Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistical Debugging for Simulations

Predictions from simulations have entered the mainstream of public policy and decision-making practices. Unfortunately, methods for gaining insight into faulty simulations outputs have not kept pace. Ideally, an insight gathering method would automatically identify the cause of a faulty output and explain to the simulation developer how to correct it. In the field of software engineering, this challenge has been addressed for general-purpose software through statistical debuggers. We present two research contributions, elastic predicates and many-valued labeling functions, that enable debuggers designed for general-purpose software to become more effective for simulations employing random variates and continuous numbers. Elastic predicates address deficiencies of existing debuggers related to continuous numbers, whereas many-valued labeling functions support the use of random variates. When used in combinations, these contributions allow a simulation developer tasked with localizing the program statement causing the faulty simulation output to examine 40% fewer statements than the leading alternatives. Our evaluation shows that elastic predicates and many-valued labeling functions maintain their ability to reduce the number of program statements that need to be examined under the imperfect conditions that developers experience in practice.
The relationship between attachment and cognitive development

Emotional and cognitive development of personality have mostly been explored independently in the history of psychology. However, in the last decades, there have been more and more frequent arguments in favour of the idea that the emotional relationship between the mother and the child in early childhood, through forming a secure or insecure attachment style, is to a certain extent linked to the cognitive development. For example, securely attached children, compared to the insecurely attached, have more frequent and longer episodes of symbolic play and are more advanced in the domain of language in early childhood. Securely attached children are also more efficient and persistent in solving problems. Before starting school, securely attached children understand better the feelings and beliefs of others, as well as the fact that these determine people’s behaviour, thus having an opportunity to understand and predict this behaviour better. In this paper, we will attempt to point out some of the mechanisms that are assumed to be mediators between the emotional and cognitive development. Namely, since it enables a more independent exploration of the surroundings, more quality social relations among children, higher self-esteem, better focus and more developed communicative skills, secure attachment might potentially be linked to the cognitive development. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179002]
Learning Computerese

This article introduces a new construct coined as Computer User Learning Aptitude (CULA). To establish construct validity, CULA is embedded in a nomological network that extends the technology acceptance model (TAM). Specifically, CULA is posited to affect perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, the two underlying TAM constructs. Furthermore, we examine several antecedents of CULA by relying on the second language learning literature. These include computer anxiety, tolerance of ambiguity, and risk taking. Conceptualization of CULA is based on the observation that computer systems use language as communication between the computer and the user, making system usage significantly dependent on the ability of the individual to learn the language. We posit that learning to communicate with computer technology is akin to learning a second language, that is, a language learned after the first language(s) or native language(s), and is referred to as computerese. The proposed construct, CULA, measures the aptitude of an individual to learn computerese, and it is specified as a second-order variable. It includes measures of three critical facets of computerese pertaining to general hardware/software, programming, and the Internet. Significant relationships are found between computer anxiety, tolerance of ambiguity, and taking risk with CULA, as well as between CULA and TAM constructs.
From Interactions to Institutions: Microprocesses of Framing and Mechanisms for the Structuring of Institutional Fields

Despite the centrality of meaning to institutionalization, little attention has been paid to how meanings evolve and amplify to become institutionalized cultural conventions. We develop an interactional framing perspective to explain the microprocesses and mechanisms by which this occurs. We identify three amplification processes and three ways frames stack up or laminate that become the building blocks for diffusion and institutionalization of meanings within organizations and fields. Although we focus on “bottom-up” dynamics, we argue that framing occurs in a politicized social context and is inherently bidirectional, in line with structuration, because microlevel interactions instantiate macrostructures. We consider how our approach complements other theories of meaning making, its utility for informing related theoretical streams, and its implications for organizing at the meso and macro levels.
The hyperserotonemia of autism spectrum disorders

Objective: To investigate group differences, the within-group distributions, and the clinical correlates of platelet serotonin (5-HT) levels in pervasive developmental disorders (PDD). Method: Platelet 5-HT levels were measured in Dutch children and young adults, recruited from 2001 through 2003, with PDD (autism, Asperger’s, and PDD-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS]; n = 81) or with mental retardation (MR; n = 54) but without PDD, and in normal controls (n = 60). The distribution of platelet 5-HT levels was assessed using mixture-modeling analyses. Relationships between platelet 5-HT levels and a full range of demographic, clinical, and behavioral variables were examined. Results: Group mean (± SD) platelet 5-HT levels (nmol/10 9 platelets) were significantly higher in the autistic (4.51 ± 1.61, n = 33) and PDD-NOS (4.90 ± 1.54, n = 43) groups compared to the MR (3.48 ± 1.33, n = 54) or the normal control (3.58 ± 1.08, n = 60) groups (F 4,190 = 9.35, p < .001). Platelet 5-HT values in the combined PDD group showed a bimodal distribution, and an empirical cutpoint for hyperserotonemia was determined. None of the behavioral variables examined was significantly associated with platelet 5-HT levels. Conclusions: The platelet hyperserotonemia of autism was replicated in Dutch subjects. Platelet 5-HT levels were also increased in PDD-NOS, while no elevation was seen in MR. Platelet 5-HT levels appeared to be bimodally distributed in the PDD group, with an apparent hyperserotonemic subgroup.
Gender differences in trust and reciprocity: evidence from a large-scale experiment with heterogeneous subjects

This article examines gender differences in an experimental trust game. Recent studies have shown that men trust more and that women are more reciprocal in laboratory experiments. Participants in these studies, however, are typically university students who may not be representative of the entire population. In this study, we use data from a large-scale experiment with heterogeneous subjects who are representative of the German population. We find that men exhibit not only more trusting behaviour, but also more reciprocating behaviour than women. Moreover, our results are indicative of age-dependent gender differences. For men, we find an inverse U-shaped relationship between age, on the one hand, and both trust and reciprocity, on the other; however, we do not find age effects for women.
Physical performance characteristics of high‐level female soccer players 12–21 years of age

Performance assessment has become an invaluable component of monitoring player development and within talent identification programs in soccer, yet limited performance data are available for female soccer players across a wide age range. The aim of this study was to describe the physical performance characteristics of female soccer players ranging in age from 12 to 21 years. High‐level female soccer players (n=414) were evaluated on linear sprinting (36.6 m with 9.1 m splits), countermovement jump (CMJ), and two agility tests. Separate one‐way ANOVAs were used to compare performance characteristics between (1) each year of chronological age and (2) three age groups: 12–13 years, n=78, 14–17 years, n=223, and 18–21 years, n=113. Mean linear sprint speed over 9.1 m was similar across all chronological ages, however sprint speed over the final 9.1 m, CMJ height and agility scores improved until approximately 15–16 years. Outcomes from the group data indicated better performance on all tests for the 14–17‐year‐old group compared with the 12–13‐year‐old group. Additionally, sprint speed on the second and fourth 9.1 m splits and 36.6 m sprint speed as well as performance on the Illinois agility test was better in the 18–21‐year‐old group compared with the 14–17‐year‐old group. The findings from this study indicate that marked improvements of high intensity short duration work occur up until 15–16 years. Smaller gains in performance were observed beyond 16 years of age as evidenced by better performance on 36.6 m sprint speed, several sprint splits and the Illinois agility test in the college aged players (i.e., 18–21‐year‐old group).
The Extracellular Nuclease Dns and Its Role in Natural Transformation of Vibrio cholerae

ABSTRACT Free extracellular DNA is abundant in many aquatic environments. While much of this DNA will be degraded by nucleases secreted by the surrounding microbial community, some is available as transforming material that can be taken up by naturally competent bacteria. One such species is Vibrio cholerae, an autochthonous member of estuarine, riverine, and marine habitats and the causative agent of cholera, whose competence program is induced after colonization of chitin surfaces. In this study, we investigate how Vibrio cholerae's two extracellular nucleases, Xds and Dns, influence its natural transformability. We show that in the absence of Dns, transformation frequencies are significantly higher than in its presence. During growth on a chitin surface, an increase in transformation efficiency was found to correspond in time with increasing cell density and the repression of dns expression by the quorum-sensing regulator HapR. In contrast, at low cell density, the absence of HapR relieves dns repression, leading to the degradation of free DNA and to the abrogation of the transformation phenotype. Thus, as cell density increases, Vibrio cholerae undergoes a switch from nuclease-mediated degradation of extracellular DNA to the uptake of DNA by bacteria induced to a state of competence by chitin. Taken together, these results suggest the following model: nuclease production by low-density populations of V. cholerae might foster rapid growth by providing a source of nucleotides for the repletion of nucleotide pools. In contrast, the termination of nuclease production by static, high-density populations allows the uptake of intact DNA and coincides with a phase of potential genome diversification.
Role of sarcolemmal BK(Ca) channels in stretch-induced extrasystoles in isolated chick hearts.

BACKGROUND It remains unclear whether sarcolemmal BK(Ca) channels in post-hatch chick ventricular myocytes contribute to stretch-induced extrasystoles (SIE), and whether they are stretch-activated BK(Ca) (SAK(Ca)) channels or a non-stretch-sensitive BK(Ca) variant. METHODS AND RESULTS To determine the role of sarcolemmal BK(Ca) channels in SIE and their stretch sensitivity, an isolated 2-week-old Langendorff-perfused chick heart and mathematical simulation were used. The ventricular wall was rapidly stretched by application of a volume change pulse. As the speed of the stretch increased, the probability of SIE also significantly increased, significantly shortening the delay between SIE and the initiation of the stretch. Application of 100 nmol/L of Grammostola spatulata mechanotoxin 4, a cation-selective stretch-activated channel (SAC) blocker, significantly decreased the probability of SIE. The application of Iberiotoxin, however, a BK(Ca) channel blocker, significantly increased the probability of SIE, suggesting that a K(+) efflux via a sarcolemmal BK(Ca) channel reduces SIE by balancing out stretch-induced cation influx via SACs. The simulation using a cardiomyocyte model combined with a new stretch sensitivity model that considers viscoelastic intracellular force transmission showed that stretch sensitivity in BK(Ca) channels is required to reproduce the present wet experimental results. CONCLUSIONS Sarcolemmal BK(Ca) channels in post-hatch chick ventricular myocytes are SAK(Ca) channels, and they have a suppressive effect on SIE.
Conservation Accidents Revisited

McGarrigle and Donaldson's (1975) claim that the Genevan conservation test procedure underestimates the child's cognitive competence is examined. Experiment 1 reports a successful replication of their original work. We then consider several objections to McGarrigle and Donaldson's claim that the tasks they used did in fact test the child's ability to conserve number. Firstly, as only four counters were used in their study the child's judgment of numerosity could have been perceptually rather than conceptually based (Winer 1974). Secondly, teddy may have acted as a distracting agent leading the child to ignore the post-transformational state of the arrays and to answer the experimenter's post-transformational question (correctly) by mere repetition of his earlier response. In experiment 2 a procedure which is free from these objections, but otherwise similar to McGarrigle and Donaldson's procedure, is employed, together with appropriate comparison conditions. This procedure results in a decrease in the overall incidence of conservation responses, but fails to eradicate the difference between accidental and intentional transformation of the arrays (p < 0.001). In the final part of the paper we consider the implications of these and McGarrigle and Donaldson's results for our understanding of the social psychology of the conservation task.
Motivational Interviewing to Encourage Self-Help Participation Following Alcohol Detoxification

Objective: This study tested a motivational intervention designed to enhance the likelihood that detoxified alcohol users will seek and participate in any form of aftercare. Method: After a baseline interview, 96 clients (76 men and 20 women) in a hospital inpatient detoxification unit were randomly assigned to either a standard care condition or a motivational interviewing condition, consisting of three motivational sessions conducted by master’s-level therapists. Results: Two months after discharge, participants in the motivational condition did not differ from controls in the areas of sustained abstinence, typical drinking, or entry into formal treatment. However, clients receiving motivational interviewing were more likely to participate in 12-step groups. Conclusions: Motivational interviewing is a potentially useful strategy to encourage detoxification clients to initiate participation in self-help and may show promise as a strategy for helping alcohol users remain abstinent during the critical initial period following discharge from detoxification.
NLP-driven citation analysis for scientometrics

Abstract This paper summarizes ongoing research in Natural-Language-Processing-driven citation analysis and describes experiments and motivating examples of how this work can be used to enhance traditional scientometrics analysis that is based on simply treating citations as a ‘vote’ from the citing paper to cited paper. In particular, we describe our dataset for citation polarity and citation purpose, present experimental results on the automatic detection of these indicators, and demonstrate the use of such annotations for studying research dynamics and scientific summarization. We also look at two complementary problems that show up in Natural-Language-Processing-driven citation analysis for a specific target paper. The first problem is extracting citation context, the implicit citation sentences that do not contain explicit anchors to the target paper. The second problem is extracting reference scope, the target relevant segment of a complicated citing sentence that cites multiple papers. We show how these tasks can be helpful in improving sentiment analysis and citation-based summarization.
Research and Reviews Advantages and Problems with Endoscopic Surgery

Endoscopic surgery, developed in response to the increased demand for less-invasive treatment, is now rapidly expanding its applications. This article explains the advantages and problems of endoscopic surgery compared with conventional surgical treatment based on peer-reviewed papers providing Level I or II evidence. We describe the safety, less-invasiveness and postoperative outcomes of endoscopic surgery, focusing on laparoscopic surgery for gallstone disease, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, appendicitis, and gastroesophageal reflux, where this technology has been actively applied. Although it is clear that this approach involves several problems specific to diseases in particular organ systems, clinical results show that laparoscopic surgery is a new surgical approach offering the benefits of less-invasiveness and achieving long-term postoperative outcomes comparable to those of conventional open surgery. To ensure the safe and secure use of this new surgical approach, it has been pointed out that the establishment of proper systems for education and training of endoscopic surgeries is important. It is demonstrated here that there is a need for clinical experience and training in a certain number of cases (“learning curve”) to acquire the necessary surgical skills by showing our clinical experiences of laparoscopic gastrectomy. In addition, it is also stressed that a Web-based textbook “WebSurg,” one of the e-learning systems, is useful in the field of endoscopic
Overexpression of Smad7 results in severe pathological alterations in multiple epithelial tissues

Biochemical studies have shown that Smad7 blocks signal transduction of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ); however, its in vivo functions are largely unknown. To determine the functions of Smad7, we have expressed Smad7 in transgenic mice, utilizing a keratin K5 promoter (K5.Smad7). K5.Smad7 mice exhibited pathological changes in multiple tissues and died within 10 days after birth. These mice were born with open eyelids and corneal defects, significantly delayed and aberrant hair follicle morphogenesis, and hyperproliferation in the epidermis and other stratified epithelia. Furthermore, K5.Smad7 mice developed severe thymic atrophy and massive thymocyte death, suggesting that Smad signaling in thymic epithelia is essential for thymocyte survival. Interestingly, in addition to a reduction in Smad phosphorylation, the protein levels of the receptors for TGFβ, activin and bone morphogenetic protein were significantly decreased in the affected tissues of K5.Smad7 mice. Our study provides evidence that Smad7 is a potent in vivo inhibitor for signal transduction of the TGFβ superfamily during development and maintenance of homeostasis of multiple epithelial tissues.
Biodegradable Composite Implants

Biodegradable implants are established in the field of operative sports medicine. So-called composite implants are increasingly used. The idea to improve biocompatibility and osteoconductivity of biodegradable polymers by modifying them with a ceramic component, has led to the development of these composite implants. Today, an increasing variety of composite implants are available. They have substantially different material characteristics, which depend on matrix polymer choice and the additional ceramic. The material characteristics influence the mechanical properties, in vivo degradation, the osseous replacement and the host-tissue response. It is important to understand their biologic base for a better knowledge of the advantages and risks associated with using composite implants in the field of operative sports medicine. The purpose of this review is to focus on current developments in biodegradable composite implants and their biologic base.
Hospitals in rural America.

The role of hospitals in the American health care system is changing rapidly, and some believe that hospitals may be replaced by networks of professionals and institutions tied together to coordinate care and promote health—the socalled virtual hospital. For many rural communities, however, the hospital has been the most effective form of health care delivery in the community. In the 1980s, as the number of rural hospitals closing their doors grew every year, expert observers of the health care sector believed that rural hospitals were perhaps an anachronism and that only those institutions that were large and integrated with other parts of the health care system would survive.1,2 The leading proposals for national health care financing reform from the White House and Congress in 1993 and 1994 did not provide much comfort for rural hospitals. By 1997, the reality of market changes overtook policy proposals; vertically integrated networks were a growing phenomenon, and the costsaving potential of managed care was being realized. Rural hospitals have survived in the present system partly because Medicare payment policies that were discriminatory to rural hospitals have been blunted by legislation and partly because there was a justification for the location and mission of hospitals in rural places. The number of closings dropped dramatically in 1994, and the dominant theme of rural hospital activities in the last half of the 1990s has been adaptation and innovation to meet the challenges of a changing market. Factors such as the rapid diffusion of new management techniques and the adoption of new structures and approaches to health care delivery have enabled rural hospitals to continue in their role as the local and regional centers of health care activity. This article reviews the numbers, types and structure of rural hospitals; describes their ownership and control; considers strategies for their survival; and discusses whether the quality of care that they provide equals that provided by urban institutions. Summary points The role and structure of rural hospitals is changing, but they continue to be important local and regional centers of health care activity Rural hospitals tend to depend more on Medicare and Medicaid patients Most rural hospitals are organized on a not-for-profit basis Rural hospitals make an important contribution to rural economies; expansion and diversification of the services that they offer will be important in their survival The quality of care provided in rural hospitals is generally equal to that provided by urban institutions, with some exceptions
What affects candidate selection processes? A cross-national examination

Intra-party candidate selection processes are one of the prime mechanisms through which parties organize. This article seeks to examine empirically what factors account for variation in candidate selection processes. After identifying the key assertions developed in the literature, I use a unique cross-national dataset with data on the selection procedures of 512 parties in 46 countries to examine whether a party’s ideology, size, regime type, territorial organization and region affect the way parties select their legislative candidates. I pay special attention to the hypothesized relationships between electoral systems and selection processes, since the literature was indecisive and since research on the effects of institutions on legislators’ behaviour often amalgamated elections and selections. Underlying this amalgamation is an assumption that electoral systems determine candidate selection processes. I use my data to shed light on these relationships and provide a cautionary tale about amalgamating elections and selections.