Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Introduction to the special issue: Aspects of word learning on first exposure to a second language

This contribution presents an overview of first exposure studies in the context of word learning, focusing on issues that show up repeatedly in the relevant literature: computation versus storage, the nature of representations of words and how those representations are processed. I discuss aspects of research methodologies that limit our ability to generalize from experiments to normal learning situations. I conclude with a brief discussion of the articles of this issue.
Género y negociación reproductiva: un estudio en una comunidad rural de Chiapas

THROUGH A QUALITATIVE APPROACH, THIS WORK SEEKS TO VISUALIZE AND UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE GENDER, ECONOMIC, NORMATIVE AND SOCIOCULTURAL ASPECTS THAT INFLUENCE WOMEN'S CAPACITY TO NEGOTIATE BIRTH-CONTROL DECISIONS IN A RURAL COMMUNITY IN CHIAPAS. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS AND THE PROMOTION OF WOMEN'S RIGHTS FOR MAKING MORE EQUITABLE CONTRACEPTIVE DECISIONS BASED ON THEIR OWN PRIORITIES AND INTERESTS.
The Role of E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Cbl Proteins in β-Elemene Reversing Multi-Drug Resistance of Human Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cells

Recent studies indicate that β-elemene, a compound isolated from the Chinese herbal medicine Curcuma wenyujin, is capable of reversing tumor MDR, although the mechanism remains elusive. In this study, β-Elemene treatment markedly increased the intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin (DOX) and rhodamine 123 in both K562/DNR and SGC7901/ADR cells and significantly inhibited the expression of P-gp. Treatment of SGC7901/ADR cells with β-elemene led to downregulation of Akt phosphorylation and significant upregulation of the E3 ubiquitin ligases, c-Cbl and Cbl-b. Importantly, β-elemene significantly enhanced the anti-tumor activity of DOX in nude mice bearing SGC7901/ADR xenografts. Taken together, our results suggest that β-elemene may target P-gp-overexpressing leukemia and gastric cancer cells to enhance the efficacy of DOX treatment.
Extending Rate Monotonic Analysis with Exact Cost of Preemptions for Hard Real-Time Systems

In this paper we study hard real-time systems composed of independent periodic preemptive tasks where we assume that tasks are scheduled by using Liu & Layland's pioneering model following the rate monotonic analysis (RMA). For such systems, the designer must guarantee that all the deadlines of all the tasks are met, otherwise dramatic consequences occur. Certainly, guaranteeing deadlines is not always achievable because the preemption is approximated when using this analysis, and this approximation may lead to a wrong real-time execution whereas the schedulability analysis concluded that the system was schedulable. To cope with this problem the designer usually allows margins which are difficult to assess, and thus in any case lead to a waste of resources. This paper makes multiple contributions. First, we show that, when considering the cost of the preemption during the analysis, the critical instant does not occur upon simultaneous release of all tasks. Second, we provide a technique which counts the exact number of preemptions of each instance for all the tasks of a given system. Finally, we present an RMA extension which takes into account the exact cost due to preemption in the schedulability analysis rather than an approximation, thus yielding a new and stronger schedulability condition which eliminates the waste of resources since margins are not necessary.
Ageing and dementia in low and middle income countries - Using research to engage with public and policy makers

While two thirds of the 24 million people with dementia worldwide live in low and middle income countries, very little research has been conducted to support policy making in these regions. Among the non-communicable diseases, dementia (in common with other chronic NCDs linked more to long-term disability than to mortality) has been relatively under-prioritized. International agreements, plans and policy guidelines have called for an end to ageist discrimination and a focus upon reducing disadvantage arising from poverty and the consequences of ill health. Social protection, access to good quality age-appropriate healthcare and addressing the problem of disability are all key issues. However, as yet, little progress has been made in addressing these concerns. In this review we outline the current international policy agenda for older individuals, and its specific relevance to those with dementia and other disabling non-communicable diseases. We consider the potential for epidemiological research to raise awareness, refine the policy agenda, and promote action, using the example of the dissemination strategy developed by the 10/66 Dementia Research Group.
μChIP—a rapid micro chromatin immunoprecipitation assay for small cell samples and biopsies

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) is a powerful technique for studying protein–DNA interactions. Drawbacks of current ChIP assays however are a requirement for large cell numbers, which limits applicability of ChIP to rare cell samples, and/or lengthy procedures with limited applications. There are to date no protocols for fast and parallel ChIPs of post-translationally modified histones from small cell numbers or biopsies, and importantly, no protocol allowing for investigations of transcription factor binding in small cell numbers. We report here the development of a micro (μ) ChIP assay suitable for up to nine parallel quantitative ChIPs of modified histones or RNA polymerase II from a single batch of 1000 cells. μChIP can also be downscaled to monitor the association of one protein with multiple genomic sites in as few as 100 cells. μChIP is applicable to small fresh tissue biopsies, and a cross-link-while-thawing procedure makes the assay suitable for frozen biopsies. Using μChIP, we characterize transcriptionally permissive and repressive histone H3 modifications on developmentally regulated promoters in human embryonal carcinoma cells and in osteosarcoma biopsies. μChIP creates possibilities for multiple parallel and rapid transcription factor binding and epigenetic analyses of rare cell and tissue samples.
Discovering the Physical Parts of an Articulated Object Class from Multiple Videos

We propose a motion-based method to discover the physical parts of an articulated object class (e.g. head/torso/leg of a horse) from multiple videos. The key is to find object regions that exhibit consistent motion relative to the rest of the object, across multiple videos. We can then learn a location model for the parts and segment them accurately in the individual videos using an energy function that also enforces temporal and spatial consistency in part motion. Unlike our approach, traditional methods for motion segmentation or non-rigid structure from motion operate on one video at a time. Hence they cannot discover a part unless it displays independent motion in that particular video. We evaluate our method on a new dataset of 32 videos of tigers and horses, where we significantly outperform a recent motion segmentation method on the task of part discovery (obtaining roughly twice the accuracy).
SINAI at ImagePhoto 2009

This paper presents the fourth participation of the SINAI group, University of Jaen, in the Photo Retrieval task at Image CLEF 2009. Our system uses only the text of the queries, and a clustering system (based on kmeans) that combines difierent approaches based on a difierent use of the cluster data of the queries. The o-cial results shown that the combination between the title of each query and the other titles of the clusters obtain our best performance and that our clustering system did not work well.
The seroprevalence of Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpes virus and human herpes virus-6 in pediatric patients with cancer and healthy children in a Turkish pediatric oncology center

Abstract Background: Many studies have tried to be establish a pathogenic role for human herpesvirus-6 and -8 (HHV-6, HHV-8) in malignant diseases, but whether these viruses plays a role in these pathologies remains unclear. HHV-6 and HHV-8 seropositivity were shown in a healthy population. There is no published data in Turkey about seroprevalence of these viruses. We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of HHV-6 and HHV-8 in pediatric cancer patients and to compare with healthy Turkish children′s viral seroprevalence. Patients and Methods: Ninety-three pediatric cancer patients and 43 age-matched healthy children were included in the study. All sera were screened for antibodies to HHV-6 and HHV-8 by ELISA. Results: HHV-8 immunoglobulin G (IgG) was positive in 3.3% of lymphoma patients, in 4.8% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, in 4.8% of retinoblastoma patients and in 7% of healthy children. There was no significant difference in HHV-8 seroprevelance between these groups. HHV-6 seroprevalence was 81% in ALL patients, 70% in lymphoma group, 81% in retinoblastoma patients and 69.8% in healthy children. Although there was no significant difference in HHV-6 prevalence between healthy children and pediatric cancer patients, HHV-6 seropositivity tended to be higher in retinoblastoma patients under age of 4 years (odds ratio: 2.925). Conclusion: HHV-6 seroprevalence was higher than HHV-8 seropositivity in our study. Viral studies related HHV-6 seroprevelance in retinoblastoma patients would be useful to clarify if there is any etiological association between HHV-6 and retinoblastoma.
Self‐Awareness in Human and Chimpanzee Infants: What Is Measured and What Is Meant by the Mark and Mirror Test?

The objective study of self-recognition, with a mirror and a mark applied to the face, was conducted independently by Gallup (1970) for use with chimpanzees and monkeys, and by Amsterdam (1972) for use with infant humans. Comparative psychologists have followed the model (and assumptions) set by Gallup, whereas developmental psychologists have followed a different model (e.g., Lewis & Brooks-Gunn, 1979). This article explores the assumptions in the definitions and methods of self-recognition assessments in the 30 years since these initial studies, and charts the divergence between the developmental mark test and the comparative mark test. Two new studies, 1 with infant chimpanzees and 1 with infant humans, illustrate a reconciliation of the 2 approaches. Overt application of the mark, or other procedures related to how the mark is discovered, did not enhance mirror selfrecognition. In contrast, maternal scaffolding appears to enhance performance, perhaps by eliciting well-rehearsed verbal responses (i.e., naming self). When comparable testing procedures and assessment criteria are used, chimpanzee and human infants perform comparably. A combined developmental comparative approach allows us to suggest that mirror self-recognition may be based on a specific aspect of mental representation, the cognitive ability to symbolize.
On NOR-2 von Neumann multiplexing

This paper provides a detailed analysis of the effects threshold voltage variations play on the reliability of bulk MOSFET transistors. It also investigates the consequences of transistor sizing on the reliability of both devices and CMOS gates. These are followed by very accurate device-level (CMOS technology specific) analyses of NOR-2 von Neumann multiplexing with respect to threshold voltage variations, taking into account both the gates' schematic as well as the input vectors. The simulation results reported here show clearly that improving the reliability at the device-level does not necessarily lead to reliability improvement at the gate- and system-level. They also reveal that the effectiveness of von Neumann multiplexing schemes depend to a great extend not only on devices, but also on the gate types (i.e., gates' topologies).
Keratoconus corneal architecture after riboflavin/ultraviolet A cross-linking: Ultrastructural studies

Purpose Study to investigate the effects of collagen cross-linking on the ultrastructural organization of the corneal stroma in the human keratoconus cornea (KC). Methods Three normal, three keratoconus (KC1, KC2, KC3), and three cross-linked keratoconus (CXL1, CXL2, CXL3) corneas were analyzed. The KC corneas were treated with a riboflavin-ultraviolet A (UVA) treatment (CXL) method described by Wollensak et al. Penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) was performed 6 months after treatment. All samples were processed for electron microscopy. Results The riboflavin-UVA-treated CXL corneal stroma showed interlacing lamellae in the anterior stroma followed by well-organized parallel running lamellae. The lamellae contained uniformly distributed collagen fibrils (CFs) decorated with normal proteoglycans (PGs). The CF diameter and interfibrillar spacing in the CXL cornea were significantly increased compared to those in the KC cornea. The PG area in the CXL corneas were significantly smaller than the PGs in the KC cornea. The epithelium and Bowman’s layer were also normal. On rare occasions, a thick basement membrane and collagenous pannus were also observed. Conclusions Corneal cross-linking leads to modifications of the cornea stroma. The KC corneal structure showed a modification in the CF diameter, interfibrillar spacing, and PG area. This resulted in a more uniform distribution of collagen fibrils, a key feature for corneal transparency.
Two Saccharomyces cerevisiae JmjC Domain Proteins Demethylate Histone H3 Lys36 in Transcribed Regions to Promote Elongation*♦

Histone methylation is a reversible modification regulated by the antagonistic functions of residue-specific histone methyltransferases and demethylases. Although methylation of histone H3 at lysines 4 and 36 is linked to transcription, the roles of histone demethylases in transcription regulation are not understood. Here we show that overexpression of either Jhd1 or Rph1, two JmjC-domain proteins, bypasses the requirement for the positive elongation factor gene BUR1. Biochemical analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that Rph1 functions as a specific demethylase for H3 K36me3 and K36me2, directly regulating Lys36 methylation in transcribed regions. Both Jhd1 and Rph1 are required for normal levels of RNA polymerase II cross-linking to genes. Taken together, these findings indicate that a general function of histone demethylases for H3 Lys36 is to promote transcription elongation by antagonizing repressive Lys36 methylation by Set2.
Unit commitment-a bibliographical survey

With the fast-paced changing technologies in the power industry, new power references addressing new technologies are coming to the market. So there is an urgent need to keep track of international experiences and activities taking place in the field of modern unit-commitment (UC) problem. This paper gives a bibliographical survey, mathematical formulations, and general backgrounds of research and developments in the field of UC problem for past 35 years based on more than 150 published articles. The collected literature has been divided into many sections, so that new researchers do not face any difficulty in carrying out research in the area of next-generation UC problem under both the regulated and deregulated power industry.
Subtypes of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 and Disease Stage among Women in Nairobi, Kenya

ABSTRACT In sub-Saharan Africa, where the effects of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have been most devastating, there are multiple subtypes of this virus. The distribution of different subtypes within African populations is generally not linked to particular risk behaviors. Thus, Africa is an ideal setting in which to examine the diversity and mixing of viruses from different subtypes on a population basis. In this setting, it is also possible to address whether infection with a particular subtype is associated with differences in disease stage. To address these questions, we analyzed the HIV-1 subtype, plasma viral loads, and CD4 lymphocyte levels in 320 women from Nairobi, Kenya. Subtype was determined by a combination of heteroduplex mobility assays and sequence analyses of envelope genes, using geographically diverse subtype reference sequences as well as envelope sequences of known subtype from Kenya. The distribution of subtypes in this population was as follows: subtype A, 225 (70.3%); subtype D, 65 (20.5%); subtype C, 22 (6.9%); and subtype G, 1 (0.3%). Intersubtype recombinant envelope genes were detected in 2.2% of the sequences analyzed. Given that the sequences analyzed represented only a small fraction of the proviral genome, this suggests that intersubtype recombinant viral genomes may be very common in Kenya and in other parts of Africa where there are multiple subtypes. The plasma viral RNA levels were highest in women infected with subtype C virus, and women infected with subtype C virus had significantly lower CD4 lymphocyte levels than women infected with the other subtypes. Together, these data suggest that women in Kenya who are infected with subtype C viruses are at more advanced stages of immunosuppression than women infected with subtype A or D. There are at least two models to explain the data from this cross-sectional study; one is that infection with subtype C is associated with a more rapid disease progression, and the second is that subtype C represents an older epidemic in Kenya. Discriminating between these possibilities in a longitudinal study will be important for increasing our understanding of the role of specific subtypes in the transmission and pathogenesis of HIV-1.
Clustered NFV Service Chaining Optimization in Mobile Edge Clouds

Service chaining is one of the key technologies that is used to support mobile edge computing (MEC) services for users in mobile communications radio access networks (RANs). By adapting network functions virtualization (NFV) technology to MEC, cloud-computing functionalities can be allocated near the base station of the RAN, resulting in extremely fast service access to user equipment. This letter provides a clustered NFV service chaining (cNSC) scheme that computes the optimal number of clusters to minimize the end-to-end time of MEC services. The cNSC scheme is applied to form multiple MEC clusters of NFV enabled nodes within the RAN.
Relationship between Bilirubin and Auditory Function in Premature Neonates

Research has shown hyperbilirubinemia in preterm infants is more prevalent and its course more protracted than in term neonates. High levels of bilirubin have been documented to be toxic to the central nervous system and may cause neurological impairments in newborns. Impairment of auditory function is the most consistent abnormality, especially in premature infants. Hyperbilirubinemia is a risk factor for sensorineural hearing loss according the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing. If premature infants are at a greater risk for hyperbilirubinemia it can be assumed that they will be at a greater risk of having auditory dysfunction caused, or contributed to, by hyperbilirubinemia. Currently, national guidelines are needed which address when treatment options should be considered and implemented regarding bilirubin levels in premature infants. The need for these guidelines is a necessity, as preterm infants require much closer follow-up and more aggressive therapy than full term infants. The objective for this research project was to determine the relationship between bilirubin levels and auditory function in preterm infants. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) tests were prospectively investigated in premature infants while monitoring total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels. Ten subjects with a mean gestational age of 31.5 weeks participated in the study. The mean peak TSB was 7.91 mg/dL. Based on the peak TSB to birth weight ratio all subjects were assigned to the control group. Spearman’s correlation coefficient indicated no significant correlation between peak TSB levels and auditory function. This study provided baseline data for further research evaluating auditory function in preterm hyperbilirubinemic subjects.
Simulation 2D de la fissuration dans un matériau ductile endommageable avec X-FEM

Nous avons cherche dans ce travaii a modeliser la propagation d'une fissure dans un materiau duc-tile endommageable. Le comportement du materiau est decrit via une loi de type Gurson prenant en compte les effets combines de l'´ ecrouissage, de l'adoucissement thermique, de la viscoplasticite et de l'endommagement par croissance de vides. Nous avons retenu la methode deselementsdeselements finisetendufinisetendu (X-FEM) pour modeliser la fissure et sa propagation. Une methode de propagation est proposee pour coupler le comportement fortement non lineaire du materiau et la X-FEM. Considerant quelques simplifications , le travail presente reproduit la propagation d'une fissure en 2D resultant de la croissance de vides induits par endommagement ductile dans une plaque (cas des deformations planes). Abstract : The present work is devoted to the numerical simulation of crack propagation in engineering materials whose failure results from void initiation, growth and coalescence. We have considered a plate (case of planes strain) submitted to Mode I loading. The behavior of the plate material is described via a Gurson type model [1] [3] accounting for the combined effects of strain hardening, thermal softening, viscoplasticity and void growth induced damage. The eXtended Finite Element Method [2] has been retained to describe the kinematic consequences of the crack propagation across the mesh. A propagation method is proposed to couple the X-FEM and the behaviour of the material. While making some simplifications, the present work reproduces numerically the 2D propagation of a crack resulting from void growth induced damage.