Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chinese and English Probabilistic Thinking and Risk Taking in Gambling

This study investigated cultural differences in probabilistic thinking and risk taking. A View of Uncertainty Questionnaire assessed the probabilistic thinking of Chinese and English gamblers and nongamblers and a hypothetical Horse Racing Task assessed risk-taking behavior (N = 120). The Chinese exhibited significantly less probabilistic thinking and riskier gambling decisions. A path analysis found that degree of probabilistic thinking was one (but not the only) source of the observed cultural differences in risk taking.
Theoretical and experimental bases of a new method for accurate separation of harmonic and noise components of speech signals

In this paper, the problem of separating the harmonic and aperiodic (noise) components of speech signals is addressed. A new method is proposed, based on two specific processes dedicated to better take into account the non-stationarity of speech signals: first, a period-scaled synchronous analysis of spectral parameters (amplitudes and phases) is done, referring to the Fourier series expansion of the signal, as opposed here to the typically used Short-Term Fourier Transform (STFT). Second, the separation itself is based on a low-pass time-filtering of the parameters trajectory. Additionally to presenting the theoretical basis of the method, preliminary experiments on synthetic speech are provided. These experiments show that the proposed method has the potential to significantly outperform a reference method based on STFT: Signal-to-error ratio gains of 5 dB are typically obtained in the presented experiments. Conditions to go beyond the theoretical framework towards more practical applications on real speech signals are discussed.
Low cost, p-ZnO/n-Si, rectifying, nano heterojunction diode: Fabrication and electrical characterization

Summary A low cost, highly rectifying, nano heterojunction (p-ZnO/n-Si) diode was fabricated using solution-processed, p-type, ZnO nanoparticles and an n-type Si substrate. p-type ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized using a chemical synthesis route and characterized by XRD and a Hall effect measurement system. The device was fabricated by forming thin film of synthesized p-ZnO nanoparticles on an n-Si substrate using a dip coating technique. The device was then characterized by current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) measurements. The effect of UV illumination on the I–V characteristics was also explored and indicated the formation of a highly rectifying, nano heterojunction with a rectification ratio of 101 at 3 V, which increased nearly 2.5 times (232 at 3 V) under UV illumination. However, the cut-in voltage decreases from 1.5 V to 0.9 V under UV illumination. The fabricated device could be used in switches, rectifiers, clipper and clamper circuits, BJTs, MOSFETs and other electronic circuitry.
Fungal pathogens of Calotropis procera (rubber bush), with two new records from Brazil

Fungal pathogens associated with the asclepiadaceous weed Calotropis procera (rubber bush) are documented from published, as well as unpublished sources. Two new host-pathogen associations from Brazil; Phaeoramularia calotropidis and Puccinia obliqua, are recorded. The latter species infects the host systemically and induces the formation of conspicuous and damaging witches’ brooms. The rust appears to exert some control of C. procera in the more humid areas of Brazil and the biocontrol potential of this and the other listed pathogens is discussed.
Arithmetic Circuit Lower Bounds via Maximum-Rank of Partial Derivative Matrices

We introduce the polynomial coefficient matrix and identify the maximum rank of this matrix under variable substitution as a complexity measure for multivariate polynomials. We use our techniques to prove super-polynomial lower bounds against several classes of non-multilinear arithmetic circuits. In particular, we obtain the following results: —As our first main result, we prove that any homogeneous depth-3 circuit for computing the product of <i>d</i> matrices of dimension <i>n</i> × <i>n</i> requires Ω(<i>n</i><sup><i>d</i> − 1</sup>/2<sup><i>d</i></sup>) size. This improves the lower bounds in Nisan and Wigderson [1995] for <i>d</i> = ω(1). —As our second main result, we show that there is an explicit polynomial on <i>n</i> variables and degree at most <i>n</i>/2 for which any depth-3 circuit of product dimension at most <i>n</i>/10 (dimension of the space of affine forms feeding into each product gate) requires size 2<sup>Ω(<i>n</i>)</sup>. This generalizes the lower bounds against diagonal circuits proved in Saxena [2008]. Diagonal circuits are of product dimension 1. —We prove a <i>n</i><sup>Ω(log <i>n</i>)</sup> lower bound on the size of product-sparse formulas. By definition, any multilinear formula is a product-sparse formula. Thus, this result extends the known super-polynomial lower bounds on the size of multilinear formulas [Raz 2006]. —We prove a 2<sup>Ω(<i>n</i>)</sup> lower bound on the size of partitioned arithmetic branching programs. This result extends the known exponential lower bound on the size of ordered arithmetic branching programs [Jansen 2008].
The impact of training on teacher knowledge about children with an intellectual disability

The present study examines the impact of a short training session on the knowledge of teaching staff in Scotland about children with an intellectual disability. Despite the majority of participants reporting that they had a child with an intellectual disability in their classroom, the initial level of knowledge concerning intellectual disability was low. This was partly considered to be due to terminology differences that exist between the health and education sectors and a lack of training specific to the needs of children with an intellectual disability. Training was shown to significantly improve the basic knowledge needed to understand intellectual disability immediately after training and at a 1 month follow-up, suggesting that the knowledge gains would be sustained in the longer term.
Descriptive framework of injury data: a proposal based on a Japanese experience of injury database integration

This article proposes a descriptive framework for the comprehensive analysis of injury data on the basis of a Japanese experience of injury database integration during recent years. The framework combines two conceptual models of injury: an epidemiological model set forth in the World Health Organization’s Injury Surveillance Guidelines and a technical model presented in the safety-related standards of the International Organization for Standardization and International Labour Organization. The epidemiological framework composed of host, agent, vector and environment is useful for better understanding social risks in a complex society. However, injuries to consumers caused by various types of hazards are technical, microscopic processes, and their proper description requires a detailed technical framework and appropriate vocabulary, including lists of hazards, classification of products and mechanisms of injury. The proposed descriptive framework is therefore composed of five elements (host, vector, agent, environment and consequences), 30 attributes (three of which are in the Remarks section), and a set of vocabularies for the description of these attributes. The proposed framework will be useful in the data mining work needed for injury prevention at the social and technical levels. While international consensus exists for the descriptive frameworks of mortality statistics and occupational health and safety statistics, no such unanimity exists for product injury data. The proposed framework is designed to fill this gap. Although our proposal is based on Japanese experiences, the use of internationally recognized classifications and vocabularies makes the framework a worthy candidate for the integration of injury data in other countries.
Research on the treatment of phosphoric wastewater by ultrasound-assisted microelectrolysis method

In this research work, ultrasound was introduced to the microelectrolysis (ME) method to improve the treatment efficiency for phosphoric wastewater. The effects of treatment time, Fe/C ratio (v/v) and iron filings dosage on the efficiency of phosphorus removal from wastewater with different initial pH values were investigated. The results showed that the phosphorus removal efficiency by the ME method was significantly enhanced in the presence of ultrasound. The maximum removal rate of phosphorus (RRP) for the wastewater with an initial pH value of 4.0 was 92.4% after 60 min of treatment when the Fe/C and Fe/H2O volume ratio were 2/1 and 1/10, respectively. The reaction kinetics analysis indicated that the phosphorus degradation processes for the ultrasonic and ME methods as well as the ultrasonically assisted ME method (UME) were in accordance with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The synergetic effect of the combined ultrasound and ME method for phosphorus removal was also studied by reaction kinetics analysis.
Comment on F. J. Gil-White's article 'Are ethnic groups biological "species" to the human brain? Essentialism in our cognition of some social categories'

If ethnic actors represent ethnic groups as essentialized natural groups despite the fact that ethnic essences do not exist, one must understand why. The A. presents a hypothesis and evidence that humans process ethnic groups (and a few other related social categories) as if they were species because their surface similarities to species make them inputs to the living-kinds mental module that initially evolved to process species-level categories. The main similarities responsible are (i) category-based endogamy and (2) descent-based membership. Evolution encouraged this because processing ethnic groups as species - at least in the ancestral environment - solved adaptive problems having to do with interactional discriminations and behavioral prediction. Coethnics (like conspecifics) share many strongly intercorrelated properties that are not obvious on first inspection. Since interaction with out-group members is costly because of coordination failure due to different norms between ethnic groups, thinking of ethnic groups as species adaptively promotes interactional discriminations towards the in-group (including endogamy). It also promotes inductive generalizations, which allow acquisition of reliable knowledge for behavioral prediction without too much costly interaction with out-group members. The relevant cognitive-science literature is reviewed, and cognitive field-experiment and ethnographic evidence from Mongolia is advanced to support the hypothesis.
Intended Self-Presentation Tactics in Job Interviews

Intended self-presentation in job interviews was examined among university students in 10 countries (N = 3,509). The aim was to assess cross-cultural differences in the endorsement of self-presentation tactics, and whether such differences could be explained by cultural values and socioeconomic variables. The Cultural Impression Management Scale–Applicant Scale (CIM-A) was used that measures assertiveness, individual excellence, accommodation, and pointing out obstacles. Cross-cultural differences were found in endorsement of all tactics, most notably in individual excellence and pointing out obstacles. Importance assigned to self-presentation tactics was larger among individuals from cultures emphasizing embeddedness, mastery, and hierarchy, and with larger income disparities. The exception to this pattern was the American sample. Implications for personnel selection in international contexts are discussed.
Teachers' Perception of Teaching as Correlates of Students' Academic Performance in Oyo State, Nigeria

It needs to be pointed out that the role of the teacher is of paramount importance in the education system. He is the custodian of knowledge and instructor of instruction. It is often said that the standard of education can not grow beyond the level or standard of the teachers. Therefore this study examined the Teachers’ perception of teaching as correlate of students’ academic performance in Oyo state, Nigeria. The results showed that, the relationship between teachers’ perceptions and students’ performance is positive and significant that is, the perceptions of teachers have effect on students’ performance. (r = 0.372, P .05.Teachers attitudes and good behaviour has a significant effect on performance (r=0.395, P<.05) and Methods of teaching has significant effect on students performance (r= 0.591,P<.05). It was however recommended that it is necessary for the teacher as a member of his profession to be an enlightened person who possesses a thorough mastery of broad field of human knowledge, subject matter, attitudes and behaviour.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL INDICATORS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD: RELATIONS TO SECOND-GRADE READING COMPREHENSION

ABSTRACT Environmental and Developmental Indicators in Early Childhood: Relations to Second-Grade Reading Comprehension by Gina A. Cook, Doctor of Philosophy Utah State University, 2010 Major Professor: Dr. Lori A. Roggman Department: Family, Consumer, and Human Development Reading success has been linked to high school completion, future job success, and future generations of children who can read. Unfortunately, children who are unable to read on grade level by the end of first grade are at a great disadvantage and unlikely to catch up later. Without the ability to read and comprehend text, all aspects of schooling become progressively more difficult and the challenge of poor reading ability can be so difficult to overcome that many poor readers will not complete high school. For these reasons, it is important to identify early experiences in a child’s family environment that predict the early skills that are necessary for later reading and reading comprehension. The child’s family environment includes the quality of both the general home setting and specific kinds of parent-child interactions. The skills necessary for reading success include vocabulary, phonological skills, and other early literacy skills, but broader cognitive and regulatory skills may also be necessary.
Space and Time in Comparative Political Research : Pooled Time-series Cross-section Analysis and Multilevel Designs Compared

The combination of cross-section and time dimension is a central issue in current comparative political research. The state-of-the-art procedure in this context is pooled time-series cross-section analysis (PTSCS), which is en vogue in today's relevant literature but not uncontested. An interesting option are multilevel designs, which allow the combination of time and space by considering observations over time nested within country-specific contexts. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the advantages of multilevel designs in comparative political research, which mainly concern the modeling of time-invariant variables, the possible distinction between cross-sectional and time related variance in the data, and the possibility to model heterogeneity instead of just correcting it. Using the example of an analysis of public education expenditure in the 26 Swiss cantons between 1978 and 2003, it can be shown that multilevel analysis – mainly due to its statistical and conceptual advantages –is indeed a promising alternative to PTSCS.
Extended Dose Ipilimumab with a Peptide Vaccine: Immune Correlates Associated with Clinical Benefit in Patients with Resected High-Risk Stage IIIc/IV Melanoma

Purpose: To determine safety and feasibility of adjuvant ipilimumab following resection of high-risk melanoma and to identify surrogate markers for benefit. Experimental Design: In this phase II trial, 75 patients with resected stage IIIc/IV melanoma received the CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab every 6 to 8 weeks for 1 year. Eligible patients received further maintenance treatments. The first 25 patients received 3 mg/kg of ipilimumab, and an additional 50 patients received 10 mg/kg. HLA-A*0201+ patients received multipeptide immunizations in combination with ipilimumab. Leukapheresis was performed prior to and 6 months after initiation of treatment. Results: Median overall and relapse-free survivals were not reached after a median follow-up of 29.5 months. Significant immune-related adverse events were observed in 28 of 75 patients and were positively associated with longer relapse-free survival. Antigen-specific T cell responses to vaccine were variable, and vaccine combination was not associated with additional benefit. No effects on T regulatory cells were observed. Higher changes in Th-17 inducible frequency were a surrogate marker of freedom from relapse (P = 0.047), and higher baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were associated with freedom from relapse (P = 0.035). Conclusions: Adjuvant ipilimumab following resection of melanoma at high risk for relapse appeared to be associated with improved outcome compared to historical reports. Significant immune-related adverse events were generally reversible and appeared to be associated with improved relapse-free survival. Although vaccination failed to induce a consistent in vitro measurable response, a higher change in Th-17 inducible cells and higher baseline CRP levels were positively associated with freedom from relapse. Clin Cancer Res; 17(4); 896–906. ©2010 AACR.
Quantification of Inter-subject Variability in Human Brain and Its Impact on Analysis of fMRI Data

In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, inter-subject anatomical variability of the human brain has been a major challenge in finding reliable functional/anatomical correspondences. Assessment of brain-behavior relations involves a series of geometrical/statistical operations on brain images to minimize such inter-subject variability, so that group maps of brain activity relative to brain anatomy can be developed. Various methods of image registration, segmentation, and analysis have been proposed for mapping functional activity on to anatomical atlases of the brain. The two most common techniques that have been widely accepted and used by neuroimaging scientists are volume-based (VB) analysis using group registration methods and region-of-interest (ROI)-based methods using automated segmentation algorithms or macro/microanatomical probabilistic atlases for labeling. Nevertheless, the analysis results based on these techniques are significantly affected by the accuracy of the selected segmentation and/or registration methods. Furthermore, conventional fMRI data analysis techniques (VB, and ROI-based methods) mainly rely on the assumption that brain processes are common and universal among individual humans; however, besides anatomical differences, there also exist cognitive and behavioral variability among individuals due to differential engagement of brain networks even when performing an identical cognitive task. In this thesis, I have assessed the impact of anatomy-based alignment techniques (VB, and ROI-based methods) on sensitivity of fMRI data group analysis. I evaluated the effect of the type of inter-subject registration used and related factors on sensitivity of group-level fMRI data analysis. Furthermore, I have also assessed the goodness of fit of probabilistic maps by proposing an evidence-based framework for evaluation of probabilistic maps. As a test model, I have selected the human auditory cortex. Auditory cortex is an interesting yet challenging case with substantial inter-individual functional/anatomical variability. For the sake of ROI-based method of analysis, I have proposed a novel approach for automatic segmentation of Heschl's gyrus, which is the landmark for primary auditory cortex. Finally, in order to assess the impact of inter-subject variability in anatomy on functional organization, I analyze data from an fMRI study, which demonstrates that the degree to which anatomical registration compensates for functional variability depends on the brain region activated.
Examination Stress and Test Anxiety: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

This is a comparative study of the examination stress assessed either as test anxiety or in terms of its worry and emotionality components in 7,679 high school students (males and females) from four Asian (Indian, Jordanian, Chinese and Korean) and five Euro-American (Hungarian, Turkish, Indian, German and American) cultures. These comparisons have been made on the basis of data reported in the studies which used the English Test Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, 1980), or its psychometrically equivalent versions in languages of the other eight cultures. The major conclusions are: (a) There are differences with respect to the levels and patterns of test anxiety in terms of its worry and emotionality components not only within Asian or Euro-American but also among Asian and Euro-American cultures. As such, higher test anxiety is a phenomenon not peculiar to the western cultures. Such findings can be explained not only in terms of the differences in the socio-cultural premises, but also in terms of the differences in material conditions; (b) Females, across nine cultures, have higher test anxiety, worry and emotionality than their male counterparts. Greater role expectation conflict in females seems to be the major factor for such a consistent gender difference. Methodological issues relevant to such a research across cultures have also been discussed.
Host associations and seasonal occurrence of fleas from southeastern Wisconsin mammals with observations on morphologic variations.

Seventeen flea species and subspecies are reported from 17 mammal hosts mostly from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside study area, 1972. Eighteen new host records for Wisconsin are also reported. White-footed Mice, Eastern Cottontails and Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrels were exclusively parasitized by 1 flea species each. Virginia Opossums had the most varied flea population, comprising 9 species. Incidental infestation due to habitat association and/or predation was noted in many hosts. Fleas from Gray Squirrels, Eastern Chipmunks and Virginia Opossums were more abundant in the spring, with a 2nd peak for the 1st host in July. When Orchopeas h. howardii (Baker) and Megabothris acerbus (Jordan) were at peak abundance, females predominated. Male Gray Squirrels were more heavily infested than females. Reinfestation rate was higher in Gray Squirrels than in Eastern Chipmunks. Local populations of most flea species examined were observed to be highly variable in certain key diagnostic characters. These variations were possibly due to genetic variability, geographical population differences or hybridization but were not consistent enough to suggest subspeciation. A critical appraisal of each variation is included.
Effects of subducted seamounts on megathrust earthquake nucleation and rupture propagation

Subducted seamounts have been linked to interplate earthquakes, but their specific effects on earthquake mechanism remain controversial. A key question is under what conditions a subducted seamount will generate or stop megathrust earthquakes. Here we show results from numerical experiments in the framework of rate‐ and state‐dependent friction law in which a seamount is characterized as a patch of elevated effective normal stress on the thrust interface. We find that whether subducted seamounts generate or impede megathrust earthquakes depends critically on their relative locations to the earthquake nucleation zone defined by depth‐variable friction parameters. A seamount may act as a rupture barrier and such barrier effect is most prominent when the seamount sits at an intermediate range of the seamount‐to‐trench distances (20–100% of the nucleation‐zone‐to‐trench distance). Moreover, we observe that seamount‐induced barriers can turn into asperities on which megathrust earthquakes can nucleate at shallow depths and rupture the entire seismogenic zone. These results suggest that a strong barrier patch may not necessarily reduce the maximum size of earthquakes. Instead, the barrier could experience large coseismic slip when it is ruptured.