Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of semantic and phonological priming in a shallow orthography

These studies examined whether the unusual accessibility of phonological information from written Korean affects the word recognition processes of children learning to read it. In Experiment 1, 2nd- and 6th-grade Korean children named target words that were preceded by related or unrelated prime words. Priming was found for 6th but not 2nd graders-the opposite of the pattern seen in children reading English. Experiment 2 examined phonological priming in 3rd and 6th graders. Related primes were pseudohomophones of the targets. Younger children tended to show greater priming than did older ones. The results suggest strong reliance on phonological information by children learning to read a script from which such information is easily accessed.
Socialization Goals, Parenting Practices, and Peer Competence in Chinese and English Preschoolers

This cross-cultural study examines relations between parents' socialization goals and child-rearing practices, as well as their impact upon peer competence during early childhood. Participants were sixty-three Hong Kong-Chinese mothers, sixty-one English mothers and their preschool-aged children. Mothers completed questionnaires measuring socialization goals and practices. Their children took part in sociometric interviews. Results indicate both similarities and differences in child-rearing practices and in their impact on children's peer competence across the two cultures. Among both Hong Kong and English mothers, significant correlations were found between (i) socialization towards Filial Piety and Authoritarian practices, and (ii) valuing Socio-emotional Development and Authoritative Parenting. However, Chinese mothers reported stronger emphasis on socialization for Academic Achievement and Filial Piety, as well as greater use of Authoritarian Parenting practices, than English mothers. The use of Authoritarian practices among English mothers was, in accordance with past research, negatively correlated with peer competence among preschoolers. Findings highlight the influence of cultural values upon child socialization and upon the way that these values are translated into practice.
Analysis of a simple greedy matching algorithm on random cubic graphs

We consider the performance of a simple greedy matching algorithm MINGREEDY when applied to random cubic graphs. We show that if λn is the expected number of vertices not matched by MINGREEDY, there are positive constants c1 and c2 such that C1n1/5 ≤ λn ≤ C2n1/5 log n.
THE ORGANIZATION OF JUNIOR SCHOOL CLASSROOMS

One hundred and eighty‐nine teachers reported how they organized their classrooms. The overwhelming majority taught unstreamed classes and for at least part of the time adopted a form of organization which allowed children to engage in a variety of activities. The results highlighted a rich diversity of policies and strategies and called into question several widely held beliefs about the impact of new ideas in junior classrooms.
Inherent Immunogenicity or Lack Thereof of Pluripotent Stem Cells: Implications for Cell Replacement Therapy

Donor-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer opportunities for personalized cell replacement therapeutic approaches due to their unlimited self-renewal potential and ability to differentiate into different somatic cells. A significant progress has been made toward generating iPSC lines that are free of integrating viral vectors, development of xeno-free culture conditions, and differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into functional somatic cell lineages. Since donor-specific iPSC lines are genetically identical to the individual, they are expected to be immunologically matched and these iPSC lines and their cellular derivatives are not expected to be immunologically rejected. However, studies in mouse models, utilizing rejection of teratomas as a model, have claimed that syngenic iPSC lines, especially the iPSC lines derived with integrating viral vectors, could be inherently immunogenic. This manuscript reviews current understanding of inherent immunogenicity of PSC lines, especially that of the human iPSC lines and their cellular derivatives, and strategies to overcome it.
‘From behind the wall’ The representation of gender and sexuality in modern chinese film

Issues associated with gender and sexuality are always problematic in the Chinese context, and their filmic representation is even more complicated. Just as the concept of sexuality was rarely straightforwardly elaborated in Chinese cinema, Chinese women were continuously stereotyped into conventional images. The founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 saw some changes in the first instance, but conventions persisted. Though the new regime energetically advocated the cultural and social policy of gender equality, sexuality as a subject was thoroughly prohibited, especially during the Cultural Revolution years. More substantial changes did not start to happen until the 1980s. In the new political, economic, social and cultural context, the representation of gender and sexuality became a conspicuous phenomenon on China's cinema screens. Quite a number of films, especially those focusing on contemporary youth life, explored the once forbidden area. Despite this consciousness and some related efforts, the overall picture remained semi‐veiled. With heavy burdens of tradition on their backs, Chinese filmmakers are being squeezed between modern concepts and traditional restrictions.
Trichomonad parasite infection in four species of Columbidae in the UK

SUMMARY Trichomonas gallinae is an emerging pathogen in wild birds, linked to recent declines in finch (Fringillidae) populations across Europe. Globally, the main hosts for this parasite are species of Columbidae (doves and pigeons); here we carry out the first investigation into the presence and incidence of Trichomonas in four species of Columbidae in the UK, through live sampling of wild-caught birds and subsequent PCR. We report the first known UK cases of Trichomonas infection in 86% of European Turtle Doves Streptopelia turtur sampled, along with 86% of Eurasian Collared Doves Streptopelia decaocto, 47% of Woodpigeons Columba palumbus and 40% of Stock Doves Columba oenas. Birds were more likely to be infected if the farm provided supplementary food for gamebirds. We found three strains of T. gallinae and one strain clustering within the Trichomonas tenax clade, not previously associated with avian hosts in the UK. One T. gallinae strain was identical at the ITS/5.8S/ITS2 ribosomal region to that responsible for the finch trichomonosis epizootic. We highlight the importance of increasing our knowledge of the diversity and ecological implications of Trichomonas parasites in order further to understand the sub-clinical impacts of parasite infection.
Comparison of balance in older people with and without visual impairment.

OBJECTIVE a cross-sectional study was used to compare the balance ability of older people with and without visual impairment. SETTING Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Jockey Club Rehabilitation Complex and the Pok Oi Hospital Jockey Club care and attention homes for aged individuals. SUBJECTS a total of 66 subjects, 65 years of age and older were divided into three groups based on their degree of visual impairment. METHODS the directional Es chart was used to test the subjects ' visual acuity. Functional balance ability was measured using the Berg balance scale. Demographic characteristics and baseline variables such as lower extremity range of motion, muscle strength, and joint pain was assessed and compared between the groups. RESULTS 66 older adults (43 women, 23 men) aged 69-94 years of age participated in the study. The one-way ANOVA showed that the mean Berg balance scores were significantly different (F(2,63) = 19.19, P < 0.001). Post hoc tests showed that the group with no visual impairment had higher mean balance scores than the group with mild visual impairment (P = 0.04) and those with moderate visual impairment (P < 0.001). The balance scores for the group with mild visual impairment were also shown to be significantly difference from those of the group with moderate visual impairment (P = 0.003). Control of factors related to balance, such as range of motion, pain and strength, did not affect the analysis of variance analyses. CONCLUSIONS balance was shown to be more impaired with greater visual impairment, which could result in falls and resultant injury. The findings suggest that early intervention to improve visual acuity in older people may be important.
LookUnlock: Using Spatial-Targets for User-Authentication on HMDs

With head-mounted displays (HMDs), users can access and interact with a broad range of applications and data. Although some of this information is privacy-sensitive or even confidential, no intuitive, unobtrusive and secure authentication technique is available yet for HMDs. We present LookUnlock, an authentication technique for HMDs that uses passwords that are composed of spatial and virtual targets. Through a proof-of-concept implementation and security evaluation, we demonstrate that this technique can be efficiently used by people and is resistant to shoulder-surfing attacks.
Local dependency in networks

Abstract Many real world data and processes have a network structure and can usefully be represented as graphs. Network analysis focuses on the relations among the nodes exploring the properties of each network. We introduce a method for measuring the strength of the relationship between two nodes of a network and for their ranking. This method is applicable to all kinds of networks, including directed and weighted networks. The approach extracts dependency relations among the network’s nodes from the structure in local surroundings of individual nodes. For the tasks we deal with in this article, the key technical parameter is locality. Since only the surroundings of the examined nodes are used in computations, there is no need to analyze the entire network. This allows the application of our approach in the area of large-scale networks. We present several experiments using small networks as well as large-scale artificial and real world networks. The results of the experiments show high effectiveness due to the locality of our approach and also high quality node ranking comparable to PageRank.
To appear in the ACM SIGGRAPH conference proceedings Hybrid images

We present Hybrid images, a technique that allows creating static images with two interpretations that change as a function of viewing distance. Hybrid images are based on the multiscale processing of images by the human visual system and are motivated by masking studies in visual perception. These images can be used to create compelling displays in which the image appears to change as the viewing distance changes. We show that by taking into account perceptual grouping mechanisms it is possible to build compelling Hybrid images with stable percepts at each distance. We show examples in which Hybrid images are used to create textures that only become visible when seen up-close, to create facial expressions whose interpretation changes with viewing distance, and to visualize changes over time within a single picture.
Kernel methods in machine learning

We review machine learning methods employing positive definite kernels. These methods formulate learning and estimation problems in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) of functions defined on the data domain, expanded in terms of a kernel. Working in linear spaces of function has the benefit of facilitating the construction and analysis of learning algorithms while at the same time allowing large classes of functions. The latter include nonlinear functions as well as functions defined on nonvectorial data. We cover a wide range of methods, ranging from binary classifiers to sophisticated methods for estimation with structured data.
Chapter Seven Public Policy and Poverty Reduction in Sudan , 1971-2002

With a total area of 1690 million hectares, the Sudan has a relatively huge economic potential measured in terms of its endowments of natural resources, including arable and grazing land, water, mineral resources, and a diversified and pervasive climatic zones. Despite this, over the mid 1970s and the 1980s Sudan has faced serious economic difficulties which culminated in economic decline resulting from the adoption of IMF sterio-type adjustment policies, where real GDP has registered a negative growth rate of nearly 2.0%. The significant macroeconomic imbalances, increasing unemployment, and mounting poverty led in early 1990s to the adoption of adjustment and liberalization policies that are believed to be more stringent than what the IMF would have dreamt of. While real GDP has registered an impressive growth rate of 10.22% during 19902002, and the economy has shown some signs of recovery, poverty indicators have continued their upward trend. Mounting political pressure on the government both from internal and external forces, together with the escalation of the civil war in the south have all led to a reduction in foreign aid and to a significant increase in the resources devoted for the war. These developments have frustrated the concerted efforts that were being made to move the economy into a sustained growth path. Nonetheless, the advent of oil in late 1990s have contributed to a large extent to the relative economic stability that the Sudan has witnessed since then.
Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Storage Change Characteristics (2003-2016) over Major Surface Basins and Principal Aquifers in the Conterminous United States

In this research, we characterized the changes in the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) monthly total water storage anomaly (TWSA) in 18 surface basins and 12 principal aquifers in the conterminous United States during 2003–2016. Regions with high variability in storage were identified. Ten basins and four aquifers showed significant changes in storage. Eight surface basins and eight aquifers were found to show decadal stability in storage. A pixel-based analysis of storage showed that the New England basin and North Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer showed the largest area under positive storage change. By contrast, the Lower Colorado and California basins showed the largest area under negative change. This study found that historically wetter regions (with more storage) are becoming wetter, and drier regions (with less storage) are becoming drier. Fourier analysis of the GRACE data showed that while all basins exhibited prominent annual periodicities, significant sub-annual and multi-annual cycles also exist in some basins. The storage turnover period was estimated to range between 6 and 12 months. The primary explanatory variable (PEV) of TWSA was identified for each region. This study provides new insights on several aspects of basin or aquifer storage that are important for understanding basin and aquifer hydrology.
A novel quasi-resonant soft-switching Z-source inverter

This paper proposes a novel quasi-resonant soft-switching Z-source inverter. On the basis of the Z-source inverter topology, the proposed inverter inherits the features of high voltage boost ability and circuit simplicity. A quasi-resonant network with only one auxiliary switch is employed to achieve the soft-switching scheme. All switches in the inverter bridge are turned on and off under zero-voltage switching condition. The simulation results are given to illustrate the soft-switching characteristics, which verify the theoretical analysis. Working at the switching frequency of 40kHz, the overall efficiency of 92% at full load which is 9.5%'s improvement, confirms the proposal.
Neural Network Approach to Forecast Hourly Intense Rainfall Using GNSS Precipitable Water Vapor and Meteorological Sensors

This work presents a methodology for the short-term forecast of intense rainfall based on a neural network and the integration of Global Navigation and Positioning System (GNSS) and meteorological data. Precipitable water vapor (PWV) derived from GNSS is combined with surface pressure, surface temperature and relative humidity obtained continuously from a ground-based meteorological station. Five years of GNSS data from one station in Lisbon, Portugal, are processed. Data for precipitation forecast are also collected from the meteorological station. Spaceborne Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) data of cloud top measurements are also gathered, providing collocated information on an hourly basis. In previous studies it was found that the time-varying PWV is correlated with rainfall and can be used to detected heavy rain. However, a significant number of false positives were found, meaning that the evolution of PWV does not contain enough information to infer future rain. In this work, a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous neural network model (NARX) is used to process the GNSS and meteorological data to forecast the hourly precipitation. The proposed methodology improves the detection of intense rainfall events and reduces the number of false positives, with a good classification score varying from 63% up to 72% and a false positive rate of 36% down to 21%, for the tested years in the dataset. A score of 64% for intense rain events classification with 22% false positive rate is obtained for the most recent years. The method also achieves an almost 100% hit rate for the rain vs no rain detection, with close to no false alarms.
Hand Hygiene Compliance Rates After an Educational Intervention in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

An observational study was performed at a level III neonatal intensive care unit to assess the impact of a hand hygiene promotion educational program on rates of compliance with hand hygiene on entrance into the unit. There was an initial improvement in the rate of compliance at 1 month after the intervention (from 89% [168 of 189 opportunities] to 100% [212 of 212 opportunities]; P<.001], but the rate decreased to the baseline rate at 3 months (89% [85 of 96 opportunities]).
Is Seeing Believing?: The Effect of Morphological Congruent Visual Feedback on Mediated Touch Experience

Mediated social touch (MST) provides physical contact over a distance for geographically separated individuals. Despite advances in actuator technologies, it remains difficult to recreate the feel and sensation of natural human touch. Combining touch with morphologically congruent visual feedback may overcome limitations related to the low fidelity of current-day tactile displays. Being able to both feel and see the touch act being initiated on an input device could enhance the perceived realism of the touches. In two studies, we test the effects of such visual feedback on self-reported naturalness of touch, social presence, and emotional experiences.
Follow-Up Study of Learning-Disabled Children Treated with Neurofeedback or Placebo

This report is a 2-year follow-up to a previous study describing positive behavioral changes and a spurt of EEG maturation with theta/alpha neurofeedback (NFB) training in a group of Learning Disabled (LD) children. In a control paired group, treated with placebo, behavioral changes were not observed and the smaller maturational EEG changes observed were easily explained by increased age. Two years later, the EEG maturational lag in Control Group children increased, reaching abnormally high theta Relative Power values; the absence of positive behavioral changes continued and the neurological diagnosis remained LD. In contrast, after 2 years EEG maturation did continue in children who belonged to the Experimental Group with previous neurofeedback training; this was accompanied by positive behavioral changes, which were reflected in remission of LD symptoms.
Pulling the Plug: Software Project Management and the Problem of Project Escalation

Information technology (IT) projects can fail for any number of reasons and in some cases can result in considerable financial losses for the organizations that undertake them. One pattern of failure that has been observed but seldom studied is the IT project that seems to take on a life of its own, continuing to absorb valuable resources without reaching its objective. A significant number of these projects will ultimately fail, potentially weakening a firm's competitive position while siphoning off resources that could be spent developing and implementing successful systems. The escalation literature provides a promising theoretical base for explaining this type of IT failure. Using a model of escalation based on the literature, a case study of IT project escalation is discussed and analyzed. The results suggest that escalation is promoted by a combination of project, psychological, social, and organizational factors. The managerial implications of these findings are discussed along with prescriptions for how to avoid the problem of escalation.
Decreasing the Uncertainty of the Target Center Estimation at Terrestrial Laser Scanning by Choosing the Best Algorithm and by Improving the Target Design

During the registration and georeferencing of terrestrial laser scans, it is common to use targets to mark discrete points. To improve the accuracy of the registration, the uncertainties of the target center estimation (TCE) have to be minimized. The present study examines different factors influencing the precision of the TCE. Here, the focus is on the algorithm and the target design. It is determined that, in general, the uncertainties of the TCE are much smaller than those indicated by the manufacturers. By comparing different algorithms for the first time, it was possible to clearly determine that an algorithm using image correlations yields the smallest standard deviations for the TCE. A comparison of different target designs could not identify an ideal commercially available target. For this reason, a new target, the BOTA8 (BOnn TArget with 8-fold pattern) was developed, which leads to smaller standard deviations than the previous targets. By choosing the best algorithm and improving the target design, standard deviations of 0.5 mm in distance direction and 1.2 arcsec in angular direction for a scan distance up to 100 m were achieved with the laser scanner Leica ScanStation P20. The uncertainties could be reduced by several millimetres and angular seconds compared to the manufacturer’s targets and software.
Speculators and Middlemen: The Role of Intermediaries in the Housing Market

We document and study the strategy and performance of two distinct types of investors in Los Angeles between 1988-2009 who purchased homes with the intention of quickly re-selling: middlemen buy at below-market prices from motivated sellers and re-sell quickly; speculators target periods and areas of rapid market appreciation. Unlike that of middlemen, speculative activity increased sharply in the housing boom and was strongly associated with subsequent price bubbles at both the metropolitan and neighborhood levels. We present evidence suggesting that speculation fueled excess short-term appreciation rather than reected the ability of speculators to predict when and where such appreciation would occur.