Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Collaboration in computer science: A network science approach

Co‐authorship in publications within a discipline uncovers interesting properties of the analyzed field. We represent collaboration in academic papers of computer science in terms of differently grained networks, namely affiliation and collaboration networks. We also build those sub‐networks that emerge from either conference or journal co‐authorship only. We take advantage of the network science paraphernalia to take a picture of computer science collaboration including all papers published in the field since 1936. Furthermore, we observe how collaboration in computer science evolved over time since 1960. We investigate bibliometric properties such as size of the discipline, productivity of scholars, and collaboration level in papers, as well as global network properties such as reachability and average separation distance among scholars, distribution of the number of scholar collaborators, network resilience and dependence on star collaborators, network clustering, and network assortativity by number of collaborators.
Verbal and Exploratory Responses to Melodic Musical Intervals

It is commonly considered that the effect a musical work will have on the listener is determined in part by the particular collection of musical intervals it employs. For example, Cooke (1959, p. 50) has related the widespread notion that "the positive emotions (joy, confidence, love, serenity, [and] triumph)" are expressed by musical works employing the major forms of the third, sixth and seventh intervals, while the "negative emotions (sorrow, fear, hate, disquiet, [and] despair)" are conveyed by works employing these same intervals in their minor forms (see Table I).
Attitudinal ambivalence towards Down’s syndrome and uncertainty in prenatal testing and termination intentions

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between attitudinal ambivalence towards Down’s syndrome (DS) and prenatal testing and termination intentions. Intentions towards using a screening test, a diagnostic test and termination of pregnancy for DS were collected from 140 pregnant women along with their attitudes and attitudinal ambivalence towards the condition. Women who were unsure about diagnostic testing and termination were more likely to hold ambivalent attitudes towards DS than were women who gave a definite yes or no response. In particular, a higher level of ambivalence about how a child with DS might impact on parental quality of life was significantly associated with an uncertain attitude towards termination of pregnancy. Qualitative data suggested that ambivalence towards DS was associated with a desire to make diagnostic testing and termination decisions with a significant other. The findings from this study inform debate on the link between ambivalence and informed choice and have implications for supporting prenatal testing decisions in women who hold ambivalent attitudes towards parenting a child with DS.
Reflection and theory: conceptualising the gap between teaching experience and teacher expertise

Abstract Arising from an inductive reflection on the teaching of an INSET course for rural teachers, this article develops a largely conceptual argument about the role of theoretical knowledge in teacher development. Teachers' experiences – and practical knowledge derived from it – are not sufficient to develop teacher expertise. Theoretical reflection in turn produces qualitatively different insights about teaching and learning, which can provide teachers with conceptual tools to establish new links between what they know and what they do. However, there is very little research evidence about the way experienced yet poorly qualified teachers use theoretical knowledge to reflect about their work
Action Elimination and Stopping Conditions for the Multi-Armed Bandit and Reinforcement Learning Problems

We incorporate statistical confidence intervals in both the multi-armed bandit and the reinforcement learning problems. In the bandit problem we show that given n arms, it suffices to pull the arms a total of O((n/e2)log(1/δ)) times to find an e-optimal arm with probability of at least 1-δ. This bound matches the lower bound of Mannor and Tsitsiklis (2004) up to constants. We also devise action elimination procedures in reinforcement learning algorithms. We describe a framework that is based on learning the confidence interval around the value function or the Q-function and eliminating actions that are not optimal (with high probability). We provide a model-based and a model-free variants of the elimination method. We further derive stopping conditions guaranteeing that the learned policy is approximately optimal with high probability. Simulations demonstrate a considerable speedup and added robustness over e-greedy Q-learning.
Cortical Activity Influences Geniculocortical Spike Efficacy in the Macaque Monkey

Thalamocortical communication is a dynamic process influenced by both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. In this study, we recorded single-unit responses from cortical neurons that received direct input from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) to address the question of whether prior patterns of cortical activity affect the ability of LGN inputs to drive cortical responses. By examining the ongoing activity that preceded the arrival of electrically evoked spikes from the LGN, we identified a number of activity patterns that were predictive of suprathreshold communication. Namely, cortical neurons were more likely to respond to LGN stimulation when their activity levels increased to 30-40Hz and/or their activity displayed rhythmic patterns (30 ms intervals) with increased power in the gamma frequency band. Cortical neurons were also more likely to respond to LGN stimulation when their activity increased 30-40 ms prior to stimulation, suggesting that the phase of gamma activity also contributes to geniculocortical communication. Based on these results, we conclude that ongoing activity in the cortex is not random, but rather organized in a manner that can influence the dynamics of thalamocortical communication.
Modeling Magnetized Graphene in the Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method Using an Anisotropic Surface Boundary Condition

A cost-effective approach to the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) modeling of magnetized graphene sheets as a dispersive anisotropic conductive surface is proposed. We first introduce a novel method for implementation of anisotropic conductive surface boundary condition in the FDTD method. Then, by applying the surface conductivity matrix of magnetized graphene, we present modeling magnetized graphene as an infinitesimally thin conductive sheet in the FDTD method. The applicability, accuracy, and stability of the method are demonstrated through numerical examples. The proposed approach is validated by comparing the results with existing analytic solution.
INVITED REVIEW: What is a population? An empirical evaluation of some genetic methods for identifying the number of gene pools and their degree of connectivity

We review commonly used population definitions under both the ecological paradigm (which emphasizes demographic cohesion) and the evolutionary paradigm (which emphasizes reproductive cohesion) and find that none are truly operational. We suggest several quantitative criteria that might be used to determine when groups of individuals are different enough to be considered ‘populations’. Units for these criteria are migration rate (m) for the ecological paradigm and migrants per generation (Nm) for the evolutionary paradigm. These criteria are then evaluated by applying analytical methods to simulated genetic data for a finite island model. Under the standard parameter set that includes L = 20 High mutation (microsatellite‐like) loci and samples of S = 50 individuals from each of n = 4 subpopulations, power to detect departures from panmixia was very high (∼100%; P < 0.001) even with high gene flow (Nm = 25). A new method, comparing the number of correct population assignments with the random expectation, performed as well as a multilocus contingency test and warrants further consideration. Use of Low mutation (allozyme‐like) markers reduced power more than did halving S or L. Under the standard parameter set, power to detect restricted gene flow below a certain level X (H0: Nm < X) can also be high, provided that true Nm ≤ 0.5X. Developing the appropriate test criterion, however, requires assumptions about several key parameters that are difficult to estimate in most natural populations. Methods that cluster individuals without using a priori sampling information detected the true number of populations only under conditions of moderate or low gene flow (Nm ≤ 5), and power dropped sharply with smaller samples of loci and individuals. A simple algorithm based on a multilocus contingency test of allele frequencies in pairs of samples has high power to detect the true number of populations even with Nm = 25 but requires more rigorous statistical evaluation. The ecological paradigm remains challenging for evaluations using genetic markers, because the transition from demographic dependence to independence occurs in a region of high migration where genetic methods have relatively little power. Some recent theoretical developments and continued advances in computational power provide hope that this situation may change in the future.
Reading and Proclaiming the Resurrection: An Empirical Study in Psychological Type Theory among Trainee and Experienced Preachers Employing Mark 16 and Matthew 28

The SIFT method of biblical hermeneutics and liturgical preaching has its roots in a theological perspective grounded in the doctrine of creation, in a hermeneutical method grounded in reader perspective, and in a psychological model of individual differences concerning perceiving and evaluating rooted in Jungian psychological type theory. The present study set out to test the empirical bases of the SIFT method among one group of trainee preachers (26 ministry training candidates) and one group of experienced preachers (21 Anglican clergy and readers) who explored the resurrection narratives presented in Mark 16:1-8 and Matthew 28:1-15 within working groups constructed according to psychological type preferences. These data support the psychological principles underpinning the SIFT method of biblical hermeneutics and liturgical preaching.
Congressional Acquiescence to Presidentialism in the US ‘War on Terror’

Congressional dominance theory holds that not only can the US Congress control the executive, it does. The terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001 and the Bush administration’s ensuing global ‘war on terror’ suggest a different result. Bush’s response to 9/11 signalled not only new directions in US foreign and domestic policy but a new stage in the aggrandisement of presidential power in the United States and a further step in the marginalisation of the Congress. Informed by a constitutional doctrine unknown to the framers of the US Constitution, the Bush administration pursued a presidentialist or ‘ultra-separationist’ governing strategy that was disrespectful to the legislature’s intended role in the separated system. Using its unilateral powers, in public and in secret, claiming ‘inherent’ authority from the Constitution, and exploiting the public’s fear of a further terrorist attack and of endangering the lives of US troops abroad, the administration skilfully drove its legislation through the Congress. Occasionally, the Congress was able to extract concessions – notably in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when partisan control of the government was split – but more typically, for most of the period, the Congress acquiesced to administration demands, albeit with the consolation of minor concessions. The administration not only dominated the lawmaking process, it also cowed legislators into legitimating often highly controversial (and sometimes illegal) administration-determined definitions of counter-terrorism and national security policy. Certainly, the Congress undertook a considerable amount of oversight during the period of the ‘war on terror’; lawmakers also complained. But the effects on policy were marginal. This finding held true for periods of Democratic as well as Republican majorities.
Homocysteine, Ischemic Stroke, and Coronary Heart Disease in Hypertensive Patients: A Population-Based, Prospective Cohort Study

Background and Purpose— Total homocysteine level (tHcy) is a risk factor of ischemic stroke (IS) and coronary heart disease. However, the results are conflicting and mainly focused on healthy individuals in developed countries. Methods— A prospective, population-based cohort study was conducted among 5935 participants from 60 communities in the city of Shenzhen, China. A Cox regression analysis was applied to evaluate the contribution of tHcy to the risk of IS and coronary heart disease. The effect of folic acid supplementation on tHcy levels was also evaluated among 501 patients with essential hypertension, who received an average of 2.5 years of folic acid supplementation. Results— After adjustment for confounding factors, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of IS caused by hyperhomocysteinemia were 2.18 (1.65–2.89), 2.40 (1.56–3.67), and 2.73 (1.83–4.08) in the total, male, and female participants, respectively. Compared with normal levels of tHcy (<15 &mgr;mol/L), the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for IS in the highest tHcy category (≥30 &mgr;mol/L) were 4.96 (3.03–8.12), 6.11 (3.44–10.85), and 1.84 (0.52–6.46) in the total, males, and females participants, respectively. However, we did not observe a significant relationship between tHcy and the risk of coronary heart disease. The 2.5 years of folic acid supplementation reduced tHcy levels by 6.7 &mgr;mol/L (27.92%) in patients with essential hypertension. Conclusions— Hyperhomocysteinemia in Chinese hypertensive patients is significantly associated with IS risk but not coronary heart disease susceptibility, and folic acid supplementation can efficiently reduce tHcy levels.
The role of Tai Chi, cultural dancing, playing a musical instrument and singing in the prevention of chronic disease in Chinese older adults: a mind–body meditative approach

Older adults with chronic diseases have a high level of depression and poor mental health status. Previous public health interventions have attempted to reduce chronic disease-related health risks including depression and to improve mental health, but have had limited success. This study examined whether 15 months of regular participation in Tai Chi (TC) exercise, dancing, instrument playing and singing, as part of a mind–body meditative approach (MBMA), improves brain executive function, psychological functioning and mental health in Chinese older adults. Results indicated that the MBMA programme improved participants' executive function, psychological functioning, mental health and resilience, compared with a control group. These findings indicate that MBMA activities may be adopted as lifestyle approaches to promote mental health in different areas as follows: (1) TC and dancing have the biggest effect for reducing the prevalence of depression and for improving their mental health and resilience in older people with chronic conditions and (2) playing a musical instrument and singing have moderate effect for reducing depression symptoms and promoting mental health. The findings of the study suggest that there are mental health promotion implications relating to exercise type and minimal exercise dosage for older adults. Cultural dancing and TC may be a form of physical activity that is more likely to appeal to older people, when they are most at risk of being overweight or obese, of suffering from depression and/or of experiencing a decline in brain function. TC has been found to be highly effective in preventing depression and promoting brain executive function, and appears to be a form of physical activity that appeals to older people. Dancing, in combination with TC and singing, may be highly effective in protecting older adults from metabolic syndrome and brain function decline and in promoting a positive quality of life including psychological health. Playing a musical instrument may be used as an alternative method for maintaining good mental health in healthy people and for promoting mental health in people suffering from stress and its related depression and anxiety.
Positive Association between Tinnitus and Arterial Hypertension

Introduction Tinnitus is the perception of noise in the absence of an external source and is considered by most authors as a multifactorial symptom. A systematic review concerning the association of tinnitus and systemic arterial hypertension retrieved suggestions of a positive association, but the articles included failed to perform a detailed analysis on the theme. Purpose To analyze the presence of arterial hypertension in tinnitus and non-tinnitus patients, to analyze differences between tinnitus impact and psychoacoustic measurements in hypertensive and normotensive patients, and to evaluate the association between the presence of tinnitus and the diverse antihypertensive drugs employed. Materials and methods This includes cross-sectional transversal study, comparing two groups of subjects (144 in the study group with tinnitus and 140 in the control group without tinnitus). Clinical, demographical, audiometrical, and psychoacoustics characteristics of the subjects were compared. Results Hypertension prevalence in tinnitus subjects was 44.4% against 31.4% in subjects without tinnitus (p = 0.024). Positive associations with tinnitus were found with hypertension treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (p = 0.006), tiazidic diuretics (p < 0.0001), potassium-sparing diuretics (p = 0.016), and calcium channels blockers (p = 0.004). Conclusion There is an association between tinnitus and arterial hypertension. This association is particularly strong in older patients. Hypertension treatment with diuretics, ACE inhibitors, and calcium channels blockers were more prevalent in tinnitus patients, suggesting that an eventual ototoxicity of these drugs may be involved in tinnitus pathophysiology, a hypothesis that should be evaluated in further studies.
Phenotypic characterization of ESBL producing Enterobacter cloacae among children

Objective: The emergence of ESBL producing Enterobacter cloacae in clinical isolates is posing a serious threat for treating nosocomial infections. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacter cloacae and to compare the phenotypic methods used for the characterization of ESBL producing strains. Methodology: This cross sectional observational study was conducted during April 2011 to March 2012 at Microbiology department of The Children’s Hospital and Institute of Child Health, Lahore. A total number of 20,257 various clinical samples were analyzed during the study period. Enterobacter cloacae were identified using API 20E system and ESBL detection was carried out using double-disk synergy test (DDST) and CLSI confirmatory test. Results: Enterobacter cloacae were isolated from 221 samples, out of which 33 (14.93%) were ESBL producers and 188 (85.07%) were non-ESBL producers. The gender distribution of ESBL producing Enterobacter cloacae was 21 (63.6%) in males and 12 (36.4%) in females. Highest frequency (63%) of ESBL producing Enterobacter cloacae was detected in blood samples. Comparison of DDST and CLSI confirmatory test showed that 25 (75.75%) isolates were characterized by DDST and 33 (100%) using CLSI confirmatory test. Conclusion: The present study shows moderately high frequency of ESBL producing Enterobacter cloacae among children. DDST was found to be less efficient in ESBL detection as compared to CLSI confirmatory test.
The Dangers of Purity: On the Incompatibility of “Pure Sociology” and Science

Donald Black insists that sociology must be purged of its psychological elements in order to become a genuinely distinct and scientific discipline. But such “purification” is simultaneously unnecessary, undesirable, and unattainable. It is unnecessary because the scientific shortcomings of sociology are indigenous and have nothing to do with psychologism. Indeed, a more scientific sociology would look more, not less, like psychology. Purity is undesirable in that it is not only not a scientific virtue, but is antithetical to the very scientific values that Black invokes to justify it. His systems are neither theories nor laws, but heuristics, more akin to common sense than to scientific theory. Finally, purity is unattainable because though society is indeed discontinuous with the individuals who make it up, it and all theorizing about it, are ontologically and conceptually dependent upon them.
[Cognitive dysfunctions in patients with alcohol dependence].

AIM The assessment of cognitive functions connected with prefrontal cortex activity and the intensity of depressed symptoms in patients with alcohol dependence after discontinuation of alcohol use and after a least one year of abstinence. METHOD 88 patients with alcohol dependence were evaluated. In 51 subjects assessment was performed directly after discontinuation of alcohol drinking and in 37 subjects, after at least one-year of abstinence. The control group consisted in 30 healthy persons matched with age, gender and education for the experimental group. The intensity of alcohol addiction was assessed using the SADD and MAST scale, while intensity of the depression symptoms was measured with the Beck Depression Inventory. Neuropsychological assessment included the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and N-back test for different aspects of working memory and executive functions estimation. RESULTS Significant disturbances of working memory and executive functions in patients with alcohol dependence, both with short-term and long-term abstinence in relation to healthy subjects were noted. No significant differences between patients with short-term and long-term abstinence on the performance in neuropsychological tests was observed, except better results of nonperseverative errors obtained by patients with long-term abstinence. Longer duration of the alcohol addiction correlated with a worse, however higher level of education with a better performance in neuropsychological tests. The intensity of depression did not correlate with the level of cognitive impairment in the neuropsychological tests. CONCLUSIOS: The results obtained indicate core and enduring cognitive deficits connected with disturbances in prefrontal cortex activity in patients with alcohol addiction.
Mediated Effects of Preschool Intervention

Consistent evidence that the effect of preschool intervention on cognitive achievement fades with the passage of time has resulted in a search for mediators of preschool. This study investigated factors that play a role in mediating the effects of a government funded Child–Parent Center preschool program. The school adjustment of 266 low-income, mostly Black preschool children and of 125 comparison group children were matched on neighborhood characteristics and were traced from kindergarten through the third year of school (1986–1989). Data were collected from children, parents, and teachers on entering kindergarten cognitive readiness, teacher ratings of socioemotional maturity, parental involvement at home and in school, grade retention, assignment to special education, school mobility and cognitive achievement in reading and mathematics. Results of a latent-factor structural model indicated that preschool influenced later achievement and retention indirectly rather than directly. Four major pathways th.