Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning When to Listen: Detecting System-Addressed Speech in Human-Human-Computer Dialog

New challenges arise for addressee detection when multiple people interact jointly with a spoken dialog system using unconstrained natural language. We study the problem of discriminating computer-directed from human-directed speech in a new corpus of human-human-computer (H-H-C) dialog, using lexical and prosodic features. The prosodic features use no word, context, or speaker information. Results with 19% WER speech recognition show improvements from lexical features (EER=23.1%) to prosodic features (EER=12.6%) to a combined model (EER=11.1%). Prosodic features also provide a 35% error reduction over a lexical model using true words (EER from 10.2% to 6.7%). Modeling energy contours with GMMs provides a particularly good prosodic model. While lexical models perform well for commands, they confuse free-form system-directed speech with human-human speech. Prosodic models dramatically reduce these confusions, implying that users change speaking style as they shift addressees (computer versus human) within a session. Overall results provide strong support for combining simple acoustic-prosodic models with lexical models to detect speaking style differences for this task.
Cultural mosaic beliefs as a new measure of the psychological climate for diversity

This article introduces the concept of cultural mosaic beliefs (CMBs) as a component of effective multicultural work groups. Building on theories of group diversity and self-verification, and responding to calls to understand moderators that explain the impact of group diversity on performance outcomes, we conceptualize CMBs as a psychological climate that individual group members perceive to promote the recognition, acceptance and expression, and utilization of cultural diversity (values, traditions, and practices) in their work. We also propose that CMBs might attenuate conflict that can sometimes characterize culturally diverse work groups distinguishing groups that falter from those that flourish and benefit from the informational and other potential advantages associated with their diverse cultural composition. In a series of five studies (N = 1119), we develop a 17-item CMB scale comprised of three factors: perceived group diversity, cultural acceptance and expression, and culture utilization. We present evidence of convergent and discriminant validity, showing that the CMB scale is related to but distinct from other measures of diversity. We also demonstrate predictive validity, showing that the CMB scale is related to work group members’ identification with the group, commitment to the group, satisfaction with the group, and learning from the group. We conclude by proposing applications of our CMBs concept and measure to multicultural workplaces and offer future directions for research on cultural diversity, specifically the study of group CMBs as a moderator of cultural diversity’s effects on groups.
Interaction of Canard and Singular Hopf Mechanisms in a Neural Model

We consider an ordinary differential equation model for neural competition, presented previously in the study of binocular rivalry, which features two adapting populations of neurons interacting through mutual inhibition. This model is known to exhibit a variety of dynamic regimes, including mixed-mode oscillations (MMOs) featuring alternating small- and large amplitude oscillations, depending on the value of an input parameter. In this work, we use geometric dynamical systems techniques to study the structure of the model in the singular limit as well as the emergence of MMOs in the perturbed system. In particular, exploiting a normal form calculation allows us to numerically compute a way-in/way-out function, which we use to elucidate the interaction of canard and singular Hopf mechanisms for small amplitude oscillations that occur as the input parameter approaches a critical value.
PEP and TasP Awareness among Italian MSM, PLWHA, and High-Risk Heterosexuals and Demographic, Behavioral, and Social Correlates

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) has been proposed as a strategy to prevent the acquisition of HIV infection after certain high-risk exposures, and treatment as prevention (TasP) is also being advocated as a means to reduce sexual transmission of HIV. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of PEP and TasP awareness and their demographic, behavioral, and social correlates in Italy. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1,028 high-risk heterosexual men and women, 1,874 non-HIV positive MSM (men who have sex with men), and 694 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The majority of the participants was aware of PEP and unaware of TasP. MSM were less knowledgeable about PEP and TasP than were PLWHA and more knowledgeable about PEP and TasP than were high-risk heterosexual participants. The variables most consistently associated with PEP and TasP awareness were contact with HIV/AIDS organizations, HIV testing, and HIV stigma. A positive relationship between unprotected sexual intercourse and PEP and TasP awareness was found among high risk heterosexual participants, while this association was not significant among MSM and PLWHA. Because PEP and TasP are currently recommended, effective educational and dissemination strategies are needed to increase the level of knowledge about PEP and TasP.
Rigidity in the harmonic map heat flow

We establish various uniformity properties of the harmonic map heat ow, including uniform convergence in L 2 exponentially as t ! 1, and uniqueness of the positions of bubbles at innnite time. Our hypotheses are that the ow is between 2-spheres, and that the limit map and any bubbles share the same orientation.
Can Social Media Aid Software Development

Information technology professionals have been developing systems for over 50 years. Despite this wealth of experience, numerous problems continue to face software developers on the road to a successful implementation. In this paper, the authors examine how the use of social media systems and technologies could aid in the successful implementation of information systems. This is done by reviewing the systems development literature to identify the success factor addressing common problems that face software development teams, and on the use of social media. Then, the paper examines the social media systems that are available and shows how these social media systems could be used to alleviate the problems faced by software developers.
Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Is Required for Glycoprotein 130-mediated Induction of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Cardiac Myocytes*

Activation of glycoprotein (gp) 130 transduces hypertrophic and cytoprotective signals in cardiac myocytes. In the present study, we have demonstrated that signals through gp130 increase the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cardiac myocytes via the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 pathway. After activation of gp130 with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), expression of VEGF mRNA rapidly increased with a peak at 3 h in cultured cardiac myocytes. Cardiotrophin-1 also enhanced VEGF mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner. VEGF protein production and secretion to the medium were also enhanced by LIF and cardiotrophin-1 but not by interleukin-6. Adenovirus transfer of the dominant-negative form of STAT3 to cultured cardiac myocytes inhibited induction of VEGF expression induced by LIF, but neither PD98059 nor wortmannin was affected. In murine hearts, intravenous administration of LIF augmented expression of VEGF mRNA; however, the hearts of transgenic mice overexpressing dominant-negative STAT3 showed reduced expression of VEGF mRNA that was not induced after LIF stimulation. These data provide the first evidence that a STAT family protein functions as a regulator of angiogenic growth factors and suggest that gp130/STAT signaling in cardiac myocytes can control vessel growth during cardiac remodeling.
Predictors of subgroups based on maximum drinks per occasion over six years for 833 adolescents and young adults in COGA.

OBJECTIVE A person's pattern of heavier drinking often changes over time, especially during the early drinking years, and reflects complex relationships among a wide range of characteristics. Optimal understanding of the predictors of drinking during times of change might come from studies of trajectories of alcohol intake rather than cross-sectional evaluations. METHOD The patterns of maximum drinks per occasion were evaluated every 2 years between the average ages of 18 and 24 years for 833 subjects from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism. Latent class growth analysis identified latent classes for the trajectories of maximum drinks, and then logistic regression analyses highlighted variables that best predicted class membership. RESULTS Four latent classes were found, including Class 1 (69%), with about 5 maximum drinks per occasion across time; Class 2 (15%), with about 9 drinks at baseline that increased to 18 across time; Class 3 (10%), who began with a maximum of 18 drinks per occasion but decreased to 9 over time; and Class 4 (6%), with a maximum of about 22 drinks across time. The most consistent predictors of higher drinking classes were female sex, a low baseline level of response to alcohol, externalizing characteristics, prior alcohol and tobacco use, and heavier drinking peers. CONCLUSIONS Four trajectory classes were observed and were best predicted by a combination of items that reflected demography, substance use, level of response and externalizing phenotypes, and baseline environment and attitudes.
Polynomial-complexity maximum-likelihood block noncoherent MPSK detection

In wireless channels, maximum-likelihood (ML) block noncoherent detection offers significant gains over conventional symbol- by-symbol detection when the fading channel coefficients are not available and cannot be estimated at the receiver. Certainly, in general the complexity of the block detector grows exponentially with the symbol sequence length. However, it has been recently shown that for M-ary phase-shift keying (MPSK) modulation block noncoherent detection can be performed with polynomial complexity. In this work, we develop a new ML block noncoherent detector for MPSK transmission of arbitrary order and multiple-antenna reception. The proposed algorithm introduces auxiliary spherical variables and constructs with polynomial complexity a polynomial- size set which includes the ML data sequence. It is shown that the complexity of the proposed algorithm is polynomial in the sequence length and at least one order of magnitude lower than the complexity of computational-geometry based noncoherent detection algorithms that have been developed recently.
The Power in Your Hand: Gender Differences in Bodily Feedback From Making a Fist

Men and women differ in the meaning they attribute to physical coercion and bodily force. Men associate bodily force with gaining power, whereas women associate bodily force with expressing loss of power. It is hypothesized that because of these associations, performing bodily forceful behavior feeds back on appraisals of one’s power and that bodily feedback effects will mirror the gender differences in associations. Supporting these hypotheses, it was found that unobtrusively inducing behavior related to bodily force (making a fist) activated the concept of power in a Stroop task for both genders but that it increased hope for power and positive judgments of an assertively acting target for men, whereas it decreased hope for power and led to negative judgments of an assertively acting target for women.
Using subjective and objective measures to predict level of reading fluency at the end of first grade

This study compared reading rate to reading fluency (as measured by a rating scale). After listening to first graders read short passages, we assigned an overall fluency rating (low, average, or high) to each reading. We then used predictive discriminant analyses to determine which of five measures—accuracy, rate (objective); accuracy, phrasing, pace (subjective)—would best predict our fluency ratings. The objective measure of rate and the subjective measure of phrasing were clearly the best predictors, classifying approximately 90% of the cases correctly. The results support the use of reading rate as a proxy for reading fluency in first grade.
"Publish or Perish" in the Internet Age: a study of publication statistics in computer networking research

This study takes papers from a selected set of computer networking conferences and journals spanning the past twenty years (1989-2008) to produce various statistics to show how our community publishes papers, and how this process is changing over the years. We observe the rapid growth in the rate of publications, venues, citations, authors, and number of co-authors. We explain how these quantities are related, in particular explore how they are related over time and the reasons behind the changes. The widely accepted model to explain the power law distribution of paper citations is "preferential attachment". We propose an extension and refinement that suggests "elapsed time" is also a factor to determine which papers get cited. We try to compare the selected venues based on citation count, and discuss how we might think about these comparisons, in terms of the roles played by different venues, and the ability to predict impact by venues, and citation counts. The treatment of these issues is general and can be applied to study publication patterns in other research communities. The larger goal of this study is to generate discussion about our publication system, and work towards a vision to transform our publication system for better scalability and effectiveness.
Functional Characterization and In Silico Docking of Full and Partial GluK2 Kainate Receptor Agonists

Two structural models have been developed to explain how agonist binding leads to ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) activation. At α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) iGluRs, full and partial agonists close the agonist-binding domain (ABD) to different degrees whereas agonist-induced domain closure is apparently fixed at N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. Although kainate (KA) iGluRs are thought to behave like AMPA receptors, the issue has not been formally tested because of the paucity of available receptor agonists. Here we identify a series of structurally related full and partial agonists at GluK2 (formerly GluR6) KARs and predict their docking mode using the in silico ligand-docking program FITTED. As expected, the neurotransmitter l-Glu behaved as a full agonist but modest reduction (e.g., l-serine or l-aspartate) or elongation (e.g., l-α-aminoadipate) in chain length generated weak partial agonists. It is noteworthy that in silico ligand-docking predicted that most partial agonists select for the closed and not, as expected, the open or intermediate conformations of the GluK2 ABD. Experiments using concanavalin-A to directly report conformations in the intact GluK2 receptor support this prediction with the full agonist, l-Glu, indistinguishable in this regard from weak partial agonists, d- and l-Asp. Exceptions to this were KA and domoate, which failed to elicit full closure as a result of steric hindrance by a key tyrosine residue. Our data suggest that alternative structural models need to be considered to describe agonist behavior at KARs. Finally, our study identifies the responsiveness to several neurotransmitter candidates establishing the possibility that endogenous amino acids other than l-Glu may regulate native KARs at central synapses.
Return on Quality (ROQ): Making Service Quality Financially Accountable

Many companies have been disappointed by a lack of results from their quality efforts. The financial benefits of quality, which had been assumed as a matter of faith in the “religion of quality,” are now being seriously questioned by cost-cutting executives, who cite the highly publicized financial failures of some companies prominent in the quality movement. In this increasingly results-oriented environment, managers must now justify their quality improvement efforts financially. The authors present the “return on quality” approach, which is based on the assumptions that (1) quality is an investment, (2) quality efforts must be financially accountable, (3) it is possible to spend too much on quality, and (4) not all quality expenditures are equally valid. The authors then provide a managerial framework that can be used to guide quality improvement efforts. This framework has several attractive features, including ensured managerial relevance and financial accountability.
Combiner Analyse du Cycle de Vie et modèles économiques pour l'évaluation ex-ante d'instruments de politiques publiques - Application au secteur laitier français

L’Analyse du Cycle de Vie (ACV) est une methode d’evaluation multicritere des impacts environnementaux des biens et services. A ces debuts, l’ACV, dite Attributionnelle (ACVA), s’est attachee a analyser les impacts environnementaux dans des situations statiques pour la realisation d’etudes comparatives, la communication environnementale et le developpement de produits. De recents developpements methodologiques ont vu l’emergence de l’ACV Consequentielle (ACVC) qui vise a quantifier les impacts directs et indirects de changements, via les mecanismes de marches, permettant ainsi l’evaluation de politiques publiques. Cette these vise a proposer un cadre methodologique pour l’evaluation d’instruments de politiques publiques dans le secteur de l’elevage laitier en combinant ACV et modeles economiquesElle s’articule autour de trois axes : i) identification et caracterisation des performances environnementale de technologies de production laitieres par ACVA ; ii) adaptation du modele economique MATSIM-LUCA pour les besoins de la these ; iii) evaluation par ACVC des impacts environnementaux de la suppression des quotas laitiers et de l’introduction d’une prime a l’herbe en Europe. Les travaux realises fournissent : i) une premiere proposition methodologique pour l’evaluation d’instruments de politiques publiques par ACVC dans le secteur de l’elevage et ii) plusieurs pistes d’amelioration necessaires pour rendre la methode operationnelle pour les decideurs publics.
Professional development design considerations in climate change education: teacher enactment and student learning

ABSTRACT Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing society, and climate change educational models are emerging in response. This study investigates the implementation and enactment of a climate change professional development (PD) model for science educators and its impact on student learning. Using an intrinsic case study methodology, we focused analytic attention on how one teacher made particular pedagogical and content decisions, and the implications for student’s conceptual learning. Using anthropological theories of conceptual travel, we traced salient ideas through instructional delivery and into student reasoning. Analysis showed that students gained an increased understanding of the enhanced greenhouse effect and the implications of human activity on this enhanced effect at statistically significant levels and with moderate effect sizes. However, students demonstrated a limited, though non-significant gain on the likely effects of climate change. Student reasoning on the tangible actions to deal with these problems also remained underdeveloped, reflecting omissions in both PD and teacher enactment. We discuss implications for the emerging field of climate change education.
Learning to Cross Boundaries in Online Knowledge Communities: Fading of Surface-level and Rise of Deep-level Similarity with Experience

Many organizations have launched online knowledge forums to promote knowledge flow across boundaries. This paper theorizes and empirically tests whether employees transfer knowledge within or across boundaries and how the tendencies change as a function of a knowledge provider’s experience in an online forum. We suggest that participants prefer to transfer knowledge to others with whom they share common ground and use joint characteristics with their communicating partners to assess the level of common ground. In particular, we propose that both surface-level (location and status) and deep-level (expertise) similarities of a dyad drive knowledge transfer. Further we propose that a knowledge provider’s cumulative knowledge-sharing experience in an online forum moderates the relative effects of surface-level and deep-level similarities on knowledge transfer. Using panel data at an online knowledge forum of a large IT consulting firm, we find that similarity breeds connection in online forums. Additionally, we find that the effect of deep-level similarity on knowledge transfer increases whereas the effect of surface-level similarity decreases with knowledge providers’ experience. That is, as participants gain experience, they provide knowledge less frequently to others at the same location and in the same status and more frequently to others with similar expertise.
Bardeen-Petterson Effect and the Disk Structure of the Seyfert Galaxy NGC 1068

VLBA high spatial resolution observations of the disk structure of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) NGC 1068 have recently revealed that the kinematics and geometry of this AGN is well characterized by an outer disk of H2O maser emission having a compact milliarcsecond- (parsec-) scale structure, which is encircling a thin rotating inner disk surrounding a ~107 M☉ compact mass, likely a black hole. A curious feature in this source is the occurrence of a misalignment between the inner and outer parts of the disk, with the galaxy's radio jet being orthogonal to the inner disk. We interpret this peculiar configuration as due to the Bardeen-Petterson effect, a general relativistic effect that warps an initially inclined (to the black hole equator) viscous disk and drives the angular momentum vector of its inner part into alignment with the rotating black hole spin. We estimate the timescale for both angular momenta to get aligned as a function of the spin parameter of the Kerr black hole. We also reproduce the shape of the parsec- and kiloparsec-scale jets, assuming a model in which the jet is precessing with a period and aperture angle that decrease exponentially with time, as expected from the Bardeen-Petterson effect.
Connections in Poisson geometry. I. Holonomy and invariants

We discuss contravariant connections on Poisson manifolds. For vector bun­ dles, the corresponding operational notion of a contravariant derivative had been introduced by I. Vaisman. We show that these connections play an important role in the study of global properties of Poisson manifolds and we use them to define Poisson holonomy and new invariants of Poisson manifolds.
A frequency domain empirical likelihood for short- and long-range dependence

This paper introduces a version of empirical likelihood based on the periodogram and spectral estimating equations. This formulation handles dependent data through a data transformation (i.e., a Fourier transform) and is developed in terms of the spectral distribution rather than a time domain probability distribution. The asymptotic properties of frequency domain empirical likelihood are studied for linear time processes exhibiting both short- and long-range dependence. The method results in likelihood ratios which can be used to build nonparametric, asymptotically correct confidence regions for a class of normalized (or ratio) spectral parameters, including autocorrelations. Maximum empirical likelihood estimators are possible, as well as tests of spectral moment conditions. The methodology can be applied to several inference problems such as Whittle estimation and goodness-of-fit testing.