Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conditioning Reaction Time: Evidence for a Process of Conditioned Automatization

The classical conditioning of the standard, simple reaction time (RT) in 140 college men and women is described. Consequent to an anticipatory instructed conditioning procedure, two experimental and two control groups acquired voluntary, controlled US(light)-URTR (unconditioned reaction-time response) associations which then served as the foundation for subsequent classical conditioning when a novel CS (auditory click) was simultaneously paired with the US. Conditioned reaction-time responses (CRTRs) occurred significantly more often during test trials in the two experimental groups than in the two control groups. Statistical and introspective findings support the notion that observed CRTRs may be products of cognitively unconscious conditioned automatization whereby the conditioning of relatively slow, voluntary, and controlled US-URTR associations leads to the acquisition of relatively fast, involuntary, and automatic CS-CRTR associations.
Is the Persistent Gender Gap in Income and Wages Due to Unequal Family Responsibilities?

We compare the income and wage trajectories of women in relation to their male partners before and after parenthood. Focusing on the within-couple gap allows us to control for both observed and unobserved attributes of the spouse and to estimate both short- and long-term effects of entering parenthood. Our main finding is that 15 years after the first child was born, the male-female gender gaps in income and wages have increased with 35 and 10 percentage points, respectively. In line with a collective labor supply model, the magnitude of these effects depends on relative incomes or wages within the family.
UNM Digital Repository UNM Digital Repository

– This paper presents a new approach for combining sources of evidences with diﬀerent impor-tances and reliabilities. Usually, the combination of sources of evidences with diﬀerent reliabilities is done by the classical Shafer’s discounting approach. Therefore, to consider unequal importances of sources, if any, a similar reliability discounting process is generally used, making no diﬀerence between the notion of importance and reliability. In fact, in multicriteria decision context, these notions should be clearly distinguished. This paper shows how this can be done and we provide simple examples to show the diﬀerences between both solutions for managing importances and reliabilities of sources. We also discuss the possibility for mixing them in a global fusion process.
Design and Development of the Self-Efficacy for Musical Studies Scale

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SELF-EFFICACY FOR MUSICAL STUDIES SCALE Kathryn R. Pearson Department of Instructional Psychology and Technology Master of Science Scale development in psychological studies is an area of intense growth (Clark & Watson, 1995). This report builds upon academic interest in the value of producing viable measurement tools. The purpose of this research project was to evaluate a selfefficacy measurement scale intended to determine individual music students’ perceptions of capability. The areas of interest were four self-regulatory skill domains: strategy use, planning, monitoring, and evaluating in two music environments: independent practicing and performance. This report describes the development and analysis of the Self-efficacy for Musical Studies (SEMS) scale. The report includes statistical analysis of the response data from formative evaluation, field testing, and content evidence of validity. The discussion section examines the strengths and weaknesses of the scale and its development decisions. Finally, recommendations for the future development of selfefficacy scales for self-regulatory skills and instruction in the area of music education are suggested. In providing both a preliminary instrument and a measurement evaluation of this instrument, we hope to further academic interest in the usefulness of scale production to enhance music instruction and the value of the relatively untouched connection between the social cognitive concept of self-efficacy, self-regulatory skills, and the study of music.
Texture Preserving Image Restoration with Dyadic Bounded Mean Oscillating Constraints

In this letter, we first propose an image restoration model with dyadic bounded mean oscillating (BMO) constraints to recover some clear texture from noisy data. The existence and uniqueness of the solution are discussed. The model is transformed into wavelet domain and then solved by dual Uzawa method. Each Lagrange multiplier of the discretized model corresponds to a certain scale of dyadic region of the image. Thus, the Lagrange multipliers are space adaptive and can control the extent of denoising over dyadic image regions. On the basis of this model, we propose a total variation (TV) based texture preserving denoising model. Finally, we display some numerical experiments to show the convergence of the algorithm and the validity of the proposed models.
Place revisiting for planetary rovers: An enabling technology and field testing of three mission concepts

Planetary rovers to date have been operated mainly in a serial mode; they are driven from one place to the next, away from the lander, and seldom return to previously visited places. We have been developing a visual navigation technique, called network of reusable paths (NRP), that can be thought of as a low-computational-cost version of simultaneous localization and mapping coupled to a path-tracking controller. The result is that a rover can be returned accurately to any place it has previously visited using only visual feedback; this enables science to be gathered from multiple sites in parallel. We will describe how NRP works, and present field test results of two mission concepts where we have made use of this technology: a lunar-sample-return scenario and a Mars-methane-hunting scenario.
Genome-Wide Analysis of the ERF Gene Family in Arabidopsis and Rice[W]

Genes in the ERF family encode transcriptional regulators with a variety of functions involved in the developmental and physiological processes in plants. In this study, a comprehensive computational analysis identified 122 and 139 ERF family genes in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica), respectively. A complete overview of this gene family in Arabidopsis is presented, including the gene structures, phylogeny, chromosome locations, and conserved motifs. In addition, a comparative analysis between these genes in Arabidopsis and rice was performed. As a result of these analyses, the ERF families in Arabidopsis and rice were divided into 12 and 15 groups, respectively, and several of these groups were further divided into subgroups. Based on the observation that 11 of these groups were present in both Arabidopsis and rice, it was concluded that the major functional diversification within the ERF family predated the monocot/dicot divergence. In contrast, some groups/subgroups are species specific. We discuss the relationship between the structure and function of the ERF family proteins based on these results and published information. It was further concluded that the expansion of the ERF family in plants might have been due to chromosomal/segmental duplication and tandem duplication, as well as more ancient transposition and homing. These results will be useful for future functional analyses of the ERF family genes.
OBSERVER VARIATION IN THE ENDOSCOPIC DIAGNOSIS OF ESOPHAGEAL VARICES. A PROSPECTIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE DIAGNOSTIC VALIDITY OF ESOPHAGOSCOPY.

DURING the past fifteen years esophagoscopy has become one of the standard technics for the diagnosis of esophageal varices.1 2 3 4 5 By virtue of its direct visualization of the esophagus, esophagoscopy is often considered to be the most reliable means of establishing the diagnosis of esophageal varices.1 , 2 , 5 A recent, objective comparison of esophagoscopic and radiologic examinations in the diagnosis of esophageal varices, however, demonstrated that these technics disagreed with each other in approximately a fourth of the patients studied.6 Furthermore, the 3 participating radiologists in that study differed with each other's interpretations in about 20 per cent of the cases, and with .
A case study on designing interfaces for multiple users in developing regions

Computer assisted learning (or E-learning) is used broadly in the developed world. However, comparable technologies are only recently beginning to be used in rural and developing regions. In these environments, obstacles to the successful deployment of educational software include a lack of basic infrastructure, low student attendance, necessary sharing of resources, and the participants'---both teachers and students---unfamiliarity with communications technology. To illustrate these issues in detail, we present a design study for Metamouse, a system for sharing single user software on a single computer with multiple mice. We designed Metamouse during a one and a half month long study in low-income primary schools in Bangalore, India. We iterated through two primary usage paradigms, competitive and collaborative, working with grade four and five students. In these populations, we found that students had widely varying mouse skills, and that even amongst competent users, interface confusion presented significant barriers. Given this, interface tasks that are known to have a cost in usability, such as mode switching or complicated interaction models, had a severe impact on students' ability to use the technology. We discuss interface issues that result from sharing practices that are the norm in these regions. We also discuss issues that generalize across educational application design in the developing world.
Regulation of Upper Airway Maintaining Muscles during Progressive Asphyxia

Summary: The electromyographic activity of an upper airway muscle (genioglossus, GG) and the diaphragm were studied in 10 adult and three young anesthetized rabbits during progressive asphyxia induced by airway occlusion. Results were similar for both age groups. Peak inspiratory activity of GG muscle increased more than that of the diaphragm during both the hyperpnea and gasping (P < 0.05). The increase in GG activity during gasping was not significantly different from that during hyperpnea even though an important stimulus, arousal, was absent during gasping. During end stage asphyxia, as the strength of gasps grew weaker, the rate of loss of GG muscle activity was greater than that of the diaphragm. However, GG activity remained greater than that of the diaphragm at the time of the last spontaneous gasp. As asphyxia progressed, inspiratory duration and the inspiratory contour of integrated electromyogram activity of both muscles changed. These data indicate differences in the control mechanism of the genioglossus and diaphragm during acute severe asphyxia. Increased upper airway muscle activity seen during gasping should help preserve upper airway patency and facilitate autoresuscitation by gasping. These observations of coordinated changes in timing and activity of two functionally different respiratory muscles support the concept that gasping is a highly organized function of the respiratory centers.
A SVM based routing scheme in VANETs

In recent years, VANET as the key communication networking technology has been attracted by academia and industries with remarkable development. However, there is still many shortcomings especially in communication efficiency where routing algorithm is one of them. In the design phase of routing algorithms, only very few features of vehicle nodes are considered manually to improve the classic algorithms e.g. GPSR. This paper studies the features of vehicle nodes and drivers. In addition, we introduce machine learning algorithm in particular Support Vector Machine (SVM) to process the vehicle data and generate routing metric to enhance the effect of these features. This paper studies the methods of analyzing and processing probe car data and also discusses the possibility of applying machine learning algorithms in the generation of VANET routing algorithm. The simulation results show better reliability and communication efficiency is achieved.
EPMC: Every Visit Preference Monte Carlo for Reinforcement Learning

Reinforcement learning algorithms are usually hard to use for non expert users. It is required to consider several aspects like the denition of state-, action- and reward-space as well as the algorithms hyperparameters. Preference based approaches try to address these problems by omitting the requirement for exact rewards, replacing them with preferences over solutions. Some algorithms have been proposed within this framework, but they are usually requiring parameterized policies which is again a hinderance for their application. Monte Carlo based approaches do not have this restriction and are also model free. Hence, we present a new preference-based reinforcement learning algorithm, utilizing Monte Carlo estimates. The main idea is to estimate the relativeQ-value of two actions for the same state within a every-visit framework. This means, preferences are used to estimate the Q-value of state-action pairs within a trajectory, based on the feedback concerning the complete trajectory. The algorithm is evaluated on three common benchmark problems, namely mountain car, inverted pendulum and acrobot, showing its advantage over a closely related algorithm which is also using estimates for intermediate states, but based on a probability theorem. In comparison to SARSA( ), EPMC converges somewhat slower, but computes policies that are almost as good or better.
Correlation of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Prevalence in Questing Ixodes ricinus Ticks with Specific Abiotic Traits in the Western Palearctic

ABSTRACT This meta-analysis of reports examining ticks throughout the Western Palearctic region indicates a distinct geographic pattern for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato prevalence in questing nymphal Ixodes ricinus ticks. The greatest prevalence was reported between the 5°E and 25°E longitudes based on an analysis of 123 collection points with 37,940 nymphal tick specimens (87.43% of total nymphs; 56.35% of total ticks in the set of reports over the target area). Climatic traits, such as temperature and vegetation stress, and their seasonality correlated with Borrelia prevalence in questing ticks. The greatest prevalence was associated with mild winter, high summer, and low seasonal amplitude of temperatures within the range of the tick vector, higher vegetation indices in the May-June period, and well-connected vegetation patches below a threshold at which rates suddenly drop. Classification of the target territory using a qualitative risk index derived from the abiotic variables produced an indicator of the probability of finding infected ticks in the Western Palearctic region. No specific temporal trends were detected in the reported prevalence. The ranges of the different B. burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies showed a pattern of high biodiversity between 4°W and 20°E, partially overlapping the area of highest prevalence in ticks. Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii are the dominant species in central Europe (east of ∼25°E), but B. garinii may appear alone at southern latitudes and Borrelia lusitaniae is the main indicator species for meridional territories.
A novel electrospun biphasic scaffold provides optimal three-dimensional topography for in vitro co-culture of airway epithelial and fibroblast cells

Conventional airway in vitro models focus upon the function of individual structural cells cultured in a two-dimensional monolayer, with limited three-dimensional (3D) models of the bronchial mucosa. Electrospinning offers an attractive method to produce defined, porous 3D matrices for cell culture. To investigate the effects of fibre diameter on airway epithelial and fibroblast cell growth and functionality, we manipulated the concentration and deposition rate of the non-degradable polymer polyethylene terephthalate to create fibres with diameters ranging from nanometre to micrometre. The nanofibre scaffold closely resembles the basement membrane of the bronchiole mucosal layer, and epithelial cells cultured at the air–liquid interface on this scaffold showed polarized differentiation. The microfibre scaffold mimics the porous sub-mucosal layer of the airway into which lung fibroblast cells showed good penetration. Using these defined electrospinning parameters we created a biphasic scaffold with 3D topography tailored for optimal growth of both cell types. Epithelial and fibroblast cells were co-cultured onto the apical nanofibre phase and the basal microfibre phase respectively, with enhanced epithelial barrier formation observed upon co-culture. This biphasic scaffold provides a novel 3D in vitro platform optimized to mimic the different microenvironments the cells encounter in vivo on which to investigate key airway structural cell interactions in airway diseases such as asthma.
VITAMIN D STATUS AND SUNSCREEN USE

THE IMPORTANCE OF VITAMIN D Vitamin D and its relationship to a wide number of illnesses and health parameters is presently one of the most discussed topics in medical and nutritional literature. It seems there are few, if any, diseases to which vitamin D de ciency is not related. A large number of articles in the medical literature were reviewed for discussion in this article. The best effort was made to present the current evidence in a systematic and usable fashion. At the same time, it must also be emphasized that, due to present immense interest in this topic, many more studies are still being conducted. Future knowledge will be gained from these investigations and, as is usually the case with scienti c inquiry, modi cations will probably occur in terms of present recommendations. However, it is clear that the effect of vitamin D levels on the incidence of numerous diseases and even on simple feelings of well-being has been greatly underestimated in the past.
Searching for Gravitational Waves from the Inspiral of Precessing Binary Systems: Astrophysical Expectations and Detection Efficiency of "Spiky'' Templates.

Relativistic spin-orbit and spin-spin couplings has been shown to modify the gravitational waveforms expected from inspiraling binaries with a black hole and a neutron star. As a result inspiral signals may be missed due to significant losses in signal-to-noise ratio, if precession effects are ignored in gravitational-wave searches. We examine the sensitivity of the anticipated loss of signal-to-noise ratio on two factors: the accuracy of the precessing waveforms adopted as the true signals and the expected distributions of spin-orbit tilt angles, given the current understanding of their physical origin. We find that the results obtained using signals generated by approximate techniques are in good agreement with the ones obtained by integrating the 2PN equations. This shows that a complete account of all high-order post-Newtonian effects is usually not necessary for the determination of detection efficiencies. Based on our current astrophysical expectations, large tilt angles are not favored and as a result the decrease in detection rate varies rather slowly with respect to the black hole spin magnitude and is within 20--30\% of the maximum possible values.
Software agents: an overview

Abstract Agent software is a rapidly developing area of research. However, the overuse of the word “agent” has tended to mask the fact that, in reality, there is a truly heterogeneous body of research being carried out under this banner. This overview paper presents a typology of agents. Next, it places agents in context, defines them and then goes on, inter alia, to overview critically the rationales, hypotheses, goals, challenges and state-of-the-art demonstrators of the various agent types in our typology. Hence, it attempts to make explicit much of what is usually implicit in the agents literature. It also proceeds to overview some other general issues which pertain to all the types of agents in the typology. This paper largely reviews software agents, and it also contains some strong opinions that are not necessarily widely accepted by the agent community.
Water Load Test in Children

Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate values for the water load test in healthy elementary school children. Methods We measured the volume of water consumed by 176 children (71 boys and 105 girls) using the water load test at school. Children completed a questionnaire, which included self-efficacy and abdominal pain history. Then subjects drank water for 3 minutes or until full. Results Children drank 630 ± 260 ml. Water consumption correlated with age, weight, and height. Children who believed they could drink a lot, drank more than those who thought they could not, P < 0.01. Conclusion The water load test is a simple and inexpensive method to estimate onset of satiety and may be useful in future studies now that there are values for healthy children.
The effect of intermittent fasting and water restriction on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion-induced arrhythmia in rats

To investigate the effect of intermittent fasting and water restriction on ischemia/reperfusion-induced arrhythmias. Materials and methods: Six minutes of ischemia followed by 6 min of reperfusion was produced by the ligation and then releasing of the left coronary artery. Intermittent fasting and water restriction were applied during 1 month for 12 h/day. The duration, type, and incidence of arrhythmias during reperfusion and the survival rate at the end of reperfusion were determined and compared. Results: The score of arrhythmia that was determined using the type and duration of arrhythmia did not show significant differences among groups. The arrhythmic period was significantly longer in animals subjected to 1 month of intermittent water and food restriction. The risk of ischemic zone was found to be significantly larger in the animals subjected to 1 month of normal feeding after 1 month of food and water restriction. Conclusion: Intermittent fasting and water restriction was not found to be effective in decreasing the arrhythmia that occurred during 6 min of myocardial reperfusion in rats. Since there is no other study compatible with the present study, further research is required on the effect of intermittent fasting and water restriction on ischemia/reperfusion-induced arrhythmia and on the risk of an ischemic zone.
Indiplon Is Hydrolyzed by Arylacetamide Deacetylase in Human Liver

Human arylacetamide deacetylase (AADAC) catalyzes the hydrolysis of some clinically used drugs, but the information available on its substrates is limited. To increase our knowledge of the AADAC substrates, we examined whether AADAC catalyzes the hydrolysis of indiplon, which was initially developed as a hypnotic sedative drug. It has been reported that approximately 30–40% of the administered indiplon was hydrolyzed to deacetylindiplon in humans, but the enzyme responsible for this hydrolysis had not been identified. We detected high levels of indiplon hydrolase activity in human liver microsomes (HLMs), but the levels found in human liver cytosol and plasma were scarcely detectable. Recombinant AADAC showed a high level of indiplon hydrolase activity, whereas recombinant carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) and 2 (CES2) showed marginal activity. The indiplon hydrolase activity of HLM was potently inhibited by vinblastine, a potent inhibitor of AADAC and CES2, but it was not inhibited by digitonin and telmisartan, inhibitors of CES1 and CES2, respectively. In a panel of 24 individual HLM samples, the indiplon hydrolase activities were significantly correlated with the hydrolase activities of flutamide, phenacetin, and rifampicin, which are known AADAC substrates. An HLM sample with a homozygous AADAC*3 allele, which was previously found to exhibit decreased enzyme activity, showed the lowest indiplon hydrolase activity among the 24 tested samples. Collectively, we found that human AADAC is responsible for the hydrolysis of indiplon. Thus, we can add indiplon to the list of human AADAC substrates.