Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of auditory vection speed and directional congruence on perceptions of visual vection

EFFECTS OF AUDITORY VECTION SPEED AND DIRECTIONAL CONGRUENCE ON PERCEPTIONS OF VISUAL VECTION Isabella Alexis Gagliano Old Dominion University, 2016 Director: Dr. J. Christopher Brill Spatial disorientation is a major contributor to aircraft mishaps. One potential contributing factor is vection, an illusion of self-motion. Although vection is commonly thought of as a visual illusion, it can also be produced through audition. The purpose of the current experiment was to explore interactions between conflicting visual and auditory vection cues, specifically with regard to the speed and direction of rotation. The ultimate goal was to explore the extent to which aural vection could diminish or enhance the perception of visual vection. The study used a 3 × 2 within-groups factorial design. Participants were exposed to three levels of aural rotation velocity (slower, matched, and faster, relative to visual rotation speed) and two levels of aural rotational congruence (congruent or incongruent rotation) including two control conditions (visual and aural-only). Dependent measures included vection onset time, vection direction judgements, subjective vection strength ratings, vection speed ratings, and horizontal nystagmus frequency. Subjective responses to motion were assessed pre and post treatment, and oculomotor responses were assessed before, during, and following exposure to circular vection. The results revealed a significant effect of stimulus condition on vection strength. Specifically, directionally-congruent aural-visual vection resulted in significantly stronger vection than visual and aural vection alone. Perceptions of directionally-congruent aural-visual vection were slightly stronger vection than directionally-incongruent aural-visual vection, but not significantly so. No significant effects of aural rotation velocity on vection strength were observed. The results suggest directionally-incongruent aural vection could be used as a countermeasure for visual vection and directionally-congruent aural vection could be used to improve vection in virtual environments, provided further research is done.
The Virtual Teacher

This paper introduces the virtual teacher, a device or agent that supplements an environment in order to facilitate acquisition by a human user of a manual skill. Like the virtual fixture, a virtual teacher generally acts as an aide or facilitator to task execution, but unlike the virtual fixture, the virtual teacher is present only during training periods. During eventual task performance the teacher is absent. The virtual teacher’s objective, implicitly understood by the user, is to promote independent mastery over the task. We review and organize common paradigms for the teaching of manual skills in real-world settings and use these as inspiration for the design of virtual teachers. In particular, we are interested in the ways in which a teacher, real or virtual, can demonstrate a strategy or impart a ‘feel’ for a task by guiding movement of the pupil’s hand. A pilot study involving 24 participants was used to test the virtual teacher concept with a simulated crane moving task. The present virtual teacher implementation did not significantly improve learning curves. However, further performance interpretations indicate that the lack of positive effect can be remedied with modifications to the virtual teacher that address component skills and ensure suitability to various initial skill levels.
PSO based location and parameter setting of advance SVC controller with comparison to GA in mitigating small signal oscillations

This paper aims to select the optimal location and setting parameters of Static VAR Compensator (SVC) controller using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Genetic Algorithm (GA) to mitigate small signal oscillations in a multimachine power system. Though Power System Stabilizers (PSSs) are prime choice in this issue, its performance gets affected by changes in network configurations, load variations etc. Hence installation of FACTS device, SVC has been suggested here in order to achieve appreciable damping of oscillations. However, performance of any FACTS devices highly depends upon its parameters and suitable location in the power network. In this paper PSO as well as GA based techniques are used to investigate this problem. An attempt has also been made to compare the performance of the PSO based SVC controller with its GA based design. The validity of the proposed techniques is simulated in a multimachine system following two common disturbances. It has been revealed that the PSO based SVC controller is more effective than GA based controller even during critical loading condition.
Creating a Motivating Classroom

The purpose of this study was to investigate the motivational factors that lead to academic success for students with and without learning disabilities (LD) in high school inclusive content-area classrooms. Ninety-one students in regular education and 59 students with learning disabilities in grades nine through twelve were surveyed and responded to six open-ended questions to examine their attitudes and perceptions about factors that are motivating in school. Both qualitative and quantitative measures were used to analyze the data. Results indicated students with and without disabilities have common perceptions about motivational aspects in school, however, students with LD were perceived to more be extrinsically motivated by their teachers and more intrinsically motivated by their parents, while their counterparts without disabilities were found to be more intrinsic in motivational orientation. Finally, limitations of the study, implications for classroom instruction, and future research questions are discussed.
Ieee Transactions on Mobile Computing 1 a Maximum-residual Multicast Protocol for Large-scale Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

—Routing problems have become highly challenging because of the popularity of mobile devices. This paper targets power-aware routing when network topologies and data traffic may change quickly in an unpredictable way. We propose a distributed algorithm and its realization to maximize the minimum residual energy of all the nodes for each multicast, where no global information is assumed to be efficiently maintained at any node. A transient multicast tree is established on demand and derived based on the autonomous decisions of intermediate nodes. We prove that the derived tree is loop-free and theoretically optimal in the maximization of minimum residual energy. The performance of the proposed protocol was evaluated over NS2 with a series of simulations, for which we have very encouraging results.
Government Institutions and Citizen Participation: Can Charter Schools Build A Foundation for Cooperative Behavior? Abstract A recurrent theme in political science links the structure and performance of public policies and institutions to citizen attitudes toward government and their willingness to 

A recurrent theme in political science links the structure and performance of public policies and institutions to citizen attitudes toward government and their willingness to participate in politics and the policy process. In this paper we explore the ability of government to affect these fundamental aspects of citizenship through institutional design. Specifically, we examine how charter schools—currently among the most popular forms of school reform in the nation—affect parent attitudes toward and involvement with schools and politics more broadly. Using survey data collected in Washington, D.C., a city with an extensive system of charter schools, we find that, compared to parents in traditional public schools, charter school parents have attitudes commonly thought to be the foundations of civic participation and social capital. We then estimate a system of equations that model the complex “virtuous circle” of community-building attitudes and behavior. We find empirical evidence of a link between school-centered attitudes and broader civic attitudes and behavior.
Purkinje Cell Expression of a Mutant Allele of SCA1in Transgenic Mice Leads to Disparate Effects on Motor Behaviors, Followed by a Progressive Cerebellar Dysfunction and Histological Alterations

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) is an autosomal dominant neurological disorder caused by the expansion of a CAG repeat encoding a polyglutamine tract. Work presented here describes the behavioral and neuropathological course seen in mutant SCA1 transgenic mice. Behavioral tests indicate that at 5 weeks of age mutant mice have an impaired performance on the rotating rod in the absence of deficits in balance and coordination. In contrast, these mutantSCA1 mice have an increased initial exploratory behavior. Thus, expression of the mutant SCA1 allele within cerebellar Purkinje cells has divergent effects on the motor behavior of juvenile animals: a compromise of rotating rod performance and a simultaneous enhancement of initial exploratory activity. With age, these animals develop incoordination with concomitant progressive Purkinje neuron dendritic and somatic atrophy but relatively little cell loss. Therefore, the eventual development of ataxia caused by the expression of a mutant SCA1 allele is not the result of cell death per se, but the result of cellular dysfunction and morphological alterations that occur before neuronal demise.
Thiazolidinedione-Induced Fluid Retention: Recent Insights into the Molecular Mechanisms

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) agonists such as rosiglitazone and pioglitazone are used to improve insulin sensitivity in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, thiazolidinediones induce fluid retention, edema, and sometimes precipitate or exacerbate heart failure in a subset of patients. The mechanism through which thiazolidinediones induce fluid retention is controversial. Most studies suggest that this effect results from the increase in tubular sodium and water reabsorption in the kidney, but the role of specific nephron segments and sodium carriers involved is less clear. Some studies suggested that PPARγ agonist stimulates Na+ reabsorption in the collecting duct by activating epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC), either directly or through serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase-1 (SGK-1). However, other studies did not confirm this mechanism and even report the suppression of ENaC. Alternative mechanisms in the collecting duct include stimulation of non-ENaC sodium channel or inhibition of chloride secretion to the tubular lumen. In addition, thiazolidinediones may augment sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubule by stimulating the expression and activity of apical Na+/H+ exchanger-3 and basolateral Na+-HCO3 − cotransporter as well as of Na+,K+-ATPase. These effects are mediated by PPARγ-induced nongenomic transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor and downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK).
Host attachment, invasion, and stimulation of proinflammatory cytokines by Campylobacter concisus and other non-Campylobacter jejuni Campylobacter species.

BACKGROUND Campylobacter concisus and other non-Campylobacter jejuni Campylobacter species have been implicated in the initiation of gastrointestinal diseases. In the present study, we investigated the interaction between these bacteria and the human intestinal epithelium and immune cells. METHODS The ability of C. concisus, Campylobacter showae, Campylobacter hominis, and Bacteroides ureolyticus to invade epithelial cells was examined using scanning electron microscopy and gentamicin protection assays. Proinflammatory cytokines generated by epithelial and immune cells in response to these bacteria were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Ussing Chamber, immunofluorescent stain, and Western blot were used to further elucidate the impact of C. concisus on intestinal barrier integrity and functions. RESULTS Attachment of non-C. jejuni Campylobacter species to Caco-2 or HT-29 cells was mediated by flagellum-dependent and/or -independent processes. C. concisus was able to invade Caco-2 cells, generate a membrane-ruffling effect on the epithelial surface on entry, and damage epithelial barrier functions by preferential attachment to the cell-cell junctions. Proinflammatory cytokine profiles exhibited by epithelial cells, monocytes, and macrophages in response to C. concisus and other non-C. jejuni Campylobacter species were species and strain specific. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that C. concisus and other non-C. jejuni Campylobacter species may play a role in initiating gastrointestinal diseases.
13 Modeling Feature Selectivity in Local Cortical Circuits

Neuronal representations of the external world are often based on the selectivity of the responses of individual neurons to external features. For example, many neurons in visual cortex respond preferentially to visual stimuli that have a specific orientation (Hube1 and Wiesel 1959), spatial frequency (Campbell et al. 1969), color (Hube1 and Wiesel 1968), velocity and direction of motion (Orban 1984). In motor systems, neuronal activities are tuned to parameters of a planned action such as the direction of an arm reaching movement (Georgopoulos, Taira, and Lukashin 1993), or the direction of a saccadic eye movement (for a review, see Sparks and Mays 1990). It is often assumed that the primary mechanism underlying the response properties of a neuron resides in the transformations of sensory signals by feedforward filtering along afferent pathways (e.g., Hubel and Wiese11962). Although, in some cases, the feedforward model is consistent with our understanding of the nature of afferent inputs (Reid and Alonso 1995;, Chapman, Zahs, and Stryker 1991), in others, particularly in motor areas, the relation between afferent inputs and cortical neuronal response properties 'is not obvious. Moreover, neurons in cortex, even in the input stages of primary sensory areas, receive most of their excitatory inputs from cortical sources rather than from afferent thalamic nuclei These facts and other experimental and theoretical considerations suggest that local cortical circuits may play an impor'-tant role is shaping neuronal responses in cortex. , In this chapter we review the theoretical study of the function of local networks in cortex in relation to feature selectivity. By "local network" we mean an ensemble of neurons that respond to the same patch of the external world and are interconnected by recurrent synaptic connections. Typically, a local network sp.ans roughly 1mm2 of cortical surface and is assumed to consist of subgroups of neurons each of which is tuned to a particular feature of an external stimulus. These subgroups will be called "feature columns" and the whole network a "hypercolumn," in analogy with. the "ice cube" model of primary visual cortex (Hubel 1988; for a review of local cortical circuitry, see Martin 1988; Gilbert 1992; Abeles 1991). The complexity of neuronal dynamics and circuitry in cortex precludes systematic investigation of t4e properties of realistic large-scale neuronal models of local cor
Language-learning holidays: what motivates people to learn a minority language?

ABSTRACT In this article, we examine the experiences of 18 Galician language learners who participated in what Garland [(2008). The minority language and the cosmopolitan speaker: Ideologies of Irish language learners (Unpublished PhD thesis). University of California, Santa Barbara] refers to as a ‘language-learning holiday’ in Galicia in north-western Spain. We examine what motivates these learners to travel abroad to study Galician and in some cases to become new speakers of this minoritised language. We explore the ideologies and practices of these students, who as edutourists [Yarymowich, (2005). ‘Language tourism’ in Canada. A mixed discourse. In F. Baider, M. Burger, & D. Goutsos (Eds.), La Communication touristique. Approches discursives de l’identité et de l’alterité (pp. 257-273). Paris: L’Harmattan], are the targets and potential consumers of cultural and linguistic commodification. We explore the ways in which students themselves commodify Galician culture and language, in their attempts to capture what they perceive as an authentic learning experience and as a means of accessing a minoritised linguistic and cultural group.
The vascular bed as the primary target in the destruction of skin grafts by antiserum. I. Resistance of freshly placed xenografts of skin to antiserum

Rat skin grafted onto immunosuppressed mice is resistant to mouse anti-rat serum during the first 7-10 d after transplantation. It gradually acquires susceptibility, reaching a peak of sensitivity at 14-16 d after grafting. The grafts remain sensitive to antiserum, though at decreasing levels for an additional 3 wk, and grafts that persist beyond that time are resistant to antiserum for as long as they survive. In the study reported here, it is shown that the initial period of resistance to antiserum is due to factors acting locally within the graft and is entirely uninfluenced by the regimen of immunosuppression or the protective dressings that are used. After administration of antiserum, deposits of the injected immunoglobulin and of endogenous C3 are found on the luminal surfaces of graft vessels, although no significant tissue damage is observed. Rat skin that has become highly sensitive to antiserum 14-16 d after transplantation loses that sensitivity if it is regrafted to a new recipient, and then regains it 8-10 d later. Thus, the resistance of freshly grafted skin to antisera is associated with the process of healing into place, a conclusion that is supported by the observation that the intracutaneous administration of antisera to rats causes intense local inflammation and necrosis. The skin is therefore sensitive just before it is removed for grafting, but temporarily loses sensitivity thereafter. Resistance to antiserum during the first 3 or 4 d after transplantation is probably attributable to the fact that at that time grafts are vascularized poorly if at all. The state of resistance extends for several days after vascularization of the graft takes place and is then only gradually lost, a phenomenon that seems to be associated with the resistance of newly formed and regenerating blood vessels to vasoactive substances. This view is in accord with and, indeed, supports the idea that the induction of vascular injury is an essential step in antisera-mediated damage to tissue grafts.
Incremental Mining of Sequential Patterns over a Stream Sliding Window

Incremental mining of sequential patterns from data streams is one of the most challenging problems in mining data streams. However, previous work of mining sequential patterns from data streams is almost focused on mining of patterns from stream of item-sequences, not stream of itemset-sequences. In this paper, we propose an efficient single-pass algorithm, called IncSPAM, to maintain the set of sequential patterns from itemset-sequence streams with a transaction-sensitive sliding window. An effective bit-sequence representation of items is used in the proposed algorithm to reduce the time and memory needed to slide the windows. Experiments show that the proposed IncSPAM algorithm is efficient for mining sequential patterns over data streams
Condition monitoring of wind turbines based on amplitude demodulation

Wind energy conversion systems (WECS) have become a focal point in the research of renewable energy sources. In order to make wind turbine reliable and competitive, it is important to reduce the operational and maintenance costs. The most efficient way to reduce it relies on condition monitoring and fault diagnostics. This paper proposes a new fault detector based on the amplitude demodulation of the three-phase stator current. Simulations show that this low-complexity method is well suited for stationary or non-stationary behavior.
Combined Intravitreal Anti-VEGF and Photodynamic Therapy versus Photodynamic Monotherapy for Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors compared to those of PDT alone in the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Methods A systematic search of Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was performed to identify all comparative studies that compared the outcomes of the two approaches. Outcomes of interest included visual outcomes, anatomic variables, and adverse events. Results Two randomised controlled trials and nine retrospective studies including a total of 543 cases were identified. At three and six months post-injection, no significant difference in visual acuity was found in the combined therapy group compared with the PDT monotherapy group, with pooled weighted mean differences (WMDs) of 0.074 (−0.021, 0.17) at three months and 0.082 (−0.013, 0.18) at six months. However, the mean changes in visual acuity at month 12 in the combined therapy group were significantly better than those in the PDT monotherapy group, with pooled WMDs of 0.11 (0.012, 0.21). Similar efficacy was found at 24 months (WMD: 0.21; 95%CI: 0.054, 0.36; P = 0.008). Patients in the combined therapy group also might benefit from reduced retinal haemorrhage (OR: 0.32; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.74; P = 0.008). Polyp regression, recurrence of PCV, central retinal thickness reduction, and pigment epithelial detachment resolution did not differ significantly between the two treatments. Conclusions Combined treatment appeared to result in better visual acuity and lower retinal haemorrhage. However, combined treatment did not affect the resolution and recurrence of lesions. Given the inherent limitations of the included studies, future well-designed RCTs are awaited to confirm and update the findings of this analysis.
Conceptualizing citizen journalism: US news editors’ views

Based on a national survey and a qualitative content analysis of US daily news editors’ understanding of citizen journalism, we identify key ideas associated with the concept of Citizen Journalism Complexity. Patterns related to those dimensions that may impact editors’ conceptions of the phenomenon at the individual and organizational levels are examined. A total of 10 core ideas emerged in the aggregate discussion, but a majority of the participants defined the concept simplistically focusing on one- or two-dimensional definitions. Arguments from journalistic professionalism (occupational roles), audience engagement/collaboration (normative values), and behavioral practices are represented. This article discusses the extent to which citizen journalism is defined and guided by demographic variables, individual journalistic experience, and organizational characteristics.
A Survey of Parallel Data Mining

With the fast, continuous increase in the number and size of databases, parallel data mining is a natural and cost-effective approach to tackle the problem of scalability in data mining. Recently there has been a considerable research on parallel data mining. However, most projects focus on the parallelization of a single kind of data mining algorithm/paradigm. This paper surveys parallel data mining with a broader perspective. More precisely, we discuss the parallelization of data mining algorithms of four knowledge discovery paradigms, namely rule induction, instance-based learning, genetic algorithms and neural networks. Using the lessons learned from this discussion, we also derive a set of heuristic principles for designing efficient parallel data mining algorithms.