Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bacterial colonization of zirconia ceramic surfaces: an in vitro and in vivo study.

PURPOSE The microbial colonization of new ceramic materials developed for abutment manufacturing was assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS The materials used in these experiments were disks of 'as-fired' and 'rectified' ceramic material made of tetragonal zirconia polycrystals stabilized with yttrium (Y-TZP) and commercially pure grade 2 titanium (Ti) with corresponding eluates. They were tested in vitro with the following bacteria: Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguis, Actinomyces viscosus, A. naeslundii, and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Proliferation was evaluated on plates by inhibitory halos around pits, previously inoculated with eluates obtained from the materials. Bacterial adhesion on materials was quantified by spectrophotometric evaluation of the slime production by the same bacteria. Moreover, early bacterial adhesion was evaluated in human volunteers and observed with SEM. RESULTS No inhibition of bacterial proliferation using eluates was observed. In vitro as-fired and rectified Y-TZP showed significantly more adherent S. mutans than did Ti disks, while S. sanguis seemed to adhere easily to Ti specimens. No differences were noted for Actinomyces spp and P. gingivalis. In vivo Y-TZP accumulated fewer bacteria than Ti in terms of the total number of bacteria and presence of potential putative pathogens such as rods. No differences were observed between rectified and as-fired Y-TZP. DISCUSSION Overall, Y-TZP accumulates fewer bacteria than Ti. CONCLUSION Y-TZP may be considered as a promising material for abutment manufacturing.
A theoretical examination of the relative importance of evolution management and drug development for managing resistance

Drug resistance is a serious public health problem that threatens to thwart our ability to treat many infectious diseases. Repeatedly, the introduction of new drugs has been followed by the evolution of resistance. In principle, there are two complementary ways to address this problem: (i) enhancing drug development and (ii) slowing the evolution of drug resistance through evolutionary management. Although these two strategies are not mutually exclusive, it is nevertheless worthwhile considering whether one might be inherently more effective than the other. We present a simple mathematical model that explores how interventions aimed at these two approaches affect the availability of effective drugs. Our results identify an interesting feature of evolution management that, all else equal, tends to make it more effective than enhancing drug development. Thus, although enhancing drug development will necessarily be a central part of addressing the problem of resistance, our results lend support to the idea that evolution management is probably a very significant component of the solution as well.
NT 3-chitosan enables de novo regeneration and functional recovery in monkeys after spinal cord injury

Beijing Key Laboratory for Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, 100083 Beijing, China; Beijing International Cooperation Bases for Science and Technology on Biomaterials and Neural Regeneration, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Big Data-Based Precision Medicine, Beihang University, 100083 Beijing, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, 100083 Beijing, China; Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100068 Beijing, China; Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, 100069 Beijing, China; State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China; Innovation Center of Excellence on Brain Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China; Department of Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China; Translational Stem Cell Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 200065 Shanghai, China; Department of Computer Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; Department of Anesthesiology, Xuanwu Hospital Capital Medical University, 100053 Beijing, China; Centre of Medical and Health Analysis, Peking University Health Science Center, 100191 Beijing, China; Rehabilitation Engineering Research Institute, China Rehabilitation Research Center, 100068 Beijing, China; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA Medical School, Los Angeles, CA 90095
Effects of Government Debt on Macroeconomic Activity (The Case of Bulgaria)

This paper studies the short-term and long-term impact of government debt on the macroeconomic activity in Bulgaria. The study is based on an econometric analysis that uses various estimation techniques to reveal the characteristics, the significance, and the quantitative expressions of the studied relationships. The empirical results show that short-term government debt increase stimulates real GDP growth. When long-term impact is considered, however, the stimulating effect of government debt growth on GDP dynamics is observed only up to a certain threshold level, beyond which debt increase produces adverse effects on macroeconomic activity
Economic Analysis for Packaged Software Adoption : Considering the Number of Concurrent Users

When your company buys packaged software, the company needs to determine how many software licenses must be purchased. If the quantity is too small, it will be not enough for the users to access the programs at anytime within the company. Conversely, if the quantity is too large, they will waste a lot of money. In this paper, we surveyed several number of researchers of K institute and derived the using pattern of a specific packaged software. We estimated a proper number of packaged software licenses by Erlang Loss Function, the Engset Model, and simulation model. With the results of the three methodologies, we were able to empirically verify economic benefits of packaged software purchase by comparing NPV (Net Present Value) between user licenses and network licenses. Consequently, TCO of user licenses is much higher than that of network licenses. We had probabilistically calculated proper number of licenses based on the using pattern of users. Hence, this paper will be useful for decision makers who are going to determine package software`s type and quantity from an economic perspective.
Estimation of physical properties of persistent scatterers using JERS-1 data

The physical properties of persistence scatterers (PS) are estimated utilizing variety means. Two urban areas of Seoul and Busan in Korea are processed using L-band HH-polarization JERS-1 data. The linear and one-year periodic deformations are monitored. The size and brightness variation of PSs are also estimated. In addition, the concurrence of PSs and the point-like targets are examined and disagreement between the positions of both types of scatterers is identified.
A methodology to assess the effectiveness of serious games and infer player learning outcomes

Although serious games are proven educational tools in many educational domains, they lack reliable, automated and repeatable methodologies to measure their effectiveness: what do players know after playing a serious game? Did they learn with it? Literature research shows that the vast majority of serious games are assessed through questionnaires, which strikes a stark contrast with current trends in the video game industry. Commercial videogames have been learning from their players through Game Analytics for years, using non-disruptive game tracking. In this paper, we propose a methodology to assess serious games effectiveness using non-disruptive in-game tracking. The methodology proposes a design pattern that structures the delivery of educational goals within the game. This structure also allows inferring learning outcomes for each individual player, which, when aggregated, would determine the effectiveness of the serious game. We have tested this methodology with a serious game that was played by 320 students. The proposed methodology allowed us to infer players’ learning outcomes and assess game effectiveness and to spot issues in the game design. This research has been partially financed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain, through their FPU Programme (grant FPU12/04310), by the Regional Government of Madrid (eMadrid S2013/ICE-2715), by the Complutense University of Madrid (GR3/14921340), by the Ministry of Education (TIN2013-46149-C2-1-R), by the RIURE Network (CYTED 513RT0471) and by the European Commission (RAGE H2020-ICT-2014-1-644187, BEACONING H2020-ICT-2015-687676).
Incast Mitigation TCP ( IMTCP )

The TCP Incast congestion happens in data center network, when multiple data senders simultaneously communicate with a single receiver namely in many-toone pattern. The regular TCP does not perform well in high-speed and low-latency network. To mitigate this problem,we propose a novel enhanced TCP protocol called IMTCP (Incast Mitigation TCP ). IMTCP leverages ECN with two-bits to provide explicit feedback of the congestion level to the end hosts. Then, the end hosts can adjust theirs congestion window before the congestion becoming severe. The implementation and experiment results demonstrate that IMTCP performs well in mitigating Incast.
Open-World Dialog: Challenges, Directions, and a Prototype

We present an investigation of open-world dialog, centering on systems that can perform conversational dialog in an open-world context, where multiple people with different needs, goals, and long-term plans may enter, interact, and leave an environment. We outline and discuss a set of challenges and core competencies required for supporting the kind of fluid multiparty interaction that people expect when conversing and collaborating with other people. Then, we focus as a concrete example on the challenges faced by receptionists who field requests at the entries to corporate buildings. We review the subtleties and difficulties of creating an automated receptionist that can work with people on solving their needs with the ease and etiquette expected from a human receptionist. Finally, we review details of the construction and operation of a working prototype.
Title Diffusion imaging with balanced steady state free precession

Balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) offers high signal efficiency and relative motion insensitivity. In this study, diffusion weighted bSSFP (DW-bSSFP) was introduced by modifying standard bSSFP sequence with two pairs of balanced bipolar diffusion gradients. The diffusion effect was analyzed and described in closed forms. It was found to be coupled to the transverse and longitudinal relaxation, flip angle and spin phase advance per TR. Such coupling was demonstrated in phantom experiment at 7T. Preliminary DW-bSSFP imaging experiment was performed in rat brain in vivo for diffusion tensor imaging, yielding parametric maps qualitatively similar to those obtained with an 8-shot DW-EPI protocol. The proposed DW-bSSFP approach can provide a new means of diffusion imaging with high resolution, relative motion insensitivity and short diffusion time. Such approach may lead to improved and new diffusion characterization of neural tissues, abdominal organs, myocardium and musculoskeletal tissues.
Media Use, Democratic Values, and Political Participation: Empirical Evidence from Taiwan

Abstract This paper extends understanding of the relationship between media use and attitudes toward democratic values. We employ the two-step estimation approach to examine the relationship between media use and attitudes toward democratic values as well as consequential association with political participation. The empirical results show that media use to obtain news information is positively related to attitudes toward democratic values. The findings also note that attitudes toward democratic values are positively associated with engagement in politics. The results support the argument that media use is significant for shaping citizens’ attitudes toward democratic values by providing information about public affairs and expanding citizens’ understanding about democratic politics. As such, media use facilitates democratic socialization and leads to more involvement in political behaviors.
Identification of dynamical biological systems based on mixed-effect models

System identification is a data-driven input-output modeling approach more and more used in biology and biomedicine. We will take for example pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies. In this application context, each assay is always repeated to estimate the response variability and reproductibility. The inference of the modeling conclusions to the whole population requires to account for the inter-individual variability within the modeling procedure. One solution consists in using mixed effects models but up to now no similar approach exists in the field of dynamical system identification. In this article, we propose a new solution based on an ARX (Auto Regressive model with eXternal inputs) structure using the EM (Expectation-Maximisation) algorithm for the estimation of the model parameters. Simulations show the relevance of this solution compared with a classical procedure of system identification repeated for each subject.
MANIPULATION EFFECTS OF MANAGERIAL DISCRETION ON EXECUTIVE-EMPLOYEE PAY GAP: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN THE SENIOR CEOS AND THE FRESH CEOS

The relationship between managerial discretion and executive-employee pay gap (EEPG) has received widespread attention both in the theoretical research and business practices of the corporate governance all over the world. However, the working motives’ differences of managerial discretion between the fresh CEOs and the senior CEOs in determining EEPG and many other business issues have been theoretically ignored to a large degree. Therefore, it is of great meanings to investigate the link between managerial discretion and EEPG by taking such motives’ differences into account in this study. Using the data set taken from the Chinese listed companies, the study empirically analyzes and confirms the following results: First, the manipulation effects of each dimension of managerial discretion on EEPG have distinctive intensity or strength because of different motives of the CEOs; Second, both the senior CEOs and the fresh CEOs have the motives and capabilities to manipulate EEPG positively, but they have very different motives; Third, the fresh CEOs, out of the greater firmserving motives, are less intending to enlarge EEPG than the senior CEOs, who have the greater selfserving motives; Fourth, the fresh CEOs would like to link firm performance more closely with EEPG, while the senior CEOs would like to link firm size more closely with EEPG. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed in the end.
Access-Control Policies via Belnap Logic: Effective and Efficient Composition and Analysis

It is difficult to develop and manage large, multi-author access control policies without a means to compose larger policies from smaller ones. Ideally, an access-control policy language will have a small set of simple policy combinators that allow for all desired policy compositions. In \cite{BH07}, a policy language was presented having policy combinators based on Belnap logic, a four-valued logic in which truth values correspond to policy results of "grant", "deny", "conflict", and "undefined". We show here how policies in this language can be analyzed, and study the expressiveness of the language. To support policy analysis, we define a query language in which policy analysis questions can be phrased. Queries can be translated into a fragment of first-order logic for which satisfiability and validity checks are computable by SAT solvers or BDDs. We show how policy analysis can then be carried out through model checking, validity checking, and assume-guarantee reasoning over such translated queries. We also present static analysis methods for the particular questions of whether policies contain gaps or conflicts. Finally, we establish expressiveness results showing that all {\em data independent} policies can be expressed in our policy language.
Natural Language Processing in the Undergraduate Curriculum

The paper has two purposes: first, we argue that natural language processing, and particularly those aspects of that field often referred to as language technology, should play an important role in the computer science curriculum; second, we describe in broad terms the content of an undergraduate program we have developed at Macquarie University that covers this material. We question the industrial relevance of much that is taught in NLP courses, and emphasize the need for a practical orientation as a means to growing the size of the field. We argue that a more evangelical approach, both with regard to students and industry, is required. The paper provides an overview of the material we cover, and makes some observations for the future on the basis of our experiences so far.
LISA-machine description language and generic machine model for HW/SW co-design

A machine description language is presented. The language, LISA, and its generic machine model are able to produce bit- and cycle/phase-accurate processor models covering the specific needs of HW/SW codesign, and cosimulation environments. The development of a new language was necessary in order to cover the gap between coarse ISA models used in compilers, and instruction set simulators on the one hand, and detailed models used for hardware design on the other. The main part of the paper is devoted to behavioral pipeline modeling. The pipeline controller of the generic machine model is represented as an ASAP (as soon as possible) sequencer parameterized by precedence and resource constraints of operations of each instruction. The standard pipeline description based on reservation tables and Gantt charts was extended by additional operation descriptors which enable the detection of data and control hazards, and permit modeling of pipeline flushes. Using the newly introduced L-charts we reduced the parameterization of the pipeline controller to a minimum and at the same time covered typical pipeline controls found in state of the art signal processors. As an example, the application of the LISA model on the TI-TMS320C54x signal processor is presented.
Acute effects of prolonged intermittent low-intensity isometric warm-up schemes on jump, sprint, and agility performance in collegiate soccer players

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of different warm-up interventions on jump, sprint and agility performance in collegiate soccer players. Twenty-one healthy male college soccer players (age: 20.14 ± 1.65 years; body height: 179.9 ± 8.34 cm; body mass: 74.4 ± 13.0 kg; % body fat: 9.45 ± 4.8) participated in the study. Subjects underwent four different randomized warm-up protocols separated by at least 48 hours. The warm-up schemes were: 1. no conditioning contraction protocol (NCC); 2. dynamic stretching (DS); 3. prolonged intermittent low-intensity isometric exercise (ST); and, 4. ST with an additional external load equal to 30% of body weight (ST + 30% BW). All interventions were preceded by a general warm-up. Results from one-way repeated measures ANOVA demonstrated a significant difference in countermovement jump (CMJ) at F(3,60) = 10.2, ηρ2 = 0.337, p < 0.01. Post hoc analysis revealed a significant difference in CMJ performance in DS when compared to NCC and ST + 30% BW. No significant difference in CMJ was observed between DS and ST. CMJ scores in NCC, ST, and ST + 30% BW were non-significant. There was a significant difference in speed; F(3, 60) = 6.61, ηρ2 = 0.248, p < 0.01. Post hoc analysis revealed significantly better time in DS than NCC and ST. However, no difference in speed was observed between DS and ST + 30% BW. Similarly, speed was similar in NCC, ST and ST + 30% BW. A significant difference in agility performance was also observed; F(3, 60) = 24.1, ηρ2= 0.546, p < 0.01. Post hoc analysis revealed significantly greater performance gains in DS than NCC. No significant difference in agility was observed in DS, ST and ST + 30% BW. In conclusion, a prolonged intermittent low-intensity isometric protocol using bodyweight only showed similar benefits with dynamic stretching in countermovement jump performance. When the same isometric condition with additional load equal to 30% of bodyweight was applied, effects in speed and agility were similar to dynamic stretching.
Management Stance Patterns

Situations repeat in every organisation. While some of them may constitute a reassuring structure, others may constitute an irritating obstacle in daily routine. Repeating situations may emerge quickly or slowly, they may be stable over time or volatile, and they may have minor or major consequences within an organisation. Either way, they are likely to affect each and every person within an organisation in one way or another. This raises the question if, in turn, one may influence repeating situations by adequate means. In this work, we try to provide such means and propose three management stances that constitute an approach to address repeating situations. We provide examples of use and mention their limits before codifying them into a pattern format as it is used within the pattern community.
40-Gb/s x 4-channel all-optical multichannel limiter utilizing spectrally filtered optical solitons

We propose a novel all-optical multichannel limiter that uses spectrally filtered optical solitons. The periodic nonlinear optical fiber described herein can suppress the interchannel interaction caused by four-wave mixing. By applying this all-optical multichannel limiter to a 40-Gb/s /spl times/ 4-channel wavelength-division-multiplexing signal, minimum received optical powers at the bit-error rate of 10/sup -9/ were improved by more than 2 dB in all channels.
Big Data Approaches to Modeling the Labor Market

The research paper leverages a big dataset from the field of social sciences – the combined World Values Survey 1981-2014 data – to investigate what determines an individual’s employment status. We propose an approach to model this by first reducing data dimensionality at a small informational loss and then fitting a Random Forest algorithm. Variable importance is then investigated to glean insight into what determines employment status. Employment is explained through traditional demographic and work attitude variables but unemployment is not, meaning that the latter is likely driven by other factors. The main contribution of this paper is to outline a new approach for doing big data-driven research in labor economics and apply it to a dataset that was not previously investigated in its entirety.
Isolation of proteolytic rumen bacteria by use of selective medium containing leaf fraction 1 protein (ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase)

The principle proteolytic bacteria isolated from bovine rumen contents by virtue of the ability to obtain nitrogen from the proteolysis of leaf fraction 1 protein (ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase, EC 4.1.1.39) were identified as Streptococcus bovis and Butyrivibrio spp. Substitution of fresh fodder, rich in soluble protein, for a hay-concentrates diet resulted in enhanced ruminal proteolytic activity and a significant increase in the number of bacteria able to use fraction 1 protein as the sole nitrogen source. Isolated proteolytic bacteria degraded fraction 1 protein and casein readily. Bovine serum albumin was attacked by Butyrivibrio spp. but was resistant to proteolysis by the streptococci.