Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selective Attention in Perceptual Adjustments to Voice

The effects of perceptual adjustments to voice information on the perception of isolated spoken words were examined. In two experiments, spoken target words were preceded or followed within a trial by a neutral word spoken in the same voice or in a different voice as the target. Over-all, words were reproduced more accurately on trials on which the voice of the neutral word matched the voice of the spoken target word, suggesting that perceptual adjustments to voice interfere with word processing. This result, however, was mediated by selective attention to voice. The results provide further evidence of a close processing relationship between perceptual adjustments to voice and spoken word recognition.
A MEMS-based Benzene Gas Sensor with a Self-heating WO3 Sensing Layer

In the study, a MEMS-based benzene gas sensor is presented, consisting of a quartz substrate, a thin-film WO3 sensing layer, an integrated Pt micro-heater, and Pt interdigitated electrodes (IDEs). When benzene is present in the atmosphere, oxidation occurs on the heated WO3 sensing layer. This causes a change in the electrical conductivity of the WO3 film, and hence changes the resistance between the IDEs. The benzene concentration is then computed from the change in the measured resistance. A specific orientation of the WO3 layer is obtained by optimizing the sputtering process parameters. It is found that the sensitivity of the gas sensor is optimized at a working temperature of 300 °C. At the optimal working temperature, the experimental results show that the sensor has a high degree of sensitivity (1.0 KΩ ppm−1), a low detection limit (0.2 ppm) and a rapid response time (35 s).
A Comparative Study of Four Ontology Visualization Techniques in Protege: Experiment Setup and Preliminary Results

The continuing need for more effective information retrieval has lead to the creation of the notions of the semantic Web and personalized information management, areas of study that very often employ ontologies to represent the semantic context of a domain. Consequently, the need for effective ontology visualization for design, management and browsing has arisen. There are several ontology visualizations available through the existing ontology management tools, but not as many evaluations to determine their advantages and disadvantages and their suitability for various ontologies and user groups. This work presents the preliminary results of an evaluation of four visualization methods in Protege
Carotenoid Biosynthetic and Catabolic Pathways: Gene Expression and Carotenoid Content in Grains of Maize Landraces

Plant carotenoids have been implicated in preventing several age-related diseases, and they also provide vitamin A precursors; therefore, increasing the content of carotenoids in maize grains is of great interest. It is not well understood, however, how the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway is regulated. Fortunately, the maize germplasm exhibits a high degree of genetic diversity that can be exploited for this purpose. Here, the accumulation of carotenoids and the expression of genes from carotenoid metabolic and catabolic pathways were investigated in several maize landraces. The carotenoid content in grains varied from 10.03, in the white variety MC5, to 61.50 μg·g−1, in the yellow-to-orange variety MC3, and the major carotenoids detected were lutein and zeaxanthin. PSY1 (phythoene synthase) expression showed a positive correlation with the total carotenoid content. Additionally, the PSY1 and HYD3 (ferredoxin-dependent di-iron monooxygenase) expression levels were positively correlated with β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin, while CYP97C (cytochrome P450-type monooxygenase) expression did not correlate with any of the carotenoids. In contrast, ZmCCD1 (carotenoid dioxygenase) was more highly expressed at the beginning of grain development, as well as in the white variety, and its expression was inversely correlated with the accumulation of several carotenoids, suggesting that CCD1 is also an important enzyme to be considered when attempting to improve the carotenoid content in maize. The MC27 and MC1 varieties showed the highest HYD3/CYP97C ratios, suggesting that they are promising candidates for increasing the zeaxanthin content; in contrast, MC14 and MC7 showed low HYD3/CYP97C, suggesting that they may be useful in biofortification efforts aimed at promoting the accumulation of provitamin A. The results of this study demonstrate the use of maize germplasm to provide insight into the regulation of genes involved in the carotenoid pathway, which would thus better enable us to select promising varieties for biofortification efforts.
Effect of Glucose or Glycerol as the Sole Carbon Source on Gene Expression from the Salmonella prpBCDE Promoter in Escherichia coli

We have developed an expression system (Salmonella‐based pPro system) containing the Salmonella enterica prpBCDE promoter (PprpB) and prpR encoding the positive transcriptional regulator of this promoter. In this study, the transcriptional efficiency of the pPro expression system was measured by placing the gene encoding the green fluorescent protein (gfp) under the control of PprpB and growing cells containing this construct in minimal medium supplemented with glucose or glycerol as a sole carbon source. In wild‐type Escherichia coli (E. coli) BL21, the system exhibited high induced expression as well as high background expression; however, in E. coli JSB, a sbm‐ygfDGHI deletion mutant of E. coli BL21(DE3), the system showed low background expression and high induced expression. The system exhibited homogeneous expression at the single‐cell level, highly regulatable expression over a wide range of propionate concentrations, and fully induced expression at a low propionate concentration relative to that needed to induce the system in rich, undefined medium. The expression system is comparable to the widely used T7 promoter‐driven expression systems in glucose or glycerol minimal medium.
Coinductive Big-Step Semantics for Concurrency

In a paper presented at SOS 2010, we developed a framework for big-step semantics for interactive input-output in combination with divergence, based on coinductive and mixed inductive-coinductive notions of resumptions, evaluation and termination-sensitive weak bisimilarity. In contrast to standard inductively defined big-step semantics, this framework handles divergence properly; in particular, runs that produce some observable effects and then diverge, are not "lost". Here we scale this approach for shared-variable concurrency on a simple example language. We develop the metatheory of our semantics in a constructive logic.
DDDP-a Distributed Data Driven Processor

This paper describes an architecture of a data flow computer named the Distributed Data Driven Processor (DDDP), and presents an experimental system and the results of experiments using several benchmarks. The experimental system has four processing elements connected by a ring bus, and a structured data memory. The main features of our system are that each processing element is provided with a hardware hashing mechanism to implement token coloring, and a ring bus is used to pass tokens concurrently among processing elements. A hardware monitor was used to measure the performance of the experimental system. The experimental system adopts a low key technology and yet is capable of executing about 0.7 million instructions per second through the benchmarks. This implies that data flow computers can be alternative to the conventional von-Neumann computers if state-of-the-art technologies are adequately introduced.
FEC performance in multimedia streaming

The performance of packet-level media-independent forward error correction (FEC) schemes are computed in terms of both packet loss ratio and average burst length of multimedia data after error recovery. The set of equations leading to the analytical formulation of both parameters are first given for a renewal error process. Finally, the FEC performance parameters are computed for a Gilbert (1960) model loss process and compared to various experimental data.
The neural bases of obsessive–compulsive disorder in children and adults

Abstract Functional imaging studies have reported with remarkable consistency hyperactivity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and caudate nucleus of patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). These findings have often been interpreted as evidence that abnormalities in cortico–basal ganglia–thalamo–cortical loops involving the OFC and ACC are causally related to OCD. This interpretation remains controversial, however, because such hyperactivity may represent either a cause or a consequence of the symptoms. This article analyzes the evidence for a causal role of these loops in producing OCD in children and adults. The article first reviews the strong evidence for anatomical abnormalities in these loops in patients with OCD. These findings are not sufficient to establish causality, however, because anatomical alterations may themselves be a consequence rather than a cause of the symptoms. The article then reviews three lines of evidence that, despite their own limitations, permit stronger causal inferences: the development of OCD following brain injury, pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection, and neurosurgical lesions that attenuate OCD. Converging evidence from these various lines of research supports a causal role for the cortico–basal ganglia–thalamo–cortical loops that involve the OFC and ACC in the pathogenesis of OCD in children and adults.
Anidulafungin: review of a new echinocandin antifungal agent

Anidulafungin (Vicuron Pharmaceuticals) is a new echinocandin antifungal with potent activity against Aspergillus and Candida spp. Anidulafungin is a noncompetitive inhibitor of (1,3)-β-d-glucan synthase within fungal cells. The drug is rapidly distributed and steady-state concentrations are achieved after the first dose, when a loading dose of twice the daily maintenance dose is given on day 1. Drug biotransformation occurs via chemical degradation, with no hepatic metabolism or renal elimination. A favorable pharmacokinetic profile and lack of significant drug interactions suggest that patients can receive anidulafungin without dosage adjustments. These characteristics, in addition to comparable efficacy to fluconazole (Diflucan®, Pfizer Ltd) in the treatment of esophageal candidiasis, support further investigation of its use in the treatment of systemic fungal infections caused by Candida and Aspergillus spp.
Web-enabled Robots -- Robots that Use the Web as an Information Resource

As robots are starting to perform everyday manipulation tasks, such as cleaning up, setting a table or preparing simple meals, their control programs must become much more knowledgeable than they are today. Typically, everyday manipulation tasks are specified vaguely and the robot must therefore infer by itself how to do the appropriate actions to the appropriate objects in the appropriate way in order to accomplish these tasks. These inferences can only be done if the robot has access to the necessary knowledge, including knowledge about how objects look, what their properties are, where they can be found, what might happen if particular actions are performed on them, etc. In this article, we describe and discuss the use of information that is available in the world-wide web and intended for human use as a knowledge resource for autonomous service robots. To this end, we introduce several categories of websites that can serve as information sources and explain which kinds of information they provide. We then investigate several information processing methods that can access these websites in order to provide robots with necessary knowledge for performing everyday manipulation tasks. The use of the web as a knowledge resource is a promising alternative to the hard and tedious task of coding comprehensive specific knowledge bases for robots.
Asymmetry and basic pathways in sleep-stage transitions

We study dynamical aspects of sleep micro-architecture. We find that sleep dynamics exhibits a high degree of asymmetry, and that the entire class of sleep-stage transition pathways underlying the complexity of sleep dynamics throughout the night can be characterized by two independent asymmetric transition paths. These basic pathways remain stable under sleep disorders, even though the degree of asymmetry is significantly reduced. Our findings demonstrate an intriguing temporal organization in sleep micro-architecture at short time scales that is typical for physical systems exhibiting self-organized criticality (SOC), and indicates nonequilibrium critical dynamics in brain activity during sleep.
Design of High- $Q$ Compact Passive Ring Resonators via Incorporating a Loss-Compensated Structure for High Performance Angular Velocity Sensing in Monolithic Integrated-Optical-Gyroscopes

A compact InP/InGaAsP passive ring resonator (PRR), in which a loss-compensation section is vertically integrated, for angular velocity sensing is theoretically studied in this paper. The loss compensation is realized by current injection into the optical gain section, which is optically coupled with the PRR. Based on the proposed loss-compensation scheme, the propagation loss in the PRR can be reduced down to 0.01 dB/cm. Consequently, the quality factor of up to 1.5 × 107 and resonance depth of more than 7 dB are theoretically obtained in such resonators with a radius of larger than 5 mm. Furthermore, when these compact PRRs are used as angular velocity sensors, the resolution of better than 10°/h and the angle random walk of less than 0.075° / √h are theoretically predicted. These characteristics indicate that our proposed compact PRRs are capable of acting as an angular velocity sensor in high efficient monolithically integration of resonant optical gyroscope applications in proof of principle.
Knowledge versus technique in SO2-saving technological change: A comparative test using quantile regression with implications for greenhouse gas compliance

Greenhouse gas emission limits are a major source of technical and policy uncertainty for electric power industry professionals. This paper tries to reduce some of this uncertainty by investigating the main forces that were responsible for the productivity gains made by the electric power sector with respect to SO2 emissions under the US SO2 cap and trade program. The SO2 cap and trade experience has important parallels with the GHG pollution problem, in both policy design and technical response. Linear and quantile regression are used to compare the effect of new technical knowledge (R&D) on SO2 productivity, against the effect of pre-existing techniques that did not involve very much new knowledge creation. Compliance techniques that involved little new technical knowledge and which were incremental and pragmatic played the most important role in SO2-saving technological change. Implications of this finding for electric power plants� technical response to GHG pollution limits are elaborated.
Algorithmic Cooling of Spins: A Practicable Method for Increasing Polarization

An efficient technique to generate ensembles of spins that are highly polarized by external magnetic fields is the Holy Grail in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Since spin-half nuclei have steady-state polarization biases that increase inversely with temperature, spins exhibiting high polarization biases are considered cool, even when their environment is warm. Existing spin-cooling techniques are highly limited in their efficiency and usefulness. Algorithmic cooling is a promising new spin-cooling approach that employs data compression methods in open systems. It reduces the entropy of spins on long molecules to a point far beyond Shannon's bound on reversible entropy manipulations, thus increasing their polarization. Here we present an efficient and experimentally feasible algorithmic cooling technique that cools spins to very low temperatures even on short molecules. This practicable algorithmic cooling could lead to breakthroughs in high-sensitivity NMR spectroscopy in the near future, .
Potential Wound Healing Activity of Euphorbia Hirta Linn Total Flavonoid Fraction

Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae) has reported antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral anti inflammatory, anti arthritic and antioxidant effect with presence of polyphenolic and flavonoid compounds lead us to evaluate the wound healing activity of enriched flavonoid fraction. Qualitative phytochemical test and quantitative estimation of total flavonoid and polyphenol content was carried out on ethanol, methanol and water extract of E. hirta whole plant followed by separation of total flavonoid fraction (EHTF) from methanol extract. TLC analysis showed presence of quercetin, ferulic acid and gallic acid in total flavonoid fraction of E. hirta whole plant. Wound healing activity of EHTF was determined on incision, excision and dead space wound model on rat at 200, 400 and 600 mg/kg, p.o following acute toxicity study. Wound healing was assessed by rate of wound contraction, epithelisation period, tensile strength and estimation of granulation tissue weight, hydroxyproline, SOD, catalase and total protein content. EHTF (600 mg/kg) significantly increased the wound breaking strength, granulation tissue weight and hydroxyproline content (p < 0.001). Antioxidant enzyme SOD and catalase level was found to be higher in wound tissue along with total protein content (p < 0.01). Epithelialize period was faster and the rate of wound contraction was significantly higher (p < 0.05-0.001) in EHTF 400 and 600 mg/kg treated groups. Increased tensile strength, wound contraction rate and hydroxyproline content provide strong evidence for would heal property of E. hirta flavonoid. Presence of myricitrin, quercitrin, kaempferol, luteolin and gallic acid like polyphenolic compounds in E. hirta indicate potential scavenging effect as important determinant of wound healing property. Anti inflammatory, reduced macrophage and granulocyte infiltration, reduced cartilage degeneration and antimicrobial effect may also have contributed towards wound healing.
High Serum S100B Levels for Trauma Patients without Head Injuries.

OBJECTIVE: Studies of patients with head trauma have demonstrated a correlation between a serum marker of brain tissue damage, namely S100B, and neuroradiological findings. It was recently demonstrated that the increases in serum S100B levels after heart surgery have extracerebral origins, probably surgically traumatized fat, muscle, and bone marrow. The current study examined multitrauma patients without head trauma, to determine whether soft-tissue and bone damage might confound the interpretation of elevated serum S100B concentrations for patients after head trauma. METHODS: A commercial assay was used to determine serum S100B concentrations for a normal population (n 5 459) and multitrauma patients without head injury (n 5 17). Concentrations of the two subtypes of S100B (S100A1B and S100BB) were determined using separate noncommercial assays. RESULTS: The mean serum S100B concentration for a normal healthy population was 0.032 mg/L (median, 0.010 mg/L; standard deviation, 0.040 mg/L). The upper 97.5% and 95% reference limits were 0.13 and 0.10 mg/L, respectively. No major age or sex differences were observed. Among trauma patients, serum S100B levels were highest after bone fractures (range, 2–10 mg/L) and thoracic contusions without fractures (range, 0.5–4 mg/L). Burns (range, 0.8–5 mg/L) and minor bruises also produced increased S100B levels. S100A1B and S100BB were detected in all samples. CONCLUSION: Trauma, even in the absence of head trauma, results in high serum concentrations of S100B. Interpretation of elevated S100B concentrations immediately after multitrauma may be difficult because of extracerebral contributions. S100B may have a negative predictive value to exclude brain tissue damage after trauma. Similarly, nonacute S100B measurements may be of greater prognostic value than acute measurements. (Neurosurgery 48:1255–1260, 2001)
Tutor-Tutee Behavior of DisadvantagedKindergarten Children During Peer Teaching

This investigation examined the effects of a simple adult prompting tactic on the behavior of three disadvantaged kindergarten tutors engaged in teaching alphabet letters to their peers. The purpose was to examine two unresolved issues. First, can two classes of tutor behavior, clearly presenting the stimulus (antecedent behavior), and providing appropriate feedback following tutee correct and error responding (consequent behavior) be established in kindergarten children? Second, what is the relationship between tutor appropriate use of the behaviors and tutee progress? This investigation used a multiple baseline research design across students to answer the above questions. The results showed that all tutors were successful in using the tutoring behaviors appropriately. In addition, there seemed to be a functional relationship between the tutors' appropriate use of the tutoring behaviors and tutee acquisition and retention of letter names. Suggestions for future research are also discussed.
A trajectory analysis system for social media contents using AsterixDB

Social media analysis has become a major issue not only for marketing and business, but also in a wide variety of other fields such as catastrophes and politics. Social media contents that are created in real-time by users contain elements related to time and location, and by analyzing this, it is possible to make predictions through trajectory analysis by extracting the trajectory in which the contents are spread out. In this study, we use AsterixDB that reflects the features for processing large quantities of social media contents in real-time to analyze social media contents, and propose a trajectory analysis system that extracts keyword trajectories to verify its effectiveness through experiment.
Communities In Schools: A Newfoundland School and Community Outreach in Need of Stability

Communities In Schools (CIS) was introduced to Cormack Trail School District in 1991. Using a whole-school philosophy it offers non-targeted programming to all children through the building of community-based partnerships and community involvement. The purpose of this article is to explore what participants said about their work with CIS: where they worked, what they did, what they liked about their work, what they disliked, their perceptions of barriers and supports, and their suggestions for positive growth. The field texts derive from three main sources: interviews with four CIS workers and one principal; documents and reports used as part of the reporting mechanism required by funding agencies and partners for both CIS and its parent organization (Community Education Networks) and minutes from principals’ meetings; and personal correspondence with the Director of Community Education Networks and the District Coordinator for Communities In Schools. Results indicate that true community involvement in schools can exist and is of benefit to the education of children, but that challenges related to time frames, salaries, and employees’ roles and expectations tied to government agency requirements need to be taken into consideration.