Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Evolution of Beliefs over Signed Social Networks

We study the evolution of opinions (or beliefs) over a social network modeled as a signed graph. The sign attached to an edge in this graph characterizes whether the corresponding individuals or end nodes are friends (positive links) or enemies (negative links). Pairs of nodes are randomly selected to interact over time, and when two nodes interact, each of them updates its opinion based on the opinion of the other node and the sign of the corresponding link. This model generalizes the DeGroot model to account for negative links: when two adversaries interact, their opinions go in opposite directions. We provide conditions for convergence and divergence in expectation, in mean-square, and in almost sure sense and exhibit phase transition phenomena for these notions of convergence depending on the parameters of the opinion update model and on the structure of the underlying graph. We establish a no-survivor theorem, stating that the difference in opinions of any two nodes diverges whenever opinions in the network diverge as a whole. We also prove a live-or-die lemma, indicating that almost surely, the opinions either converge to an agreement or diverge. Finally, we extend our analysis to cases where opinions have hard lower and upper limits. In these cases, we study when and how opinions may become asymptotically clustered to the belief boundaries and highlight the crucial influence of (strong or weak) structural balance of the underlying network on this clustering phenomenon.
Community-based Data Validation Practices in Citizen Science

Technology-supported citizen science has created huge volumes of data with increasing potential to facilitate scientific progress, however, verifying data quality is still a substantial hurdle due to the limitations of existing data quality mechanisms. In this study, we adopted a mixed methods approach to investigate community-based data validation practices and the characteristics of records of wildlife species observations that affected the outcomes of collaborative data quality management in an online community where people record what they see in the nature. The findings describe the processes that both relied upon and added to information provenance through information stewardship behaviors, which led to improved reliability and informativity. The likelihood of community-based validation interactions were predicted by several factors, including the types of organisms observed and whether the data were submitted from a mobile device. We conclude with implications for technology design, citizen science practices, and research.
Factors Affecting Implementation of Data Warehouse

Over the past decade, we have witnessed a proliferation of data warehouse. This study empirically examined the effects of thirteen factors on the extent of data warehouse implementation. Several hypotheses were set up to identify the relationships among these variables. And the survey instrument(questionnaire) was developed to collect data. Ultimately 183 questionnaires from 61 Korean firms were collected. Cronbach's alpha test and factor analysis were used to assess the reliability and validity of research variables. Subsequently, in order to test the hypotheses, multiple regression analysis and simple regression analysis were used. Findings showed that seven factors(having the right resources, management support, planning for the project, prototyping, quality of the data sources, having the right development tools, business need) affect positive effect on the extent of data warehouse implementation.
Present and Active: Transglutaminases in the Virgin Rat Uterus andCervix

Transglutaminases are a family of enzymes that are known for their protein cross-linking abilities. Transglutaminases have been investigated very little in female reproductive tissues. We hypothesized that transglutaminase proteins were present and active in the virgin rat uterus and cervix. In both tissues, real time RT-PCR identified transglutaminase 1, 2, 3, and 4 mRNA, and immunohistochemistry determined the presence of transglutaminase 1, 2, 3, and 4 proteins. Transglutaminase 1, 2 and 3 were active in the virgin rat uterus, and transglutaminase 1 and 3 were active in the virgin rat cervix, identified in situ by isoform-specific FITC-labeled substrates. Transglutaminase 2 was active in the virgin rat uterus but absent in the cervix. The transglutaminase inhibitor cystamine (1 mM) reduced maximal agonist-induced isometric contraction in the uterus, but not the cervix. This study provides new knowledge of active transglutaminase isozymes in female reproductive tissues.
Are letters better than gratings

"-Contrast sensitivity testing to detect disease has been of great interest to both psychophysi-cists and clinicians for some time (e.g. Bodis-Wollner, 1980). In his article in this issue Leguire (1991) raises the intriguing subtopic of relating the results of different contrast sensitivity tests to each other. In particular, Leguire describes several characteristics of letter charts that worry him. Many of his comments are as applicable to traditional acuity tests as to the new letter-based low-contrast acuity and contrast sensitivity tests. We shall specifically address several of his points before making some general remarks. CHART CONSTRUCTION Leguire points out that letters, unlike gratings, have a mean luminance that depends (slightly) on their contrast, and suggests that the "change in mean luminance (from top to bottom of the chart) may cause increased variability in measurement". However, since the change is systematic and identical in all charts, it doesn't contribute any variability. Furthermore , in the Pelli-Robson chart the change is a trivial 13%, from 74 cd/m 2 in the top line to 85 cd/m 2 in the bottom line, and similar statements apply to most eye charts. Since it is practically impossible to control the mean lumi-nance of any clinical instrument with an accuracy as good as ± 13%, it is important that Zhang et al. (1989) showed that the contrast sensitivity for large letters changes very little (±O.l log unit) over the much larger range of 7-514 cd/m 2 • Leguire notes that letter charts use many different letters, and is concerned that differences among the letters might increase the variability of the test. Like Snellen (1862) and 409 Donders (1864), we consider the use of multiple symbols to be a distinct advantage of letter charts, because having multiple symbols essentially eliminates a correct response being made by guessing, making the threshold measurement faster and more accurate. Pelli et al. (1988) analyzed the issue quantitatively, showing that it is highly advantageous to have at least 3 different symbols. Nevertheless, sharing Leguire's concern, Robson et al. (1990) recently did an analysis of the sources of variance in the measured scores on the Pelli-Robson chart, and found that a theoretical model of the observer based solely on the measured steepness of the observers' psychometric functions, relating the probability of correct identification to letter contrast, fully accounted for the measured variance in test scores. A more elaborate model, incorporating the measured (small) variations in …
Domestic Credit Growth and International Capital Flows

Europe experienced substantial cross-country variation in domestic credit growth and cross-border capital flows during the pre-crisis period. We investigate the inter-relations between domestic credit growth and international capital flows over 1993-2008, with a special focus on the 2003-2008 boom period. We establish that domestic credit growth in European countries is strongly related to net debt inflows but not to net equity inflows. This pattern also holds for an extended sample of 54 advanced and emerging economies.
Stabilization of decentralized control systems

The problem of stabilization of linear time-invariant systems under general decentralized feedback schemes is considered in this paper. A novel approach to the problem is advised, in which the interactions between the strongly connected subsystems of a system are treated as disturbances. A necessary and su cient condition for the existence of a decentralized controller which stabilizes a given system is presented.
Transfer in Reinforcement Learning via Shared Features

We present a framework for transfer in reinforcement learning based on the idea that related tasks share some common features, and that transfer can be achieved via those shared features. The framework attempts to capture the notion of tasks that are related but distinct, and provides some insight into when transfer can be usefully applied to a problem sequence and when it cannot. We apply the framework to the knowledge transfer problem, and show that an agent can learn a portable shaping function from experience in a sequence of tasks to significantly improve performance in a later related task, even given a very brief training period. We also apply the framework to skill transfer, to show that agents can learn portable skills across a sequence of tasks that significantly improve performance on later related tasks, approaching the performance of agents given perfectly learned problem-specific skills.
Non-Gaussian Halo Bias and Future Galaxy Surveys

We forecast constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity achievable from forthcoming surveys by exploiting the scale-dependent halo bias introduced on large scales by non-Gaussian initial conditions. We explore the performance of exploiting both the shape of the galaxy power spectrum on large scales and the cross-correlation of galaxies with cosmic microwave background maps through the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect. We find that future surveys can detect primordial non-Gaussianity of the local form with a non-Gaussianity parameter | fNL| of order unity. This is particularly exciting because, while the simplest single-field slow-roll models of inflation predict a primordial | fNL| ≪ 1, this signal sources extra contributions to the effective fNL of large-scale structures that are expected to be above our predicted detection threshold.
Measuring the Reliability of the Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Revised 3rd Edition

Measuring the Reliability of the Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Revised 3rd Edition Garrett Frane Wilkes Department of Communication Disorders, BYU Master of Science During the past several years, the Common Core State Standards has created a greater demand for students in public schools to comprehend and analyze expository text. In order to prepare students for work with expository text, beginning with kindergarten, more emphasis and standards have become prevalent in preschool classrooms as well. The Early Expository Comprehension Assessment, Revised 3rd Edition (EECA R-3) was developed to aid preschool teachers in determining what aspects of expository text a student understands, including recognition of different structure types. This study with the EECA R-3 extends previous studies using earlier iterations of the assessment. One hundred and eight children, between 3 and 5 years of age, from eight Title I classrooms and two private university preschool classrooms were administered two forms of the EECA R-3 to determine its reliability. A Many Facets Rasch Model was used to determine the reliability of the EECA R-3’s test items on both forms. Results indicate that the EECA R-3 is a reliable measurement tool. Problematic items from the previous iteration of the EECA were addressed. New problematic items were acknowledged with suggestions to change instruction or scoring on said items.
A Transmembrane Intracellular Estrogen Receptor Mediates Rapid Cell Signaling

The steroid hormone estrogen regulates many functionally unrelated processes in numerous tissues. Although it is traditionally thought to control transcriptional activation through the classical nuclear estrogen receptors, it also initiates many rapid nongenomic signaling events. We found that of all G protein–coupled receptors characterized to date, GPR30 is uniquely localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, where it specifically binds estrogen and fluorescent estrogen derivatives. Activating GPR30 by estrogen resulted in intracellular calcium mobilization and synthesis of phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate in the nucleus. Thus, GPR30 represents an intracellular transmembrane estrogen receptor that may contribute to normal estrogen physiology as well as pathophysiology.
Fate of biomedical research protocols and publication bias in France: retrospective cohort study

Abstract Objectives To describe the fate of protocols approved by the French research ethics committees, a national system created by the French 1988 Huriet-Sérusclat Act; to assess publication bias at a national level. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Representative sample of 25/48 French research ethics committees in 1994. Protocols 649 research protocols approved by committees, with follow-up information. Main outcome measures Protocols' initial characteristics (design, study size, investigator) abstracted from committees' archives; follow-up information (rates of initiation, completion, and publication) obtained from mailed questionnaire to principal investigators. Results Completed questionnaires were available for 649/976 (69%) protocols. Of these, 581 (90%) studies were initiated, 501/581 (86%) were completed, and 190/501 (38%) were published. Studies with confirmatory results were more likely to be published as scientific papers than were studies with inconclusive results (adjusted odds ratio 4.59, 95% confidence interval 2.21 to 9.54). Moreover, studies with confirmatory results were published more quickly than studies with inconclusive results (hazard ratio 2.48, 1.36 to 4.55). Conclusion At a national level, too many research studies are not completed, and among those completed too many are not published. We suggest capitalising on research ethics committees to register and follow all authorised research on human participants on a systematic and prospective basis.
The Relationship between Carotenoid-Based Coloration and Pairing, Within- And Extra-Pair Mating Success in the American Redstart

Abstract. This study examines the relationship of carotenoid-based plumage coloration to mating and reproductive success in a migratory songbird, the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). Adult male redstarts have several highly variable orange carotenoid-based patches of plumage on their wings, flanks, and tail. We tested the prediction that males with larger and more intensely orange plumage patches have higher pairing success, as well as higher within-pair, extra-pair, and total reproductive success. We also quantified nestling-provisioning rates, to determine if carotenoid-based coloration was related to males' provisioning behavior. Males that paired successfully had significantly brighter orange flanks than unmated males. Paternity testing with microsatellites showed that 64% of broods (18 of 28) had extra-pair young and 44% of nestlings (36 of 81) were extra-pair. We found no relationship between carotenoid-based coloration and within- or extra-pair paternity. Contrary to our predictions, males with less saturated orange flanks sired more total young than more saturated males. Males with brighter orange flanks also provisioned nestlings at rates lower than did less bright males. These unexpected results highlight the need for further research on the mechanisms governing the production and maintenance of carotenoid-based signals in redstarts, as well as incorporating the ecology of migratory species into the study of carotenoid-based signals, which heretofore has been based primarily on nonmigratory species.
Advances in the understanding of myocarditis.

Myocarditis is a poorly understood disease because it progresses through stages with distinctly different mechanisms and manifestations. The objective of this article is to better define myocarditis for both clinicians and clinical scientists by setting it in the framework of 3 phases of disease. In phase 1, the viral stage, we review recent discoveries about the way viruses gain access to target tissue and how they trigger immune responses. In the second, autoimmune phase of disease, we examine the roles of autoreactive T cells, cytokines, and cross-reacting antibodies and reconsider the relevance of recent therapy trials. In the third phase of the disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, we consider the remodeling processes. We then offer current recommendations for diagnosis and therapy and conclude with a look to the future. Myocarditis is a continuum of 3 distinct disease processes, one evolving into the other with transitional periods of indistinctness. For each of the 3 processes, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment differ considerably. Without precise knowledge of the point to which an individual patient’s myocarditis has evolved in this continuum, the clinician can only use diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions haphazardly. It is likely that the majority of cases of myocarditis, except in countries in which Chagas’ disease or diphtheria is common, result from viral infection, which may progress to an autoimmune phase after resolution or reduction of the initial infection, and then finally to progressive dilatation after resolution or reduction of the autoimmune injury (Figure 1). A viral cause can only be proved by direct molecular or indirect methods. Appropriate treatment at the viral stage is eradication of virus and amelioration of viral injury. The autoimmune phase can be diagnosed by endomyocardial biopsy, supplemented by serological markers of immune activation. Immune suppression is probably the most appropriate therapy in this stage, unless significant viral …
Do Firms Use Discretionary Revenues to Meet Earnings and Revenue Targets

This paper addresses two questions related to the use of discretion over revenues. First, do firms use discretion in revenues to manage earnings to meet earnings targets? Second, do firms manage revenues to meet revenue targets? To answer these questions, I model a common form of discretionary revenues and its effect on the relation between revenues and accounts receivable. Using this model, I find that firms with earnings just above analysts’ consensus forecasts report positive discretionary revenues. Firms with greater incentives to use discretion in revenues as opposed to expenses (i.e., growth firms and firms with high gross margins) do so to a greater extent than other firms. I find limited evidence that growth firms use discretionary revenues to meet revenue forecasts.
The planar cell polarity protein Strabismus promotes Pins anterior localization during asymmetric division of sensory organ precursor cells in Drosophila

Cell fate diversity is generated in part by the unequal segregation of cell-fate determinants during asymmetric cell division. In the Drosophila bristle lineage, the sensory organ precursor (pI) cell is polarized along the anteroposterior (AP) axis by Frizzled (Fz) receptor signaling. We show here that Fz localizes at the posterior apical cortex of the pI cell prior to mitosis, whereas Strabismus (Stbm) and Prickle (Pk), which are also required for AP polarization of the pI cell, co-localize at the anterior apical cortex. Thus, asymmetric localization of Fz, Stbm and Pk define two opposite cortical domains prior to mitosis of the pI cell. At mitosis, Stbm forms an anterior crescent that overlaps with the distribution of Partner of Inscuteable (Pins) and Discs-large (Dlg), two components of the anterior Dlg-Pins-Gαi complex that regulates the localization of cell-fate determinants. At prophase, Stbm promotes the anterior localization of Pins. By contrast, Dishevelled (Dsh) acts antagonistically to Stbm by excluding Pins from the posterior cortex. We propose that the Stbm-dependent recruitment of Pins at the anterior cortex of the pI cell is a novel read-out of planar cell polarity.
The Evolution of Autistic-Like and Schizotypal Traits: A Sexual Selection Hypothesis

In this paper we present a new hypothesis on the evolution of autistic-like and schizotypal personality traits. We argue that autistic-like and schizotypal traits contribute in opposite ways to individual differences in reproductive and mating strategies, and have been maintained – at least in part – by sexual selection through mate choice. Whereas positive schizotypy can be seen as a psychological phenotype oriented to high-mating effort and good genes displays in both sexes, autistic-like traits in their non-pathological form contribute to a male-typical strategy geared toward high parental investment, low-mating effort, and long-term resource allocation. At the evolutionary-genetic level, this sexual selection hypothesis is consistent with Crespi and Badcock's “imprinted brain” theory of autism and psychosis; the effect of offspring mating behavior on resource flow within the family connects sexual selection with genomic imprinting in the context of human biparental care. We conclude by presenting the results of an empirical study testing one of the predictions derived from our hypothesis. In a sample of 199 college students, autistic-like traits predicted lower interest in short-term mating, higher partner-specific investment, and stronger commitment to long-term romantic relations, whereas positive schizotypy showed the opposite pattern of effects.
Patella bone density is lower in knee osteoarthritis patients experiencing moderate-to-severe pain at rest

Objective: To determine differences in patellar subchondral bone mineral density (BMD) between knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients with differing levels of pain at rest. Methods: The preoperative knee of 41 total knee replacement (TKR) patients was scanned using QCT and scored for pain using Western Ontario McMasters Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC). ‘Pain at rest’ was defined as average pain while lying/sitting and nocturnal pain. Participants were divided into groups: ‘mild-to-no pain at rest’ and ‘moderate-to-severe pain at rest’. We used a depth-specific CT-based mapping technique to measure patellar subchondral BMD at depths of 0-2.5 mm, 2.5-5 mm, and 5-7.5 mm from the subchondral surface. Mean lateral and medial facet BMD were compared between groups using MANCOVA. Results: Mean adjusted BMD was lower in participants with ‘moderate-to-severe pain at rest’ over the total lateral facet at depths of 0-2.5 mm (10% lower, p=0.041), 2.5-5 mm (20% lower, p=0.017), and 5-7.5 mm (25% lower, p=0.004), and over the total medial facet at 2.5-5 mm (22% lower, p=0.033) and 5-7.5 mm (28% lower, p=0.016). Conclusions: In OA patients with ‘moderate-to-severe pain at rest’, depth-specific density measures demonstrated up to 28% lower lateral and medial subchondral BMD. Patients with high levels of pain at rest may have reduced amounts of native bone prior to TKR.
Genome Instability and Transcription Elongation Impairment in Human Cells Depleted of THO/TREX

THO/TREX connects transcription with genome integrity in yeast, but a role of mammalian THO in these processes is uncertain, which suggests a differential implication of mRNP biogenesis factors in genome integrity in yeast and humans. We show that human THO depletion impairs transcription elongation and mRNA export and increases instability associated with DNA breaks, leading to hyper-recombination and γH2AX and 53BP1 foci accumulation. This is accompanied by replication alteration as determined by DNA combing. Genome instability is R-loop–dependent, as deduced from the ability of the AID enzyme to increase DNA damage and of RNaseH to reduce it, or from the enhancement of R-loop–dependent class-switching caused by THOC1-depletion in CH12 murine cells. Therefore, mammalian THO prevents R-loop formation and has a role in genome dynamics and function consistent with an evolutionary conservation of the functional connection between these mRNP biogenesis factors and genome integrity that had not been anticipated.