32,041 research outputs found
A Multi-Language Comparison of Influences on Author Verification using Character N-Grams
No full textWe create a new multi-language corpus for author verification based on Wikipedia talkpages, and evaluate the influence that differences in topic and time have on character n-gram author profiles. Topic alignment between two texts is found to increase author verification precision, and an authors writing style is found to change over time, but not more significantly after 3 years than after 1 year.Information ArchitectureWISElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
Some Europeans are more equal than others
No full textThe position of Roma migrants in the EU presents an anomaly which challenges the foundations of European Union law. As Union citizens, European migrants are entitled to freedom of movement and residence in Member States. Yet the rights intended to secure this position have been routinely and selectively denied to Roma migrants, leading to forced evictions and collective expulsions without regard t o European Law. As has been evidenced in the UK, Roma arrivals are viewed with particularly acute suspicion; a response which reflects their double stigmatization as both immigrant and Roma. At the same time, Roma migration from new Member States has expo sed a contradiction inherent in the citizenship project which strikes at the heart of the Union ’s human rights credentials. The degree of exclusion and inequality faced by Europe’s largest minority in all Member States is the most pressing internal human rights issue facing the EU. Yet the European institutions continue to lack a coherent response and defined strategy. The current European framework demanding National Action Plans is commendable in that it prevents individual states from abdicating responsibility for the situation of their Roma citizens. Nevertheless, the absence of clear targets, Roma engagement and European leadership, suggest that this strategy is doomed to failure offering little more than a distraction. In a Union predicated on, inter alia, the rule of law, respect for human rights and the protection of minorities, this detached position undermines the legitimacy of the entire citizenship project
Ableism, the dis/ability binary and beyond: Stage 1 (OA edition)
No full textFull edition for public use. This dataset is the basis for the first research stage of the qualitative study "Ableism, the dis/ability binary and beyond". The aim of the project is to create a feminist intersectional approach to ableism. For this purpose, a close collaboration with independent researchers who adress ableism in their advocacy, activism and artvisim is implemented throughout all stages of the research project. This dataset contains a) data collected through a systematic search in three academic databases that produced an overview of sources (n=1459) and b) additional data that was purposefully selected by the collaborators (n=116). Data are presented in two separate EXCEL documents, including information about author(s), year of publication, title, type of document or source, language and abstract or a note where there was no abstract available, as well as information about who of the collaborators chose which sources. Through a multiple-step process, explained by the flow-chart, the systematically collected data corpus was narrowed down to sources that focus on (especially gendered) ableism from an intersectional perspective. Collaborators chose 3 sources each from the purposefully collected data corpus that they determined as most relevant for understanding ableism from an intersectional perspective
Author Correction: Association analyses of more than 140,000 men identify 63 new prostate cancer susceptibility loci
No full textCorrection to: Nature Genetics, 50, 928–936 (2018), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-018-0142-8, published online 11 June 2018.
In the version of this article initially published, the name of author Manuela Gago-Dominguez was misspelled as Manuela Gago Dominguez. The error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF version of the article.No Full Tex
Travelling theory: Western knowledge and its Indian object
No full textFrom the1830s the colonial government in India became the agency for the promotion of ‘Western education’, that is, education that sought to disseminate modern, Western, rational knowledge through modern institutions and pedagogic processes. This paper examines a historical
episode in which certain key categories of modern Western thought were pressed into service to explain a consequence of the dissemination of Western knowledge in colonial India. The episode in question was that of the alleged ‘moral crisis’ of the educated Indian, who, many argued, had been plunged into confusion and moral disarray following his exposure to Western knowledge in the schools and universities established by his British ruler. In the discourse of moral crisis, the knowledge being disseminated through Western education was simultaneously put to use in explaining an unanticipated effect of this education. How adequate was Western knowledge to explaining its own effects? More generally –for this paper is drawn from a larger study of how modern Western knowledge ‘travelled’ when transplanted to colonial India – what is the status of the knowledge we produce when we ‘apply’ the categories of
modern Western thought in order to understand or explain India
Range Entropy Queries and Partitioning
Get PDFData partitioning that maximizes or minimizes Shannon entropy is a crucial subroutine in data compression, columnar storage, and cardinality estimation algorithms. These partition algorithms can be accelerated if we have a data structure to find the entropy in different subsets of data when the algorithm needs to decide what block to construct. While it is generally known how to compute the entropy of a discrete distribution efficiently, we want to efficiently derive the entropy among the data items that lie in a specific area. We solve this problem in a typical setting when we deal with real data, where data items are geometric points and each requested area is a query (hyper)rectangle. More specifically, we consider a set P of n weighted and colored points in ℝ^d. The goal is to construct a low space data structure, such that given a query (hyper)rectangle R, it computes the entropy based on the colors of the points in P∩ R, in sublinear time. We show a conditional lower bound for this problem proving that we cannot hope for data structures with near-linear space and near-constant query time. Then, we propose exact data structures for d = 1 and d > 1 with o(n^{2d}) space and o(n) query time. We also provide a tune parameter t that the user can choose to bound the asymptotic space and query time of the new data structures. Next, we propose near linear space data structures for returning either an additive or a multiplicative approximation of the entropy. Finally, we show how we can use the new data structures to efficiently partition time series and histograms with respect to entropy
The construction of Karen Karnak: The multi-author-function
No full textThis thesis is situated within the comparatively recent developments of Web 2.0 and the emergence of interactive WikiMedia, and explores the mode of authorship within a Read/Write culture compared to that of a Read/Only tradition. The hypothesis of this study is that the role of the audience has become merged with the author, and as such, represents new functions and attributes, distinct from a more conventional concept of authorship, in which the roles of audience and author are more separate. Read/Write and participatory culture, as defined by this study, is focused on collaboration, and includes the influences of D.I.Y. culture, Open-Source practices and the production of text by multiple authors. Multi-authorship presents a re-thinking of several concepts which support the notion of the individual author, since the focus of multi-authorship is not on attribution and ownership of a finished text, but on the continued malleability of a text. Modes of multi-authorship, demonstrated in the use of the pseudonyms Alan Smithee and Karen Eliot, represent declarative authors whose names signify multiple origins, whilst concurrently indicating a distinct body of work. The function of these names form an important context to this study, since primary research involves the construction of an experimental mode of multi-authorship utilising WikiMedia technology and the interaction of thirty nine participants, who are invited to create a body of work under the collective pseudonym Karen Karnak. The data generated by this experiment is analysed using aspects of Michel Foucault's author-function to identify and determine power structures inherent in the WikiMedia context. The interplay of power structures, including concepts such as identity, ownership and the body of work, affect the resulting mode of authorship and contribute to the construction of Karen Karnak, suggesting further areas of research into the emerging multi-author
The design and synthesis of novel N-heterocyclic compounds, and their evaluation of anti-cancer and anti-viral activity
Get PDF2010 - 2011The thesis entitled “The design and synthesis of novel N-heterocyclic compounds, and their evaluation of anti-cancer and anti-viral activity" is divided into three chapters.
The title of the thesis clearly reflects the importance of nitrogen heterocycles compounds: in fact they are extremely pivotal structural motifs responsible for eliciting various biological activities in natural products and synthetic medicines. This has attracted the medicinal chemists towards the synthesis of various compounds having nitrogen heterocycles as useful medicines to treat various diseases. It is also evident by a large number of marketed pharmaceutical products possess nitrogen heterocycles. In each chapter different heterocycle moieties belonging to β-carboline, indoles and isoindolinones nucleus respectively are presented.
In the first chapter we presented β-carboline derivatives and their anticancer activity on different cell lines. Our lead compound was harmine, which is the most representative β-carboline alkaloid endowed with antitumor properties showing high cytotoxicity both in vitro against different human tumor cell lines and in vivo. It also exhibited remarkable DNA intercalation capacity and significant Topo I inhibition activity. We designed and synthesized novel β-carbolines derivatives with the aim to evaluate their antiproliferative properties, to acquire more information about the structural requirements for the possible improvement of the cytotoxic potential and to elucidate SARs between substituent properties and antitumor activities. Most of the compounds were evaluated for Topo I inhibitory activity and compaired to harmine. Almost all compounds demonstrated interesting cytotoxic activities in particular against prostate cancer cells PC-3 with IC50 in low micromolar range. Compound X was found to be the most potent one with IC50 value of 8 µM.
In the second chapter we reported the design and synthesis of new arbidol derivatives as antiviral agents: arbidol is an indole compound launched in the Russian Federation for the prophylaxis and treatment of influenza A and B and other acute respiratory viral infections, but due to its relatively high CC50 value, a clinical application is forbidden. So in order to reduce its toxicity and improve its antiviral properties, we carried out some structural modifications at position 2, 4, 5 and 6 on indole nucleus and we evaluated their effect on in vitro, anti- influenza virus (HA), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) activities. Viral infections are in fact the most common illnesses experienced by people of all ages and they are also one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in elderly people and young children throughout the world. Currently, treatments are limited and the increasing prevalence of drug-resistant pathogens highlighted the need for new anti-viral drugs with novel mechanisms of action. Biological evaluation led us to discovery of a new potent influenza virus replication inhibitor, identified in compound 15. Particularly it showed activity against all the tested viruses, both A and B type; moreover it seemed to lead to a better inhibition of some viruses in comparison to Arbidol. This compound was also found to be a promising lead compound for the design of new HCV virus replication inhibitors. Actually, biological study are in course to better study mechanism underwent the action of compound 15, which could act non only as virus replication inhibitor but also as fusion inhibitor. Then a focused analysis on the interaction of this compound with the HA protein will be carried out.
The third chapter is divided into two sections.
Section A provided a brief introduction about aldol addition to 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and described a simple and effective multicomponent regioselective one pot aldol addition/protection reaction of β-ketoesters to a series of aldehydes in the presence of Me3SiCl and i-Pr2EtN. The analysis of the scope and application of reaction revealed a dramatic dependence of the reactivity on the used substrates.
Section B described a simple and general access to a series of new phthalimidines derivatives, (mentioned in Section A) in the presence of tertiary amines under very mild conditions exploiting the aldol addition of readily enolizable 1,3 dicarbonyl compounds to 2-cyanobenzaldehyde. Recently, it has been recognized that 3-substituted isoindolinones possess a variety of biological activity, consequently, considerable effort has been devoted to the synthesis of this nitrogen heterocycle, which also act as useful synthetic building blocks and intermediates in organic synthesis.
The obtained 3-substituted isoindolinones were preliminary tested on two different virus strains (HCV and CHIKV virus) to evaluate potential activity on the virus replication, but unfortunately it was found that all compounds were not active. However further studies are desirable focusing on activities like hypnothic, anti-schizophrenia etc, for which isoindolinone moiety also shows important applications. [edited by author]X n.s
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Identifying idiolect in forensic authorship attribution: an n-gram textbite approach
No full textForensic authorship attribution is concerned with identifying authors of disputed or anonymous documents, which are potentially evidential in legal cases, through the analysis of linguistic clues left behind by writers. The forensic linguist “approaches this problem of questioned authorship from the theoretical position that every native speaker has their own distinct and individual version of the language [. . . ], their own idiolect” (Coulthard, 2004: 31). However, given the diXculty in empirically substantiating a theory of idiolect, there is growing concern in the Veld that it remains too abstract to be of practical use (Kredens, 2002; Grant, 2010; Turell, 2010). Stylistic, corpus, and computational approaches to text, however, are able to identify repeated collocational patterns, or n-grams, two to six word chunks of language, similar to the popular notion of soundbites: small segments of no more than a few seconds of speech that journalists are able to recognise as having news value and which characterise the important moments of talk. The soundbite oUers an intriguing parallel for authorship attribution studies, with the following question arising: looking at any set of texts by any author, is it possible to identify ‘n-gram textbites’, small textual segments that characterise that author’s writing, providing DNA-like chunks of identifying material
Ratio of n-6/n-3 in the diets of beef cattle
No full textEffects of feeding heat-treated canola (C), soybean (S) and flax (F) or mixtures on growth and slaughter characteristics, taste and fatty acid (FA) composition of beef tissue were investigated using 128 crossbred steers to determine the potential of improving the nutritional quality of beef for humans. For Trial 1 (48 steers), dietary treatments were: roasted C, extruded C, roasted S, extruded S, roasted F and extruded F. For Trial 2 (80 steers), the dietary treatments were: S:F (1:1), S:C (1:1), C:F (1:1) and S:F:C (1:1:1), and the oilseeds were processed either by roasting or extruding before mixing. Soybean meal and soybean oil were used to give equivalent lipid and protein contents to each experimental diet. The basal diet consisted of grass silage, barley grain, vitamins and minerals. Steers were fed for a minimum of 100d then slaughtered at a uniform degree of finish. Growth and slaughter characteristics of the steers were only slightly affected by dietary treatment in that the soybean-fed steers consumed more feed and had a higher average daily gain than the canola or flax-fed animals in Trial 1. There was no difference in taste panel parameters for any of the treatments. Inclusion of flax in the diet increased the total n-3 content of meat. Similar results were found for canola and C18:1n-9 although this was not the case for soybean and the n-6 FA. For the n-6 FA in the PL and neutral lipid fractions of the meat samples, levels were correlated with high dietary levels of n-6 or n-9 with low levels of n-3 while for the n-3 FA, levels were correlated with high dietary n-3 levels and low n-6 levels. Oilseed processing method did not have an effect on any fatty acid levels. It is possible to modify the FA composition of beef meat toward a healthier profile by including heat-treated oilseeds in the diet to influence the degree of lipid metabolism in the rumen.ID: S0377840111004007; M3: Article; Accession Number: S0377840111004007; Author: M.A. McNiven (a, ⁎); Author: J.L. Duynisveld (b); Author: T. Turner (a); Author: A.W. Mitchell (a); Affiliation: Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of PEI, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada C1A 4P3; Affiliation: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Nappan, NS, Canada B0L 1C0; Keyword: Oilseeds; Keyword: Roasted; Keyword: Extruded; Keyword: Fatty acids; Keyword: Healthy fat; Number of Pages: 11; Language: English
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