' pN) cross sections on nuclei to those on "free" nucleon pairs, as a measure for the aggregated effect of FSIs in pN knockout reactions from nucleus A. A toy model is introduced in order to gain a better understanding of the A dependence of T-A(pN). Results: The transparency TAN drops from 0.2-0.3 for C-12 to 0.04-0.07 for Pb-208. For all considered kinematics, the mass dependence of T-A(pN) can be captured by the power law T-A(pN) alpha A(-lambda) with 0.4 less than or similar to A less than or similar to 0.5. Apart from an overall reduction factor, we find that FSIs only modestly affect the distinct features of SRC-driven A(e,e' pN) which are dictated by the c.m. distribution of close-proximity pairs. Conclusion: The SCX mechanisms represent a relatively small (order of a few percent) contribution of SRC driven A(e,e' pN) processes. The mass dependence of FSI effects in exclusive A(e,e' pN) can be captured in a robust power law and is in agreement with the predictions obtained in a toy model.
Banks competition, managerial efficiency and the interest rate pass-through in India

If banks solve an inter-temporal problem under adverse selection and moral hazard, then bank specific factors, regulatory and supervisory features, market structure, and macroeconomic factors affect banks loan interest rates and their spread over deposit interest rates. To examine post financial-reform interest rate pass through for Indian banks after controlling for all these factors, we estimate the determinants of commercial banks loan pricing decisions, using dynamic panel methods. The several factors commercial banks consider, apart from the policy rate, limit policy pass through. More competition reduces policy pass-through but it can improve monetary transmission provided it improves managerial efficiency.
Photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation during cyanobacteria blooms in an oligohaline and tidal freshwater estuary

Rates of photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation were measured along with species composition and plankton biomass during cyanobacteria blooms in the upper Sassafras River, a poorly buffered tidal freshwater tributary of Chesapeake Bay, USA. The mixed species composition of the cyanobacteria consortium appears to allow these species to take advantage of temporal variations in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and dissolved oxygen (DO) to fix carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) under conditions limiting to most phytoplankton. At the early stage of the bloom, diazotrophic (nitrogen fixing) cyanobacteria species became dominant, likely as a consequence of nitrogen limitation; both rates of N2-fixer biomass-normalized N2 fixation and chlorophyll a-based photosynthesis increased with irradiance during this bloom stage. When the bloom reached peak biomass, photosynthetic carbon uptake and oxygen production resulted in DIC depletion and oxygen oversaturation. The constraint of oxygen on nitrogenase activity and concomitant C limitation on photosynthesis caused inhibition of N2 fixation in the light during bloom peaks. N2 fixation in the dark period accounted for ~40% of daily N2 fixation when pH and DO were extremely high, and cyanobacteria species known to fix N2 in the dark were dominant in the consortium at these times. The presence of cyanobacteria species with different environmental tolerances resulted in bloom persistence under limiting conditions for most eukaryotic phytoplankton. N2 fixation by cyanobacteria consortia is an important component of the nitrogen cycle in some oligohaline and tidal freshwater estuaries.
Encyclopedia of Portal Technologies and Applications (2 Volumes)

The Encyclopedia of Portal Technologies and Applications offers complete coverage of the nature, characteristics, advantages, limitations, design, and evolution of Web portals. Other topics include semantic portals, philosophical portal issues, and personal portals. This authoritative encyclopedia encompasses the economics of setting up and using personal portals, knowledge management, strategic planning, user acceptance, security and the law. State-of-the-art portal technology and applications are also described in the Encyclopedia of Portal Technologies and Applications. This comprehensive reference source contains more than 200 articles from academics, experts, and practitioners from around the world. It covers technical characteristics of portals and portal applications in a wide range of areas from business to science and will appeal to a wide range of readers.
Crepidotus ehrendorferi in Slovakia and taxonomic notes on related species

Described in 1988 from Austria, Crepidotus ehrendorferi Hauskn. et Krisai was recorded in Slovakia in 2009 for the first time. It was found on Tilia cordata, a hitherto unknown host. Macro– and micromorphological characters of the Slovak collections are described and illustrated. The identification and confusion of C. ehrendorferi with other Crepidotus species is discussed; the knowledge of its occurrence, ecology and threat is summarised.
The Role of Co-Regulated Learning during Students' Understanding of Complex Systems with Hypermedia.

This study examined the role of different scaffolding instructional interventions in facilitating students' shift to more sophisticated mental models as indicated by both performance and process data. Undergraduate students (n=51) were randomly assigned to use of one of three scaffolding conditions (adaptive scaffolding (AS), fixed scaffolding (FS), and no scaffolding (NS))and were trained to use a hypermedia environment to learn about the circulatory system. Pretest, posttest, and verbal protocol data were collected. Findings reveal that the AS condition facilitated the shift in learners' mental models significantly more than did the comparison conditions. Participants in the AS condition regulated their learning by activating prior knowledge, monitoring their emerging understanding by using several strategies, and engaging in adaptive helpseeking. Learners in the FS and NS conditions were less effective at regulating their learning and exhibited great variability in self-regulation of their learning during the knowledge construction activity. AS participants also differed in the amount of time spend on each representation of information. An appendix describes the variables used to code the data. (Contains 4 tables and 64 references.) (Author/SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Running Head: CO-REGULATION WITH HYPERMEDIA The Role of Co-Regulated Learning During Students' Understanding of Complex Systems with Hypermedia Roger Azevedo, Jennifer G. Cromley, Diane Seibert, and Myriam Tron University of Maryland, College Park Please address all correspondence to: Roger Azevedo, Ph.D. University of Maryland Department of Human Development 3304 Benjamin Building, 3304E College Park, MD 20742 Tel: (301) 405-2799 Fax: (301) 405-2891 E-mail: ra109@umail.umd. edu PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
User activity type and transportation mode detection using embedded mobile device sensors

Este proyecto tiene como objetivo mejorar la aplicacion para Android llamada MobilitApp (http://mobilitat.upc.edu) que consiste en el analisis de la movilidad de la ciudadania de Barcelona. Hemos disenado nuestro propio sistema al cual le hemos eliminado el uso abusivo del GPS para ahorrar energia del dispositivo y las APIs de deteccion del modo de transporte que tienen un uso limitado para el usuario. Hemos estudiado dos metodos de deteccion y utilizamos unicamente los sensores de los smartphones. Detectamos diversos modos de actividad y transporte del usuario tales como estatico, a pie, corriendo, en bicicleta, en coche, en autobus, en tranvia y en tren. Nuestra mejora ha consistido en grabar con una camara de video todas las actividades para tener registrado todo lo ocurrido en la actividad. En el primer metodo, construimos vectores caracteristicos a traves de la captura de los datos de los sensores del dispositivo y utilizamos estos datos en el aprendizaje automatico. En el segundo metodo, experimentamos con redes neuronales para ver si el sistema es capaz de reconocer las caracteristicas por si mismo si solo le proporcionamos datos de los sensores. Tambien hemos analizado la posibilidad de hacer estos estudios sin la necesidad de capturar videos de la camara y observar solo los datos proporcionados por los sensores de los dispositivos.
Nutritional alternatives on the haematological and biochemical changes associated with experimental trypanosomiasis in rats

The influence of improved nutrition on the development of pathophysiological effect of trypanosome in rats fed with two different levels of protein was investigated. The intensities of parasitaemia indicated that there was a tendency for animals receiving the high protein to sustain more parasite numbers than those receiving low protein diets. The infected animals on the two diets showed similar degree of anaemia. The PCV and MCV values were drastically lowered in the two groups of rats with regards to control groups. The albumin concentration showed dietary influences and decreased significantly in the test group. Following treatment, the infected rats on high protein diets recovered and gained weight faster than those on low protein diet. It is therefore, concluded that improved nutrition in the form of higher protein diet (soya bean supplement) intake ameliorates the adverse effect of trypanosome infection and also enhances the rate of recovery following chemotheraphy.
A bibliometric reconstruction of research trails for qualitative investigations of scientific innovations

: »Die bibliometrische Rekonstruktion von Forschungslinien für qualitative Untersuchungen wissenschaftlicher Innovationen« . Abrupt changes in research content are of interest to innovation research because many innovations in general and scientific innovations in particular emerge from such changes. However, investigations of innovations emerging from research processes face the problem that the initial change of direction in research by one or few researchers is an elusive phenomenon. The method presented in this article contributes to solving this problem by supporting the in-depth analysis of individual research biographies and of the emergence of new directions of research in these. The method employs bibliometric tools for a reconstruction of individual cognitive careers, embeds these reconstructions in qualitative studies of research biog-raphies, and provides opportunities to link cognitive careers to the dynamics of scientific fields. As we will demonstrate, the method is generic in that it supports not only the investigation of scientific innovations but also, more generally, the identification of thematic change in individual cognitive careers. Two applications in qualitative research projects illustrate the potential of the method.
DataDroplets: A correlation-aware large scale decentralized tuple store

Until now, relational database management systems have been the key technology to store and process structured data. However, these systems based on highly centralized and rigid architectures are facing a conundrum: The volume of data currently quadruples every eighteen months while the available performance per processor only doubles in the same time period. This is the breeding ground for a new generation of elastic data management solutions, that can scale both in the sheer volume of data that can be held but also in how required resources can be provisioned dynamically and incrementally.