Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The dictation of Italian numerals

Abstract Some recent studies on acalculia raise the question of how people translate verbal numerals (e.g. three hundred and sixty five) into Arabic numerals (365). This ability can conveniently be tested by a dictation task: The experimenter presents a spoken verbal numeral which the subject must write down in Arabic digits. Two broad categories of dictation error have been observed in acalculia studies. First, the patient may select a wrong digit (“lexical“ error, e.g. 364); secondly, he may produce a numeral with the wrong overall structure, in particular by inserting the wrong number of zeros (“syntactic” error, e.g. 30065). The present study examines another source of evidence, the performance of children who are in the process of acquiring this ability (the crucial age is around 6-8 years). A total of 15 Italian children were given a graded dictation test for numbers below 1 million. In comparison with acalculia patients, the most striking result was the overwhelming preponderance of syntactic error.
Multi-Objective Data Clustering using Variable-Length Real Jumping Genes Genetic Algorithm and Local Search Method

In this paper, we present a novel multi-objective evolutionary clustering approach using variable-length real jumping genes genetic algorithms (VRJGGA). The proposed algorithm that extends jumping genes genetic algorithm (JGGA) [1] evolves clustering solutions using multiple clustering criteria, without a-priori knowledge of the actual number of clusters. Some local search methods such as probabilistic cluster merging and splitting are introduced in VRJGGA for the clustering improvement. Experimental results based on several artificial and real-world data show that VRJGGA can obtain non-dominated and near-optimal clustering solutions in terms of different cluster quality measures and classification performance.
Is Information Transfer Rate a Suitable Performance Measure for Self-paced Brain Interface Systems?

Information transfer rate (ITR) is used as the primary metric in the evaluation of many synchronized brain interface (BI) systems. In this paper, the ITR of self-paced BI systems is formulated. It is shown that ITR by itself is NOT a suitable performance measure for self-paced evaluation. Only when there are additional conditions, ITR can be used as a suitable performance measure. Since ITR is achieved through the analysis of the outputs of BI systems, under specific conditions it can be used for comparison between different self-paced BI systems which use similar protocols
The influence of organizational justice on job performance

The purpose of this paper is to propose two models: the first examines the impact of different dimension of justice (distributive, procedural and interactional) on job performance taking into consideration the mediating role of affective commitment and the second model utilizes the notion of overall justice to predict job performance considering the mediating role of affective commitment. ,This study was conducted with a sample group of 343 employees working within French small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ,The results support the mediating role of affective commitment between organizational justice and job performance and demonstrate that overall justice has a greater effect on affective commitment than specific dimensions of justice. ,The current study is the first to explore the relationship between JP and OJ, with the latter being measured in more than one focus, in the French SMEs. Therefore, this study contributes to bridge the gap in the understanding of the relationship between OJ and JP in the SMEs. In the French context of SMEs, the authors have stressed the relevance of the perception of organizational justice as a factor affecting the behavior and performance of employees which is then reflected in the success of these firms. In this paper the authors propose two models, with significant implications for researchers, managers, and HR departments. The first examines the impact of different dimension of justice (distributive, procedural and interactional) on job performance taking into consideration the mediating role of affective commitment. The second model utilizes the notion of overall justice to predict job performance considering the mediating role of affective commitment.
Protective Effect of Safranal, a Constituent of Crocus sativus, on Quinolinic Acid-induced Oxidative Damage in Rat Hippocampus

Objective(s): Quinolinic acid (QA)-mediated excitotoxicity has been widely used as a model for studying neurodegenerative disorders. Recent studies suggested that saffron (Crocus sativus) or its active metabolite, i.e. safranal, exerts pharmacological actions on central nervous system including anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective properties. The present study aimed to investigate the effect safranal pretreatment on QA-induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus. Materials and Methods: Under anesthesia, a guide cannula was stereotaxically inserted into left ventral hippocampus of rats. The rats were then given either saline or safranal (72.75, 145.5, and 291 mg/kg, IP) 30 min before administration of QA (300 nmol, intrahippocampal injection). The markers of oxidative stress including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS, as an index of lipid preoxidation), total sulfhydryl groups, antioxidant capacity of hippocampus (using FRAP assay), and oxidative DNA damage (%tail DNA, using comet assay) were measured in hippocampus. Results: The QA induced a significant increase in TBARS levels and %tail DNA and remarkable decrease in antioxidant power (FRAP value) and total sulfhydryl content of hippocampus, in comparison with control animals. Systemic administration of safranal (291 mg/kg, IP), effectively and dose-dependently decreased the QA-induced lipid peroxidation (P<0.001) and oxidative DNA damage (P<0.001). Safranal also prevented the decrease of hippocampal thiol redox and antioxidant status (P<0.001) produced by QA. Conclusion: Safranal have protective effects on different markers of oxidative damage in hippocampal tissue following QA administration. Our findings might raise a possibility of potential therapeutic application of safranal for preventing and treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.
The contribution of alpha synuclein to neuronal survival and function – Implications for Parkinson's disease

The aggregation of alpha synuclein (α‐syn) is a neuropathological feature that defines a spectrum of disorders collectively termed synucleinopathies, and of these, Parkinson's disease (PD) is arguably the best characterized. Aggregated α‐syn is the primary component of Lewy bodies, the defining pathological feature of PD, while mutations or multiplications in the α‐syn gene result in familial PD. The high correlation between α‐syn burden and PD has led to the hypothesis that α‐syn aggregation produces toxicity through a gain‐of‐function mechanism. However, α‐syn has been implicated to function in a diverse range of essential cellular processes such as the regulation of neurotransmission and response to cellular stress. As such, an alternative hypothesis with equal explanatory power is that the aggregation of α‐syn results in toxicity because of a toxic loss of necessary α‐syn function, following sequestration of functional forms α‐syn into insoluble protein aggregates. Within this review, we will provide an overview of the literature linking α‐syn to PD and the knowledge gained from current α‐syn‐based animal models of PD. We will then interpret these data from the viewpoint of the α‐syn loss‐of‐function hypothesis and provide a potential mechanistic model by which loss of α‐syn function could result in at least some of the neurodegeneration observed in PD. By providing an alternative perspective on the etiopathogenesis of PD and synucleinopathies, this may reveal alternative avenues of research in order to identify potential novel therapeutic targets for disease modifying strategies.
Protease Modulation of the Activity of the Epithelial Sodium Channel Expressed in Xenopus Oocytes

We have investigated the effect of extracellular proteases on the amiloride-sensitive Na+ current (INa) in Xenopus oocytes expressing the three subunits α, β, and γ of the rat or Xenopus epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC). Low concentrations of trypsin (2 μg/ml) induced a large increase of INa within a few minutes, an effect that was fully prevented by soybean trypsin inhibitor, but not by amiloride. A similar effect was observed with chymotrypsin, but not with kallikrein. The trypsin-induced increase of INa was observed with Xenopus and rat ENaC, and was very large (∼20-fold) with the channel obtained by coexpression of the α subunit of Xenopus ENaC with the β and γ subunits of rat ENaC. The effect of trypsin was selective for ENaC, as shown by the absence of effect on the current due to expression of the K+ channel ROMK2. The effect of trypsin was not prevented by intracellular injection of EGTA nor by pretreatment with GTP-γS, suggesting that this effect was not mediated by G proteins. Measurement of the channel protein expression at the oocyte surface by antibody binding to a FLAG epitope showed that the effect of trypsin was not accompanied by an increase in the channel protein density, indicating that proteolysis modified the activity of the channel present at the oocyte surface rather than the cell surface expression. At the single channel level, in the cell-attached mode, more active channels were observed in the patch when trypsin was present in the pipette, while no change in channel activity could be detected when trypsin was added to the bath solution around the patch pipette. We conclude that extracellular proteases are able to increase the open probability of the epithelial sodium channel by an effect that does not occur through activation of a G protein-coupled receptor, but rather through proteolysis of a protein that is either a constitutive part of the channel itself or closely associated with it.
Communicating Moral Motives

Disgust motivates pathogen avoidance, but it is unclear why it is also reported toward moral violations. Previous explanations have focused on identifying the type of violation specific to disgust. Here, we propose that people express disgust toward any type of moral violation in order to communicate particular motives. Unlike anger, which can be seen as self-interested, disgust communicates a more principled, moral motivation. Two experiments show that observers infer more moral motivation from an expression of disgust and more self-interested motivation from anger. Two further experiments testing participants’ own expression decisions demonstrate that disgust is chosen more to show moral concern and anger is chosen to protest harm to one’s self-interest. By shifting focus to the interpersonal effects of emotion expressions, these findings offer a new perspective for understanding the role of disgust in morality.
Time-dependent Cp-violation Effects in B -b Systems

Large time-dependent partial-rate asymmetries associated with CP violation are predicted for the decays of 8, (: — bs) and Bq (— =bd) to certain two-body final states (such as D+m). Tagging on an accompanying charged b-fIavored particle (B " =bu) or identified baryon (Ah=bud) permits the identification of the initial flavor (8 or 2t) of the decaying particle. The asymmetries are contrasted with the Bq~gEs asymmetry discussed earlier in the literature.
Preliminary Version Comments Welcome Fear of The Unknown : The Effects of Familiarity on Financial Decisions

Experimental and capital market evidence indicates that individuals prefer proximate and familiar investments; sticking to current consumption/investment positions, and choice alternatives positioned as default options. We offer an integrated explanation for these effects based upon fear of change and of the unfamiliar. We model fear of change as a tendency for individuals, in evaluating deviations from familiar choices in the face of model uncertainty, to focus on the worst-case scenarios. Individuals evaluate buying versus selling under different probability distributions, which induces a gap between willingness to pay and willingness to accept that increases with both the degree of uncertainty and risk. Similar reasoning applies to preference for the status quo options, and excessive inertia in individual choices. The model thereby offers an explanation for the limited diversification of investors; special cases include the home bias puzzle and the preference of individuals to invest in company stock. In calibrations we find that individuals may hold relatively few asset classes in their portfolios; and that the observed magnitude of home bias can be consistent with a reasonable level of model uncertainty. The model also offers an explanation for attention effects wherein a large amount of publicity for a stock increases demand for it even if the news is on average neutral.
The Centre for Market and Public Organisation a Simple Model of Learning Styles a Simple Model of Learning Styles

The Centre for Market and Public Organisation (CMPO) is a leading research centre, combining expertise in economics, geography and law. Our objective is to study the intersection between the public and private sectors of the economy, and in particular to understand the right way to organise and deliver public services. The Centre aims to develop research, contribute to the public debate and inform policy-making. CMPO, now an ESRC Research Centre was established in 1998 with two large grants from The Leverhulme Trust. In 2004 we were awarded ESRC Research Centre status, and CMPO now combines core funding from both the ESRC and the Trust. Abstract Much of the economic literature on education treats the process of learning as a `black box'. While such models have many interesting uses, they are of little use when a college seeks advice about reallocating resources from one input to another (e.g. from lecture hours to seminars). Commenting on such questions requires us tòopen up' the black box. This paper shows what one such model would look like by explicitly modelling how students vary in theirìearning styles'. We apply this framework to investigate how reforms to higher education (e.g. MOOCs) would affect students with different learning styles.
The Inequality Footprints of Nations: A Novel Approach to Quantitative Accounting of Income Inequality

In this study we use economic input-output analysis to calculate the inequality footprint of nations. An inequality footprint shows the link that each country's domestic economic activity has to income distribution elsewhere in the world. To this end we use employment and household income accounts for 187 countries and an historical time series dating back to 1990. Our results show that in 2010, most developed countries had an inequality footprint that was higher than their within-country inequality, meaning that in order to support domestic lifestyles, these countries source imports from more unequal economies. Amongst exceptions are the United States and United Kingdom, which placed them on a par with many developing countries. Russia has a high within-country inequality nevertheless it has the lowest inequality footprint in the world, which is because of its trade connections with the Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe. Our findings show that the commodities that are inequality-intensive, such as electronic components, chemicals, fertilizers, minerals, and agricultural products often originate in developing countries characterized by high levels of inequality. Consumption of these commodities may implicate within-country inequality in both developing and developed countries.
The Incidence of Impacted Maxillary Canines in a Kosovar Population

Aim. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of impacted maxillary canines in a Kosovar population. Materials and Methods. The study consisted of a retrospective analysis of the records of 8101 patients treated in the University Dentistry Clinical Center of Kosovo between August 2001 and February 2004. The chi-squared test was used to examine potential differences in the distribution of impacted maxillary canines stratified by gender, age, location (left or right), and position. P < 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. Results. It was found that the incidence of impacted maxillary canines was 1.62%. Of the 131 impacted maxillary canines, 101 were in female patients and 30 were in male patients, a statistically significant difference. Ages were in the range of 9 to >20 years, with a mean age of 24.38 ± 8.09 years. Of these subjects, 99 (75.57%) had unilaterally impacted maxillary canines, while 32 (24.43%) had bilateral impactions, a statistically significant difference (P < 0.00002). Impacted canines in 92 subjects (70.2%) were palatally placed, and 18 (13.7%) were labially placed. This difference was also statistically significant (P < 0.00001). Conclusion. The incidence of impacted maxillary canines in the sample Kosovar population was 1.62%, which is comparable to the findings from previous studies.
A Study on Consumers' Attitude towards Online Shopping in China

Online shopping provides a good example of the business revolution. In China, e-commerce is currently experiencing a period of rapid development; the large number of Internet users provides a good foundation for the expansion of the online shopping market. In this study, perceived usability, perceived security, perceived privacy, perceived after-sales service, perceived marketing mix, and perceived reputation were used for analysis. This research was conducted by using the primary data source, and the survey method was employed in the research. This research found that there were relationships between the perceived usability, perceived security, perceived privacy, perceived after-sales service, perceived marketing mix, perceived reputation and consumers’ attitude to adopting online shopping in China. However, only marketing mix and reputation were found to significantly influence consumers’ attitude to adopt online shopping. The findings help us in understanding consumers’ online purchase behaviour.
Representation and Coding of Signal Geometry

Approaches to signal representation and coding theory have traditionally focused on how to best represent signals using parsimonious representations that incur the lowest possible distortion. Classical examples include linear and non-linear approximations, sparse representations, and rate-distortion theory. Very often, however, the goal of processing is to extract specific information from the signal, and the distortion should be measured on the extracted information. The corresponding representation should, therefore, represent that information as parsimoniously as possible, without necessarily accurately representing the signal itself. In this paper, we examine the problem of encoding signals such that sufficient information is preserved about their pairwise distances and their inner products. For that goal, we consider randomized embeddings as an encoding mechanism and provide a framework to analyze their performance. We also demonstrate that it is possible to design the embedding such that it represents different ranges of distances with different precision. These embeddings also allow the computation of kernel inner products with control on their inner product-preserving properties. Our results provide a broad framework to design and analyze embeddins, and generalize existing results in this area, such as random Fourier kernels and universal embeddings.
The First Giant Raptor (Theropoda: Dromaeosauridae) from the Hell Creek Formation

ABSTRACT Most dromaeosaurids were small- to medium-sized cursorial, scansorial, and arboreal, sometimes volant predators, but a comparatively small percentage grew to gigantic proportions. Only two such giant “raptors” have been described from North America. Here, we describe a new giant dromaeosaurid, Dakotaraptor steini gen. et sp. nov., from the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota. The discovery represents the first giant dromaeosaur from the Hell Creek Formation, and the most recent in the fossil record worldwide. A row of prominent ulnar papilli or “quill knobs” on the ulna is our first clear evidence for feather quills on a large dromaeosaurid forearm and impacts evolutionary reconstructions and functional morphology of such derived, typically flight-related features. The presence of this new predator expands our record of theropod diversity in latest Cretaceous Laramidia, and radically changes paleoecological reconstructions of the Hell Creek Formation.
On the Diagonal Distribution of a Complex Wishart Matrix and its Application to the Analysis of MIMO Systems

The statistical properties of Wishart matrices have been extensively used to analyze the performance of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. In particular, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) output statistics of several MIMO systems depends on the diagonal distribution of a complex Wishart matrix. In this paper, we derive the joint density of the diagonal elements of a complex Wishart matrix, which follows a multivariate chi-square distribution. The density expression is in the form of an infinite series representation which converges rapidly and is easy to compute. This expression is used to obtain the distribution of the maximum of the diagonal elements, which allows analyzing the performance of two different MIMO systems under practical conditions. First, our statistical results are applied to the outage probability characterization of MIMO systems with receive antenna selection in spatially correlated Rayleigh fading. Then, the same results are used to analyze the outage probability of transmit beamforming systems under limited-rate feedback.
Alternative school student perceptions about forgiveness

ABSTRACT The investigative setting for this study was an alternative educational program that serves at-risk middle and secondary school students. The study evaluated students' conceptual understandings of forgiveness, their exercise of forgiveness in the face of perceived school-related transgressions, as well as the relationship between the two variables and student mental health and well-being. Overall, the students' cognitive grasp of forgiveness was found to be less sophisticated than was demonstrated by a similar sample of adults, indicating that the students, as a group of externalizing youth, struggled to use forgiveness to resolve relational conflicts. Specific factors that may foster forgiveness in habitually aggressive youth are presented along with recommendations for interventions.