Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The alcohol problem: Formulations and attitudes

The purpose of this lecture is to deal with the problem of alcohol as a totality rather than with any of its aspects in particular. As we progress with this 6 weeks’ course, we shall hear lectures on physiological experiments and psychological experiments, on the findings of clinical psychology and psychiatry, and on the legal, social, educational and religious aspects of the problem. You will find, throughout, that the topic of each lecture will be treated as if it constituted the quintessence of the alcohol problem. To those among you who have your own formulations, these presentations may sometimes appear to be, practically, caricatures of the problem. Those of you who have not formed definite views may feel, at each lecture, that at last you are getting the essence.It is true that some specialists are entirely limited by their own field of knowledge and see in other fields, at the utmost, some slight cotribution for which one must have just a bit of tolerance. Many of the experts who will speak to us,.
Combining evidence from residual phase and MFCC features for speaker recognition

The objective of this letter is to demonstrate the complementary nature of speaker-specific information present in the residual phase in comparison with the information present in the conventional mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs). The residual phase is derived from speech signal by linear prediction analysis. Speaker recognition studies are conducted on the NIST-2003 database using the proposed residual phase and the existing MFCC features. The speaker recognition system based on the residual phase gives an equal error rate (EER) of 22%, and the system using the MFCC features gives an EER of 14%. By combining the evidence from both the residual phase and the MFCC features, an EER of 10.5% is obtained, indicating that speaker-specific excitation information is present in the residual phase. This information is useful since it is complementary to that of MFCCs.
How bad are wrong suspicions? towards adaptive distributed protocols

In this paper, we analyze the performance of consensus protocols based on the rotating coordinator paradigm. We consider a simulated production environment, on which processing and communication resources available for the different processes running the protocols are not necessarily the same. Firstly, we show that, in some scenarios, the performance of the consensus protocol is enhanced when there is an increase in the number and duration of the wrong suspicions periods of the failure detection service used. Since it is well known that wrong suspicions may also decrease the performance of the consensus protocol, a new dilemma is posed to the designers of such protocols. We then propose a new approach to address performance issues in the design of crash-detection based distributed protocols for asynchronous systems. We argue that they must be designed to adapt themselves to the variations on the availability of resources. The concept of slowness oracles is proposed to achieve this goal. Finally, we present a slowness oracle that can be used to transform a non-adaptive consensus protocol into an adaptive one. Simulations show that the adaptive protocol outperforms its conventional non-adaptive counterpart in a number of scenarios, having an equivalent performance in the other scenarios.
On strategies of multiuser MIMO transmit signal processing

In this letter, we introduce five different strategies of linear transmit signal processing for multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems and provide performance comparisons in terms of maximum throughput in both uncorrelated and correlated channels when the number of transmit antennas is much larger than the number of receive antennas. It is shown that the multiuser MIMO schemes are preferable to time-division multiple-access (TDMA)-based MIMO schemes, hence demonstrating the power of multiuser MIMO signal processing. Our work also indicates possibilities for future research in finding efficient suboptimal algorithms. As an example, we show that our multiuser MIMO decomposition scheme can improve the maximum throughput compared to TDMA-based MIMO schemes for large number of transmit antennas or high transmit power.
Macrophages and Dendritic Cells as Actors in the Immune Reaction of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Background The inflammatory infiltrate plays a pivotal role in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Here, we focussed on the role of macrophages (MΦ) and dendritic cells (DC). Methods MΦ and DC infiltration was investigated in 106 cHL specimens using immunohistochemistry and cytokine expression was analyzed in a subset by real-time PCR. Human peripheral blood-derived monocytes, DC, MΦ stimulated with GM-CSF (MΦGM-CSF, pro-inflammatory MΦ-1-model) or M-CSF (MΦM-CSF, immunomodulatory MΦ-2-model) were incubated with cHL cell line (L1236, HDLM2) supernatants (SN). DC maturation or MΦ polarization were investigated by flow cytometry. Furthermore, the impact of DC or MΦ on cHL cell proliferation was analyzed by BrdU/CFSE assay. Results In cHL tissues mature myeloid (m)DC and MΦ predominated. High numbers of CD83+ mDC and low numbers of CD163+ MΦ were associated with improved disease specific survival. In numerous cHL specimens increased levels of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and of IL13 and GM-CSF were observed compared to reactive lymphadenopathies. Maturation of DC and induction and maintenance of an immunomodulatory MΦ phenotype were promoted by SN derived from cHL cell lines. TNFα neutralization in SN resulted in a significant inhibition of mDC maturation. DC and pro-inflammatory MΦ inhibited the proliferation of cHL cells. Conclusion Adopting an immunomodulatory phenotype is a potential mechanism for how MΦ promote immune evasion in cHL. Mature DC, in contrast, might participate in antitumoral immunity.
2 Management of Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumor of the Testis

About 5-7/100,000 men are diagnosed with testis cancer annually. A large proportion of these are pathologically classified as non-seminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT). The majority of NSGCT patients present with clinical stage (CS) I disease, which is characterized by a germ cell tumor confined to the testis, a negative metastatic work-up which includes a chest X-ray (CXR), computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis (CT A&P), and negative serum tumor markers (STM) post-orchiectomy. Patients who present with CS I testis cancer have a 30 percent chance of harboring occult metastatic disease postorchiectomy, and thus controversy exists as to what represents the best treatment strategy following radical orchiectomy. Currently, there are 3 treatment strategies available for patients with CS I testis cancer, each one associated with a 99% cure rate: surveillance, adjuvant chemotherapy, and primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND).
Linear and nonlinear processes in temporal masking

Summary A number of masking phenomena can be modeled in terms of a linear auditory filter bank followed by a temporal integrator and a simple decision device based on the signal-to-masker ratio. Other aspects require the inclusion of a nonlinearity following linear filtering. The present article concentrates on aspects of non-simultaneous, or “temporal”, masking that cannot be explained by either modeling approach. A more realistic nonlinear model of cochlear processing is explored, and it is shown that most aspects of temporal masking can be accounted for with this model, in conjunction with a linear temporal integrator (temporal window) and the simple decision criterion. An earlier version of the model with a static nonlinearity following linear filtering can account for “on-frequency” nonlinearities in masking such as the growth of forward masking, the effects of forward masker duration, and the nonlinear additivity of forward and backward masking. The new model can account, in addition, for frequency-dependent nonlinearities in masking such as the upward spread of forward masking and certain aspects of two-tone suppression.
A study on the acquisition of numerical classifiers among young children: The development of human/animal categories and generation of the rule of classifiers applying

言語 獲得 にお いて,子 ど もは認知 的意 味 カ テ ゴ リー を先 に所有 し,そ れ を文法 的 クラスに対 応 づ けて統語 的 知識 を獲得 してい くの か,そ れ とも文 法 の知識 の獲 得 が先行 し,そ れ か ら認 知 的意 味 カテ ゴ リー を分化, 獲 得 して い くの だ ろうか。 この 問題 につ い て は,Pinkerら(Pinker&Prince,1988;Pinker,1991)を 中心 とし た前 者 の立場,Gleitmanら(Fisher,Hall&Gleitman, 1994)を 中心 とした後 者 の立 場 の間で論 争 されて い る。 しか しなが ら,こ の2つ の立場 の どち らか 一方 のみ が正 しい とい うよ りは,言 語 獲得 のか な り早 い時期 か Nobuko UCHIDA AND Mutsumi IMAI
Non-Sobolev modelling of radiation-pressure-driven flows in active galactic nuclei

We present a new general scheme for calculating the structure and dynamics of radiation-pressure-driven photoionized flows. The new method goes one step beyond the Sobolev approximation. It involves a numerical solution of the radiative transfer in absorption lines, including the effects of differential expansion and line interactions such as line locking and blanketing. We also present a new scheme for calculating the radiation pressure due to trapped line photons in finite, differentially expanding flows. We compare our results for the radiation pressure force with those obtained using the Sobolev approximation and show the limitations of the latter. In particular, we demonstrate that the Sobolev method gives a poor approximation near discontinuity surfaces and its neglect of line blanketing can lead to erroneous results in high-velocity flows. We combine the newly calculated radiation pressure force with self-consistent photoionization and thermal calculations to study the dynamics and spectral features of broad absorption-line flows and highly ionized gas flows in active galactic nuclei (AGN). A comparison with Sobolev-type calculations shows that the latter overestimates the terminal velocity of the flow and, conversely, underestimates its opacity. We also show that line locking on broad emission lines can have a significant effect on the dynamics and spectral features of AGN flows.
Role of Serum Vaspin in Progression of Type 2 Diabetes: A 2-Year Cohort Study

Vaspin is a novel adipocytokine that has potential insulin-sensitizing effects. The aim of this study is to explore the role of vaspin in the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in humans through a longitudinal process. This was a 2-year follow-up study that included 132 patients with T2DM and 170 non-diabetic subjects. The serum vaspin and adiponectin levels were determined with ELISA. Anthropometric measurements, circulating glucose, hemoglobin A1c, insulin level, liver function, kidney function, and lipid profile were measured for each participant. The new onset of T2DM was counted in non-diabetic subjects and the glycemic control was analyzed in T2DM patients at follow-up. At enrollment, the serum vaspin and adiponectin levels were lower in T2DM patients compared with non-diabetic subjects. Significant positive correlation between serum vaspin and HDL-C levels (r = 0.23, P = 0.006) was observed in non-diabetic controls. The serum vaspin concentration was also significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.19, P = 0.028), waist-hip ratio (WHR) (r = 0.17, P = 0.035) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (r = 0.14, P = 0.029) in T2DM patients. In cohort analyses, it was found that lower serum vaspin [odds ratio (OR) = 0.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.10–0.87, P = 0.015] and adiponectin (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20–0.72, P = 0.015) levels at baseline were risk factors for new onset of T2DM at follow-up. The percentage of insulin treatment in T2DM patients was higher in the sub-group with lower serum vaspin level than that in the sub-group with higher vaspin level at follow-up (55.3% vs. 44.7%, P = 0.020). Our study indicates that low serum concentration of vaspin is a risk factor for the progression of T2DM.
Occlusion Management in Immersive and Desktop 3D Virtual Environments: Theory and Evaluation

We present an empirical usability experiment studying the relative strengths and weaknesses of three different occlusion management techniques for discovering and accessing objects in information-rich 3D virtual environments. More specifically, the study compares standard 3D navigation, generalized fisheye techniques using object scaling and transparency, and the BalloonProbe interactive 3D space distortion technique. Subjects are asked to complete a number of representative tasks, including counting, pattern recognition, and object relation, in different kinds of environments and on both immersive and desktop-based VR systems. The environments include a free-space abstract 3D environment and a virtual 3D walkthrough application for a simple building floor. Our results confirm the general guideline that each task calls for a specialized interaction—no single technique performed best across all tasks and worlds. The results also indicate a clear trade-off between speed and accuracy: simple navigation was the fastest but also most error-prone technique, whereas spherical BalloonProbe and transparency-based fisheye proved the most accurate but required longer completion time, making it suitable for applications where mistakes incur a high cost.
The Evolution of Music in Comparative Perspective

Abstract: In this paper, I briefly review some comparative data that provide an empirical basis for research on the evolution of music making in humans. First, a brief comparison of music and language leads to discussion of design features of music, suggesting a deep connection between the biology of music and language. I then selectively review data on animal “music. ” Examining sound production in animals, we find examples of repeated convergent evolution or analogy (the evolution of vocal learning of complex songs in birds, whales, and seals). A fascinating but overlooked potential homology to instrumental music is provided by manual percussion in African apes. Such comparative behavioral data, combined with neuroscientific and developmental data, provide an important starting point for any hypothesis about how or why human music evolved. Regarding these functional and phylogenetic questions, I discuss some previously proposed functions of music, including Pinker's “cheesecake” hypothesis; Darwin's and others' sexual selection model; Dunbar's group “grooming” hypothesis; and Trehub's caregiving model. I conclude that only the last hypothesis receives strong support from currently available data. I end with a brief synopsis of Darwin's model of a songlike musical “protolanguage,” concluding that Darwin's model is consistent with much of the available evidence concerning the evolution of both music and language. There is a rich future for empirical investigations of the evolution of music, both in investigations of individual differences among humans, and in interspecific investigations of musical abilities in other animals, especially those of our ape cousins, about which we know little.
Forest Cover Changes in Tropical South and Central America from 1990 to 2005 and Related Carbon Emissions and Removals

This paper outlines the methods and results for monitoring forest change and resulting carbon emissions for the 1990–2000 and 200–2005 periods carried out over tropical Central and South America. To produce our forest change estimates we used a systematic sample of medium resolution satellite data processed to forest change maps covering 1230 sites of 20 km by 20 km, each located at the degree confluence. Biomass data were spatially associated to each individual sample site so that annual carbon emissions could be estimated. For our study area we estimate that forest cover in the study area had fallen from 763 Mha (s.e. 10 Mha) in 1990 to 715 Mha (s.e. 10 Mha) in 2005. During the same period other wooded land (i.e., non-forest woody vegetation) had fallen from 191 Mha (s.e. 5.5 Mha) to 184 Mha (s.e. 5.5 Mha). This equates to an annual gross loss of 3.74 Mha∙y−1 of forests (0.50% annually) between 1990 and 2000, rising to 4.40 Mha∙y−1 in the early 2000s (0.61% annually), with Brazil accounting for 69% of the total losses. The annual carbon emissions from the combined loss of forests and other wooded land were calculated to be 482 MtC∙y−1 (s.e. 29 MtC∙y−1) for the 1990s, and 583 MtC∙y−1 (s.e. 48 MtC∙y−1) for the 2000 to 2005 period. Our maximum estimate of sinks from forest regrowth in tropical South America is 92 MtC∙y−1. These estimates of gross emissions correspond well with the national estimates reported by Brazil, however, they are less than half of those reported in a recent study based on the FAO country statistics, highlighting the need for continued research in this area.
An MMPP-based hierarchical model of Internet traffic

In this paper, we propose a MMPP (Markov modulated Poisson process) traffic model that accurately approximates the LRU (long range dependence) characteristics of Internet traffic traces. Using the notion of sessions and flows, the proposed MMPP model mimics the real hierarchical behavior of the packet generation process by Internet users. Thanks to its hierarchical structure, the proposed model is both simple and intuitive: it allows the generation of traffic with the desired characteristics by easily setting a few input parameters which have a clear physical meaning. Results prove that the queuing behavior of the traffic generated by the MMPP model is coherent with the one produced by the real traces collected at our institution edge router under different networking scenarios and loads. Due to its characteristics, the proposed MMPP traffic model can be used as a simple and manageable tool for IP network performance analysis, as well as for network planning and dimensioning.
Gradient‐echo EPI using a high‐degree shim insert coil at 7 T: Implications for BOLD fMRI

To quantitatively assess the effects of high degree and order (1st–4th+) relative to 1st–2nd degree B0 shimming at 7 Tesla (T) on gradient‐echo echo planar imaging (GE‐EPI) and blood‐oxygen‐level dependent (BOLD) activation.
Temperature effect on performance and reliability of QR tapped-inductor Buck LED driver

LED has promised to replace conventional light sources with impressive economic and environmental saving because of the realization of high efficiency and long life time light sources. Reliability issue is a key factor affecting the lighting quality and life time of LED lighting system. Each LED system includes two major aspects; optical and electrical driver. The LED driver is one of the weakest components in the LED luminaries and they tend to degrade rapidly with increasing temperature. The effect of temperature on performance and reliability of LED driver is analyzed in this paper. A thermal simulation model based on a tapped-inductor quasi-resonant Buck LED driver was set up. The thermal field and thermal stress analysis of the driver was done by using the software EFD Pro 8.2. The losses from various components of the driver were calculated in detail. The histogram of losses in various components in the driver was given. Computer simulation and a prototype rated at 5W, with an input ac voltage of 176-265Vrms and an output current of 700mA has been implemented to verify the prediction.
THYROID CYSTADENOMA, COLLOID GOITER, AND HYPOTHYROIDISM IN AN AMERICAN BLACK BEAR(URSUS AMERICANUS)

Abstract A 178-kg, 14-yr-old captive female American black bear (Ursus americanus) was examined because of lethargy, inappetance, obesity, and alopecia. Serum chemistry and complete blood count values were within normal limits. Based on serum levels for total thyroxine (T4), free T4 by equilibrium dialysis (fT4ED), and canine thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations, using assays validated for domestic dogs, hypothyroidism was diagnosed presumptively, and therapy with levothyroxine sodium (0.022 mg/kg p.o. b.i.d.) was initiated. Haircoat, body weight, appetite, and activity level improved within 30 days. The levothyroxine dose was decreased twice (to 0.018 mg/kg p.o. b.i.d. and then to 0.011 mg/kg p.o. b.i.d.) during the course of treatment based on monitoring of serum T4 and fT4ED concentrations. After euthanasia for severe refractory lameness, postmortem examination revealed bilateral thyroid lobe enlargement and a fluid-filled cyst within the right lobe. Histologically, colloid goiter was present in both lobes, and a follicular cystadenoma had replaced one third of the cranial pole of the right lobe. The goiter and cystadenoma likely contributed to the hypothyroid condition in this bear, and fT4ED was a more sensitive indicator of hypothyroidism than was T4. The recommended canine dosage of levothyroxine may be too high for the treatment of hypothyroidism in American black bears; 0.011 mg/kg p.o. b.i. d. may be a more appropriate dosage.
Biased Signaling at Chemokine Receptors*

Background: GPCRs can activate selective signaling pathways according to the nature of the bound ligand. Results: Coupling selectivity of chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR5, and CCR7 with G protein subtypes was measured and compared with data obtained with other functional readouts. Conclusion: Some signaling bias was detected at CCR2 and CCR5. Significance: Signaling bias appears relatively subtle for natural ligands such as chemokines. The ability of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) to activate selective signaling pathways according to the conformation stabilized by bound ligands (signaling bias) is a challenging concept in the GPCR field. Signaling bias has been documented for several GPCRs, including chemokine receptors. However, most of these studies examined the global signaling bias between G protein- and arrestin-dependent pathways, leaving unaddressed the potential bias between particular G protein subtypes. Here, we investigated the coupling selectivity of chemokine receptors CCR2, CCR5, and CCR7 in response to various ligands with G protein subtypes by using bioluminescence resonance energy transfer biosensors monitoring directly the activation of G proteins. We also compared data obtained with the G protein biosensors with those obtained with other functional readouts, such as β-arrestin-2 recruitment, cAMP accumulation, and calcium mobilization assays. We showed that the binding of chemokines to CCR2, CCR5, and CCR7 activated the three Gαi subtypes (Gαi1, Gαi2, and Gαi3) and the two Gαo isoforms (Gαoa and Gαob) with potencies that generally correlate to their binding affinities. In addition, we showed that the binding of chemokines to CCR5 and CCR2 also activated Gα12, but not Gα13. For each receptor, we showed that the relative potency of various agonist chemokines was not identical in all assays, supporting the notion that signaling bias exists at chemokine receptors.
Measurements of protein sequence–structure correlations

Correlations between protein structures and amino acid sequences are widely used for protein structure prediction. For example, secondary structure predictors generally use correlations between a secondary structure sequence and corresponding primary structure sequence, whereas threading algorithms and similar tertiary structure predictors typically incorporate interresidue contact potentials. To investigate the relative importance of these sequence–structure interactions, we measured the mutual information among the primary structure, secondary structure and side‐chain surface exposure, both for adjacent residues along the amino acid sequence and for tertiary structure contacts between residues distantly separated along the backbone. We found that local interactions along the amino acid chain are far more important than non‐local contacts and that correlations between proximate amino acids are essentially uninformative. This suggests that knowledge‐based contact potentials may be less important for structure predication than is generally believed. Proteins 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.