Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Second language processing: when are first and second languages processed similarly?

In this article we investigate the effects of first language (L1) on second language (L2) neural processing for two grammatical constructions (verbal domain dependency and grammatical gender), focusing on the event-related potential P600 effect, which has been found in both L1 and L2 processing. Native Dutch speakers showed a P600 effect for both constructions tested. However, in L2 Dutch (with German or a Romance language as L1) a P600 effect only occurred if L1 and L2 were similar. German speakers show a P600 effect to both constructions. Romance speakers only show a P600 effect within the verbal domain. We interpret these findings as showing that with similar rule-governed processing routines in L1 and L2 (verbal domain processing for both German and Romance speakers), similar neural processing is possible in L1 and L2. However, lexically-driven constructions that are not the same in L1 and L2 (grammatical gender for Romance speakers) do not result in similar neural processing in L1 and L2 as measured by the P600 effect.
Involvement of midbrain tectum neurokinin-mediated mechanisms in fear and anxiety

Electrical stimulation of midbrain tectum structures, particularly the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) and inferior colliculus (IC), produces defensive responses, such as freezing and escape behavior. Freezing also ensues after termination of dPAG stimulation (post-stimulation freezing). These defensive reaction responses are critically mediated by Y-aminobutyric acid and 5-hydroxytryptamine mechanisms in the midbrain tectum. Neurokinins (NKs) also play a role in the mediation of dPAG stimulation-evoked fear, but how NK receptors are involved in the global processing and expression of fear at the level of the midbrain tectum is yet unclear. The present study investigated the role of NK-1 receptors in unconditioned defensive behavior induced by electrical stimulation of the dPAG and IC of male Wistar rats. Spantide (100 pmol/0.2 µL), a selective NK-1 antagonist, injected into these midbrain structures had anti-aversive effects on defensive responses and distress ultrasonic vocalizations induced by stimulation of the dPAG but not of the IC. Moreover, intra-dPAG injections of spantide did not influence post-stimulation freezing or alter exploratory behavior in rats subjected to the elevated plus maze. These results suggest that NK-1 receptors are mainly involved in the mediation of defensive behavior organized in the dPAG. Dorsal periaqueductal gray-evoked post-stimulation freezing was not affected by intra-dPAG injections of spantide, suggesting that NK-1-mediated mechanisms are only involved in the output mechanisms of defensive behavior and not involved in the processing of ascending aversive information from the dPAG.
Strain Selection for Generation of O-Antigen-Based Glycoconjugate Vaccines against Invasive Nontyphoidal Salmonella Disease

Nontyphoidal Salmonellae, principally S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis, are a major cause of invasive bloodstream infections in sub-Saharan Africa with no vaccine currently available. Conjugation of lipopolysaccharide O-antigen to a carrier protein constitutes a promising vaccination strategy. Here we describe a rational process to select the most appropriate isolates of Salmonella as source of O-antigen for developing a bivalent glycoconjugate vaccine. We screened a library of 30 S. Typhimurium and 21 S. Enteritidis in order to identify the most suitable strains for large scale O-antigen production and generation of conjugate vaccines. Initial screening was based on growth characteristics, safety profile of the isolates, O-antigen production, and O-antigen characteristics in terms of molecular size, O-acetylation and glucosylation level and position, as determined by phenol sulfuric assay, NMR, HPLC-SEC and HPAEC-PAD. Three animal isolates for each serovar were identified and used to synthesize candidate glycoconjugate vaccines, using CRM197 as carrier protein. The immunogenicity of these conjugates and the functional activity of the induced antibodies was investigated by ELISA, serum bactericidal assay and flow cytometry. S. Typhimurium O-antigen showed high structural diversity, including O-acetylation of rhamnose in a Malawian invasive strain generating a specific immunodominant epitope. S. Typhimurium conjugates provoked an anti-O-antigen response primarily against the O:5 determinant. O-antigen from S. Enteritidis was structurally more homogeneous than from S. Typhimurium, and no idiosyncratic antibody responses were detected for the S. Enteritidis conjugates. Of the three initially selected isolates, two S. Typhimurium (1418 and 2189) and two S. Enteritidis (502 and 618) strains generated glycoconjugates able to induce high specific antibody levels with high breadth of serovar-specific strain coverage, and were selected for use in vaccine production. The strain selection approach described is potentially applicable to the development of glycoconjugate vaccines against other bacterial pathogens.
Subband configuration of adaptive synthesis filter banks for image compression

Subband coding is an efficient technique in image compression, where the same analysis and synthesis filters (either linear phase or non linear phase) are used in all subband levels. In adaptive synthesis filter banks, analysis section comprises of linear phase filters whereas, synthesis section manages a combination of linear phase and non linear filters (in form of delay filters). This paper addresses a novel approach of employing different filter sets for first two levels of subband tree in the synthesis section. It is suggested that synthesis delay filters exhibiting higher degree of deviations from the linear phase synthesis filters are suitable for subband level 1 whereas the delay filters having less deviations from the linear phase filters are appropriate for subband level 2 and linear phase filters are used in all the remaining subband levels. Such subband configuration of adaptive synthesis delay filters has shown reconstruction improvements in image compression.
Varactor-tuned dual-mode bandpass filter for wireless applications

A tunable dual-mode microstrip bandpass filter for mobile GSM and ISM bands (2000 MHz to 2.45 GHz) is proposed and characterized. The structure is composed of a meander loop dual-mode resonator and four loading capacitances. Perturbation of the degenerate modes is achieved by combination of a small square patch and an additional meander line resonator. Frequency tuning is made possible by modifying the electrical length of orthogonal quarter-wavelength meander arms with four varactor-diode capacitors. The measured insertion loss of a filter prototype realized on alumina substrate is between 3.5 dB to 7 dB over the tuning frequency range, with a constant 3-dB bandwidth of about 5.75%. The filter exhibits a center-frequency tunability of 20%.
The Beginnings of Word Segmentation in English-Learning Infants

A series of 15 experiments was conducted to explore English-learning infants' capacities to segment bisyllabic words from fluent speech. The studies in Part I focused on 7.5 month olds' abilities to segment words with strong/weak stress patterns from fluent speech. The infants demonstrated an ability to detect strong/weak target words in sentential contexts. Moreover, the findings indicated that the infants were responding to the whole words and not to just their strong syllables. In Part II, a parallel series of studies was conducted examining 7.5 month olds' abilities to segment words with weak/strong stress patterns. In contrast with the results for strong/weak words, 7.5 month olds appeared to missegment weak/strong words. They demonstrated a tendency to treat strong syllables as markers of word onsets. In addition, when weak/strong words co-occurred with a particular following weak syllable (e.g., "guitar is"), 7.5 month olds appeared to misperceive these as strong/weak words (e.g., "taris"). The studies in Part III examined the abilities of 10.5 month olds to segment weak/strong words from fluent speech. These older infants were able to segment weak/strong words correctly from the various contexts in which they appeared. Overall, the findings suggest that English learners may rely heavily on stress cues when they begin to segment words from fluent speech. However, within a few months time, infants learn to integrate multiple sources of information about the likely boundaries of words in fluent speech.
Altruistic versus Profit Maximising System Operators of Rural Power Systems

This paper presents a methodology using Monte Carlo simulation for analysing and compare the impact of two types of monopolistic rural power system operators (altruistic and profit maximising operators) on the probability distribution of tariff levels and reliability of the system. The market has price sensitive consumers. The developed model has been demonstrated on two power systems: only diesel genset and a wind-diesel hybrid system showing the impact of the generation costs and capacity of generation from wind on the tariff levels, expected profit and reliability.
Carbon nano-tube field effect transistors for dualband low noise amplifier

Low noise amplifier (LNA) for 40 GHz and 60GHz wireless PAN has been simulated using a carbon nanotube FET HSPICE model. The LNA transfer gain (S21) and noise figure (NF) were found to be 11 dB and 1.6 dB respectively at 40 GHz and 8 dB and 2 dB at 60 GHz. Excellent simultaneous matching at both bands at input (S11≤-20dB) and output (S22≤-18dB), as well as stability factor K >1 have been achieved. The 3-dB bandwidth (BW) and noise figure (NF) of the proposed LNA circuit at lower and upper bands were >2.5 GHz and <;2dB, respectively and power consumption PDC was 1.75 mW. With gate overdrive VGS-VTH<;100mV, transit frequency fr and maximum frequency of oscillation fMAX were reported as ~300 GHz and ~350GHz respectively. Input referred third-order intercept point (IIP3) was reported as ~5.8dBm @40GHz and ~7.5 dBm@60 GHz. An overall figure-of-merit (FoM) involving S21, NF, BW, IIP3 and PDC was found to be significantly higher than a previously published experimental result for silicon CMOSLNA.
Refined secondary-structure models of the core of yeast and human telomerase RNAs directed by SHAPE

Telomerase catalyzes the addition of nucleotides to the ends of chromosomes to complete genomic DNA replication in eukaryotes and is implicated in multiple diseases, including most cancers. The core enzyme is composed of a reverse transcriptase and an RNA subunit, which provides the template for DNA synthesis. Despite extensive divergence at the sequence level, telomerase RNAs share several structural features within the catalytic core, suggesting a conserved enzyme mechanism. We have investigated the structure of the core of the human and yeast telomerase RNAs using SHAPE, which interrogates flexibility of each nucleotide. We present improved secondary-structure models, refined by addition of five base triples within the yeast pseudoknot and an alternate pairing within the human-specific element J2a.1 in the human pseudoknot, both of which have implications for thermodynamic stability. We also identified a potentially structured CCC region within the template that may facilitate substrate binding and enzyme mechanism. Overall, the SHAPE findings reveal multiple similarities between the Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Homo sapiens telomerase RNA cores.
Human Mate Poaching Tactics Are Effective

Mate poaching refers to efforts to attract people who are already involved in committed relationships. The current dyadic, 5-week prospective study examined mate poaching behaviors in the context of opposite-sex friendships. Actors’ mate poaching behaviors predicted decreases in their friend’s commitment to their romantic partners, increases in their friend’s perceptions of actors’ mate value, and increases in their friend’s romantic desire for actors over time. These results are the first to suggest an interpersonal process in which mate poaching behaviors elicit psychological changes in targets that facilitate actors’ mate poaching goals. Furthermore, these results are the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of mate poaching tactics in friendships.
IMPACT OF A COMMUNITY DISASTER AWARENESS TRAINING PROGRAM IN TURKEY: DOES IT INFLUENCE HAZARD-RELATED COGNITIONS AND PREPAREDNESS BEHAVIORS

A community disaster training program focusing on earthquakes, floods and landslides was implemented in Cankiri, Turkey, in 2002. It covered mitigation, preparedness and response aspects of natural disaster management. Four thousand community members participated in the training program delivered by 95 local trainers. This study evaluated the impact of participation in this program. One year later, 400 randomly selected participants in the training program and a comparable sample of 400 community members who did not participate in any disaster training program (nonparticipants) were surveyed. Disaster-related cognitions (i.e., disaster expectation, worry about future disasters, loss estimations if a disaster occurs, beliefs in the possibility of mitigation and preparedness) and reported preparedness behaviors were assessed. The relationship of sociodemographic, previous disaster experience, anxiety and locus of control variables with disaster-related cognitions and behaviors was examined. Results showed that participants in the training program had more disaster expectation, worry and loss estimation and more preparedness behaviors. Results of regression analyses, examining the relationship of the variables of the study with disaster cognitions, affect and actual preparedness behaviors showed that gender, education, being a participant in the training program, anxiety and locus of control are important variables related to different kinds of disaster-related cognitions. However, reported preparedness behaviors were quite low and this result needs to be viewed with caution. These results have important implications for the modification of programs for targeting sustainable behavioral change, which is likely to reduce the impact of future disasters. Language: en
Bootstrapped language identification for multi-site internet domains

We present an algorithm for language identification, in particular of short documents, for the case of an Internet domain with sites in multiple countries with differing languages. The algorithm is significantly faster than standard language identification methods, while providing state-of-the-art identification. We bootstrap the algorithm based on the language identification based on the site alone, a methodology suitable for any supervised language identification algorithm. We demonstrate the bootstrapping and algorithm on eBay email data and on Twitter status updates data. The algorithm is deployed at eBay as part of the back-office development data repository.
Insert Title Here

Denote by C the elliptic curve y = x(x − 1)(x− s) over the function field Q(s). It degenerates only over the points s = 0, 1,∞ of P and so defines a fiber bundle over C \ {0, 1} with fibers being elliptic curves. Let Fs denote the fiber over the point s. The maps ι : (x, y, s) 7→ (1 − x, iy, 1 − s) and τ : (x, y, s) 7→ (x̄, ȳ, s̄) are topological automorphisms of C. Note ι = −1, τ = 1. The fundamental groupoid of the base space C \ {0, 1} acts on the family of homology groups H(Fs, Z), which are all abstractly isomorphic to Z ⊕ Z. Choosing the base point s = 1/2, there are two generators p and q for the topological fundamental group based at s = 1/2 given by loops around 0 and 1 in the s-plane.
Design aspects of electrostatically driven MEMS adaptive mirror

Adaptive mirrors are used in modern adaptive optics systems for direct correction of aberration in a wave front. Silicon nitride membranes are widely used in the fabrication of MEMS deformable mirror In this paper, we have studied the design and simulation aspects of MEMS based electrostatically actuated continuous membrane adaptive mirror. We have studied the effect of several factors e.g. thickness and size of mirror membrane, size of bottom electrodes & voltage applied between top & bottom electrodes on response of the mirror.
Social Networking as a Criminal Enterprise

As social networking continues to evolve and expand, the opportunities for deviant and criminal behavior have multiplied. Social Networking as a Criminal Enterprise explores how new avenues for social networking criminality have affected our criminal justice system. With insight from field experts, this book examines: The history of social networking and the process of developing an online identity Schools of criminological theory and how they relate to criminality on social networking websites Forms of criminal behavior that can be performed utilizing social networking websites Criminality via texting, identity theft, and hacking Adolescents as offenders and victims in cyberbullying and digital piracy Online sexual victimization, including child pornography and sexual solicitation of youth The book concludes by discussing law enforcements response, including new techniques and training, type of evidence, and use of experts. It also discusses how the corrections system has been affected by these types of offenders. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter encourage critical thinking and case studies help place the material in context. Ideal for students and scholars, the book offers a comprehensive examination of how the emergence of social networking has affected criminality online, and how it has impacted the criminal justice system.
Inhibition of Hepatitis Delta Virus RNA Editing by Short Inhibitory RNA-Mediated Knockdown of ADAR1 but Not ADAR2 Expression

ABSTRACT Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) requires host RNA editing at the viral RNA amber/W site. Of the two host genes responsible for RNA editing via deamination of adenosines in double-stranded RNAs, short inhibitory RNA-mediated knockdown of host ADAR1 expression but not that of ADAR2 led to decreased HDV amber/W editing and virus production. Despite substantial sequence and structural variation among the amber/W sites of the three HDV genotypes, ADAR1a was primarily responsible for editing all three. We conclude that ADAR1 is primarily responsible for editing HDV RNA at the amber/W site during HDV infection.
The role of functional disability in psychiatric classification

Psychiatric functioning and disability have historically been considered separate from the broader disability field and have been measured differently than other medical conditions. This paper provides an overview of the current concepts and international advances in the classification of psychiatric disability and explores the controversies and goals within the proposed systems. It highlights key aspects of the role of disability and functioning in major psychiatric classification systems (including ICD-10/ICF, DSM-IV) and international programmes such as the Institutional Program for Psychiatry for the Person (IPPP) of the World Psychiatric Association. It stresses key studies on the impact of psychiatric illness in the overall functioning of individuals. Narrative review of studies providing details of key aspects of controversial issues is presented throughout the article. ADL (Activities of Daily Living) and ICF (International Classification of Functioning) are two different models of disability which have different implications for the assessment of mental disorders. Within ICF, ‘environmental’ and ‘personal’ disabilities have been defined. In mental health, disability and functioning are part of two separate and theoretically complementary classification systems: the diagnostic system and its consequences on functioning and activity. Thus, a mental disorder may be determined by the level of dysfunction, particularly in DSM. Although no system currently available properly captures the complexity
Association between tau deposition and antecedent amyloid-&bgr; accumulation rates in normal and early symptomatic individuals

See Vandenberghe and Schaeverbeke (doi:10.1093/awx065) for a scientific commentary on this article. A long-term goal of our field is to determine the sequence of pathological events, which ultimately lead to cognitive decline and dementia. In this study, we first assessed the patterns of brain tau tangle accumulation (measured with the positron emission tomography tracer 18F-AV-1451) associated with well-established Alzheimer's disease factors in a cohort including cognitively healthy elderly individuals and individuals at early symptomatic stages of Alzheimer's disease. We then explored highly associated patterns of greater 18F-AV-1451 binding and increased annualized change in cortical amyloid-β plaques measured as florbetapir positron emission tomography binding antecedent to 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography scans, and to what extent these multimodal pattern associations explained the variance in cognitive performance and clinical outcome measures, independently and jointly. We found that: (i) 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography retention was differentially associated with age, and cross-sectional florbetapir positron emission tomography retention, but not with years of education, gender, or APOE genotype; (ii) increased annualized change in florbetapir retention, antecedent to 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography scans, in the parieto-temporal and precuneus brain regions was associated with greater 18F-AV-1451 PET retention most prominently in the inferior temporal and inferior parietal regions in the full cohort, with florbetapir positive/negative-associated variability; and (iii) this 18F-AV-1451 positron emission tomography retention pattern significantly explained the variance in cognitive performance and clinical outcome measures, independent of the associated antecedent increased annualized change in florbetapir positron emission tomography retention. These findings are in agreement with the pathology literature, which suggests that tau tangles but not amyloid-β plaques correlate with cognition and clinical symptoms. Furthermore, non-local associations linking increased amyloid-β accumulation rates with increased tau deposition are of great interest and support the idea that the amyloid-β pathology might have remote effects in disease pathology spread potentially via the brain's intrinsic connectivity networks.
When good news is bad news: explicating the moderated mediation dynamic behind the reversed mobilization effect

This study investigates the mobilizing potential of positive news framing on opponents of a referendum proposal. On the basis of an experiment (N = 470), using bootstrapping as a method to assess conditional indirect effects, mediation analysis showed that positive news framing—endorsing a referendum proposal regarding European Union (EU) integration—was perceived as negative by opponents and mobilized those with higher levels of skepticism toward the EU to turn out and vote because of increased risk perception. This ‘‘reversed mobilization’’ effect was contingent upon existing levels of self-efficacy, yielding evidence for a ‘‘double conditional indirect effect’’ of positive news framing on turnout intention via risk perception which was strongest among those showing greater levels of EU skepticism as well as stronger self-efficacy beliefs.