Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards a General Theory of Education-Based Inequality and Mobility: Who Wins and Loses Under China’s Educational Expansion, 1981-2010

My dissertation formally develops a theory of education-based inequality and mobility to integrate the existing theoretical accounts and results in the fields. The empirical puzzle I examine is why the triangle associations among social origin, educational attainment and social destination present various patterns in different societies under educational expansion. By using a variety of cross-sectional survey data from reforming China, I illustrate that class mobility strategies, structural and institutional features in the educational system and the sociopolitical institutional context are the most important dimensions to understand how educational expansion affects education-based social stratification and inequality. My analyses demonstrate that, with China’s “bottleneck” educational opportunity structure and rising educational cost under educational expansion, we observe increasing educational inequality, declining social mobility and increasing social origin differentials in the college premium in the last three decades.
Sound perception affected by nonlinear variation of accuracy in memory trace

The mismatch negativity (MMN) reflects the neural representation of the acoustic environment stored in sensory memory. The short phase of sensory memory corresponds to the temporal window of integration (TWI) which integrates the neighboring sounds into a unitary event. We measured the magnetic MMN (MMNm) and the discriminative reaction time (RT) responding to an omitted segment incorporated into a complex sound. Consequently, for the late omitted segments, the MMNm amplitudes were decreased, and those latencies and the RTs were prolonged. The percentages of the correct responses were also reduced for the late omitted segments. In sum, the discriminative sensitivity nonlinearly declined toward the end of the TWI, suggesting that the time-wise accuracy of the neural trace nonlinearly varies in sensory memory.
Fast Tracking via Spatio-Temporal Context Learning

In this paper, we present a simple yet fast and robust algorithm which exploits the spatio-temporal context for visual tracking. Our approach formulates the spatio-temporal relationships between the object of interest and its local context based on a Bayesian framework, which models the statistical correlation between the low-level features (i.e., image intensity and position) from the target and its surrounding regions. The tracking problem is posed by computing a confidence map, and obtaining the best target location by maximizing an object location likelihood function. The Fast Fourier Transform is adopted for fast learning and detection in this work. Implemented in MATLAB without code optimization, the proposed tracker runs at 350 frames per second on an i7 machine. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs favorably against state-of-the-art methods in terms of efficiency, accuracy and robustness.
Synthetic Treebanking for Cross-Lingual Dependency Parsing

How do we parse the languages for which no treebanks are available? This contribution addresses the cross-lingual viewpoint on statistical dependency parsing, in which we attempt to make use of resource-rich source language treebanks to build and adapt models for the under-resourced target languages. We outline the benefits, and indicate the drawbacks of the current major approaches. We emphasize synthetic treebanking: the automatic creation of target language treebanks by means of annotation projection and machine translation. We present competitive results in cross-lingual dependency parsing using a combination of various techniques that contribute to the overall success of the method. We further include a detailed discussion about the impact of part-of-speech label accuracy on parsing results that provide guidance in practical applications of cross-lingual methods for truly under-resourced languages.
Toward a Writing Pedagogy of Shuttling between Languages: Learning from Multilingual Writers

The author suggests that models positioning the multilingual writer as passively conditioned by “interference” from his or her first language, as well as more correlative models of the interrelationships of multiple languages in writing, need to be revised. Analyzing works written to different audiences, in different contexts, and in different languages by a prominent Sri Lankan intellectual, the author instead suggests a way of understanding multilingual writing as a process engaged in multiple contexts of communication, and multilingual writers as agentive rather than passive, shuttling creatively among languages, discourses, and identities to achieve their communicative and rhetorical objectives.
Video Object Retrieval by Trajectory and Appearance

The prevalence of video recording capability, either on surveillance systems or mobile devices, has contributed to the popularity of video data. As a result, video management has become relatively more important than before and, in particular, video retrieval has been one of the main issues in this regard. Traditional video retrieval systems take texts as the inputs to look for similar information from the title, annotation or embedded textual data of a video, in a way that is very similar to the keyword search adopted by a common search engine. However, the lack of visual information specification during a search often makes the result rather inaccurate or even useless. For this reason, video retrieval systems using images or videos as the inputs have also been proposed; nevertheless, the associated ambiguity and complexity have made the implementation of such systems relatively difficult and, therefore, those systems are not as successful as desired. To address this, in this paper, we propose to perform a video retrieval of a desired object through the inputs of its trajectory and/or appearance, together with the help of a 3-D graphical user interface for more intuitive interactions, so that more satisfactory results can be achieved. We firmly believe that such a framework could serve as the foundation for behavior analysis used in many surveillance systems.
Malicious behavior in online social network

Nowadays, Online Social Networks (OSNs) are very popular and have become an integral part of our life. People are dependent on Online Social Networks for various purposes. The activities of most of the users are normal, but a few of the users exhibit unusual and suspicious behavior. We term this suspicious and unusual behavior as malicious behavior. Malicious behavior in Online Social Networks includes a wide range of unethical activities and actions performed by individuals or communities to manipulate thought process of OSN users to fulfill their vested interest. Such malicious behavior needs to be checked and its effects should be minimized. To minimize effects of such malicious activities, we require proper detection and containment strategy. Such strategy will protect millions of users across the OSNs from misinformation and security threats. In this paper, we discuss the different studies performed in the area of malicious behavior analysis and propose a framework for detection of malicious behavior in OSNs.
Negative feedback from a Proteus class II flagellum export defect to the flhDC master operon controlling cell division and flagellum assembly

The Proteus mirabilis flagellum class I flhDC operon was isolated, and its transcript was shown to originate from a sigma70 promoter 244 bp 5' of flhD and 29 bp 3' of a putative cyclic AMP receptor protein-binding site. Expression of this regulatory master operon increased strongly as cells differentiated into elongated hyperflagellated swarm filaments, and cell populations artificially overexpressing flhDC migrated sooner and faster. A class II flhA transposon mutant was reduced in flagellum class III gene expression, as would be expected from the FlgM anti-sigma28 accumulation demonstrated in Salmonella typhimurium, but was unexpectedly also reduced in cell elongation. Here, we show that levels of flhDC transcript were ca. 10-fold lower in this flagellum export mutant, indicating that in cells defective in flagellum assembly, there is additional negative feedback via flhDC. In support of this view, artificial overexpression of flhDC in the flhA mutant restored elongation but not class III flagellum gene transcription.
Maxillofacial Injuries in the Pediatric Patient: An Overview

Children are uniquely susceptible to craniofacial trauma because of their greater cranial mass-to-body ratio. The pediatric population sustains 1 to 14.7% of all facial fractures. The majority of these injuries are encountered by boys (53.7-80%) who are involved in motor vehicle accidents (up to 80.2%). The incidence of other systemic injury concomitant to facial trauma is significant (10.4-88%). The management of the pediatric patient with maxillofacial injury should take into consideration, the differences in anatomy and physiology between children and adults, the presence of concomitant injury, the particular stage in growth and development (anatomic, physiologic and psychological), and the specific injuries and anatomic sites that the injuries affect. The greatest concern when treating the pediatric patient is the effect of the injury or treatment on growth and development. This is both anatomically and psychologically important and may have various effects on management for the different stages of psychological development.
The use of external event monitoring (web-loop) in the elucidation of symptoms associated with arrhythmias in a general population

Objective To correlate arrhythmic symptoms with the presence of significant arrhythmias through the external event monitoring (web-loop). Methods Between January and December 2011, the web-loop was connected to 112 patients (46% of them were women, mean age 52±21 years old). Specific arrhythmic symptoms were defined as palpitations, pre-syncope and syncope observed during the monitoring. Supraventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter or fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, pauses greater than 2 seconds or advanced atrioventricular block were classified as significant arrhythmia. The association between symptoms and significant arrhythmias were analyzed. Results The web-loop recorded arrhythmic symptoms in 74 (66%) patients. Of these, in only 14 (19%) patients the association between symptoms and significant cardiac arrhythmia was detected. Moreover, significant arrhythmia was found in 11 (9.8%) asymptomatic patients. There was no association between presence of major symptoms and significant cardiac arrhythmia (OR=0.57, CI95%: 0.21-1.57; p=0.23). Conclusion We found no association between major symptoms and significant cardiac arrhythmia in patients submitted to event recorder monitoring. Event loop recorder was useful to elucidate cases of palpitations and syncope in symptomatic patients.
The histopathologic spectrum of acute self‐limited colitis (acute infectious ‐type colitis)

Acute self-limited colitis (ASLC) is a self-limiting diarrheal illness which is often caused by known infectious agents (Campylobacter, Salmonella, and Shigella), but many cases are of unknown etiology. This report describes the histopathologic features of acute self-limited colitis as related to its natural history. The extent of inflammation and regeneration varies with the duration of the disease. In the peak activity stage (within 0–4 days of onset of bloody diarrhea) there is mucosal edema, cryptitis, crypt ulcers, and abcesses. At the time of resolution (within 6–9 days of onset of bloody diarrhea), regenerative features become apparent along with residual focal neutrophilic cryptitis. In the later stages of resolution, along with some regenerative features, occasional crypts with transmigrating lymphocytes may be present.A rectal biopsy is diagnostic only in the early stages of the disease. Later in the course, the rectal biopsy from patients with ASLC may be nondiagnostic or may be confused with Crohn's disease due to the persistence of focal cryptitis. In our experience, the presence of crypt distortion and basal plasmacytosis are the two most useful criteria to differentiate chronic ulcerative colitis from ASLC.
Recent Progress with the DNA Repair Mutants of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

SUMMARY Repair-deficient mutants of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are being used to identify human genes that correct the repair defects and to study mechanisms of DNA repair and mutagenesis. Five independent tertiary DNA transformants were obtained from the EM9 mutant, which is noted for its very high sister-chromatid exchange frequencies. In these clones a human DNA sequence was identified that correlated with the resistance of the cells to chlorodeoxyuridine (CldUrd). After EcoRI digestion, Southern transfer, and hybridization of transformant DNAs with the BLUR-8 Alu family sequence, a common fragment of 25–30 kilobases (kb) was present. Since the DNA molecules used to produce these transformants were sheared to <50kb in size, the correcting gene should be small enough to clone in a cosmid vector. Using drug-resistance markers to select for hybrids after fusion, we have done complementation experiments with ultraviolet light (u.v.)-sensitive mutants and have identified a sixth complementation group, line UV61. Additionally, CHO mutants UV27-1 and MMC-2, isolated in other laboratories, were found to belong to UV group 3, which is represented by line UV24. To study the behaviour of transfected DNA molecules in repair-deficient cells, we treated plasmid pSV2gpt with either u.v. radiation or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cis-DDP) and introduced the damaged DNA into normal CHO cells (AA8) and mutants UV4 and UV5. Unrepaired damage to the plasmid was indicated by loss of colony-forming ability of the transfected cells in selective medium containing mycophenolic acid. With u.v. damage, the differential survival of the cell lines was similar to that seen when whole cells are treated with u.v. However, with cis-DDP damage, mutant UV4 did not exhibit the extreme hypersensitivity (50-fold) that occurs when cells are treated. This result suggests that UV4 cells may be able to repair cross-links in transfected DNA.
The Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems: Grain Growth and Chemical Processing of Dust in T Tauri Systems

This paper is one in a series presenting results obtained within the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems (FEPS) Legacy Science Program on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Here we present a study of dust processing and growth in seven protoplanetary disks. Our spectra indicate that the circumstellar silicate dust grains have grown to sizes at least 10 times larger than observed in the interstellar medium and show evidence for a non-negligible (~5% in mass fractions) contribution from crystalline species. These results are similar to those of other studies of protoplanetary disks. In addition, we find a correlation between the strength of the amorphous silicate feature and the shape of the spectral energy distribution. This latter result is consistent with the growth and subsequent gravitational settling of dust grains toward the disk midplane. Furthermore, we find a change in the relative abundance of the different crystalline species: more enstatite than forsterite is observed in the inner warm dust population at ~1 AU, while forsterite dominates in the colder outer regions at ~5-15 AU. This change in the relative abundances argues for a localized crystallization process rather than a radial mixing scenario in which crystalline silicates are being transported outwards from a single formation region in the hot inner parts of the disk. Finally, we report the detection of emission from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules in five out of seven sources. We find a tentative PAH band at 8.2 μm that was previously undetected in the spectra of disks around low-mass pre-main-sequence stars.
Pathways by which parent management training brings about long-term changes in deviant peer association

Parental monitoring, child social competence, and child academic success were examined as mediators explaining the relationship between Oregon's Model of Parent Management Training (PMTO) and long-term changes in deviant peer association for an at-risk sample of divorced mothers of 6-10 year old boys. Participants included a community sample of 238 boys and mothers. Mother's mean age was 34.7 years at the start of data collection, and boys mean age was 7.8 years. Multi-method, multi-informant methods were used to examine skilled parenting and parental monitoring, as well as child factors, including social competence, academic success, and deviant peer association. Intervention was found to positively impact average levels in deviant peer association across time. Parental monitoring did not mediate the relationship between intervention and changes in deviant peer association. Parenting skillinduced changes in social competence and academic success were not found to mediate the relationship between PMTO and future deviant peer association. However, children who were ranked higher on social competence and had stronger academic skills demonstrated lower levels of deviant peer association and reduced risk for persistent affiliation with antisocial peers. These results support the need to ascertain other mediating factors contributing to the increasing, long-term benefits of PMTO. Further implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.
Culture and Self

In this paper I discuss the continuity-versus-change dichotomy by comparing the actions of Catholic and fundamentalist Evangelical missionaries working simultaneously among a number of native Amazonian groups. While Evangelical action shows strong continuity in its emphasis on the development of an inner self among the natives, effectively constituting the seat of their relation with God, the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) has shifted emphasis away from transforming and civilizing the Indians toward preserving indigenous culture. My interest here resides in analyzing how the natives experience these different perspectives and adapt them to their own projects of continuity and change.
Dynamically weighted ensemble classification for non-stationary EEG processing

Objective. The non-stationary nature of EEG poses a major challenge to robust operation of brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). The objective of this paper is to propose and investigate a computational method to address non-stationarity in EEG classification. Approach. We developed a novel dynamically weighted ensemble classification (DWEC) framework whereby an ensemble of multiple classifiers are trained on clustered features. The decisions from these multiple classifiers are dynamically combined based on the distances of the cluster centres to each test data sample being classified. Main Results. The clusters of the feature space from the second session spanned a different space compared to the clusters of the feature space from the first session which highlights the processes of session-to-session non-stationarity. The session-to-session performance of the proposed DWEC method was evaluated on two datasets. The results on publicly available BCI Competition IV dataset 2A yielded a significantly higher mean accuracy of 81.48% compared to 75.9% from the baseline support vector machine (SVM) classifier without dynamic weighting. Results on the data collected from our twelve in-house subjects yielded a significantly higher mean accuracy of 73% compared to 69.4% from the baseline SVM classifier without dynamic weighting. Significance. The cluster based analysis provides insight into session-to-session non-stationarity in EEG data. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in addressing non-stationarity in EEG data for the operation of a BCI.
Information and Incentives Inside the Firm: Evidence from Loan Officer Rotation

We present evidence that reassigning tasks among agents can alleviate moral hazard in communication. A rotation policy that routinely reassigns loan officers to borrowers of a commercial bank affects the officers' reporting behavior. When an officer anticipates rotation, reports are more accurate and contain more bad news about the borrower's repayment prospects. As a result, the rotation policy makes bank lending decisions more sensitive to officer reports. The threat of rotation improves communication because self-reporting bad news has a smaller negative effect on an officer's career prospects than bad news exposed by a successor.
Insulin and Protein Metabolism

The present status of protein synthesis within cells has been outlined. Protein is formed in the absence of insulin; the net formation of protein is accelerated by insulin. The effects of insulin on protein metabolism take place independently of the transport of glucose or amino acids into the cell; of glycogen synthesis; and of the stimulation of high energy phosphate formation. In the case of protein metabolism, as in certain studies on the pathways of glucose and fat metabolism, these observations reveal striking intracellular effects of insulin in many tissues. Within most tissues the effect of insulin appears to find expression predominantly at the microsomal level. Incidentally, other hormones which affect protein metabolism such as growth or sex hormones appear to act at the microsomes. The fact that insulin exerts effects on protein metabolism at other intracellular sites as well as the above independent effects leads one to agree that its action consists of a stimulation of multiple, seemingly unrelated, metabolic events. The fact that an immediate effect of insulin on protein synthesis is independent of the immediate need for extracellular glucose or amino acids does not mean that the sustained functioning of cells is likewise independent. The biochemist is fully aware of metabolic defects in diabetes which are not altered by insulin in vitro, but which demand varying periods of pretreatment of the animal. It is also known that in diabetes some proteins (enzymes) may be deficient while others may be produced in excess in the absence of insulin. It is suggested that the physician desires at least two kinds of relation between these fundamental studies and his patients. One is the possible relation of a deficiency of insulin action to pathological processes in tissues which have not as yet been examined by the methods described. The other is the need for more accurate measurements of the metabolic disorder and its control than such things as urinary and blood glucose. In developing such future improvements, the place of insulin in protein biosynthesis must be kept in mind.
Persistent childhood diarrhoea: Patterns, pathogenesis and prevention

Abstract With improved management of acute episodes of infectious diarrhoea, increased attention is now being given to persistent diarrhoea and its nutritional consequences and associated mortality. Risk factors for the development of persistent diarrhoea include young age, malnutrition, impaired immune function, recent introduction of milk feedings, prior antimicrobial therapy and infection with pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli. Descriptive epidemiology indicates that 3–20% of episodes of acute diarrhoea in children in developing countries become persistent and cause about one‐third to one‐half of all deaths from diarrhoea. Environmental factors may be very important in causing persistent diarrhoea: these include undernutrition combined with the impact of living in highly contaminated environments and their effects on gastrointestinal microecology. Development of effective preventive strategies will depend on improved understanding of causes and pathogenesis of persistent diarrhoea.