Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Video Object Co-Segmentation via Subspace Clustering and Quadratic Pseudo-Boolean Optimization in an MRF Framework

Multiple videos may share a common foreground object, for instance a family member in home videos, or a leading role in various clips of a movie or TV series. In this paper, we present a novel method for co-segmenting the common foreground object from a group of video sequences. The issue was seldom touched on in the literature. Starting from over-segmentation of each video into Temporal Superpixels (TSPs), we first propose a new subspace clustering algorithm which segments the videos into consistent spatio-temporal regions with multiple classes, such that the common foreground has consistent labels across different videos. The subspace clustering algorithm exploits the fact that across different videos the common foreground shares similar appearance features, while motions can be used to better differentiate regions within each video, making accurate extraction of object boundaries easier. We further formulate video object co-segmentation as a Markov Random Field (MRF) model which imposes the constraint of foreground model automatically computed or specified with little user effort. The Quadratic Pseudo-Boolean Optimization (QPBO) is used to generate the results. Experiments show that this video co-segmentation framework can achieve good quality foreground extraction results without user interaction for those videos with unrelated background, and with only moderate user interaction for those videos with similar background. Comparisons with previous work also show the superiority of our approach.
A STRUCTURAL VALIDITY STUDY OF STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS STATISTICS: AN INITIAL EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION (Kajian Keesahan Struktur ke atas Sikap Pelajar Terhadap Statistik: Suatu Kajian Empirikal Permulaan)

Previous studies have shown that students’ positive attitudes towards statistics are as important as good teaching and learning method in a course in statistics. Both are required for students to achieve good grade in the course. The objective of this study is to test the structural relationship of attitudes towards statistics using the Survey of Attitudes towards Statistics© or SATS© instrument among a sample of students in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The instrument comprises of six components that measure attitude i.e. affect, cognitive, value, difficulty, effort and interest. A survey was conducted among 102 first year students in the Faculty of Information Science and Technology of UKM to assess early attitudes towards statistics. The model involving six components which describe attitudes towards statistics is found to be adequate. The relationship between components is also investigated and discussed.
The Effect of an Extrinsic Incentive on Psychophysiological Measures of Mental Effort and Motivational Disposition when Task Demand is Varied

The operationalisation of user psychological state is essential for physiological computing systems. The present study investigated the sensitivity of different psychophysiological measures to task engagement in a cognitive challenge scenario. A repeated measures design manipulated working memory demand and financial incentive. Low, high and impossible levels of cognitive challenge were created by combining memory demands with required standards of performance. 20 participants completed two blocks of the task, once with a financial incentive and once without. Performance, EEG, blood pressure, ECG, respiration and pupillometry were measured during task completion along with subjective reports of motivation and effort. Results showed sensitivity to demand for all EEG measures, blood pressure and heart rate variability (0.1Hz component). Sensitivity to incentive was found for EEG lower alpha suppression, heart rate and blood pressure. No effects were found on pupillometry and respiration data. Implications for the development of a real time cognitive monitor are discussed.
The Impact of Cultural Diversity on Innovation: Evidence from Dutch Firm-Level Data

Due to the growth in international migration in recent decades, the workforce of firms in host countries has become considerably more diverse, both demographically and culturally. It is an important question for firms and for governments to ask whether there are some productivity-enhancing externalities gained from this growing diversity within firms. In recent years migration research has demonstrated positive economic impacts of cultural diversity on productivity and innovation at the regional level. However, there is a dearth of research on the links between innovation and migrant diversity at the firm level. In this paper we construct and analyse a unique linked employer-employee micro-dataset of 4582 firms, based on survey and administrative data obtained from Statistics Netherlands. Excluding firms in the hospitality industry and other industries that employ low-skilled migrants, we use the local number of restaurants with foreign cuisines and the historical presence of migrant communities as valid instruments of endogenous migrant settlement. We find that firms in which foreigners account for a relatively large share of employment are somewhat less innovative. However, there is strong evidence that firms that employ a more diverse foreign workforce are more innovative, particularly in terms of product innovations.
Mate Selection Among Married and Cohabiting Couples

This article examines comparative patterns of educational and racial assortative mating or homogamy among married and cohabiting couples and evaluates whether women and men trade in socioeconomic status and racial caste prestige. The 1990 decennial census identifies for the first time individuals in cohabiting relationships. Log-linear models of partner cross-classified data provide several conclusions. First, married and cohabiting couples are highly homogamous with respect to race and education. Second, cohabiting couples are less homogamous than married couples. Third, cohabiting women are less likely than married women to be living with partners with greater education than themselves. Fourth, racially homogamous unions tend to be educationally homogamous and vice versa. Fifth, heterogamous marriages (but not cohabitors) suggest spousal trades: high education in one spouse is associated with higher color status in another. We conclude that research can no longer ignore the qualitatively different mate selection processes of cohabiting couples.
Burden and management of chronic kidney disease in Japan: systematic review of the literature

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disorder with increasing prevalence worldwide. This systematic literature review aims to provide insights specific to Japan regarding the burden and treatment of CKD. Methods We reviewed English and Japanese language publications from the last 10 years, reporting economic, clinical, humanistic, and epidemiologic outcomes, as well as treatment patterns and guidelines on CKD in Japan. Results This review identified 85 relevant articles. The prevalence of CKD was found to have increased in Japan, attributable to multiple factors, including better survival on dialysis therapy and a growing elderly population. Risk factors for disease progression differed depending on CKD stage, with proteinuria, smoking, hypertension, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein commonly associated with progression in patients with stage 1 and 2 disease. Serum albumin levels and hemoglobin were the most sensitive variables to progression in patients with stage 3 and 5 disease, respectively. Economic data were limited. Increased costs were associated with disease progression, and with peritoneal dialysis as compared with either hemodialysis or combination therapy (hemodialysis + peritoneal dialysis) treatment options. Pharmacological treatments were found potentially to improve quality of life and result in cost savings. We found no reports of treatment patterns in patients with early-stage CKD; however, calcium channel blockers were the most commonly prescribed antihypertensive agents in hemodialysis patients. Treatment guidelines focused on anemia management related to dialysis and recommendations for peritoneal dialysis treatment and preventative measures. Few studies focused on humanistic burden in Japanese patients; Japanese patients reported greater disease burden but better physical functioning compared with US and European patients. Conclusion A dearth of evidence regarding the earlier stages of kidney disease presents an incomplete picture of CKD disease burden in Japan. Further research is needed to gain additional insight into CKD in Japan.
Diversity of acid stress resistant variants of Listeria monocytogenes and the potential role of ribosomal protein S21 encoded by rpsU

The dynamic response of microorganisms to environmental conditions depends on the behavior of individual cells within the population. Adverse environments can select for stable stress resistant subpopulations. In this study, we aimed to get more insight in the diversity within Listeria monocytogenes LO28 populations, and the genetic basis for the increased resistance of stable resistant fractions isolated after acid exposure. Phenotypic cluster analysis of 23 variants resulted in three clusters and four individual variants and revealed multiple-stress resistance, with both unique and overlapping features related to stress resistance, growth, motility, biofilm formation, and virulence indicators. A higher glutamate decarboxylase activity correlated with increased acid resistance. Whole genome sequencing revealed mutations in rpsU, encoding ribosomal protein S21 in the largest phenotypic cluster, while mutations in ctsR, which were previously shown to be responsible for increased resistance of heat and high hydrostatic pressure resistant variants, were not found in the acid resistant variants. This underlined that large population diversity exists within one L. monocytogenes strain and that different adverse conditions drive selection for different variants. The finding that acid stress selects for rpsU variants provides potential insights in the mechanisms underlying population diversity of L. monocytogenes.
The Crisis of Disengagement: A discussion on motivation change and maintenance across the primary-secondary school transition

The transition from primary to secondary education signals a process of developing and maturing physically and mentally, but this ‘rite of passage’ for some young adolescents is often associated with a drifting interest in school education. This phenomenon, caused by a decreased motivation for learning, has been observed by many relevant studies. This article adopts the psychological approach to study this long-lasting educational phenomenon while employing ‘intrinsic-extrinsic motivation theory’ and ‘goal theory’ to investigate the gap between primary and secondary schools as well as what possible pedagogies there are to maintain or stimulate the pupils’ motivation. An intrinsically motivated student acquires knowledge out of curiosity and interest, and they are willing to face the more difficult challenges that secondary education provides. As identified in the conclusion, the creation of a more integral educational system can alleviate the decrease in motivation while pupils undergo this period. A more amiable educational environment can be maintained that enhances the pupils’ self-concept, learning efficacy, and a sense of volition as well as self-determination to circumvent this transitional crisis.
Immigrant wage differentials, ethnicity and occupational segregation

Summary. We investigate occupational attainment as well as estimating earnings differentials for non‐white migrants and non‐white natives, including occupational effects. We control for the occupational selection of immigrants and compare across native and immigrant groups. Relative to white natives, we find no evidence of an ethnic pay disadvantage for white and South Asian professional workers. Although occupational segregation and other human capital and socio‐economic factors provide a partial explanation for the raw earnings differential, evidence of ethnic‐based disadvantage in most occupations persists.
Communities of Practice and Social Learning Systems

This essay argues that the success of organizations depends on their ability to design themselves as social learning systems and also to participate in broader learning systems such as an industry, a region, or a consortium. It explores the structure of these social learning systems. It proposes a social definition of learning and distinguishes between three `modes of belonging' by which we participate in social learning systems. Then it uses this framework to look at three constitutive elements of these systems: communities of practice, boundary processes among these communities, and identities as shaped by our participation in these systems.
The Incredible Years Parenting program in Ireland: A qualitative analysis of the experience of disadvantaged parents

Controlled trials demonstrate that parenting programs work, but less is known about the processes of change, contextual factors or intervention characteristics that influence trial outcomes. This qualitative study assessed the experiences of Irish parents involved in a randomized controlled trial of the Incredible Years BASIC parenting program, with a view to understanding how and why the program works, or does not work, within disadvantaged settings. Data from 33 parents of young children (aged 3–7 years) with conduct problems were collected by semi-structured interviews and analysed using constructivist grounded theory. Emerging themes indicated that parents perceived the program to have produced positive changes through learning key parenting skills (e.g. positive attention, empathy and problem-solving skills) and through enhanced parental mood/confidence, derived primarily from gaining non-judgmental support from the group. Parents also experienced cultural, personal and environmental challenges in learning the new skills, including discomfort with praise and positive attention, conflict with their partner and parenting within an antisocial environment. Parents dropped out of the course for largely circumstantial reasons. These findings should help to inform the future implementation of this well-known parenting program both in Ireland and elsewhere.
Human Neuroscience

in processing speed, however, given the important contribution of perceptual and motor function to processing speed measures (Welford, 1981; Salthouse, 2000). One pathophysiological mechanism underlying the structural changes associated with processing speed appears to be cerebral small vessel disease While the widespread pattern of cerebral small vessel disease likely affects a variety of neural systems, there is evidence that it reduces engagement of dorsolaterateral prefrontal cortex during working memory tasks (Nordahl et al., 2006) and slows processing speed (Kochunov et al., 2010). It is not clear, however , whether these frontal effects account for all the age-related anatomical changes underlie processing speed or whether there are additional networks that contribute to age-related declines in processing speed. This cross-sectional study was designed to identify putative neural networks exhibiting age-related structural changes that account for age-related changes in processing speed. Structural networks appear to share topological features with functional networks (He et al., 2007; Honey et al., 2007), due in part to underlying long and short range fi ber connections between regions (Bullmore and Sporns, 2009). As a consequence, structural and functional networks can be affected in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis (He et al., 2008, 2009). We examined the structural covariance of voxels across the brain to test the hypothesis that distinct patterns of gray matter cov-ariance would predict age-related changes in processing speed, compared to a single prefrontal network. We also examined the extent to which cerebral small vessel disease could explain the link
IL‐13 gene‐deficient mice are susceptible to cutaneous L. mexicana infection

Recent studies have demonstrated that IL‐13 mediates susceptibility to cutaneous L. major infection via IL‐4‐independent pathway. To determine whether IL‐13 also plays a similar role in pathogenesis of cutaneous L. mexicana infection, we analyzed the course of L. mexicana infection in IL‐13–/– and IL‐4/IL‐13–/– C57BL/6×129sv/Ev mice and compared with that in similarly infected wild‐type mice. IL‐13–/– mice were as susceptible as the wild‐type mice to L. mexicana and developed rapidly progressing, large non‐healing lesions following cutaneous L. mexicana infection. In contrast, similarly infected IL‐4/IL‐13–/– mice were highly resistant and developed either no lesions or small lesions containing few parasites that totally resolved by 12 weeks following infection. Throughout the course of infection IL‐13–/– and the wild‐type mice produced significantly more Th2‐associated L. mexicana antigen (LmAg)‐specific IgG1 than IL‐4/IL‐13–/– mice. All three groups produced comparable levels of Th1‐associated IgG2a. At week 12 post infection, LmAg‐stimulated spleen cells from L. mexicana‐infected IL‐4/IL‐13–/– produced significantly higher levels of IL‐12 and IFN‐γ as compared to those from similarly infected wild‐type and IL‐13–/– mice. Although both IL‐13–/– and the wild‐type spleen cells produced IL‐4 following in vitro antigenic stimulation, the wild‐type mice produced significantly more. These findings demonstrate that IL‐13 is not involved in mediating susceptibility to L. mexicana. Moreover, they also indicate that IL‐4 not IL‐13 is a dominant cytokine involved in pathogenesis of cutaneous L. mexicana infection.
Tracking Control for Hybrid Systems With State-Triggered Jumps

This paper addresses the tracking problem in which the controller should stabilize time-varying reference trajectories of hybrid systems. Despite the fact that discrete events (or jumps) in hybrid systems can often not be controlled directly, as, e.g., is the case in impacting mechanical systems, the controller should still stabilize the desired trajectory. A major complication in the analysis of this hybrid tracking problem is that, in general, the jump times of the plant do not coincide with those of the reference trajectory. Consequently, the conventional Euclidean tracking error does not converge to zero, even if trajectories converge to the reference trajectory in between jumps, and the jump times converge to those of the reference trajectory. Hence, standard control approaches can not be applied. We propose a novel definition of the tracking error that overcomes this problem and formulate Lyapunov-based conditions for the global asymptotic stability of the hybrid reference trajectory. Using these conditions, we design hysteresis-based controllers that solve the hybrid tracking problem for two exemplary systems, including the well-known bouncing ball problem.
Percieved organisational support: an African perspective

The study of perceived organizational support (POS) has received considerable attention in the literature. Despite the acknowledged impact of sociocultural values on organizational behaviors, there is paucity in non-Western work environments. The current study empirically examined supportive perceptions in an African context. Workers' demographic variables and consequences of POS were examined in light of their sociocultural values. POS were measured with the short version of Eisenberger et al.'s (1990) survey. Sociocultural values that explain the associations of demographic variables with psychological variables (e.g., job satisfaction, POS) were examined. Older workers, the married, relatively higher educated, satisfied workers, relatively long-tenured, and supervisors expressed greater supportive perceptions. Contrary to our expectation, female workers expressed greater supportive perceptions than did their male counterparts.
Understanding Technology Adoption: Theory and Future Directions for Informal Learning

How and why individuals adopt innovations has motivated a great deal of research. This article examines individuals’ computing adoption processes through the lenses of three adoption theories: Rogers’s innovation diffusion theory, the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, the Technology Acceptance Model, and the United Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Incorporating all three models, this article suggests technology adoption is a complex, inherently social, developmental process; individuals construct unique yet malleable perceptions of technology that influence their adoption decisions. Thus, successfully facilitating technology adoption must address cognitive, emotional, and contextual concerns. This article also focuses specific attention on adoption theory outside of a formal organization and the implications of adoption theory on informal environments.
From Liberty to Welfare

It is widely believed that alternative conceptions of justice are incommensurable in that no nonarbitrary reason can be given for accepting the practical requirements of any one conception ofjustice over those of any other. So we find libertarians with their ultimate political ideal of liberty endorsing the practical requirements of a minimal state, welfare liberals with their ultimate political ideal of fairness endorsing the practical requirements of a welfare state, and socialists with their ultimate political ideal of equality endorsing the practical requirements of a socialist state, and so on. Each political ideal is said to lead to different practical requirements, yet there is no nonarbitrary way to determine what practical requirements to accept. Alasdair MacIntyre seemed to champion this view in After Virtue, but even an opponent of MacIntyre like John Rawls in his recent work seems to grant that the conception of justice that he favors is rooted in a prior acceptance of modern social democratic traditions, from which many have concluded that without a prior and seemingly arbitrary acceptance of those traditions, one would not be led to endorse Rawls's conception of justice with its practical requirements of a welfare state. For a number of years now I have argued that this incommensurability thesis is mistaken and that alternative conceptions of justice in their most defensible contemporary formulations are not, in fact, incommensurable in that they can be shown to lead to the same practical requirements. ' Thus I claim that a libertarian conception ofjustice
A Social Constructionist Perspective of Teaching and Learning in Inclusive Physical Education

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine an inclusive, third grade physical education class containing a child with severe cerebral palsy and a visual impairment from a social constructionist perspective. Data were collected from four primary sources over a six-month period: interviews, observations, document review, and journals. Boyzaitis? s (1998) five-step process was utilized in the data analysis, which uncovered three primary themes: the teacher? s belief in the development of social skills for students with and without disabilities, the teacher? s use of purposeful strategies to accommodate students with disabilities, and student learning shaped by personal experience. Student and teacher experiences were interpreted within the conceptual framework of social construction as a means of describing relevant and meaningful relationships.