Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extreme Happiness: Some Explorations Using Taking Part Survey Data

A noted feature of single item ‘happiness’ measures is the tendency to produce figures at distances well above the mid-point of the scale. Most work, in economics, focuses on trying to ‘explain’ happiness as revealed in such scales and does not go on to look in detail at the distribution. The data used here is taken from the 2013-4 wave of the Taking Part survey which is conducted in the UK on an annual basis. The extremity and skewness of the happiness distribution on an 11-point scale is shown. Happiness is cross tabulated with a measure of anxiety to look for types of discordance in individual emotional expression that are neglected in standard statistical tests. It is suggested that discordancy measures may be used to explain other phenomena like narcissistic consumption.
Assessing speech fluency problems in typically developing children aged 4 to 5 years

This thesis addresses the identification of children with expressive speech difficulties with a focus on stuttering. It is based on theoretical work that investigated the symptoms associated with stuttering (Howell, 2013). It also has a practical goal: The procedures that have been developed should help determine the risk of a child acquiring some form of speech difficulty. The children examined had just entered school (4-year-olds). To ensure reliable results were obtained, large, representative samples of children were required. Most of the children do not have speech difficulty. A sample of speech was obtained and analysed. The approach taken in analysis was to use an instrument that has been standardised and is currently used in research (Riley, 1994) and to apply it to the assessment of speech difficulty. Howell (2013) showed that this instrument is effective in screening for stuttering. The background to the screening work with stuttering is given in the literature review in Chapter 1. The challenges that arise when screening (a form of risk factor modelling) a real-world sample are discussed. Definitions and general features of stuttering are presented and various theories concerning how stuttering symptoms arise are reviewed. Chapters 2 to 6 report background studies, fieldwork and analyses that were conducted. Chapter 2 reports the results of a survey that was conducted to determine whether there was a need for a screening instrument and, if so, what form it should take. Chapters 3 and 4 report studies that were conducted to balance the need to keep assessments in schools short with ensuring the procedures are reliable and valid when used to identify children with speech difficulty. The assessments were based on Riley’s (1994) Stuttering Severity Instrument. Chapter 3 determined the minimum length a sample of speech needed to be and whether a spontaneous speech sample was sufficient when using Riley (1994) for assessing children for speech difficulty. The Stuttering Severity Instrument has three components (percentage of syllables that are not fluent, duration of selected long stutters and a measure of physical concomitants to stuttering). Chapter 4 addressed whether all three components are required to identify children with speech difficulty, since assessing fewer components would keep the procedure simple for use in schools. Chapter 5 reports an extensive field study that used Riley (1994) for identifying children with speech difficulty. Chapter 6 examined whether adding additional symptoms to those available in the Stuttering Severity Instrument that are appropriate for other common paediatric forms of speech difficulty would enhance accuracy of screening performance. Chapter 7 summarizes the work, draws conclusions and identifies future directions this research should take.
Methotrexate ameliorates T cell dependent autoimmune arthritis and encephalomyelitis but not antibody induced or fibroblast induced arthritis

Objective: To investigate the mode of action of methotrexate (MTX) in different types of models for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Models for RA and MS were selected known to have different pathogenesis—that is, fibroblast induced arthritis in SCID mice, collagen induced arthritis (CIA), anticollagen II antibody induced arthritis (CAIA), and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in (Balb/c×B10.Q)F1 and B10.Q mice, and Pristane induced arthritis in DA rats (PIA). The MTX treatment was started 1 day after the onset of disease and continued for 14 days to compare effects on the different models. Results: All models known to be critically dependent on T cell activation (CIA, PIA, and EAE) were effectively down regulated by titrated doses of MTX. In contrast, no effects were seen on fibroblast induced arthritis or CAIA. No effects were seen on the levels of anticollagen II antibodies in the CIA experiment. Conclusion: The data show that MTX has strong ameliorative effect on both classical models of RA, like CIA and PIA, but also on a model for MS, EAE. It also suggests that MTX operates only in diseases which are preceded by, and dependent on, T cell activation. A comparison of CAIA and CIA suggested that MTX operates independently of arthritogenic antibodies. These results demonstrate that different animal models reflect the complexity of the corresponding human diseases and suggest that several models should be used for effective screening of new therapeutic agents.
A W-Band Wide Locking Range and Low DC Power Injection-Locked Frequency Tripler Using Transformer Coupled Technique

A W-band wide locking range injection-locked frequency tripler (ILFT) with low dc power consumption is presented in this paper. By using a transformer coupled (TC) topology, the proposed TC-ILFT features the following advantages: 1) the negative resistance of the cross-coupled pair is not degraded due to the proposed TC-ILFT without source degeneration, and the TC-ILFT can be operated in lower dc supply voltage as compared to the conventional ILFTs; 2) the dc bias of the injector can be properly designed for maximizing locking range; 3) the parasitic capacitance provided by the injector can be reduced due to the impedance transformation; and 4) the larger device size of the injector can be chosen enhancing the third harmonic. Moreover, the operation frequency and the locking range of this work are boosted using a multiorder resonator. A theoretical model of the proposed TC-ILFT is also established and it has been carefully verified with the experimental results. The free-running oscillation frequency of the proposed TC-ILFT is 94.51 GHz. As the input power is -1 dBm, the measured locking range is 5.9 GHz without varactor tunning. The dc supply voltage and the power consumption are 0.7 V and 1 mW, respectively.
Complex Number Reed-Solomon Coded OFDM by Unique Word Length

In this review paper, a study has been conducted on Unique Word Prefix. This paper shows a new transmit signal structure for OFDM.To avoid the interference between to signal we always require a guard band interval using cyclic prefix. But instead of that here a new term is used which is nothing but Unique Word Length where deterministic signal is used. Since Unique Words represent known sequences, they can advantageously be used for synchronization and channel estimation purpose. Furthermore it also generates the complex reed-Solomon (RS) code structure within the structure of sub-carriers which act as a unique word length code. To further improve the bit error ratio behaviour of the system, winner smoother was used to succeeding a zero forcing stage at the receiver. These beneficial properties are achieved while additionally featuring around the same bandwidth efficiency as conventional CP-OFDM.
ORTEGA: An Efficient and Flexible Software Fault Tolerance Architecture for Real-Time Control Systems

Fault tolerance is an important aspect in real-time computing. In real-time control systems, tasks could be faulty due to various reasons. Faulty tasks may compromise the performance and safety of the whole system and even cause disastrous consequences. In this paper, we describe ORTEGA (On-demand Real-TimE GuArd), a new software fault tolerance architecture for real-time control systems. ORTEGA has high fault coverage and reliability. Compared with existing real-time fault tolerance architectures, such as Simplex, ORTEGA allows more efficient resource utilizations and enhances flexibility. These advantages are achieved through the on-demand detection and recovery of faulty tasks. ORTEGA is applicable to most industrial control applications where both efficient resource usage and high fault coverage are desired.
Stability in Instability. China's TVEs and the Evolution of Property Rights

For two decades economic and social stability in China's rural areas has been based on the successful evolution of township village enterprises. These enterprises, however, feature property rights structures which according to conventional property rights theory should make these enterprises highly inefficient and prone to quick dissolution. But as closer analysis indicates, exactly these ambiguous property rights structures may be the recipe for success. They constitute highly flexible best practice solutions for corporate survival in the context of rapidly changing environments in a transition economy. But as the Chinese market economy matures, these ambiguous property rights structures will nevertheless have to make way for clearly defined – stable – property rights structures. The paper introduces some hypotheses concerning the forces underlying these evolutionary processes.
Framing a ‘Climate Change Frontier’: International News Media Coverage Surrounding Natural Resource Development in Greenland

News media helps shape the discourse around natural resource issues, especially rapidly emerging developments such as those taking place in the Arctic. Whilst the relationship between media and audience is complex, news media contributes towards setting the tone and expectations for the burgeoning number of stakeholders engaging with the Arctic, especially in the case of Greenland. This study undertakes a thematic analysis of English-language news media coverage surrounding natural resource development in Greenland to explore how the issue is framed. Five media frames are identified: an emerging resource frontier; the warming Arctic; high-risk activity; geopolitical Greenland; and vulnerable traditional societies. An overarching frame is present within the coverage, one which depicts Greenland as ‘a climate change frontier’, facing ‘uncertainties in the face of rapid change’. Media portrayals of a close-knit relationship between a warming climate and a rush for natural resources in Greenland could be problematic for several reasons, namely the disparity between actual resource development taking place and an overemphasis on increased economic development following increased warming.
Characteristics of a Linearly Tapered Slot Antenna (LTSA) conformed longitudinally around a cylinder

The family of tapered slot antennas (TSA's) is suitable for numerous applications. Their ease of fabrication, wide bandwidth, and high gain make them desirable for military and commercial systems. Fabrication on thin, flexible substrates allows the TSA to be conformed over a given body, such as an aircraft wing or a piece of clothing for wearable networks. Previously, a double exponentially tapered slot antenna (DETSA) was conformed around an exponential curvature, which showed that the main beam skewed towards the direction of curvature. This paper presents a linearly tapered slot antenna (LTSA) conformed longitudinally around a cylinder. Measured and simulated radiation patterns and the direction of maximum H co-polarization (Hco) as a function of the cylinder radius are presented.
Appendix B : Vibratory Conveyor Pan and Product Center Mass

Vibratory conveying technology is common in material handling applications in numerous industries. This research paper examines a problem with fatigue in the support structure of a specific type of vibratory conveyor. It also reviews the theory behind vibratory conveyor technology and considerations that engineers who design them need to be aware of. The finite element method is used to replicate a fatigue problem in the support structure and various design configurations are then analyzed to reduce the risk of the conditions that caused the fatigue. The results are reviewed and recommendations are made to improve the design and modify the component dimensional parameters of this specific type of vibratory conveyor.
Resilience and the Four Cs : Confidence , Control , Composure , and Commitment

Academic resilience is defined as the ability to effectively deal with setback, stress or pressure in the academic setting. Although there is a large body of research focusing on general or life resilience, there has been little research into the issue of academic resilience. This paper utilises the Student Motivation Wheel (Martin, 2003a, 2003b) as a basis for conceptualising academic resilience and the Student Motivation Scale (SMS – Martin, 2001, 2002) as a basis for measuring it. The study found that academic resilience comprises self-belief (confidence), a sense of control, low anxiety (composure), and persistence (commitment) as assessed through administration of the SMS (that measures each of these four dimensions) to 400 Australian high school students. Implications for pedagogy are discussed. Resilience Why are some (often motivated) students debilitated by setbacks, poor performance, stress, and study pressure while others pick themselves up, recover, and move on? Why do some students get caught in a downward spiral of underachievement while others respond proactively to poor performance and break this downward spiral? Why do some students buckle under the pressure of school while others are energised and embrace the challenges before them? We suggest that the answer lies in academic resilience. In a general sense, resilience has been defined as the process of, capacity for, or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening circumstances (Howard & Johnson, 2000). In the academic context, it is defined as students' ability to deal effectively with academic setbacks, stress, and study pressure. To date, the few studies that deal with academic resilience are focused on ethnic minority groups and extreme underachievers (eg. There has, however, been substantial focus on resilience in terms of broader life events (eg. resilience to disadvantaged backgrounds, poor parenting, family break-up, mental illness, drug addiction etc. However, studies of resilience as it pertains to school are still couched in terms of a young person's mental health and wellbeing and not in terms of their academic development. This paper explores a model that provides some guidance as to specific factors that underpin academic resilience and how to address them in the classroom context.) has developed a model of motivation – the Student Motivation Wheel – that reflects the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours underpinning academic engagement at school. The model separates motivation into factors that reflect enhanced motivation and those that reflect reduced motivation. These are called boosters and guzzlers respectively. Figure 1 …
On-Line Structure and Motion Estimation Based on a Novel Parameterized Extended Kalman Filter

Estimation of structure and motion in computer vision systems can be performed using a dynamic systems approach, where states and parameters in a perspective system are estimated. We present a novel on-line method for structure and motion estimation in densely sampled image sequences. The proposed method is based on an extended Kalman filter and a novel parameterization. We assume calibrated cameras and derive a dynamic system describing the motion of the camera and the image formation. By a change of coordinates, we represent this system by normalized image coordinates and the inverse depths. Then we apply an extended Kalman filter for estimation of both structure and motion. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated in both simulated and real experiments. We furthermore compare our method to the unified inverse depth parameterization and show that we achieve superior results.
Disulfide-linked liposomes: effective delivery vehicle for Bcl-2 antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide G3139.

BACKGROUND Disulfide-linked oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN) liposomes were formulated and evaluated for the delivery of antisense ODN G3139 in KB human oral carcinoma cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS Liposomes composed of 1,2-di-(9Z-octadecenoyl)-3-trimethylammo-nium-propane (DOTAP)/egg phosphatidylcholine/alpha-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate were incorporated with hydrophobized disulfide-linked ODN. Disulfide-linked ODN liposomes were characterized for their size, ODN intracellular delivery, Bcl-2 mRNA and protein expression, growth inhibition, and chemosensitization. RESULTS Intracellular delivery of ODN with disulfide-linked ODN liposomes was more efficient than that with non-liposomal hydrophobized disulfide-linked ODN. Treatment of the cells with disulfide-linked ODN liposomes resulted in efficient Bcl-2 down-regulation greater than that with hydrophobized disulfide-linked ODN and consistent with that of cellular growth inhibition and the sensitization to daunorubicin in KB cells. Disulfide-linked ODN liposomes exhibited superior colloidal stability during 5-week storage. CONCLUSION Disulfide-linked liposomes are effective delivery vehicles for antisense ODN.
Edge percolation on a random regular graph of low degree

Consider a uniformly random regular graph of a fixed degree d ≥ 3, with n vertices. Suppose that each edge is open (closed), with probability p(q = 1 - p), respectively. In 2004 Alon, Benjamini and Stacey proved that p* = (d-1) -1 is the threshold probability for emergence of a giant component in the subgraph formed by the open edges. In this paper we show that the transition window around p* has width roughly of order n- 1/3 . More precisely, suppose that p = p(n) is such that ω:=n 1/3 |p-p*| →∞. If p p*, and log ω >> log log n, then whp the largest component has about n(1 - (pπ+q) d ) n(p-p*) vertices, and the second largest component is of size (p - p*)- 2 (log n) 1+o(1) , at most, where π = (pπ + q) d-1 , π e (0, 1). If ω is merely polylogarithmic in n, then whp the largest component contains n 2/3+o(1) vertices.
A Complex Systems Science Perspective for Whole Systems of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research

Whole systems complementary and alternative medicine (WS-CAM) approaches share a basic worldview that embraces interconnectedness; emergent, non-linear outcomes to treatment that include both local and global changes in the human condition; a contextual view of human beings that are inseparable from and responsive to their environments; and interventions that are complex, synergistic, and interdependent. These fundamental beliefs and principles run counter to the assumptions of reductionism and conventional biomedical research methods that presuppose unidimensional simple causes and thus dismantle and individually test various interventions that comprise only single aspects of the WSCAM system. This paper will demonstrate the superior fit and practical advantages of using complex adaptive systems (CAS) and related modeling approaches to develop the scientific basis for WS-CAM. Furthermore, the details of these CAS models will be used to provide working hypotheses to explain clinical phenomena such as (a) persistence of changes for weeks to months between treatments and/or after cessation of treatment, (b) nonlocal and whole systems changes resulting from therapy, (c) Hering’s law, and (d) healing crises. Finally, complex systems science will be used to offer an alternative perspective on cause, beyond the simple reductionism of mainstream mechanistic ontology and more parsimonious than the historical vitalism of WS-CAM. Rather, complex systems science provides a scientifically rigorous, yet essentially holistic ontological perspective with which to conceptualize and empirically explore the development of disease and illness experiences, as well as experiences of healing and wellness.
Regulation of the Expression of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor mRNA with Thyroid Hormone L-3,5,3'-Triiodothyronine in Rat Hepatoma Cells

The expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor mRNA was examined using thyroid hormone L-3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) by Northern blot analysis in rat hepatoma cells. The expression of full-length, but not truncated receptor mRNA was enhanced and destabilized with T3. These results suggest that T 3 induces not only the expression of full-length EGF receptor mRNA but also accelerates their rate of turnover. The 3' terminal region of full-length EGF receptor mRNA may have a role in the destabilization of EGF receptor mRNA by T3, because truncated EGF receptor mRNA lacks only the 3' terminal region of full-length EGF receptor mRNA.
The Influence of Perceived Personality Characteristics on Positive Attitude Towards and Suitability of a Celebrity as a Marketing Campaign

It is a common strategy to use celebrity endorsers in marketing campaigns. However, scientific literature on the effective use of celebrity endorsers has mainly focused on the credibility and the attractiveness of the celebrity. This study examines another endorser characteristic, which, despite other fields of psychological research confirming its importance, has not received much attention within marketing psychology: the perceived personality. Applying the three culturally stable personality dimensions (i.e., sincerity, excitement, and sophistication) from the established concept of brand personality to the endorser, correlation analyses demonstrated that these personality dimensions of the endorser were related to trustworthiness, a central credibility component, likeability, an important attractiveness component, as well as to positive attitude towards the celebrity and perceived suitability as endorser. Moreover, multiple mediation analyses indicated that the influence of personality dimensions on positive attitude towards the celebrity as well as on perceived suitability of the celebrity as an endorser was to some extent mediated by trustworthiness and likeability. In this context, the personality dimension of excitement emerged as an incrementally valid predictor of positive attitude towards the celebrity as well as perceived suitability as endorser in addition to trustworthiness and likeability. Therefore, the perceived personality of an endorser should be regarded as an important determinant of the central concepts of credibility and attractiveness with the personality dimension of excitement providing incremental value when predicting positive attitudes towards the celebrity and suitability as endorser.