Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Women’s Education and Employment in Iran

Abstract Purpose This chapter demonstrates that women challenge oppressive gender relations by engaging in active agency at different levels. Iranian women’s struggles for gender equality show a critical consciousness of the politics of local male domination and an indigenous contestation of the cultural practices which sanction injustices against women. Design/methodology/approach This chapter is based on the findings and analysis of the book, Women, Power and Politics in 21st Century in Iran. It is the result of the political and personal experiences of a number of Iranian women academics, journalist and activists who live and work in Iran. Findings Based on the updated findings and new statistical data, this chapter argues that women, despite their high level of education and activism, continue to face gender inequality, in particular in the sphere of employment. Social implications This chapter is intended to counter the often inaccurate and misleading impressions put forward by the media, politicians and some academics in the West when they talk about Iranian women. Within the broader feminist theoretical positioning, the aim of this chapter is to contribute to the debate on essentialism and the stereotype of Iranian women as submissive Muslim women without agency. Originality/value Feminist knowledge production is diverse. Nonetheless, consideration of the historical and geographical locations of feminist knowledge production is vital to our understanding of the complex processes of women’s liberation. Thus, Iranian women’s voices are important to what is traditionally understood as feminism.
Assessing family history of heart disease in primary care consultations: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND Current primary prevention guidelines recommend the assessment of family history of coronary heart disease (CHD) to identify at-risk individuals. OBJECTIVE To examine how clinicians and patients understand and communicate family history in the context of CHD risk assessment in primary care. METHODS A qualitative study. Patients completed a validated family history questionnaire. Consultations with clinicians were video recorded, and semi-structured interviews conducted with patients after consultation. The participants were 21 primary care patients and seven primary care clinicians (two practice nurses, five GPs). Four practices in South West England. RESULTS Patients and clinicians usually agreed about the patient's level of risk and how to reduce it. Patients were mostly satisfied with their consultations and having their family history assessed. However, three issues were identified from the consultations which contributed to concerns and unanswered questions for patients. Problems arose when there were few modifiable risk factors to address. Firstly, patients' explanations of their family history were not explored in the consultation. Secondly, the relationship between the patient's family history and their other risk factors, such as smoking or cholesterol, was rarely discussed. Thirdly, clinicians did not explain the integration of family history into the patient's overall cardiovascular disease risk. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians appeared to lack a rhetoric to discuss family history, in terms of capturing both genetic and environmental factors and its relation to other risk factors. This created uncertainties for patients and carries potential clinical and social implications. There is a need for better guidance for primary care clinicians about family history assessment.
Predicting Counterfactuals from Large Historical Data and Small Randomized Trials

When a new treatment is considered for use, whether a pharmaceutical drug or a search engine ranking algorithm, a typical question that arises is, will its performance exceed that of the current treatment? The conventional way to answer this counterfactual question is to estimate the effect of the new treatment in comparison to that of the conventional treatment by running a controlled, randomized experiment. While this approach theoretically ensures an unbiased estimator, it suffers from several drawbacks, including the difficulty in finding representative experimental populations as well as the cost of running randomized trials. Moreover, such trials neglect the huge quantities of available control-condition data, which in principle can be utilized for the harder task of predicting individualized effects. In this paper, we propose a discriminative framework for predicting the outcomes of a new treatment from a large dataset of the control condition and data from a small (and possibly unrepresentative) randomized trial comparing new and old treatments. Our learning objective, which requires minimal assumptions on the treatments, models the relation between the outcomes of the different conditions. This allows us to not only estimate mean effects but also to generate individual predictions for examples outside the small randomized sample. We demonstrate the utility of our approach through experiments in three areas: search engine operation, treatments to diabetes patients, and market value estimation of houses. Our results demonstrate that our approach can reduce the number and size of the currently performed randomized controlled experiments, thus saving significant time, money and effort on the part of practitioners.
Analysis of Development of Direction Selectivity in Retinotectum by a Neural Circuit Model with Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity

The development of direction selectivity in the visual system depends on visual experience. In the developing Xenopus retinotectal system, tectal neurons (TNs) become direction selective through spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) after repetitive retinal exposure to a moving bar in a specific direction. We investigated the mechanism responsible for the development of direction selectivity in the Xenopus retinotectal system using a neural circuit model with STDP. In this retinotectal circuit model, a moving bar stimulated the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), which provided feedforward excitation to the TNs and interneurons (INs). The INs provided delayed feedforward inhibition to the TNs. The TNs also received feedback excitation from neighboring TNs. As a synaptic learning rule, a molecular STDP model was used for synapses between the RGCs and TNs. The retinotectal circuit model reproduced experimentally observed features of the development of direction selectivity, such as increase in input to the TN. The peak of feedforward excitation from RGCs to TNs shifted earlier as a result of STDP. Together with the delayed feedforward inhibition, a stronger earlier transient feedforward signal was generated, which exceeded the threshold of the feedback excitation from the neighboring TNs and resulted in amplification of input to the TN. The suppression of the delayed feedforward inhibition resulted in the development of orientation selectivity rather than direction selectivity, indicating the pivotal role of the delayed feedforward inhibition in direction selectivity. We propose a mechanism for the development of direction selectivity involving a delayed feedforward inhibition with STDP and the amplification of feedback excitation.
Parallel Hash-Based Join Algorithms for a Shared-Everything

Analyzes the costs, and describes the implementation, of three hash-based join algorithms for a general purpose shared-memory multiprocessor. The three algorithms considered are the hashed loops, GRACE and hybrid algorithms. We also describe the results of a set of experiments that validate the cost models presented and demonstrate the relative performance of the three algorithms. >
Analyzing the Performance of Pattern Database Heuristics

We introduce a model for predicting the performance of IDA* using pattern database heuristics, as a function of the branching factor of the problem, the solution depth, and the size of the pattern databases. While it is known that the larger the pattern database, the more efficient the search, we provide a quantitative analysis of this relationship. In particular, we show that for a single goal state, the number of nodes expanded by IDA* is a fraction of (logb s + 1)/s of the nodes expanded by a brute-force search, where b is the branching factor, and s is the size of the pattern database. We also show that by taking the maximum of at least two pattern databases, the number of node expansions decreases linearly with s compared to a brute-force search. We compare our theoretical predictions with empirical performance data on Rubik's Cube. Our model is conservative, and overestimates the actual number of node expansions.
Catalan existential sentences produced by Chinese learners

In this paper we intend to show how L1 influences the Catalan existential sentences produced by Chinese learners of Catalan. This study is based on data generated by means of semi-structured interviews to 6 adult learners living in North-Eastern Catalonia. In order to better understand the Catalan existential sentences they produce, we also take into account their production of attributive, locative and possessive sentences, as well as their use of the verbal inflection in L2 and the use of the clitic 'hi', which also appears in the existential verb 'haver-hi'. We conclude that all these factors are relevant to explain why Catalan existential constructions are so difficult to acquire for Chinese learners
Esophageal Adenocarcinoma 1-Mediated Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in β Factor-Evidence for Transforming Growth In vitro and In vivo

There is increasing evidence that epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in cancer progression. Because local invasion and metastasis occurs early in the pathogenesis of esophageal adenocarcinoma, we hypothesized that EMT may be important in this disease. Using immunohistochemistry in a well-characterized set of adenocarcinoma tissues, we showed down-regulation of epithelial markers (E-cadherin and cytokeratin 18) and up-regulation of mesenchymal markers (vimentin and A-smooth muscle actin) with concomitant transforming growth factor-B1 (TGF-B1) expression at the invasive margin compared with the central tumor. A panel of esophageal cell lines was examined for the ability of TGF-B1 to induce EMT in vitro . TE7 cells were selected as a model because TGF-B1 (0-5 ng/mL) treatment induced morphologic and molecular expression changes suggestive of EMT. In TE7 cells, these TGF-B1-induced changes were reversed by 100 ng/ mL of bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7), another member of the TGF-B1 superfamily. EMT was mediated via canonical TGF-B1 signaling with concomitant up-regulation of SMAD-interacting protein 1. Alterations in functional variables (aggregation, wounding, motility, and invasion) following TGF-B1 treatment were consistent with a more invasive phenotype. These functional changes were reversed by BMP7 and SMAD4 RNA interference in vitro . These data suggest that TGF-B1-mediated EMT may be relevant in esophageal carcinogenesis. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(19): 9583-90)
Emotional interference-based forgetting in short-term memory. Cognitive inhibition of pleasant but not unpleasant biologically relevant distractors

Emotional stimuli automatically recruit attentional resources. Although this usually brings more adaptive responses, it may suppose a disadvantage when emotional information is task-irrelevant and should be ignored. Previous studies have shown how emotional stimuli with a negative content exert a greater interference than neutral stimuli during a concurrent working memory (WM) task. However, the impact of positively valenced stimuli as interference has not been addressed to date. In three experiments and one re-analysis we explore the impact of pleasant and unpleasant emotional distractors during WM maintenance. The results suggest that our cognitive control can cope with the interference posed by pleasant distractors as well as with the interference posed by neutral stimuli. However, unpleasant distractors are harder to control in the context of WM maintenance. As unpleasant stimuli usually convey relevant information that we should not to ignore, our executive control seems to be less able to reallocate cognitive resources after unpleasant distraction.
Subregional Specification of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Ventral Telencephalic Tissues by Timed and Combinatory Treatment with Extrinsic Signals

During early telencephalic development, the major portion of the ventral telencephalic (subpallial) region becomes subdivided into three regions, the lateral (LGE), medial (MGE), and caudal (CGE) ganglionic eminences. In this study, we systematically recapitulated subpallial patterning in mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) cultures and investigated temporal and combinatory actions of patterning signals. In serum-free floating culture, the dorsal-ventral specification of ESC-derived telencephalic neuroectoderm is dose-dependently directed by Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. Early Shh treatment, even before the expression onset of Foxg1 (also Bf1; earliest marker of the telencephalic lineage), is critical for efficiently generating LGE progenitors, and continuous Shh signaling until day 9 is necessary to commit these cells to the LGE lineage. When induced under these conditions and purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorter, telencephalic cells efficiently differentiated into Nolz1+/Ctip2+ LGE neuronal precursors and subsequently, both in culture and after in vivo grafting, into DARPP32+ medium-sized spiny neurons. Purified telencephalic progenitors treated with high doses of the Hedgehog (Hh) agonist SAG (Smoothened agonist) differentiated into MGE- and CGE-like tissues. Interestingly, in addition to strong Hh signaling, the efficient specification of MGE cells requires Fgf8 signaling but is inhibited by treatment with Fgf15/19. In contrast, CGE differentiation is promoted by Fgf15/19 but suppressed by Fgf8, suggesting that specific Fgf signals play different, critical roles in the positional specification of ESC-derived ventral subpallial tissues. We discuss a model of the antagonistic Fgf8 and Fgf15/19 signaling in rostral-caudal subpallial patterning and compare it with the roles of these molecules in cortical patterning.
Are faults localizable?

Many fault localization techniques have been proposed to facilitate debugging activities. Most of them attempt to pinpoint the location of faults (i.e., localize faults) based on a set of failing and correct executions and expect debuggers to investigate a certain number of located program elements to find faults. These techniques thus assume that faults are localizable, i.e., only one or a few lines of code that are close to one another are responsible for each fault. However, in reality, are faults localizable? In this work, we investigate hundreds of real faults in several software systems, and find that many faults may not be localizable to a few lines of code and these include faults with high severity level.
MASSIFICATION OF THE INTANGIBLE : A PHD

THIS THESIS is an exploration of some design issues that emerge from what seems to be typical ways of conducting computerization and virtualization. These ways tend to neglect what I refer to as the dual nature of artifacts. The duality concerns different levels of meaning. An artifact may be considered to have a meaning primarily related to its function, intended or otherwise. This meaning is typically realized through organization of matter into form by means of design. However, the realization of functional meaning—the form of the Margin notes contain the main point of each chapter artifact—often carries with it some circumstantial consequences that influence the use and interpretation of the artifact. So, in addition to meaning related to function, artifacts are often associated with meaning related to aspects of form, such as choice of materials, weight and texture. Computerization and data processing gains its power by means of abstraction and manipulation of symbols, rather than manipulation of artifacts. As I argue in this thesis, this abstraction typically highlights what I refer to as functional meaning and downplays the meaning I describe as related to aspects of form. If we accept the premise that the latter form of meaning is important in the use of artifacts, it seems plausible that computerization may bring about contexts of use deprived of some of the richness associated with the use of—material— artifacts. The thesis will be devoted to presentation of a more nuanced and elaborate version of the above line of argument and—not least important—an outline of a candidate approach at mitigating the problems that I take to be associated with this dominating computerization mindset. In Christopher Alexander’s book Notes on the Synthesis of Form the opening paragraph reads:
HIV-1 expression within resting CD4+ T cells after multiple doses of vorinostat.

BACKGROUND A single dose of the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat (VOR) up-regulates HIV RNA expression within resting CD4(+) T cells of treated, aviremic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive participants. The ability of multiple exposures to VOR to repeatedly disrupt latency has not been directly measured, to our knowledge. METHODS Five participants in whom resting CD4(+) T-cell-associated HIV RNA (rc-RNA) increased after a single dose of VOR agreed to receive daily VOR Monday through Wednesday for 8 weekly cycles. VOR serum levels, peripheral blood mononuclear cell histone acetylation, plasma HIV RNA single-copy assays, rc-RNA, total cellular HIV DNA, and quantitative viral outgrowth assays from resting CD4(+) T cells were assayed. RESULTS VOR was well tolerated, with exposures within expected parameters. However, rc-RNA measured after dose 11 (second dose of cycle 4) or dose 22 (second dose of cycle 8) increased significantly in only 3 of the 5 participants, and the magnitude of the rc-RNA increase was much reduced compared with that after a single dose. Changes in histone acetylation were blunted. Results of quantitative viral outgrowth and other assays were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS Although HIV latency is disrupted by an initial VOR dose, the effect of subsequent doses in this protocol was much reduced. We hypothesize that the global effect of VOR results in a refractory period of ≥ 24 hours. The optimal schedule for VOR administration is still to be defined.
Approximate Nearest Neighbor Search in $\ell_p$

We present a new locality sensitive hashing (LSH) algorithm for $c$-approximate nearest neighbor search in $\ell_p$ with $1<p<2$. For a database of $n$ points in $\ell_p$, we achieve $O(dn^{\rho})$ query time and $O(dn+n^{1+\rho})$ space, where $\rho \le O((\ln c)^2/c^p)$. This improves upon the previous best upper bound $\rho\le 1/c$ by Datar et al. (SOCG 2004), and is close to the lower bound $\rho \ge 1/c^p$ by O'Donnell, Wu and Zhou (ITCS 2011). The proof is a simple generalization of the LSH scheme for $\ell_2$ by Andoni and Indyk (FOCS 2006).
Are young dual language learners homogeneous? Identifying subgroups using latent class analysis

ABSTRACT Although dual language learners (DLLs) are linguistically, culturally, and socially diverse, researchers usually study them in aggregate and compare them to non-DLLs. The authors' purpose was to identify subgroups of preschool DLLs using latent class analysis. There were 7,361 DLLs and 69,457 non-DLLs. Results revealed three distinct classes. Children in class 1 (emergent bilingual children) tended to speak mostly their native language but some English at home and in the classroom. Children in class 2 (bilingual children) tended to speak English only in the classroom, but spoke both languages at home. Children in class 3 (heritage language speakers) tended to speak only their native language at home and in the classroom. Different demographic profiles and levels of development and learning were observed across classes. The DLL subgroups and their profiles provide important information about how educational programs may be tailored to meet the diverse needs of young DLLs.
FUNCTIONAL BRAIN ORGANIZATION IN DEVELOPMENTAL DYSLEXIA

Left parieto-occipital EEG leads record a frequency spectrum in dyslexics that is consistently different from the spectrum obtained from normals. It is suggested that these effects represent significant differences in the functional organization of these areas. EEG coherence values indicate that normals have significantly greater sharing between hemispheres at symmetrical locations. Dyslexics demonstrate significantly greater sharing within hemisphere than do normals. The data supports developmental dyslexia being a functional hemispheric disconnection syndrome.
Mindfulness Training for Adolescents with ADHD and their Families: A Time-series Evaluation

The present study involved an extension and evaluation of a mindfulness-based training program for families of adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). MYmind: Mindfulness training for Youth with ADHD and their parents (Bogels et al., 2008) is an eight-week manualized treatment incorporating elements of mindfulness meditation, ADHD psychoeducation and cognitive behavioural therapy. MYmind focuses on helping families cultivate mindfulness through training in formal meditation practices and integrating this skill into the context of everyday life as a means of managing ADHD symptoms, stress, family relations and difficult emotions. A North American sample of 13 parents and 9 adolescents (ages 13-18) participated in MYmind; during the intervention, parents and adolescents attended separate groups that ran simultaneously. Using a time-series multiple baseline design, constructs of stress, distress from family conflict, ADHD symptomatology and meditation practice were measured via short questionnaires emailed daily to both parents and adolescents throughout baseline, treatment and six months of follow-up. For multiple baseline purposes, intervention was introduced in a time-lagged fashion. Results from parent and adolescent reports indicated
A Visual Representation for Editing Face Images

We propose a new approach for editing face images, which enables numerous exciting applications including face relighting, makeup transfer and face detail editing. Our face edits are based on a visual representation, which includes geometry, face segmentation, albedo, illumination and detail map. To recover our visual representation, we start by estimating geometry using a morphable face model, then decompose the face image to recover the albedo, and then shade the geometry with the albedo and illumination. The residual between our shaded geometry and the input image produces our detail map, which carries high frequency information that is either insufficiently or incorrectly captured by our shading process. By manipulating the detail map, we can edit face images with reality and identity preserved. Our representation allows various applications. First, it allows a user to directly manipulate various illumination. Second, it allows non-parametric makeup transfer with input face's distinctive identity features preserved. Third, it allows non-parametric modifications to the face appearance by transferring details. For face relighting and detail editing, we evaluate via a user study and our method outperforms other methods. For makeup transfer, we evaluate via an online attractiveness evaluation system, and can reliably make people look younger and more attractive. We also show extensive qualitative comparisons to existing methods, and have significant improvements over previous techniques.