Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variation and change in Chinese Korean: The case of vowel /y/

Abstract This study investigates the current status of the vowel /y/, a phoneme that has undergone complete diphthongization to [wi] in Seoul Korean (Choo & O'Grady, 2003; Kang, 1997; Kim, 1988; Martin, 1992), in Chinese Korean. Set in the context of language and dialect contact, where Chinese language and different local/supralocal Korean norms all come into play, especially when the closed local social network no longer exists, Chinese Korean develops unique patterns of variation for underlying /y/, patterns heretofore unreported in the studies of other Korean varieties. Chinese Korean provides a case in point toward the explanation for how effects exerted by linguistic and social factors within a speech community may alter the diffusion of a change with origins outside the local network.
On Designing Satisfaction-Ratio-Aware Truthful Incentive Mechanisms for  $k$ -Anonymity Location Privacy

To protect individuals' location privacy, an important privacy protection technique that can be used is k -anonymity, which requires at least k users to participate in an anonymity set, so that any user in the set cannot be distinguished from the other k-1 users. However, a significant part of users may not be concerned about their location privacy and therefore may not be interested in participating in the anonymity set. Hence, a prerequisite for achieving k-anonymity location privacy is to stimulate users to participate. In this paper, we revisit the problem of stimulating users that are privacy-indifferent to participate in the anonymity set and providing k-anonymity location privacy for privacy-sensitive users. We first study the case where all privacy-sensitive users have the same requirement of privacy. Then, we extend our study to a more general setting, where privacy-sensitive users have different requirements. For both cases, we design auction-based mechanisms and rigorously prove that the mechanisms are truthful. More importantly, our mechanisms can achieve higher satisfaction ratio than the existing work, i.e., our mechanisms greatly increase the number of privacy-sensitive users successfully winning the auction and receiving privacy protection. We evaluate our mechanisms by using extensive numerical experiments and simulations on a real-world data set. Evaluation results show that our mechanisms achieve much better performance regarding the satisfaction ratio compared with the state-of-the-art mechanisms, and that the computational efficiency is good.
RAISE: a simple and novel method of generating random insertion and deletion mutations

Although proteins may be artificially improved by random insertion and deletion mutagenesis methods, these procedures are technically difficult, and the mutations introduced are no more variable than those introduced by the introduction of random point mutations. We describe here a three-step method called RAISE, which is based on gene shuffling and can introduce a wide variety of insertions, deletions and substitutions. To test the efficacy of this method, we used it to mutate TEM β-lactamase to generate improved antibiotic resistance. Some unique insertion or deletion mutations were observed in the improved mutants, some of which caused higher activities than point mutations. Our findings indicate that the RAISE method can yield unique mutants and may be a powerful technique of protein engineering.
Liver Fat Content Is Associated with Elevated Serum Uric Acid in the Chinese Middle-Aged and Elderly Populations: Shanghai Changfeng Study

Background and Aims Although many studies have indicated a relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hyperuricemia, a few studies specifically examining the effects of the severity of liver fat content (LFC) on serum uric acid (SUA) and the presence of hyperuricemia because of the limitation of the examination methods for NAFLD. In this study, we investigate the relationship between the NAFLD and SUA levels in the Chinese population using standardized quantitative ultrasound. Methods A community-based study was conducted from May 2010 to December 2012. A total of 4,305 people aged 45 years and above without excessive drinking were enrolled. A standard interview and anthropometric and laboratory blood parameters were collected for each person. The standardized ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio and hepatic attenuation rate was used to quantify LFC. Results The prevalence of NAFLD and hyperuricemia was 33.1% and 17.1%, respectively. A total of 23.5% of the NAFLD subjects had hyperuricemia, and their SUA was higher than that of non-NAFLD subjects (327.2±76.8 vs 301.9±77.4 μmol/L, P<0.001). The LFC was positively correlated with SUA (r = 0.130, P<0.001) and an independent factor for SUA (standardized β = 0.054, P<0.001). The OR for the presence of hypreuricemia was 1.175 (95% CI 1.048–1.318; P<0.001) with a 1 SD increase in the log LFC. LFC greater than 10% was related to elevated SUA and an increased presence of hyperuricemia. Conclusions LFC accumulation was associated with an increase in the prevalence of hyperuricemia and elevated SUA in our community-based population. LFC greater than 10% is related to the risk for hyperuricemia.
A hybrid numerical method to compute erythrocyte TMP in low-frequency electric fields

This paper presents a coupling method of the finite element method and the boundary element method to compute the transmembrane potential (TMP) of an erythrocyte in a low-frequency electric field. We compute an in vitro erythrocyte's TMP induced by external electric fields by this hybrid method. It takes advantage of the homogeneous characteristics from both intracellular region and extracellular region. Moreover, we may use a fine three-dimensional (3-D) mesh around the thin membrane and avoid 3-D meshes in other regions. Numerical results of a spherical cell show that the hybrid method is accurate. The computed threshold of the applied electric field for membrane electric breakdown agrees well with those experimental results. Numerical results can also guide us to locate the maximum induced TMP on the erythrocyte membrane in various electric fields. Some further applications of the hybrid method are also discussed.
Blood flow and oxygen delivery to human brain during functional activity: Theoretical modeling and experimental data

Coupling of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) in physiologically activated brain states remains the subject of debates. Recently it was suggested that CBF is tightly coupled to oxidative metabolism in a nonlinear fashion. As part of this hypothesis, mathematical models of oxygen delivery to the brain have been described in which disproportionately large increases in CBF are necessary to sustain even small increases in CMRO2 during activation. We have explored the coupling of CBF and oxygen delivery by using two complementary methods. First, a more complex mathematical model was tested that differs from those recently described in that no assumptions were made regarding tissue oxygen level. Second, [15O] water CBF positron emission tomography (PET) studies in nine healthy subjects were conducted during states of visual activation and hypoxia to examine the relationship of CBF and oxygen delivery. In contrast to previous reports, our model showed adequate tissue levels of oxygen could be maintained without the need for increased CBF or oxygen delivery. Similarly, the PET studies demonstrated that the regional increase in CBF during visual activation was not affected by hypoxia. These findings strongly indicate that the increase in CBF associated with physiological activation is regulated by factors other than local requirements in oxygen.
Complexity of Infimal Observable Superlanguages

The infimal prefix-closed, controllable, and observable superlanguage plays an essential role in the relationship between controllability, observability, and co-observability—the central notions of supervisory control theory. Existing algorithms for its computation are exponential and it is not known whether a polynomial algorithm exists. We answer the question by studying the state complexity of this language. State complexity of a language is the number of states of its minimal deterministic finite automaton (DFA). For a language with state complexity <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$</tex-math></inline-formula>, we show that the upper bound state complexity on the infimal prefix-closed and observable superlanguage is <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$2^n + 1$</tex-math> </inline-formula> and that this bound is asymptotically tight. Hence, there is no algorithm computing a DFA of the infimal prefix-closed and observable superlanguage in polynomial time. Our construction shows that such a DFA can be computed in time <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(2^n)$</tex-math></inline-formula>. The construction involves nondeterministic finite automata (NFAs) and a computation of the supremal prefix-closed sublanguage. We study the computation of supremal prefix-closed sublanguages and show that there is no polynomial-time algorithm computing an NFA of the supremal prefix-closed sublanguage of a language given as an NFA even if the language is unary.
Value of the minimental examination applied in combatants with slight cognitive deterioration

The minimental state examination is a simple and fast test (five or ten minutes), and is very used to assess the cognitive decline. The aim of present research was to characterize those combatants presenting with a mild cognitive deterioration according the results achieved in minimental state examination. Authors made a cross-sectional prospective and descriptive study in combatants aged  50 assessed by its consecutive order seen in the dementia consultation at "Dr. Carlos J. Finlay" Central Military Hospital during 2002-2003. The forty six combatants included were divided into two groups: 26 presenting with mild cognitive deterioration and 20 without this state. We found alterations in register, attention, calculation, and memory. The register and the memory were affected in group with mild cognitive deterioration. Total score of minimental state examination was significantly lower in patients with mild cognitive deterioration than those in the group without it.
Towards Maximizing the Area Under the ROC Curve for Multi-Class Classification Problems

The Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) metric has achieved a big success in binary classification problems since they measure the performance of classifiers without making any specific assumptions about the class distribution and misclassification costs. This is desirable because the class distribution and misclassification costs may be unknown during training process or even change in environment. MAUC, the extension of AUC to multi-class problems, has also attracted a lot of attention. However, despite the emergence of approaches for training classifiers with large AUC, little has been done for MAUC. This paper analyzes MAUC in-depth, and reveals that the maximization of MAUC can be achieved by decomposing the multi-class problem into a number of independent sub-problems. These sub-problems are formulated in the form of a “learning to rank” problem, for which well-established methods already exist. Based on the analysis, a method that employs RankBoost algorithm as the sub-problem solver is proposed to achieve classification systems with maximum MAUC. Empirical studies have shown the advantages of the proposed method over other eight relevant methods. Due to the importance of MAUC to multi-class cost-sensitive learning and class imbalanced learning problems, the proposed method is a general technique for both problems. It can also be generalized to accommodate other learning algorithms as the sub-problem solvers.
Thromboxane A2-Induced Inhibition of Voltage-Gated K+ Channels and Pulmonary Vasoconstriction: Role of Protein Kinase C&zgr;

Abstract— Voltage-gated K+ channels (KV) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) play critical roles in controlling pulmonary arterial tone under physiological and pathological conditions. We hypothesized that TXA2 might inhibit KV channels, thereby establishing a link between these two major pathogenic pathways in pulmonary hypertension. The TXA2 analogue U46619 inhibited IK(V) (Emax=56.1±3.9%, EC50=0.054±0.019 &mgr;mol/L) and depolarized pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells via activation of TP receptors. In isolated pulmonary arteries, U46619 simultaneously increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration and contractile force, and these effects were inhibited by nifedipine or KCl (60 mmol/L). U46619-induced contractions were not altered by the inhibitors of tyrosine kinase genistein or Rho kinase Y-27632 but were prevented by the nonselective protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors staurosporine and calphostin C. Furthermore, these responses were sensitive to Gö-6983 but insensitive to bisindolylmaleimide I and Gö-6976. Based on the specificity of these drugs, we suggested a role for an atypical PKC in U46619-induced effects. Thus, treatment with a PKC&zgr; pseudosubstrate inhibitor markedly prevented the vasoconstriction, the inhibition of IK(V), and the depolarization induced by U46619. Western blots showed a transient translocation of PKC&zgr; from the cytosolic to the particulate fraction on stimulation with U46619. These results indicate that TXA2 inhibits IK(V), leading to depolarization, activation of L-type Ca2+ channels, and vasoconstriction of rat pulmonary arteries. We propose PKC&zgr; as a link between TP receptor activation and KV channel inhibition.
Attitudes and concerns of French veterinarians towards pain and analgesia in dogs and cats.

OBJECTIVE To compare the attitudes of French veterinarians to pain, and their provision of analgesia to animals, with that reported from other countries. STUDY DESIGN Epidemiological study. METHODS In June 1999, 379 French veterinarians were surveyed to ascertain their views on pain evaluation and control in dogs and cats, and their use of analgesics in daily practice. Survey results are expressed as a percentage of responses. RESULTS The questionnaire was returned by 189 veterinarians (49.9%). The response rate was influenced by age (younger veterinarians were more likely to respond) but not gender. A majority (99.5%) expressed moderate to extreme concern over pain in their patients. Pain evaluation was based on the animal's attitude (88.3% dogs, 82.5% cats), interaction with the caregiver, response to palpation of the painful area (66.5% dogs, 62.7% cats) and inappetence (29.3% dogs, 46.3% cats, p < 0.001). Only 14.3% of respondents considered their knowledge of pain recognition to be inadequate. Many (58.8%) considered their methods of pain quantification and control (47% dogs, 59% cats) to be inadequate. Difficulties in recognizing pain (58.3%), a lack of knowledge in the appropriate use of analgesics (41.7%) and fear of drug side effects (30%) were used to explain inadequate provision of analgesia. Only 16.1 and 8.1% used opioids in dogs and cats, respectively. This low level of use resulted from the imposition of French narcotic legislation (79.9%) and lack of knowledge of opioid pharmacology (73.7%). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and glucocorticoids were the most commonly used analgesics in both species (100% (dogs) and 96.7% (cats)). The most popular NSAID used in France was tolfenamic acid, followed by meloxicam (dogs), ketoprofen, nimesulide (cats) and carprofen (dogs). The type of surgery performed influenced the use of analgesics, from 17.2% for castration to 83.7% for orthopaedic procedures. Nonsurgical conditions believed to warrant analgesia included osteoarthritis (97.8%), trauma (97.3%) and bone neoplasia (93.4%). Female veterinarians were more likely than males to evaluate pain and provide analgesia. CONCLUSION French practitioners demonstrate a level of interest in analgesia, which appears to be at least equivalent to that reported from English-speaking countries. The signs used to indicate the presence of pain do not, in general, appear to differ. Excessive confidence in their ability to recognize pain (despite a general ignorance of the subject), the minor role of animal health technicians in pain management and misconceptions about analgesics (mainly opioids) are French pecularities.
Real-time motion retargeting to highly varied user-created morphologies

Character animation in video games---whether manually keyframed or motion captured---has traditionally relied on codifying skeletons early in a game's development, and creating animations rigidly tied to these fixed skeleton morphologies. This paper introduces a novel system for animating characters whose morphologies are unknown at the time the animation is created. Our authoring tool allows animators to describe motion using familiar posing and key-framing methods. The system records the data in a morphology-independent form, preserving both the animation's structural relationships and its stylistic information. At runtime, the generalized data are applied to specific characters to yield pose goals that are supplied to a robust and efficient inverse kinematics solver. This system allows us to animate characters with highly varying skeleton morphologies that did not exist when the animation was authored, and, indeed, may be radically different than anything the original animator envisioned.
Dentin rehardening after indirect pulp treatment in primary teeth.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to investigate dentin rehardening in the remaining carious dentin after indirect pulp treatment (IPT) using microhardness analysis after 37 to 71 months. METHODS Eighteen teeth submitted to IPT and capped with calcium hydroxide (CH) or gutta-percha (GP) were evaluated (treated group). Ten sound molars and 10 molars with deep acute carious lesions were selected to serve as positive and negative control groups, respectively. In the treated group, restorations and pulp-capping materials were removed. In the positive control group, 3- to 4-mm deep cavities were prepared. In the negative control group, the carious tissue was removed. Microhardness analysis was performed at 10-, 35-, 60-, 85-, and 110-microm depths. Data were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance (P<.05). RESULTS Microhardness values for sound, carious, and treated groups at 10-, 35-, 60-, 85-, and 110-microm depths showed a statistically significant difference (P<or=.01) among the groups for microhardness. No difference was observed between CH- and GP-treated groups for microhardness. CONCLUSION The results showed a hardness increase in treated teeth when compared to carious teeth in all dentin depths investigated, suggesting mineral gain after treatment.
Précis of Neil Levy's Consciousness and Moral Responsibility

Neil Levy’s Consciousness and Moral Responsibility (2014) provides the most comprehensive and clear-headed examination of the relationship between consciousness and moral responsibility in the literature to date. The goal of the book is to argue for and defend the consciousness thesis, which maintains that ‘consciousness of some of the facts that give our actions their moral significance is a necessary condition for moral responsibility’ (Levy, 2014, p. 1). Levy defends this thesis by bringing to bear a probing discussion of consciousness along with a rigorous survey of relevant work in the behavioural, cognitive, and neurosciences. He also provides a nuanced treatment of the implications of the consciousness thesis — rejecting both the arguments of those who deny the consciousness thesis, as well as those who accept it but conclude that we are therefore never morally responsible. According to Levy, the consciousness thesis entails that people are responsible less often than we might have thought, but it does not entail that we are never morally responsible (at least not for reasons having to do with consciousness — more on this in a moment). In this precis I will provide a clear and concise summary of Levy’s arguments in Consciousness and Moral Responsibility, without any additional commentary or critical comments. This will allow readers to evaluate the arguments for themselves. It will also allow the articles to follow in this book symposium — those by Chandra Sripada, Philip Robichaud, myself, and Neil Levy — to provide their comments and replies without having to summarize the arguments in full. Readers
Exploratory second-order analyses for components and factors

: Exploratory methods using second-order components and second-order common factors were proposed. The second-order components were obtained from the resolution of the correlation matrix of obliquely rotated first-order principal components. The standard errors of the estimates of the second-order component loadings were derived from an augmented information matrix with restrictions for the loadings and associated parameters. The second-order factor analysis proposed was similar to the classical method in that the factor correlations among the first-order factors were further resolved by the exploratory method of factor analysis. However, in this paper the second-order factor loadings were estimated by the generalized least squares using the asymptotic variance-covariance matrix for the first-order factor correlations. The asymptotic standard errors for the estimates of the second-order factor loadings were also derived. A numerical example was presented with simulated results.
Endothelin-1 Contributes to the Frank-Starling Response in Hypertrophic Rat Hearts

Abstract—Endothelin-1 is involved in mechanical load–induced cardiac growth processes; it also has effects on contractility. The interaction of endothelin-1 and the Frank-Starling response is unknown. The present study aimed to characterize the role of endothelin-1 in the regulation of the Frank-Starling response, one of the major mechanisms regulating cardiac contractile force, in both normal and hypertrophied hearts. Nontransgenic rat hearts and hypertrophic hearts of hypertensive double transgenic rats harboring human angiotensinogen and renin genes were studied in a Langendorff isolated heart setup with a liquid-filled balloon inside the left ventricle used to measure contractile parameters. The rats were studied at compensated phase, before showing any signs of heart failure. Compensated hypertrophy in double transgenic rat hearts resulted in improved contractility at a given level of preload when compared with nontransgenic rat hearts. Hearts of both rat lines showed preserved Frank-Starling responses, that is, increased contractile function in response to increased end-diastolic pressure. The mixed endothelin A/B receptor antagonist bosentan attenuated the Frank-Starling response by 53% (P <0.01) in the double transgenic hearts but not in nontransgenic hearts. The diastolic parameters remained unaffected. The left ventricles of the double transgenic rat hearts showed an 82% higher level of endothelin type A receptor mRNA and a 25% higher level of immunoreactive endothelin-1 compared with nontransgenic rat hearts. The type 1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist CV-11974 had no significant effect on contractile function in response to load in either strain. These results show that endogenous endothelin-1 contributes to the Frank-Starling response in hypertrophied rat hearts by affecting systolic performance.