Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analytic solutions for multiple motions

A novel framework for single and multiple motion estimation is presented. It is based on a generalized structure tensor that contains blurred products of directional derivatives. The order of differentiation increases with the number of motions but more general linear filters can be used instead of derivatives. From the general framework, a hierarchical algorithm for motion estimation is derived and its performance is demonstrated on a synthetic sequence.
Critical Literacy in the EFL Classroom: Evolving Multiple Perspectives Through Learning Tasks

This paper explores an English learning activity designed from the perspective of critical literacy; the activity addressed the exploration of multiple perspectives through a picture book and different learning tasks. In particular, it integrated students’ language learning with their personal experiences. The class consisted of 34 college freshmen, all non-English majors. Two research questions were formulated: 1) How did the students respond to an activity designed from a critical perspective? and 2) How did the students compare their learning in this activity to their prior experience? Data included classroom observations, students’ artifacts and assignments, their reflection papers, and follow-up interviews with students. The present study found that this activity led students to assume the role of social agents. They developed a critical stance, investigated multiple perspectives, and re-examined their familiar world. In addition, adopting the role of language learners, students formed critical responses to the activity; three themes recurred with regard to classroom materials, topics, and tasks. To sum up, this research suggests that critical literacy merits more attention and implementation in Taiwan if we hope to help students cultivate a critical competence in addition to the traditional four language skills.
A dorsal root ganglia cell line derived from trisomy 16 fetal mice, a model for Down syndrome

We have established two immortalized cell lines from dorsal root ganglia of normal (G4b) and trisomy 16 mice (GT1), a model for Down syndrome. By immunohistochemistry, both cell lines exhibit neuronal traits and lack glial markers. GTl cells exhibited greater [3H]choline uptake than G4b cells. K+ and nicotine-mediated acetylcholine release was greater in GT1 cells. Basal intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was significantly lower in GTl cells. More GTl cells responded to neurotransmitters with a transient [Ca2+]i increase compared to G4b cells, but both cell types showed similar amplitudes of [Ca2+]i responses. The results show that both cell lines retain neuronal characteristics and respond to specific neurotransmitter stimuli. Altered GT1 cell responses could be related to neuronal pathophysiology in Down's syndrome.
Nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of HIV-1 integrase is controlled by the viral Rev protein

In the current study we show that the Rev protein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) inhibits nuclear import and mediates nuclear export of the HIV-1 integrase (IN) protein, which catalyzes integration of the viral cDNA. Interaction between IN and Rev in virus infected cells, resulting in the formation of a Rev-IN complex, has been previously described by us. Here we show that nuclear import of the IN, is inhibited by early expressed Rev. No nuclear import of IN was observed when Rev-overexpressing cells were infected by wild-type HIV-1. Similarly, no translocation of IN into nuclei was observed in the presence of Rev-derived peptides. On the other hand, massive nuclear import was observed following infection by a ∆Rev virus or in the presence of peptides that promote dissociation of the Rev-IN complex. Our results show that IN is only transiently present within the nuclei of infected cells. Treatment of infected cells with leptomycin B caused nuclear retention of the Rev-IN complex. Removal of the leptomycin from these treated cells resulted in nuclear export of both Rev and IN. On the other hand, disruption of the nuclear located Rev-IN complex resulted in export of only the Rev protein indicating Rev-mediated nuclear export of IN. Our results suggest the involvement of Rev in regulating the integration process by limiting the number of integration events per cell despite the presence of numerous copies of viral cDNA.
Critical Ethnography of a Multilingual and Multicultural Korean Language Classroom: Discourses on Identity, Investment and Korean-ness

Following critical/post-structural perspectives in conducting ethnographic research on the political dimension of language learning, this study examines language learners‟ identity and investment in a post-secondary Korean language classroom in Canada. First, this study explores the ways in which Korean-ness is produced through the curriculum, how an instructor‟s linguistic and teaching practices in the Korean language classroom function to include some students and exclude others, and how the students on the periphery cope with their marginalization. I argue that peripheral students‟ coping strategies are strongly tied to their investment into certain aspects of Korean language and culture, as well as their desire to gain symbolic resources in the Korean language. Second, my study examines the ways in which Korean heritage language learners (re)negotiate their hyphenated Korean Canadian identities by looking at three different discourse sites Korean home, Korean church, and Canadian schools and how their hyphenated identities are connected with their investment in maintaining their heritage language. The data for this study includes classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, biweekly written journals and focus group interviews. By adopting critical discourse analysis (CDA) as a means of analyzing the data, this study shows that language learners‟ race, ethnicity and gender are salient parts of their identities, and thus impact their learning experiences to
The Effect of Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility on Hotel Employee’s Attitude and Behavior toward the Organization

Abstract This study seeks to explore how corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities are perceived by employees and how the perceived CSR influences on employees’ organizational attitude and behavior in the hotel context in the Republic of Korea. Non-management employees from five hotel properties in the Republic of Korea were selected as study samples and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. This study revealed that CSR was an antecedent of affective organizational commitment (AOC) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). CSR perceived by employees showed an indirect effect on OCB through a full mediation of AOC, indicating that employees who believe that their hotel has a strong commitment to community outreach and charitable giving are more likely to engage in OCB. This study focused on the social dimension of CSR and the hypotheses were tested on four-and five-star hotels operating in the Republic of Korea. The findings have implications for promoting positive employee attitude and behavior through active CSR initiatives and intra-firm communication efforts by hotel firms. This study is one of the pioneering studies that empirically investigate the antecedent role of corporate social responsibility on employees’ attitude and behaviors in the hotel sector.
Relationship between Alexithymia and Life Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence

In the present study were examined the mediating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between alexithymia and life satisfaction. Participants of this study were included 253 undergraduate students (136 women and 117 men) were selected by the cluster method the between universities of Mazandaran Province from Iran. To measure of the study’s variables, Toronto’s Alexithymia Scales-20 (TAS-20; Bagboy, Taylor, Parker, 1994), Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) and Life Satisfaction Scale (SWLS) were used. To determine mediating role, a set of regression analysis, to simultaneous way according to Baron and Kenny’s proposed method (1986) was performed. Results showed that emotional intelligences play a mediating role between alexithymia and life satisfaction. This study provided further evidence based on alexithymia and emotional intelligence specific importance in life satisfaction.
JFL learners' pragmatic development and classroom interaction examined from a language socialization perspective

With the growing recognition that language learning is more complex than merely acquiring linguistic structures and forms and that language learning and use are shaped by both cognitive and sociocultural processes, a language socialization (LS) perspective has been proposed as an alternative theoretical framework in second language acquisition (SLA) (Watson-Gegeo, 2004; Watson-Gegeo & Nielsen, 2003). Many existing LS studies in second language (L2) settings have investigated how L2 learners are socialized into the target language (TL) and its sociocultural norms. For instance, Falsgraf and Majors (1995) and Poole (1992) investigated teachers' socialization of L2 learners, focusing on teachers' talk in L2 classrooms.
Conservative and Greedy Approaches to Classification-Based Policy Iteration

The existing classification-based policy iteration (CBPI) algorithms can be divided into two categories: direct policy iteration (DPI) methods that directly assign the output of the classifier (the approximate greedy policy w.r.t.~the current policy) to the next policy, and conservative policy iteration (CPI) methods in which the new policy is a mixture distribution of the current policy and the output of the classifier. The conservative policy update gives CPI a desirable feature, namely the guarantee that the policies generated by this algorithm improve at each iteration. We provide a detailed algorithmic and theoretical comparison of these two classes of CBPI algorithms. Our results reveal that in order to achieve the same level of accuracy, CPI requires more iterations, and thus, more samples than the DPI algorithm. Furthermore, CPI may converge to suboptimal policies whose performance is not better than DPI's.
Retrieval and validation of ozone columns derived from measurements of SCIAMACHY on Envisat

Abstract. This paper describes a new ozone column retrieval algorithm and its application to SCIAMACHY measurements. The TOSOMI algorithm is based on the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) technique and implements several improvements over older algorithms. These improvements include aspects like (i) the explicit treatment of rotational Raman scattering, (ii) an improved air-mass factor formulation which is based on a simulation of the reflectivity spectrum and a subsequent DOAS fit of this simulated spectrum, (iii) the use of an improved ozone climatology and a column dependent air-mass factor, (iv) the use of daily varying ECMWF temperature profile analyses. The results of three validation exercises are reported. The TOSOMI columns are compared with an extensive set of ground-based observations (Brewer, Dobson) for the years 2003 and 2004. Secondly, a direct comparison for January–June 2003 with two new GOME retrievals, GDP Version 4 and TOGOMI, is presented. Third, data assimilation is used to study the dependence of the TOSOMI columns with retrieval parameters such as the viewing angle, cloud fraction and geographical location. These comparisons show a good consistency on the percent level between the GOME and SCIAMACHY algorithms. The present TOSOMI implementation (v0.32) shows an offset of about −1.5% with respect to ground-based observations and the GOME retrievals.
Is there a relationship between disease duration and P-wave dispersion in patients with psoriasis?

Dear Editor We have read with great enthusiasm the recently published article entitled ‘Electrocardiographic P-wave characteristics in patients with psoriasis vulgaris' by Bacaksiz and co-workers (1). They concluded that Pmax and P-wave dispersion (PWD) were significantly higher in psoriasis patients than in controls (108.8 ± 21.3 ms versus 93.3 ± 13.0 ms, P < 0.01; 67.4 ± 22.9 ms versus 45.0 ± 19.6 ms, P < 0.01, respectively). Furthermore, Pmin was significantly lower in the psoriasis group (41.3 ± 12.3 ms versus 48.3 ± 14.3 ms, P = 0.04) (1). Recently, Ahlehoff et al. showed that psoriasis is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) (2). Prolongation of PWD has been demonstrated to be an independent risk factor for the development of AF. Therefore, the subject is important in daily practice, and the study deserves further attention, keeping in mind its successful design and results. Bacaksiz et al. showed (1) that the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score was correlated with Pmax and PWD (P = 0.002 and P = 0.005, respectively). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between hsCRP and PWD (r = 0.229, P = 0.001). It was speculated that although the exact mechanism still remains unclear, chronic inflammation may be responsible for the correlation between PASI score and PWD in these patients. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease, and the inflammation continues for the duration of the disease. Hence, a significant positive correlation between duration of the disease and PWD would be expected. We believe that an evaluation of the relationship between duration of the disease and PWD will help us to understand the increased frequency of AF in patients with psoriasis. In addition, patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were excluded in the study of Bacaksiz et al (1). Epidemiological studies in patients with severe psoriasis have revealed that there is an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (3,4), and the cardiovascular disease risk has been found to be particularly high in young patients with a severe form of the disease (5,6). It has been postulated that premature occurrence of atherosclerosis is related to why psoriasis patients have an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease. As we know, there is an important relationship between psoriasis and subclinical coronary atherosclerosis, independent of conventional cardiovascular disease risk factors (7-9). Bacaksiz et al. (1) did not specify how CAD was excluded, but there might be some subclinical atherosclerosis in their patients. In a previous study, PWD was found to be more significant in patients with stable CAD than in patients with normal coronary angiograms and to be associated with severity of the disease as well (10). Therefore, it would have been helpful if Bacaksiz and co-workers had clearly identified these factors.
The identity work of questioning in intellectual discussion

This article examines how questioning practices in intellectual discussion do identity work. Drawing upon the discussion discourse of a Ph.D. department's weekly colloquium, as well as several other sources, three aspects of intellectual identity are identified that are routinely at stake for academic presenters in discussion periods: their knowledgeability, originality, and level of intellectual sophistication. We identify and describe questioning practices that support and challenge these desired identities. Analysis of the discussion discourse shows how use of marked and unmarked question forms implicate a question recipient's knowledgeability level, how time references and interest queries imply a person's degree of originality, and how lexical choices can problematize presenters’ intellectual frameworks, which in turn can become challenges to their intellectual sophistication. The concluding section considers how the identity—implicative discourse analysis developed and used in the paper could become.
The Mitochondrial Genome Is a “Genetic Sanctuary” during the Oncogenic Process

Since Otto Warburg linked mitochondrial physiology and oncogenesis in the 1930s, a number of studies have focused on the analysis of the genetic basis for the presence of aerobic glycolysis in cancer cells. However, little or no evidence exists today to indicate that mtDNA mutations are directly responsible for the initiation of tumor onset. Based on a model of gliomagenesis in the mouse, we aimed to explore whether or not mtDNA mutations are associated with the initiation of tumor formation, maintenance and aggressiveness. We reproduced the different molecular events that lead from tumor initiation to progression in the mouse glioma. In human gliomas, most of the genetic alterations that have been previously identified result in the aberrant activation of different signaling pathways and deregulation of the cell cycle. Our data indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, leading to increased nuclear DNA (nDNA) mutagenesis, but maintaining the integrity of the mitochondrial genome. In addition, mutational stability has been observed in entire mtDNA of human gliomas; this is in full agreement with the results obtained in the cancer mouse model. We use this model as a paradigm of oncogenic transformation due to the fact that mutations commonly found in gliomas appear to be the most common molecular alterations leading to tumor development in most types of human cancer. Our results indicate that the mtDNA genome is kept by the cell as a “genetic sanctuary” during tumor development in the mouse and humans. This is compatible with the hypothesis that the mtDNA molecule plays an essential role in the control of the cellular adaptive survival response to tumor-induced oxidative stress. The integrity of mtDNA seems to be a necessary element for responding to the increased ROS production associated with the oncogenic process.
Mid- and Late-Life Diabetes in Relation to the Risk of Dementia

OBJECTIVE—We aimed to verify the association between diabetes and the risk of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia in twins and to explore whether genetic and early-life environmental factors could contribute to this association. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—This study included 13,693 twin individuals aged ≥65 years. Dementia was diagnosed according to DSM-IV (Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed.) criteria. Information on diabetes was collected from the inpatient registry and self- or informant-reported history of diabetes. Data were analyzed following two strategies: 1) unmatched case-control analysis for all participants using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models and 2) cotwin matched case-control analysis for dementia-discordant twin pairs using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS—Of all participants, 467 were diagnosed with dementia, including 292 with Alzheimer's disease and 105 with vascular dementia, and an additional 170 were diagnosed with questionable dementia. Diabetes was present in 1,396 subjects. In GEE models, diabetes was associated with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% CI) of 1.89 (1.51–2.38) for dementia, 1.69 (1.16–2.36) for Alzheimer's disease, and 2.17 (1.36–3.47) for vascular dementia. Compared with late-life diabetes (onset age ≥65 years), the risk effect of mid-life diabetes (onset age <65 years) on dementia was stronger. Conditional logistic analysis of 210 dementia-discordant twin pairs led to ORs of 2.41 (1.05–5.51) and 0.68 (0.30–1.53) for dementia related to mid- and late-life diabetes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS—Diabetes increases the risk of Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia. The risk is stronger when diabetes occurs at mid-life than in late life. Genetic and early-life environmental factors might contribute to the late-life diabetes–dementia association but could not account for the mid-life diabetes–dementia association.
Multiple myeloma: ‘early’ plasma cell phenotype identifies patients with aggressive biological and clinical characteristics

Summary. The immunological phenotype of bone marrow myeloma cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated in 38 untreated myeloma patients. A striking increase of monotypic cells expressing the same light chain as the M component was observed in bone marrow from 18/38 (47%) patients. A two‐colour analysis clarified that the majority of myeloma cells co‐expressed plasma cell and B lymphocyte markers (cyIg, CD38, CD56 and sIg), and were regarded as early‐plasma cells (early‐PC). In the remaining patients, myeloma cells expressed plasma cell markers only (late‐PC). Phenotype corresponded to a distinct morphological pattern: early‐PC showed a lympho‐plasmocytoid feature with significantly lower diameters than late‐PC (12.1 v 14.8 μm, P<0.007). Moreover, the plasma cell labelling index was significantly increased in early‐PC patients (1.2 v 0.5%, P<0.04). In peripheral blood from patients with early‐PC, monotypic cells co‐expressing sIg and CD38, CD56, but not CD19, were also detected. These data suggest a recirculation of early‐PC. Myeloma cells maintained their phenotypic pattern during the course of the disease. This observation suggests that the degree of maturation is an intrinsic characteristic of the myeloma cell population in individual patients. The evaluation of prognostic factors, such as β2‐microglobulin, C‐reactive protein and neopterin, showed a statistically significant increase in the early‐PC patients, suggesting a poor outcome. In conclusion, myeloma cell phenotype allows identification of a myeloma variant with aggressive biological and clinical characteristics.
Ethnic Differences in Processes Contributing to the Self-Esteem of Early Adolescent Girls

Ethnic differences in the mean levels and sources of global self-esteem for Hispanic, African American, and White early adolescent girls were examined. Data were derived from a survey administered to students in attendance at three public middle schools. Path analytic techniques were used to assess processes that contribute to self-esteem. For all ethnic groups, higher self-esteem was predicted by authoritative parenting and perceived teacher support and related inversely to family stress. Ethnic identity was a significant predictor of global self-esteem among minority girls. Hispanic girls reported significantly lower self-esteem, which appeared to be related to lower overall scores on the predictor variables. Results are discussed in terms of the theoretical importance of ethnic identity and reflected appraisals from teachers as factors contributing to self-esteem among minority youth, along with the need for additional research on Hispanic girls.