Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why global scenarios need ecology

Human well-being depends on ecosystem services such as food and clean water. Yet ecosystems and the services they provide are changing, often in ways we cannot anticipate. How can we cope with surprises and uncertainties when we cannot predict them? One approach is to make decisions that are robust to a number of different futures. Those interested in global environmental issues have used scenarios – sets of stories about the future – to help discuss those issues and to identify policy alternatives. To date, most global environmental scenarios have treated ecological dynamics as the product of large-scale anthropogenic drivers and have not considered ecological feedbacks to these drivers. Global scenarios could benefit from the input of ecologists, as this would lead to the incorporation of more realistic ecosystem dynamics. Similarly, ecology could benefit from involvement in scenario planning. Unlike many technical models, scenarios, easily understood as stories, can be used for communication and outreach, to build public appreciation of ecological science and the ecological dilemmas we face.
Edge Contractions and Simplicial Homology

We study the effect of edge contractions on simplicial homology because these contractions have turned to be useful in various applications involving topology. It was observed previously that contracting edges that satisfy the so called link condition preserves homeomorphism in low dimensional complexes, and homotopy in general. But, checking the link condition involves computation in all dimensions, and hence can be costly, especially in high dimensional complexes. We define a weaker and more local condition called the p-link condition for each dimension p, and study its effect on edge contractions. We prove the following: (i) For homology groups, edges satisfying the p- and (p-1)-link conditions can be contracted without disturbing the p-dimensional homology group. (ii) For relative homology groups, the (p-1)-, and the (p-2)-link conditions suffice to guarantee that the contraction does not introduce any new class in any of the resulting relative homology groups, though some of the existing classes can be destroyed. Unfortunately, the surjection in relative homolgy groups does not guarantee that no new relative torsion is created. (iii) For torsions, edges satisfying the p-link condition alone can be contracted without creating any new relative torsion and the p-link condition cannot be avoided. The results on relative homology and relative torsion are motivated by recent results on computing optimal homologous chains, which state that such problems can be solved by linear programming if the complex has no relative torsion. Edge contractions that do not introduce new relative torsions, can safely be availed in these contexts.
Toronto Alexithymia Scale: Adaptation of the Brazilian Version to Low-Educated Adults

espanolResumen: Con objeto de estudiar la Alexitimia en adultos con bajo nivel de educacion, buscamos adaptar la version brasilena de la Escala de Alexitimia de Toronto (TAS-26) y comprobar su consistencia interna. Para esto, traducimos la TAS-26 original (ingles) al portugues, con la adopcion de un lenguaje sencillo, sin cambiar el contenido. Una encuesta cualitativa entrevisto a 50 mujeres (38-65 anos, escolaridad EnglishAbstract: For the purpose of studying Alexithymia in low-educated adults, we intend to adapt the Brazilian version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26) and to verify its internal consistency. With that aim, we translated the original TAS-26 (English) to Portuguese, adopting a colloquial language, without content distortion. An exploratory qualitative study interviewed 50 women (38-65 years, education portuguesResumo: Com objetivo de estudar a alexitimia em individuos adultos de baixa escolaridade, decidimos adaptar a versao brasileira da Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26) e verificar sua consistencia interna. Para isso, traduzimos a TAS-26 original (ingles) para o portugues, com linguagem coloquial, sem alteracao de conteudo. Em estudo exploratorio qualitativo foram entrevistadas 50 mulheres (38-65 anos, escolaridade
Maximum Amplitude Method for Estimating Compact Fractional Fourier Domain

A maximum-amplitude-based coarse-to-fine algorithm is proposed with two novel ideas highlighted: adopting the maximum value of the fractional Fourier amplitude spectrum to measure the compactness of a signal, and using a coarse-to-fine strategy to speed up the searching process. The simulation results on synthetic and real signals show the validity of the proposed method.
Ecology of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus in the Coastal and Estuarine Waters of Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, and Washington (United States)

ABSTRACT Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio vulnificus, which are native to estuaries globally, are agents of seafood-borne or wound infections, both potentially fatal. Like all vibrios autochthonous to coastal regions, their abundance varies with changes in environmental parameters. Sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface height (SSH), and chlorophyll have been shown to be predictors of zooplankton and thus factors linked to vibrio populations. The contribution of salinity, conductivity, turbidity, and dissolved organic carbon to the incidence and distribution of Vibrio spp. has also been reported. Here, a multicoastal, 21-month study was conducted to determine relationships between environmental parameters and V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus populations in water, oysters, and sediment in three coastal areas of the United States. Because ecologically unique sites were included in the study, it was possible to analyze individual parameters over wide ranges. Molecular methods were used to detect genes for thermolabile hemolysin (tlh), thermostable direct hemolysin (tdh), and tdh-related hemolysin (trh) as indicators of V. parahaemolyticus and the hemolysin gene vvhA for V. vulnificus. SST and suspended particulate matter were found to be strong predictors of total and potentially pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus. Other predictors included chlorophyll a, salinity, and dissolved organic carbon. For the ecologically unique sites included in the study, SST was confirmed as an effective predictor of annual variation in vibrio abundance, with other parameters explaining a portion of the variation not attributable to SST.
Understanding science teaching effectiveness: examining how science-specific and generic instructional practices relate to student achievement in secondary science classrooms

ABSTRACT In order to create conditions for students’ meaningful and rigorous intellectual engagement in science classrooms, it is critically important to help science teachers learn which strategies and approaches can be used best to develop students’ scientific literacy. Better understanding how science teachers’ instructional practices relate to student achievement can provide teachers with beneficial information about how to best engage their students in meaningful science learning. To address this need, this study examined the instructional practices that 99 secondary biology teachers used in their classrooms and employed regression to determine which instructional practices are predictive of students’ science achievement. Results revealed that the secondary science teachers who had well-managed classroom environments and who provided opportunities for their students to engage in student-directed investigation-related experiences were more likely to have increased student outcomes, as determined by teachers’ value-added measures. These findings suggest that attending to both generic and subject-specific aspects of science teachers’ instructional practice is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms that result in more effective science instruction in secondary classrooms. Implications about the use of these observational measures within teacher evaluation systems are discussed.
Adaptive human aware navigation based on motion pattern analysis

Respecting people's social spaces is an important prerequisite for acceptable and natural robot navigation in human environments. In this paper, we describe an adaptive system for mobile robot navigation based on estimates of whether a person seeks to interact with the robot or not. The estimates are based on run-time motion pattern analysis compared to stored experience in a database. Using a potential field centered around the person, the robot positions itself at the most appropriate place relative to the person and the interaction status. The system is validated through qualitative tests in a real world setting. The results demonstrate that the system is able to learn to navigate based on past interaction experiences, and to adapt to different behaviors over time.
Computer-assisted enrichment for zoo-housed orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus)

The study of environmental enrichment has identified a variety of effective forms of enrichment, but there are widespread problems associated with their use. Few forms of enrichment are cognitively challenging, and even the most effective often result in rapid habituation. This study examined the use of a computer-joystick system, designed to increase in complexity with learning, as a potential form of enrichment. Eight orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus), housed in male/female pairs, were observed for 120 h during a baseline period and 120h when the computer-joystick apparatus was available. Data were collected in 1 h sessions using instantaneous group scan sampling with 30 s intervals. The orangutans spent 25.9% of the scans using the joystick system. One member of each pair monopolised the computer system: ‘high users’ spent 48.9% of scans using the joystick system compared with 2.9% by ‘low users’. Behavioural changes associated with the provision of the computer included increases in aggressive behaviour, anxiety-related behaviours, solitary play, contact with and proximity to a social partner, and decreases in feeding. The lack of habituation by the high users, both within and across sessions, indicates that computer-assisted tasks may be a useful form of environmental enrichment for orangutans. However, the significant increase in aggression indicates that this form of enrichment may be more suitable for singly caged animals, or that the provision of multiple apparatuses should be tested for the ability to eliminate potential competition over the device.
Behavioral Spillovers in Multiple Games : An Experimental Study ∗

To gain insight into the importance of institutional context on behavior and institutional performance, we present evidence from laboratory experiments of behavioral spillovers across strategic contexts. In the experiments, subjects play two distinct games simultaneously with different opponents. We find that play in one game depends on the other game that the subject plays. In comparing play in these two game ensembles to control experiments with single games, we also find strong evidence of cognitive overload. Taken together, these findings suggest that people may not treat strategic situations in isolation but instead develop heuristics that they apply across games. Thus, behavior within a particular institution may depend upon other incentive structures that are also in play, even if they appear to be unrelated. As a result, institutional outcomes may be context dependent. Policies and institutions that are effective in one setting may not work in other settings because of differences in behavioral response that can be traced to distinct institutional contexts, even when the other institutions appear to be unrelated.
CO (1-0) and CO (5-4) Observations of the Most Distant Known Radio Galaxy at z = 5.2

Using the Australia Telescope Compact Array, we have detected CO (1-0) and CO (5-4) from TN J0924-2201 at z = 5.2, the most distant radio galaxy known to date. This is the second highest redshift detection of CO published so far. The CO (1-0) line emission is 250-400 km s-1 wide with a peak flux density of 520 ± 115 μJy beam-1, while the CO (5-4) line emission is 200-300 km s-1 wide with a peak flux density of 7.8 ± 2.7 mJy beam-1. Both transitions are spatially unresolved, but there is marginal evidence for spatial offsets between the CO and the host galaxy; the CO (1-0) is located 28 ± 11 kpc (4.″5 ± 1.″7) north of the radio galaxy, while the CO (5-4) is located 18 ± 8 kpc (2.″8 ± 1.″2) south of the radio galaxy. Higher spatial resolution observations are required to determine the reality of these offsets. Our result is the second detection of CO in a high-redshift galaxy without preselection based on a massive dust content.
APASdb: a database describing alternative poly(A) sites and selection of heterogeneous cleavage sites downstream of poly(A) signals

Increasing amounts of genes have been shown to utilize alternative polyadenylation (APA) 3′-processing sites depending on the cell and tissue type and/or physiological and pathological conditions at the time of processing, and the construction of genome-wide database regarding APA is urgently needed for better understanding poly(A) site selection and APA-directed gene expression regulation for a given biology. Here we present a web-accessible database, named APASdb (http://mosas.sysu.edu.cn/utr), which can visualize the precise map and usage quantification of different APA isoforms for all genes. The datasets are deeply profiled by the sequencing alternative polyadenylation sites (SAPAS) method capable of high-throughput sequencing 3′-ends of polyadenylated transcripts. Thus, APASdb details all the heterogeneous cleavage sites downstream of poly(A) signals, and maintains near complete coverage for APA sites, much better than the previous databases using conventional methods. Furthermore, APASdb provides the quantification of a given APA variant among transcripts with different APA sites by computing their corresponding normalized-reads, making our database more useful. In addition, APASdb supports URL-based retrieval, browsing and display of exon-intron structure, poly(A) signals, poly(A) sites location and usage reads, and 3′-untranslated regions (3′-UTRs). Currently, APASdb involves APA in various biological processes and diseases in human, mouse and zebrafish.
S2DFS: analysis of temporal changes of drifting subpulses

Context. We introduce a new technique, called the sliding two-dimensional fluctuation spectrum, used for detecting and characterising the temporal changes of drifting subpulses from radio pulsars. The method was tested using simulated data as well as archived observations made with the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) at wavelengths of 92 and 21 cm. Aims. The drifting subpulse phenomenon is a well known property of radio pulsars. It has been studied extensively since their discovery, however the properties of the temporal behaviour of drifting subpulses are not fully explored. The drifting can also be non-coherent and the presence of effects like nulling or drift rate changing can mask the drifting behaviour of the pulsar. The S2DFS is a robust method for investigating this phenomenon and by introducing it we aim to expand our knowledge of the temporal drifting subpulse properties. Methods. Our new analysis method uses horizonally collapsed fluctuation spectra obtained with the two-dimensional fluctuation spectrum (2DFS) method. Stacking the collapsed spectra obtained in a 256 pulse window which slides by a pulse at a time produces a map of the collapsed fluctuation spectrum (S2DFS plot). By analysing the maps one can easily determine the presence of any temporal drift changes. Results. Simulated data showed that the technique can reveal the presence of any temporal changes in drift behaviour like mode changing or nulling. We have also analysed data of three pulsars, PSRs B0031−07, B1819−22 and B1944+17, which were selected based on the quality of the data and their known drift properties. All three sources are known to exhibit mode changes which could easily be seen in the S2DFS. Conclusions. The results from the analysis of the data sets used in this paper have shown that the S2DFS method is robust and complimentary to the 2DFS method in detecting and characterising the temporal changes in drifting subpulses from radio pulsars.
How block density and typology affect urban vitality: an exploratory analysis in Shenzhen, China

ABSTRACT Recent urban transformations in China have led to critical reflections on the low-quality urban expansion in the previous decades and called for the making of vital and lively urban places. To date, limited research has been devoted to empirically testing the relationship between urban design, urban morphology, and urban vitality in Chinese cities. This paper employs new urban data and analytical methods and explores the relationship between urban morphology and urban vitality using regression models. Shenzhen, one of the largest and fastest growing cities in China, is selected as the case study. The regression analysis focuses on two morphological factors, density and typology, while controlling for the accessibility, functional mix, and size of individual blocks. The presence of small catering businesses is used as a proxy for urban vitality. The analysis suggests that both typology and density matter for urban vitality, with typology playing a more important role. More specifically, “block” and “strip” types tend to show significant positive effects on urban vitality. The implications for urban planning and design practices are discussed.
Testing CAPM with a Large Number of Assets

This paper is concerned with testing the time series implications of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) due to Sharpe (1964) and Lintner (1965), when the number of securities, N, is large relative to the time dimension, T, of the return series. In the case of cross-sectionally correlated errors, using a threshold estimator of the average squares of pair-wise error correlations a test is proposed and is shown to be valid even if N is much larger than T. Monte Carlo evidence show that the proposed test works well in small samples. The test is then applied to all securities in the S&P 500 index with 60 months of return data at the end of each month over the period September 1989-September 2011. Statistically significant evidence against Sharpe-Lintner CAPM is found mainly during the recent financial crisis. Furthermore, a strong negative correlation is found between a twelve-month moving average p-values of the test and the returns of long/short equity strategies relative to the return on S&P 500 over the period December 2006 to September 2011, suggesting that abnormal profits are earned during episodes of market inefficiencies.
The Role of Formal Third-Party Endorsements and Informal Self-Proclaiming Signals in Nonprofit Reputation Building

In this study, we experimentally test the impact of a formal signal (a third-party certificate) and an informal signal (self-proclaimed management quality with respect to social entrepreneurship) on stakeholder supportive intentions and perceived organizational effectiveness. Our study confirms the social entrepreneurship advantage, but we find no proof of a convincing effect from the formal signal. However, complementary analyses and additional testing of control variables add new perspectives on the relative importance of the social entrepreneurship advantage and on potential moderators that could better explain in future studies the varying effects and specific contextual elements that influence formal and informal reputation-building signals.
Correlation between Gene Expression of IGF-1R Pathway Markers and Cetuximab Benefit in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Purpose: This study examined potential correlations between markers related to the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) pathway and clinical benefit from the anti–epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) monoclonal antibody cetuximab in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Experimental Design: Gene expression profiles for 70 pretreatment specimens from metastatic lesions of patients with chemorefractory mCRC receiving cetuximab monotherapy were analyzed using 74 predefined Gene-Chip probesets representing 33 unique IGF-1R pathway markers to determine correlations with progression-free survival (PFS) and disease control rate. Results: Higher IGF-1R, higher GRB7, and lower INSIG2 expression were associated with longer PFS with cetuximab in univariate analyses, particularly in patients with wild-type K-Ras tumors: median, 122 versus 60 days (P = 0.01), 122 versus 57 days (P = 0.011), and 57 versus 156 days (P < 0.0001), favoring higher IGF-1R, higher GRB7, and lower INSIG2 expression, respectively. Lower IGF-1 expression was associated with a PFS benefit with cetuximab, whereas lower IGFBP3 and INSR expression levels showed trends for a PFS benefit. Lower INSIG2 expression (vs. higher expression) was associated with greater PFS in the high epiregulin-expressing group (P = 0.001), but not in the low-expressing cohort suggesting an effect independent from the previously reported effect of epiregulin expression. Lower INSIG2 expression was also associated with higher disease control rate in the overall population (51.4% vs. 11.4%; P = 0.001) and wild-type K-Ras subset (76.2% vs. 18.2%; P < 0.0001). Conclusions: These results suggest that markers of the IGF-1R pathway may play a role in predicting benefit from cetuximab therapy in mCRC. Additional clinical studies are warranted to validate these findings. Clin Cancer Res; 18(4); 1156–66. ©2012 AACR.
Affective Ludology, Flow and Immersion in a First- Person Shooter: Measurement of Player Experience

Gameplay research about experiential phenomena is a challenging undertaking, given the variety of experiences that gamers encounter when playing and which currently do not have a formal taxonomy, such as flow, immersion, boredom, and fun. These informal terms require a scientific explanation. Ludologists also acknowledge the need to understand cognition, emotion, and goal- oriented behavior of players from a psychological perspective by establishing rigorous methodologies. This paper builds upon and extends prior work in an area for which we would like to coin the term "affective ludology. " The area is concerned with the affective measurement of player-game interaction. The experimental study reported here investigated different traits of gameplay experience using subjective (i.e., questionnaires) and objective (i.e., psychophysiological) measures. Participants played three Half-Life 2 game level design modifications while measures such as electromyography (EMG), electrodermal activity (EDA) were taken and questionnaire responses were collected. A level designed for combat-oriented flow experience demonstrated significant high-arousal positive affect emotions. This method shows that emotional patterns emerge from different level designs, which has great potential for providing real-time emotional profiles of gameplay that may be generated together with self- reported subjective player experience descriptions.
Teacher care and motivation: a new narrative for teachers in the Arab Gulf

ABSTRACT Set in an all-female higher education (HE) institution in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), this paper argues that a caring, teacher-student relationship, based on mutual interdependence working towards reciprocal relationship of self-as-other, is central to students’ academic success. Drawing on an ethics of care we reinterpret mutually held misperceptions of western-educated expatriate faculty and the Emirati student population regarding expectations of the ‘Other’. We offer contextualised insight into nuanced facets of teaching and learning in government-funded HE in the region. Recommendations that leverage the teacher-student relationship in order to maximise students’ academic success, whilst offering an alternative way for expatriate faculty to conceptualise their relationship vis-à-vis Emirati female students’ attitudes and behaviours are also made.