Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypnotic analgesia, expectancy effects, and choice of design: a reexamination.

Previous research by Stam and Spanos suggests that if waking analgesia is followed by hypnotic analgesia, subjects refrain from maximally responding during the waking trial so they report less pain under hypnosis (i.e., a "holdback effect"). This hypothesis was re-examined using more stringent controls. Thirty-six highly susceptible subjects chosen by a combination of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A and the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (waking analgesia followed by hypnotic analgesia, waking analgesia followed by waking analgesia, or hypnotic analgesia followed by waking analgesia). Each group received three 60-second immersions of cold pressor pain stimulation (baseline, Immersion 1, Immersion 2) and rated pain using a magnitude estimation and a category rating scale. The obtained results failed to support the hypotheses of a holdback effect or a "reverse-order holdback effect. " Properties of within-subjects and between-subjects designs were considered in explaining the superiority of hypnotic analgesia over waking analgesia typically found in within-subjects models.
One-step, three-factor authentication in a single earpiece

Multifactor authentication presents a robust security method, but typically requires multiple steps on the part of the user resulting in a high cost to usability and limiting adoption. Furthermore, a truly usable system must be unobtrusive and inconspicuous. Here, we present a system that provides all three factors of authentication (knowledge, possession, and inherence) in a single step in the form of an earpiece which implements brain-based authentication via custom-fit, in-ear electroencephalography (EEG). We demonstrate its potential by collecting EEG data using manufactured custom-fit earpieces with embedded electrodes. Across 7 participants, we are able to achieve perfect performance, mean 0% false acceptance (FAR) and 0% false rejection rates (FRR), using participants' best performing tasks collected in one session by one earpiece with three electrodes. Our results indicate that a single earpiece with embedded electrodes could provide a discreet, convenient, and robust method for secure one-step, three-factor authentication.
Collaborating on contributions to conversations

Abstract Contributing to conversation, it is proposed, is accomplished in two phases. In the presentation phase, one participant ordinarily presents a stretch of speech intended to specify the content of his or her contribution. In the acceptance phase, all the participants work together to establish the mutual belief that everyone else has understood that content well enough for current purposes. The two phases together constitute a unit of conversation we call a contribution. The two phases may each have contributions embedded within them, so conversations consist of both sequential and hierarchical arrangements of contributions. As evidence for these proposals, we examine four types of contributions that occurred in directory enquiries of the telephone company. From this and other evidence, we argue that contributions appear to be a general feature of conversations.
An Infeasible Interior Point Method for the Monotone Linear Complementarity Problem

Linear complementarity problem noted (LCP) becames in present the subject of many reseach interest because it arises in many areas and it includes the two important domains in optimization:the linear programming (LP) and the convex quadratic (CQP) programming. So the researchers aims to extend the results obtained in (LP) and (CQP) to (LCP). Differents classes of methods are proposed to solve (LCP) inspired from (LP) and (CQP). In this paper, we present an infeasible interior point method to solve the monotone linear complementarity problem. Comparative results of this method with feasible interior point method are reported. Mathematics Subject Classifications: 90C33, 90C51
Religion and the Individual: A Social-Psychological Perspective

What leads a person to become religious? What happens psychologically in a religious experience? Does religion make a person happier, more open, more psychologically healthy, more tolerant, more caring? Bold and thoughtful, this book employs social-psychological theories and research to build an understanding of the source, nature and consequences of religion in individual life. The authors' goal is to provide an integrated and coherent perspective, one that honours the diversity and mystery of individuals' experience of religion, yet is scientifically sound. Drawing on the classic psychological treatment of religion by William James, Sigmund Freud and Gordon Alloort, as well as the more recent empirical literature, the authors develop a three-dimensional model of different ways of being religious . as a means to self-serving ends, as an end in itself, and as an open-ended quest. They explore the origins of these dimensions of personal religion, tracing them to more or less creative responses to such existential questions as: What is the meaning and purpose of my life? and How do I deal with the fact that I am going to die? They then explore the consequences of each of the three dimensions, both for the religious individual and for others in society. Finally, building on the foregoing analysis, the authors address one of the basic questions of our age - whether relgiion is a force for good or evil in human life.
Designing Sound Collaboratively Perceptually Motivated Audio Synthesis

In this contribution, we will discuss a prototype that allows a group of users to design sound collaboratively in real time using a multi-touch tabletop. We make use of a machine learning method to generate a mapping from perceptual audio features to synthesis parameters. This mapping is then used for visualization and interaction. Finally, we discuss the results of a comparative evaluation study.
A Coordinate Descent Primal-Dual Algorithm and Application to Distributed Asynchronous Optimization

Based on the idea of randomized coordinate descent of α-averaged operators, a randomized primal-dual optimization algorithm is introduced, where a random subset of coordinates is updated at each iteration. The algorithm builds upon a variant of a recent (deterministic) algorithm proposed by Vũ and Condat that includes the well-known Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers as a particular case. The obtained algorithm is used to solve asynchronously a distributed optimization problem. A network of agents, each having a separate cost function containing a differentiable term, seek to find a consensus on the minimum of the aggregate objective. The method yields an algorithm where at each iteration, a random subset of agents wake up, update their local estimates, exchange some data with their neighbors, and go idle. Numerical results demonstrate the attractive performance of the method. The general approach can be naturally adapted to other situations where coordinate descent convex optimization algorithms are used with a random choice of the coordinates.
Does Viewing Art in the Museum Reduce Anxiety and Improve Wellbeing?

Abstract This article presents research conducted within Leicester's New Walk Museum exploring whether viewing art within the museum impacts reported anxiety. The two studies discussed here are part of a PhD project looking at perception and experience of art within the museum, and how this can influence wellbeing and affective responses. The first study looked at the responses of museum staff, while the second compared those of frequent and infrequent museum visitors. The article focuses on self-reported data collected using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory as well as through semi-structured interviews. Participants reported a reduction in anxiety levels from their trait level after viewing the art; however, this amount differed for each participant group.
Noise characteristics of dual-pump fiber-optic parametric amplifiers

The noise figure (NF) properties of an undepleted and lossless dual-pump fiber-optic parametric amplifier (FOPA) are theoretically and numerically investigated. The theoretical study takes into account the noise characteristics of the two pump waves that are considered to have parallel polarization states for gain maximization. It is shown that noisy pump waves degrade the amplifier's NF, especially when the amplifier is operating at high gain values and when the input signal is high. The theoretical observations are validated by Monte Carlo numerical simulations, and the agreement between them is excellent. Finally, a comparative study concerning the noise characteristics of dual-pump and single-pump FOPAs is performed.
Economic Diversity in Elite Higher Education: Do No-Loan Programs Impact Pell Enrollments?

Several wealthy colleges and universities have recently begun removing all loans from low-income students' financial aid packages. This article reports on a study that found that the introduction of “no-loan” policies has positively impacted low-income enrollments, suggesting that this aid strategy may be an effective, though limited, way of increasing economic diversity on campus.
Food for thought: resourcing moral education

J.M. Coetzee's Elizabeth Costello is an overtly philosophical novel, at the heart of which are questions concerning the relation of human beings to animals and the discussion of animal rights. The nature of its subject matter and the prominence it gives to dialogue, sometimes of an almost Platonic kind, make it a rich potential resource for moral education. This article begins by imagining a course based on extracts from the novel, intended for teenage students or older people. It goes on to make suggestions for further reading. There is now a rich secondary literature that has developed in response to central elements in Coetzee's text, involving the work of Peter Singer, Tom Regan, Cora Diamond, Stanley Cavell, John McDowell, Cary Wolfe, and Ian Hacking, amongst others. This literature raises questions about the nature of moral philosophy, and it has implications for moral education.
The use of implementation intentions and the decision balance sheet in promoting exercise behaviour

Although increasing exercise and fitness has often been associated with positive health outcomes, infrequent exercise participation has remained a problem. Since two distinct motivational and volitional phases to goal pursuit have been proposed, a combined motivational (decision balance sheet, DBS) and volitional (implementation intentions) intervention was predicted to be more effective in increasing exercise behaviour than a control or either strategy alone. A total of 86 students were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions, and were all asked to try to exercise two more times a week than they currently did, over a four week period. Their fitness levels were measured through fitness tests conducted pre- and post-intervention. A priori orthogonal contrasts indicated that the experimental strategies produced a greater increase in exercise frequency and total time spent exercising per week and accordingly showed greater fitness improvements than the control group. Moreover, the volitional groups taken together produced greater increase in time spent exercising and a marginally greater improvement in frequency than the DBS alone. The combined intervention led to improvements in fitness and marginal increases in frequency over the implementation intention alone group. It is proposed that for the combined group the DBS may have aided recall of the implementation intention or increased commitment to it, as remembering and then acting on the plan, in the stated place and time, mediated the implementation intention–behaviour relationship. The combined intervention produced the greatest fitness improvements, indicating that this strategy can lead to important health benefits.
Analysis of the outcome for patients experiencing myocardial infarction and cardiopulmonary resuscitation refractory to conventional therapies necessitating extracorporeal life support rescue*

Objective:To analyze the results of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated with refractory shock necessitating extracorporeal life support (ECLS) rescue and to search for associated risk factors. Design:Retrospective review of our 9-yr experience with patients initially presenting with AMI with shock necessitating ECLS rescue; analysis of patient outcomes. Setting:A university-affiliated tertiary referral medical center. Patients:Between 1994 and 2003 inclusively, 36 consecutive patients (age [mean ± sd], 57 ± 10 yrs) with AMI complicated by refractory shock and undergoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) necessitating emergent ECLS rescue were enrolled in this study. Intervention:All patients underwent CPR before ECLS, although 30 patients (83.3%) received ECLS during CPR because spontaneous circulation failed to return. All patients underwent intraaortic counterpulsation either before or following rescue. Seven patients underwent angioplasty only, and one underwent heart transplantation without any intervention. Twenty-eight patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), in which the beating-heart technique was used for 20 patients. Measurements and Main Results:The pre-ECLS blood lactate level was high (13.4 ± 8.5 mmol/L), as was the inotropic score (121.4 ± 117.3 &mgr;g/kg/min). Twenty-five patients (69.4%) were successfully weaned off ECLS, and 12 (48%) survived to discharge (one had a neurologic deficit). The overall mortality rate was 66.7%. A lower inotropic score, reduced blood lactate level, shorter CPR duration, surgical revascularization, and a reduced total maximal Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score were noted among survivors. Liver failure, central nervous system failure, and renal failure mainly occurred in nonsurvivors after ECLS. The technique used for surgical revascularization (beating heart or arrested heart) did not influence the outcome. ECLS is associated with a lower mortality rate than that expected (>90%) from the resultant total maximal SOFA score (16.6 ± 3.0). Conclusions:AMI complicated with refractory shock remains associated with a high mortality rate, even following ECLS rescue, although ECLS might afford a better chance of survival. The SOFA score can be applied to ECLS condition as a reference point for predicting outcome.
Food allergy: recent advances in pathophysiology and treatment

Food allergies are adverse immune reactions to food proteins that affect up to 6% of children and 3-4% of adults. A wide range of symptoms can occur depending on whether IgE or non-IgE mediated mechanism are involved. Many factors influence the development of oral tolerance, including route of exposure, genetics, age of the host, and allergen factors. Advances have been made in the understanding of how these factors interact in the pathophysiology of food allergy. Currently, the mainstay of treatment for food allergies is avoidance and ready access to emergency medications. However, with the improved understanding of tolerance and advances in characterization of food allergens, several therapeutic strategies have been developed and are currently being investigated as potential treatments and/or cures for food allergy.
When Is an Illustration Worth Ten Thousand Words

In three experiments, students read expository passages concerning how scientific devices work, which contained either no illustrations (control); static illustrations of the device with labels for each part (parts), static illustrations of the device with labels for each major action (steps), or dynamic illustrations showing the «off» and «on» states of the device along with labels for each part and each major action (parts-and-steps)
Behavioral and psychological signs and symptoms of dementia: a practicing psychiatrist's viewpoint

Alzheimer's disease typically presents with two often overlapping syndromes, one cognitive, the other behavioral. The behavioral syndrome is characterized by psychosis, aggression, depression, anxiety, agitation, and other common if less well-defined symptoms subsumed under the umbrella entity “behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia” (BPSD), itself divided into a number of subsyndromes: psychosis, circadian rhythm (sleepwake) disturbance, depression, anxiety, and agitation, it is BPSD with its impact on care providers that ultimately precipitates the chain of events resulting in long-term institutional care. The treatment challenge involves eliminating unmet medical needs (undiagnosed hip fracture and asymptomatic urinary tract infection or pneumonia). Pharmacologic intervention relies on risperidone and, increasingly cholinesterase inhibitors for the control of psychosis (but with response rates of only 65% at tolerable doses), olanzapine and risperidone for anxiety, and carbamazepine and valproic acid for agitation. However, evidence increasingly favors nonpharmacologic interventions, to the extent that these should now be considered as the foundation of BPSD treatment. Problem behaviors are viewed as meaningful responses to unmet needs in the therapeutic milieu. Because the progression and impact of BPSD varies between patients, interventions must be explored, designed, implemented, and assessed on an individual basis. They include: family support and education, psychotherapy reality orientation, validation therapy, reminiscence and life review, behavioral interventions, therapeutic activities and creative arts therapies, environmental considerations (including restraint-free facilities), behavioral intensive care units, and workplace design and practices that aid the ongoing management of professional caregiver stress.
New Adaptive Hysteresis Modulation Technique for Three Phase Shunt Active Power Filter

Department of Electrical Power and Machines Faculty of Engineering Cairo University Giza, Egypt Abstract The quality of the current waveform generated by a current controlled, voltage source shunt active power filter depends basically on three factors: (i) The reference signal being generated; (ii) the modulation method used and (iii) the switching frequency of the PWM modulator. A new adaptive hysteresis band modulation method is proposed. In this paper, the periodical sampling constant hysteresis band modulation method and the proposed method are analyzed. These modulation methods are tested in switching an active power filter based on a voltage source topology, in a three phase three wire connections. They are compared in terms of THD of supply current, switching losses, and their flexibility of tuning. The simulation results demonstrate the viability and effectiveness of the new adaptive Hysteresis band modulation method in reducing the ripple, losses, and THD of supply current.
The frequency of CSF oligoclonal banding in multiple sclerosis increases with latitude

Background: With the advent of MRI scanning, the value of lumbar puncture to assess oligoclonal band (OCB) statusfor the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) is increasingly uncertain. One major issue is that the reported frequency of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-restricted oligoclonal banding for the diagnosis of MS varies considerably in different studies. In addition, the relationship between OCB positivity and disease outcome remains uncertain, as reported studies are generally too small to assess comparative disability outcomes with sufficient power. Methods: In order to further investigate variation of OCB positivity in patients with MS, we utilized MSBase, a longitudinal, Web-based collaborative MS outcomes registry following clinical cohorts in several continents and latitudes. We also assessed whether OCB positivity affects long-term disability outcome. Results: A total of 13,242 patient records were obtained from 37 MS specialist centres in 19 different countries. OCB status was documented in 4481 (34%) patients and 80% of these were OCB positive. The presence of OCB was associated with degree of latitude (p = 0.02). Furthermore, the outcome of patients negative for CSF-specific OCB was significantly better in comparison to the OCB positive patients, as assessed by Expanded Disability Status Scale change (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that latitude could explain some of the inconsistencies in OCB status reported in different populations. The study confirms that OCB positivity in MS is associated with a worse long-term prognosis.
An Improved SIFT Feature Extraction Method for Tyre Tread Patterns Retrieval

SIFT features have been found to be effective in describing image textures. Because SIFT features have some great characteristics, such as translation invariance, zooming in and out invariance, spin invariance and affine invariance, etc, so the image retrieval precision is satisfactory usually. However, in Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR), there are so many SIFT feature points extracted from an image and the size of SIFT-based feature vectors can be up to 128 dimensions. So, even though the prevision based on SIFT feature is high, the retrieval speed is low. To relieve this problem, this paper proposes an improved SIFT feature point extraction method. First of all, taking 2-level wavelet transform to the image, then setting its low-frequency sub-band to zero and reconstructing the image by its 6high frequency sub-bands. The SIFT features are then extracted from the reconstructed 'high-frequency images' for retrieval purpose. This method can reduce the number of SIFT feature points by 71.2%. Tested on a tyre tread pattern dataset, the proposed method is found to be able to significantly improve the retrieval speed while the retrieval precision is still better than other existing methods.
Notes from the grassroots: online lobbying in Canada

The Public Advisory Council on Information Highway Policy (PACIHP) project is discussed in terms of activities, difficulties, successes, impact, motivations, and background. This paper is presented in two parts. The first part details how project organizers have attempted to involve the online community in the policy‐making process, the techniques used, and the community′s and policymakers′ response to the initiative. Some preliminary observations about the project′s impact are also discussed. The second part presents an overview of the Canadian regulatory and political environment. The specific trends identified have contributed to the authors′ concerns, providing some of the motivation for the project. In conclusion, thoughts on the future of computer‐mediated communication and its potential for democratizing politics are presented.