Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Logic for Choreographies

We explore logical reasoning for the global calculus, a coordination model based on the notion of choreography, with the aim to provide a methodology for specification and verification of structured communications. Starting with an extension of Hennessy-Milner logic, we present the global logic (GL), a modal logic describing possible interactions among participants in a choreography. We illustrate its use by giving examples of properties on service specifications. Finally, we show that, despite GL is undecidable, there is a significant decidable fragment which we provide with a sound and complete proof system for checking validity of formulae.
Vascular decompression surgery for severe tinnitus: Selection criteria and results

Seventy‐four patients were operated on within a period of 10 years to treat incapacitating tinnitus; 72 underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) of the intracranial portion of the auditory nerve, and 2 underwent section of the eighth nerve close to the brain stem. Of those who underwent MVD, 2 had no change in symptoms and later also underwent section of the eighth nerve near the brain stem. Two patients did not return for follow‐up. Of the 72 remaining patients, 13 (18.1%) experienced total relief from tinnitus, 16 (22.2%) showed marked improvement, 8 (11.1%) showed slight improvement, 33 (45.8%) had no improvement, and 2 (2.8%) became worse. The patients who experienced total relief and those who showed marked improvement had experienced their tinnitus for an average of 2.9 years and 2.7 years, respectively; those who showed slight improvement and those who had no improvement had experienced their tinnitus for a longer time before the operation (mean, 5.2 and 7.9 years, respectively). Of the 72 patients who were operated on and followed, 32 were women. Of these, 54.8% experienced total relief from tinnitus or marked improvement, while only 29.3% of the men showed such relief or improvement.
A Review on Li-Ion Battery Charger Techniques and Optimize Battery Charger Performance by Fuzzy Logic

In this paper lit-ion battery charger techniques of the past years are reviewed and we present different Li-Ion battery chargers and compare them to optimize the efficiency, speed up Li-Ion battery chargers and reducing damage of battery during the charging process and Some recent designs are discussed and the results are compared . Two methods are found out that follow above characteristics, and combining of them can optimize our battery charger in best way. According to results of comparison, the fuzzy control charging system can shorten the charging time with higher efficiency and lower temperature rise. In other hands Another experiment has been done to submit and prove optimal Li-ion battery charging frequency by using AC impedance technique that means if the battery charged by the optimal charging frequency fZmin the charging time and charging efficiency are improved, thus applying fZmin can improve the speed, life cycle of battery and the efficiency of fuzzy logic based charging method more than 96.623%.
The effect of computer self-efficacy on enterprise resource planning usage

Global competition has impelled numerous organisations to employ enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, although quite frequently without success. Studies have demonstrated that a major factor for failure is employee resistance in organisations using these systems. Exactly the factors that facilitate ERP adoption among users have seldom been identified. This study examines the usage behaviour of a sample of users of the new technology of ERP system using a technology acceptance model (TAM). Furthermore, this paper incorporates an additional behavioural construct, computer self-efficacy (CSE), to improve the predictive value of the original TAM model, named revised TAM. Additionally, the structural equation model (SEM) is used to verify the causal relationships between variables. Analytical results confirm that not only is the TAM appropriate for explaining the use of ERP, but that incorporating CSE enhances the power of the model.
AVALIAÇÃO DO CURSO DE ADMINISTRAÇÃO NA MODALIDADE A DISTÂNCIA DA UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE SANTA CATARINA: PERCEPÇÃO DA QUALIDADE DA EaD SOB A ÓPTICA DO ALUNO PELO MÉTODO SERVQUAL

Este artigo trata da qualidade do serviço, focando o modelo SERVQUAL (S-Qual) de Parasuraman, Zeithaml e Berry (1990) e a educação à distância (EaD). Objetiva continuar o trabalho de Veiga et al (1997), no intuito de verificar a percepção dos alunos sobre a qualidade do curso de Administração na Modalidade a Distância da UFSC no pólo de Florianópolis, pelo método S-Qual adaptado. Realizou-se uma pesquisa quantitativa in loco com 58 alunos, em que se verificou a escala S-Qual como alternativa viável de análise, uma vez que os resultados mostraram evidências estatísticas significativas, permitindo generalizar seus efeitos. As dimensões confiabilidade, responsabilidade, confiança, empatia e tangíveis, congruentes com os critérios de qualidade do serviço, constantes do modelo, implicaram no resultado de que os 22 aspectos de qualidade avaliados podem auxiliar na avaliação da qualidade do curso.
Imperfections du marché du travail et modèles d’équilibre général calculables : une revue de littérature

(english) This articles aims at discussing different labour market modelling choices used in applied general equilibrium models and the consequences of these choices on the results obtained when simulating various tax policy shocks with AGE models. Taking into account the imperfect functioning of the labour market in applied models does not have effects on employment issues only. It also allows improving the estimation of the adjustment capacities of an economy facing a shock by modelling explicitly unemployment and wage differentials. Nevertheless, the difficulty of empirical validation of the labour market specifications chosen weakens the use of these models for policymaking. _________________________________ (francais) L’objectif de cet article est de discuter les choix de modelisation du fonctionnement du marche du travail adoptes dans les modeles d’equilibre general appliques et les consequences de ces choix sur les resultats obtenus en simulant divers chocs de reformes fiscales avec ce type de modeles. La prise en compte des imperfections ou caracteristiques institutionnelles du marche du travail n’a pas seulement des effets sur les resultats des MEGC en termes d’emploi. Elle permet aussi d’ameliorer l’estimation des capacites d’ajustement des economies face au choc en modelisant explicitement l’existence de chomage ou de differentiels de salaires intersectoriels. Neanmoins, la difficulte de validation empirique des specifications du marche du travail retenues fragilise l’utilisation de ces modeles dans une optique d’aide a la decision.
The Role of Alginates in Regulation of Food Intake and Glycemia: A Gastroenterological Perspective

Regulation of food intake through modulation of gastrointestinal responses to ingested foods is an ever-growing component of the therapeutic approaches targeting the obesity epidemic. Alginates, viscous and gel-forming soluble fibers isolated from the cell wall of brown seaweeds and some bacteria, are recently receiving considerable attention because of their potential role in satiation, satiety, and food intake regulation in the short term. Enhancement of gastric distension, delay of gastric emptying, and attenuation of postprandial glucose responses may constitute the basis of their physiological benefits. Offering physical, chemical, sensorial, and physiological advantages over other viscous and gel-forming fibers, alginates constitute promising functional food ingredients for the food industry. Therefore, the current review explores the role of alginates in food intake and glycemic regulation, their underlying modes of action and their potential in food applications.
The relationship between listener comprehension and intelligibility scores for speakers with dysarthria.

PURPOSE This study examined the relationship between listener comprehension and intelligibility scores for speakers with mild, moderate, severe, and profound dysarthria. Relationships were examined across all speakers and their listeners when severity effects were statistically controlled, within severity groups, and within individual speakers with dysarthria. METHOD Speech samples were collected from 12 speakers with dysarthria secondary to cerebral palsy. For each speaker, 12 different listeners completed 2 tasks (for a total of 144 listeners): One task involved making orthographic transcriptions, and 1 task involved answering comprehension questions. Transcriptions were scored for the number of words transcribed correctly. Responses to comprehension questions were scored on a 3-point scale according to their accuracy. RESULTS Across all speakers, the Pearson product-moment correlation between comprehension and intelligibility scores was nonsignificant when the effects of severity were factored out and residual scores were examined. Within severity groups, the same relationship was significant only for the mild group. Within individual speaker groups, the relationship was nonsignificant for all but 2 speakers with dysarthria. Percentage of correct scores for listener comprehension was descriptively higher than percentage of correct intelligibility scores for all groups. CONCLUSION Findings suggest that transcription intelligibility scores do not accurately reflect listener comprehension scores. Measures of both intelligibility and listener comprehension may provide a more complete description of the information-bearing capability of dysarthric speech than either measure alone.
How healthy are our emergency departments?

OBJECTIVE To demonstrate a comprehensive workplace health survey is able to identify indicators that contribute to staff workplace welfare. METHODS Analysis of a VicHealth workplace health survey distributed to seven suburban emergency departments. Respondents rated multiple workplace health indicators in terms of perceived importance and perceived performance. A satisfaction rating and performance gap for each indicator was calculated. RESULTS There was a 64% response rate to 500 surveys. Staff rated a safe environment, professional standards, and staff morale the most important factors for workplace health. They were most satisfied with the flexibility of work arrangements (85.6%) and leadership (79.9%), and were least satisfied with the performance management of staff (68.5%) and job satisfaction and morale (67.2%). The largest gaps between perceived importance and performance were in the provision of safe well-lit parking, staff morale, and the use of reward and recognition systems. CONCLUSION The VicHealth survey was an effective tool in identifying indicators that contribute to staff workplace health. Quantifiable findings allowed interdepartmental comparison and may be useful in focusing on improvements in organizational structure.
Lung function in infants with cystic fibrosis diagnosed by newborn screening.

RATIONALE Progressive lung damage in cystic fibrosis (CF) starts in infancy, and early detection may aid preventative strategies. OBJECTIVES To measure lung function in infants with CF diagnosed by newborn screening and describe its association with pulmonary infection and inflammation. METHODS Infants with CF (n = 68, 6 weeks to 30 months of age) and healthy infants without CF (n = 49) were studied. Forced vital capacity, FEV(0.5), and forced expiratory flows at 75% of exhaled vital capacity (FEF(75)) were measured using the raised-volume rapid thoracoabdominal compression technique. Forty-eight hours later, infants with CF had bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for assessment of pulmonary infection and inflammation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS In the CF group, the deficit in FEV(0.5) z score increased by -0.77 (95% confidence interval, -1.14 to -0.41; P < 0.001) with each year of age. The mean FEV(0.5) z score did not differ between infants with CF and healthy control subjects less than 6 months of age (-0.06 and 0.02, respectively; P = 0.87). However, the mean FEV(0.5) z score was lower by 1.15 in infants with CF who were older than 6 months of age compared with healthy infants (P < 0.001). FVC and FEF(75) followed a similar pattern. Pulmonary infection and inflammation in BAL samples did not explain the lung function results. CONCLUSIONS Lung function, measured by forced expiration, is normal in infants with CF at the time of diagnosis by newborn screening but is diminished in older infants. These findings suggest that in CF the optimal timing of therapeutic interventions aimed at preserving lung function may be within the first 6 months of life.
Women Trust Others and Consensus; Men Trust Numbers and Their Own Judgment: A Conceptual Analysis of the Impact of the Self-Construal Mechanism on the Relationship between Online Feedback Mechanisms and Online Trust

The literature on self-construal has paid significant attention to the behavioral outcomes of independent and interdependent self-construal in different contexts, across gender or across cultures. Few studies, however, have explicitly examined the extent to which self-construal has an impact on the extent to which a consumer is influenced by online feedback mechanisms such as written post feedbacks or quantitative ratings in sequential order. In this study, a thorough literature review elaborates four research propositions that predict to what extent self-construal has an impact on the relationship between online feedback mechanisms and online trust, in the specific case of trust toward a peer who proposes collaborative consumption services (second-hand selling, product location, and bartering, among others). An explanation follows as to the predicted relationships in light of the semantic procedural interface that underlies the self-construal process. Potential theoretical and practical implications of presumably validated research propositions are also discussed.
Renal Functional Alterations Induced by Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors in Heart Failure

Objective To review the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors on renal pathophysiology and the compensatory mechanisms involved in heart failure. A clinical application of the use of these agents in the setting of concomitant heart failure and renal insufficiency also is presented. Data Sources A MEDLINE search was conducted using the terms heart failure, congestive; renal insufficiency; and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. Study Selection All applicable animal and human trials were reviewed. Data Synthesis Advances in the management of heart failure have led to new insights into the complex pathophysiology of this condition, particularly the favorable clinical effects noted with the ACE inhibitors. The net effect of ACE inhibitors on the renin-angiotensin system in patients with heart failure is to augment renal blood flow to a greater extent than cardiac output. Glomerular filtration rate is either unchanged or decreased by ACE inhibition. Sodium excretion is augmented primarily by alterations in glomerular hemodynamic parameters. ACE inhibitors may alter renal tubular function, both directly and indirectly, leading to increased diuresis and natriuresis. Conclusions Although ACE inhibitors exert beneficial pharmacodynamic effects on the renal bed in patients with heart failure, clinical consideration of volume and neurohormonal status prior to institution of therapy is prudent.
Muscle-like actuators? A comparison between three electroactive polymers

Muscles fulfill several functions within an animal's body. During locomotion they propel and control the limbs in unstructured environments. Therefore, the functional workspace of muscle needs to be represented by variables describing energy management (i.e. power output, efficiency) as well as control aspects (i.e. stiffness, damping). Muscles in the animal kingdom vary greatly with respect to those variables. To study if ElectroActive Polymer's (EAP) can be considered as artificial muscles we are making a direct comparison between the contractile properties of EAP's and biological muscle. We have measured the functional workspace of EAP actuators using the same setup and techniques that we use to test biological muscle. We evaluated the properties of three different EAP materials; the acrylic and silicone dielectric elastomers developed at SRI International and the high-energy electron-irradiated co-polymers (p(VDF-TrFE)) developed at the MRL laboratory at Penn State University. Initial results indicate that the EAP materials partly capture the functional workspace of natural muscle and sometimes even exceed the capabilities of muscle. Based on the data we have collected it seems that both EAP technologies have characteristics that could qualify them as artificial muscles.
Brachial artery hyperaemic blood flow velocity in relation to established indices of vascular function and global atherosclerosis

Background: Systolic to diastolic blood flow velocity (SDFV) ratio in the brachial artery recently proved to be related to cardiovascular risk and carotid atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that the SDFV ratio was related to established markers of vascular function and global atherosclerosis.
Expression levels of transdominant peptides and proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

From libraries of peptides and protein fragments, several inhibitors that block pheromone response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been isolated previously. In many cases, the inhibitors are displayed as part of a scaffold, such as green fluorescent protein. Each of the inhibitors has a characteristic physiological strength or genetic penetrance. In this report, the roles of expression level and display scaffold on the activities of a subset of pheromone‐response pathway inhibitors were examined. Special consideration was given to the relationship between expression levels of specific inhibitors, which may exceed 50 µM in some instances, and penetrance. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of five poxvirus genomes by analysis with restriction endonucleases HindIII, BamI and EcoRI.

Summary The DNAs of rabbitpox, vaccinia, cowpox, ectromelia and fowl pox virus, all grown in the same host system, were cleaved with restriction endonucleases HindIII, BamI and EcoRI. The resulting digestion products were separated by electrophoresis on agarose slab gels. From the similarities and dissimilarities of the migration profiles obtained, it was concluded that vaccinia and rabbitpox virus are genetically the most closely related viruses investigated, although their DNA cleavage patterns are clearly distinguishable. Cowpox and ectromelia virus both show about the same degree of relatedness to each other as to rabbitpox and vaccinia virus. Fowl pox virus, which belongs to the genus Avipoxvirus, contains the largest genome examined (approx. 160 × 106 daltons) and the cleavage patterns of its DNA show no similarities with those of orthopoxvirus DNAs, thus indicating a very low degree of genetic relatedness. We believe that restriction analysis is a useful method for the identification and classification of poxvirus isolates.
Representing lexical knowledge for Bulgarian inflectional morphology in DATR

The paper analyses the application of DATR language for lexical knowledge presentation for interpreting Bulgarian inflectional morphology. It discuss the semantic network of the feature of definiteness in Bulgarian language and compares the lexical knowledge representation for the different part-of-speech with respect to the defined grammar rules, the sound alternations, the related formal presentation - both table and computational - and its application to lexicography.
NLP : SEMANTICS AND KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION

In a N[atural] L[anguage] P[rocessing] context, the terms ‘semantics’ and ‘semantic interpretation’ usually refer to methods of representing the meanings of natural language expressions, and of computing such meaning representations. This brand of ‘syntactic semantics’ is distinct from the notion of denotational semantics as understood in formal logic. (This is not to say that the latter notion is irrelevant – see below.) Semantic interpretation in many NLP systems can be viewed as involving three interleaved phases: determination of a preliminary, underspecified semantic representation of the input, disambiguation of this representation, and inference of implicit or ‘missing’ information, notably connections between causes and effects, means and ends (goals), and between parts and wholes (things, episodes, plans). Other kinds of implicit information which need to be extracted for genuine discourse understanding are implicatures, presuppositions, and inferences about the speaker’s or author’s knowledge, goals, and plans, and about the structure of the discourse and context. [See Discourse, Pragmatics, Implicature, and Presupposition. ] In syntax-directed (or syntax-driven) systems, the preliminary representation is derived from a syntactic analysis of the input, using rules that relate components of the syntactic analysis to components of the meaning representation. In semantically directed systems, text is mapped directly into parts of meaning representations, often using meaning templates associated with particular words, and procedures which seek fillers for the parts of those templates. Disambiguation includes choosing among alternative preliminary representations (corresponding to alternative syntactic analyses), selecting word senses, scoping quantifiers, resolving anaphora, and choosing among alternative ways of filling in implicit connections.
Enhancing long-term memory with stimulation tunes visual attention in one trial

Significance Theories of attention propose that we rely on working memory to control attention by maintaining target presentations in this active store as our visual systems are used to search for certain objects. Here, we show that the tuning of perceptual attention can be sharply accelerated by noninvasive brain stimulation. Our electrophysiological measurements showed that these improvements in attentional tuning were preceded by changes in event-related potentials thought to index long-term memory, but not those potentials that index working memory. Our findings support the hypothesis that changes in the storage of target representations in long-term memory may underlie rapid changes in how target objects are selected by visual attention. Scientists have long proposed that memory representations control the mechanisms of attention that focus processing on the task-relevant objects in our visual field. Modern theories specifically propose that we rely on working memory to store the object representations that provide top-down control over attentional selection. Here, we show that the tuning of perceptual attention can be sharply accelerated after 20 min of noninvasive brain stimulation over medial-frontal cortex. Contrary to prevailing theories of attention, these improvements did not appear to be caused by changes in the nature of the working memory representations of the search targets. Instead, improvements in attentional tuning were accompanied by changes in an electrophysiological signal hypothesized to index long-term memory. We found that this pattern of effects was reliably observed when we stimulated medial-frontal cortex, but when we stimulated posterior parietal cortex, we found that stimulation directly affected the perceptual processing of the search array elements, not the memory representations providing top-down control. Our findings appear to challenge dominant theories of attention by demonstrating that changes in the storage of target representations in long-term memory may underlie rapid changes in the efficiency with which humans can find targets in arrays of objects.