Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dual and multilanguage systems

Abstract Since ‘multicompetence’ was proposed by Cook, there have been debates about the nature of distinction between monocompetence and multicompetence, the distinctiveness of languages in the mind and the homogeneity of language knowledge across speakers and contexts. The paper will address these issues from a linguistic perspective and make an attempt to define multicompetence. The paper claims that trends in linguistics have affected bi and multilingualism research either directly or indirectly. Consequently, in order for us to understand approaches to multicompetence we should review the latest changes in linguistics research. All debates about multicompetence boil down to three major issues: (1) The interplay of the linguistic level and conceptual level in multilingual development and language use, (2) nature of difference (qualitative or quantitative or both) between monocompetence and multicompetence and (3) methods of analysing differences between monocompetence and multicompetence. Addressing these issues I will argue that there is not only quantitative but also qualitative difference between monolinguals and multilinguals, which is reflected mainly in the nature and organisation of knowledge in the multilingual mind. I will also argue that it would be a mistake to overemphasise the role of usage in multilingual development. Language is both structure and usage. Both are equally important: structure develops as a result of usage and structure serves as one of the underlying factors of usage. ‘Community practices’ exist within and across languages so they cannot substitute what we understand by ‘language’. In the first part of the paper I discuss the relationship between current trends in linguistics research and approaches to multicompetence. In the second part I have taken a stand on the major issues of the debate about multicompetence.
In-Service Mathematics Teachers' Integration of ICT as Innovative Practice

The Professional Development School (PDS) can serve as a catalyst for the professional development of mathematics pre-service as well as in-service teachers. In the present research, we describe lower-secondary in-service mathematics teachers' development of ICT integration in their teaching. This is done through the Innovation Diffusion Model of Rogers, which consists of five stages: knowledge of an innovation, (2) forming an attitude toward the innovation, (3) taking a decision to adopt or reject, (4) implementation of the innovation, and (5) confirmation of the decision by affirming or rejecting it. In the present research, ICT integration in mathematics teaching is considered as an innovation candidate for adoption by mathematics in-service teachers, where this adoption is facilitated by a community of inquiry consisting of in-service teachers, pre-service teachers and researchers. Five in-service middle school mathematics teachers participated in the present research. We used two data collecting tools: observations and semi-structured interviews to collect data about different issues related to the integration of ICT in the lessons of the participating in-service teachers. The categories of the innovation diffusion model were used to analyze the participants' adoption of ICT for their teaching before and after our intervention through the implementation of the PDS model for the period of one academic year. The research findings indicate that the participating in-service mathematics teachers' attitudes and beliefs regarding the benefits of ICT for mathematics teaching were positive at the beginning of the experiment as well as at its end. At the same time, teachers' knowledge and experience of using ICT tools in mathematics teaching improved, which contributed positively to the confirmation of their decision to adopt these tools for their classrooms. Specifically, the research results indicate that the PDS can support the in-service mathematics teachers in their adoption of new innovations, specifically when this innovation is practiced by the pre-service teachers in the training school.
Bioinformatics Original Paper Combining Signals from Spotted Cdna Microarrays Obtained at Different Scanning Intensities

Motivation: The analysis of spotted cDNA microarrays involves scanning of color signals from fluorescent dyes. A common problem is that a given scanning intensity is not usually optimal for all spotted cDNAs. Specifically, some spots may be at the saturation limit, resulting in poor separation of signals from different tissues or conditions. The problem may be addressed by multiple scans with varying scanning intensities. Multiple scanning intensities raise the question of how to combine different signals from the same spot, particularly when measurement error is not negligible. Results: This paper suggests a non-linear latent regression model for this purpose. It corrects for biases caused by the saturation limit and efficiently combines data from multiple scans. Combining multiple scans also allows reduction of technical error particularly for cDNA spots with low signal. The procedure is exemplified using cDNA expression data from maize. Availability: All methods were implemented using standard procedures available in the SAS/STAT module of the SAS System. Programming statements are available from the first author upon request. Supplementary information: The supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Chromosome 9p21 primary open‐angle glaucoma susceptibility locus: a review

Primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) is a genetically complex disease. Genome‐wide association study (GWAS) is a particularly useful tool in the search for genetic contributions to glaucoma. Recently, chromosome 9p21 has become a major focus of research endeavour, with multiple genome‐wide association studies suggesting associations to POAG. Herein, we provide a review of the chromosome 9p21 susceptibility locus as a risk factor for POAG.
Teacher Roles in the Blended Classroom – Swedish Lower Secondary School Teachers’ Boundary Management between Physical and Virtual Learning Spaces

The purpose of the study is to explore how Swedish lower secondary school teachers manage blended learning environments, established through using a specific learning management system (LMS) application. In the study, four teachers were followed during a four-month (n)ethnographic fieldwork. Based on analyses of data from video-recordings and observations in physical and virtual classrooms, the study examines teachers’ practices of integrating and segmenting the two classroom domains. In order to unpack the realms of these practices, the study employs affordance and boundary theories. Through the analysis of participants’ boundary practices and their use of communicative affordances in and across space and time, four teacher roles, enacted and emerging through teaching practices, are presented. The paper concludes with a discussion of how participants’ engagement with virtual and physical learning environment compels teachers to reflect upon their preferred teacher role in the new multidimensional classrooms.
Political Marketing, Word of Mouth Communication and Voter Behaviours Interaction

Political actors aim at persuading voters, who are the key elements of target market in order to win election by gaining a higher vote potential than their opponents. Whether voter preferences are shaped by political elements or by the effects of social environment has become the focus of the studies within the relevant literature. The main purpose of this study is to determine the effect of political marketing activities and word of mouth communication and to determine mediator role WOM communication on voter behaviours. The study is conducted in Konya on a sample consisting of 432 voters and the size of which is determined by convenience sampling method by using face-to-face survey method. Political marketing, word of mouth communication and voter behaviours are confirmed by structural equation modelling through confirmatory factor analysis. As a result of the study, political marketing activities and word of mouth communication are found to have a positive effect on voter behaviour. Furthermore, it is determined that word of mouth communication have mediator role in the effect of political marketing activities on voter behaviours.
Environment Quality and Economic Convergence: Extending Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis

This paper examines the link between environmental indicators and economic convergence for a large sample of rich and poor countries. While in economic literature income and environment are seen to have an inverted-U shaped relationship (Environment Kuznets Curve hypothesis), it is also well established that an improvement in environmental quality is positively related to economic activity. In the early stage of economic development, the gain from income growth could be cancelled or mitigated by environmental degradation through some channels and create a vicious circle in economic activity unlike in developed countries. This in turn could slow down economic convergence. We empirically assess this issue through an econometric model. We found that environmental degradation affects negatively economic activity and reduces the ability of poor countries to reach developed ones economically.
Students individual engagement in GIS

This paper develops two sets of concepts to theorize why students engage differently in Geographical Information Systems (GIS). These theoretical concepts are used as an analytical lens to explore empirical data on the experiences and engagement of students enrolled in an undergraduate GIS course in planning and management. The analysis shows that both the theoretical perspectives and the custom and didactical contract are important to understand students' engagement in GIS. However, it is the personal desiderata that are the key to understanding the students' different engagement. Further, a temporal dimension and contextual awareness are important in understanding students' engagement in a broader perspective.
The relationship between theory of mind and mental rotation ability in preschool-aged children

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between two tasks of perspective taking, the social perspective taking ability, namely theory of mind, and the spatial one, namely mental rotation, in preschool-aged children. Both abilities develop during preschool age. We investigated 83 children aged between 3 and 4 years regarding their theory of mind and mental rotation ability. A significant correlation between both tasks was found for those children, who were able to solve the mental rotation task. This relation was no longer significant when analyzing the two age groups separately. Due to the small sample size as well as the performance in the mental rotation test more research is needed to investigate this relationship and its role in development.
3 A Low-Overhead Non-Block Check Pointing and Recovery Approach for Mobile Computing Environment

Check pointing/rollback-recovery strategy is used for providing fault-tolerance to distributed applications (Y.M. Wang, 1997; M. Singhal & N. G. Shivaratri, 1994; R. E. Strom and S. Yemini 1985; R. Koo & S. Toueg, 1987; S. Venkatesan et al.,1997; G. Cao & M. Singhal, 1998; D. Manivannan & M. Singhal, 1999). A checkpoint is a snapshot of the local state of a process, saved on local nonvolatile storage to survive process failures. A global checkpoint of an n-process distributed system consists of n checkpoints (local) such that each of these n checkpoints corresponds uniquely to one of the n processes. A global checkpoint M is defined as a consistent global checkpoint if no message is sent after a checkpoint of M and received before another checkpoint of M (Y.M. Wang, 1997). The checkpoints belonging to a consistent global checkpoint are called globally consistent checkpoints (GCCs). The set of such checkpoints is also known as recovery line.
Interrogation of a passive fiber Bragg grating resonator sensor by current modulation of a diode laser

In this paper, experimental results for a current modulation frequency locking scheme in a single feedback control loop are presented, and are compared with the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) topology. This experiment provides confidence that with proper pre-stabilization of the diode laser in a more sophisticated two-loop control scheme, current modulation may well attain similar ultra-resolution strain sensitivities as those achieved using the PDH technique.
Nutrient Interactions and Toxicity Vitamin A Depletion Induced by Cigarette Smoke Is Associated with the Development of Emphysema in Rats 1 , 2

We showed previously that vitamin A deficiency per se causes emphysema. Benzo(a)pyrene, a constituent in cigarette smoke, induces vitamin A depletion when administered to rats; therefore, we tested the hypothesis that cigarette smoke induces vitamin A depletion, which is associated with the development of emphysema. Male weanling rats were fed a purified AIN-93G diet and divided into two groups. The experimental group was exposed to cigarette smoke from 20 nonfiltered commercial cigarettes/d for 5 d/wk, whereas the control group was exposed to air. After 6 wk, tissues were collected for histological and biochemical analyses. Retinol levels were measured in serum, lung and liver. The trachea, lung and liver were examined for histological changes. Vitamin A levels decreased significantly in serum, lung and liver of smoke-treated rats. Histological examination revealed the presence of interstitial pneumonitis along with severe emphysema. There was a significant inverse relationship between vitamin A concentration in the lung and the severity of emphysema (r 0.69 and P 0.03). Detachment or hyperplasia (and metaplasia) of the tracheal epithelium and liver vacuole formation also were evident in the smoke-treated rats. The results of this research indicate that exposure to cigarette smoke induces vitamin A depletion in rats, which is associated with the development of emphysema. J. Nutr. 133: 2629–2634, 2003.
The NYU System for MUC-6 or Where’s the Syntax?

Over the past five MUCs, New York University has clung faithfully to the idea that information extraction should begin with a phase of full syntactic analysis, followed by a semantic analysis of the syntactic structure. Because we have a good, broad-coverage English grammar and a moderately effective method for recovering from parse failures, this approach held us in fairly good stead.
Oxygen Metabolic Responses of Three Species of Large Benthic Foraminifers with Algal Symbionts to Temperature Stress

Water temperature affects the physiology of large benthic foraminifers (LBFs) with algal symbionts dwelling in coral reef environments. However, the detailed physiological responses of LBF holobionts to temperature ranges occurring in their habitats are not known. We report net oxygen (O2) production and respiration rates of three LBF holobionts (Baculogypsina sphaerulata and Calcarina gaudichaudii hosting diatom symbionts, and Amphisorus kudakajimensis hosting dinoflagellate symbionts) measured in the laboratory at water temperatures ranging from 5°C to 45°C in 2.5°C or 5°C intervals and with light saturation levels of ∼500 µmol m−2 s−1. In addition, the recovery of net O2 production and respiration rates after exposure to temperature stress was assessed. The net O2 production and respiration rates of the three LBF holobionts peaked at ∼30°C, indicating their optimal temperature for a short exposure period. At extreme high temperatures (≥40°C), the net O2 production rates of all three LBF holobionts declined to less than zero and the respiration rates slightly decreased, indicating that photosynthesis of algal symbionts was inactivated. At extreme low temperatures (≤10°C for two calcarinid species and ≤5°C for A. kudakajimensis), the net O2 production and respiration rates were near zero, indicating a weakening of holobiont activity. After exposure to extreme high or low temperature, the net O2 production rates did not recover until the following day, whereas the respiration rates recovered rapidly, suggesting that a longer time (days) is required for recovery from damage to the photosystem by temperature stress compared to the respiration system. These results indicate that the oxygen metabolism of LBF holobionts can generally cope well with conditions that fluctuate diurnally and seasonally in their habitats. However, temporal heat and cold stresses with high light levels may induce severe damage to algal symbionts and also damage to host foraminifers.
Leveraging Preposition Ambiguity to Assess Representation of Semantic Interaction in CDSM

Consider the meanings of the following phrases: “red apple,” “red hair,” and “red state. ” The meaning of the word “red” in each of these examples interacts with the meaning of the noun it modifies, applying a different color to the first two and a political affiliation to the third. This is an example of a common phenomenon in natural language in which the meaning of a whole expression is not derived from a simple sum of its parts, but is composed by interactions among their meanings. Semantic interactions have been acknowledged in the philosophical literature, notably by Frege [9], who asserted that a word in isolation is only an abstraction, and its precise meaning only assigned when it is placed in the context of a proposition. Further, semantic interaction is a detectable component of human language processing, as evidenced by the well documented phenomenon of sentential priming [8].
ON CONTROL-ORIENTED SIMULATION MODELS FOR BUILDING CONTROL AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Heuristic rule-based control (RBC) is widely used in the building industry for building automation systems (BASs). Recently, researchers demonstrated that model-based control has the potential to improve the building energy efficiency. Model Predictive Control (MPC) is one of the promising approaches that caught much attention of the research community. The system dynamics model play an important role in model-based control, but constructing the model can be challenging, especially under realistic engineering conditions. In this paper, we experiment a hybrid approach to construct building thermal dynamics model for integrated, advanced control, under the guide of control theory. The approach for developing this control-oriented model is different from that for a first principle simulation model, such as a Trnsys model. Our model development method is tightly coupled with the controller development, and is intended to reduce development efforts. We designed an MPC controller using a technique called feedback linearization. We tested the design of our model and controller using a Trnsys simulation model for Intelligent Workspace (IW) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).
Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibits the growth of Scedosporium aurantiacum, an opportunistic fungal pathogen isolated from the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients

The filamentous fungus Scedosporium aurantiacum and the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa are opportunistic pathogens isolated from lungs of the cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. P. aeruginosa has been known to suppress the growth of a number of CF related fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, and Cryptococcus neoformans. However, the interactions between P. aeruginosa and S. aurantiacum have not been investigated in depth. Hence we assessed the effect of P. aeruginosa reference strain PAO1 and two clinical isolates PASS1 and PASS2 on the growth of two clinical S. aurantiacum isolates WM 06.482 and WM 08.202 using solid plate assays and liquid cultures, in a synthetic medium mimicking the nutrient condition in the CF sputum. Solid plate assays showed a clear inhibition of growth of both S. aurantiacum strains when cultured with P. aeruginosa strains PASS1 and PAO1. The inhibitory effect was confirmed by confocal microscopy. In addition to using chemical fluorescent stains, strains tagged with yfp (P. aeruginosa PASS1) and mCherry (S. aurantiacum WM 06.482) were created to facilitate detailed microscopic observations on strain interaction. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing successful genetic transformation of S. aurantiacum. Inhibition of growth was observed only in co-cultures of P. aeruginosa and S. aurantiacum; the cell fractions obtained from independent bacterial monocultures failed to initiate a response against the fungus. In the liquid co-cultures, biofilm forming P. aeruginosa strains PASS1 and PAO1 displayed higher inhibition of fungal growth when compared to PASS2. No change was observed in the inhibition pattern when direct cell contact between the bacterial and fungal strains was prevented using a separation membrane suggesting the involvement of extracellular metabolites in the fungal inhibition. However, one of the most commonly described bacterial virulence factors, pyocyanin, had no effect against either of the S. aurantiacum strains. This study shows that P. aeruginosa has a substantial inhibitory effect on the growth of the recently described CF fungal pathogen S. aurantiacum. The findings also highlighted that P. aeruginosa biofilm formation is important but not crucial for inhibiting the growth of S. aurantiacum in a lung- mimicking environment.
A robust approach for on-line and off-line threat detection based on event tree similarity analysis

The security of railway and mass-transit systems is increasingly dependant on the effectiveness of integrated Security Management Systems (SMS), which are meant to detect threats and to provide operators with information required for alarm verification purposes. In order to lower the false alarm rate and improve the detection reliability of threat scenarios, event correlation capabilities need to be integrated into the SMS. In this paper an existing approach based on a-priori defined event patterns is extended using a heuristic situation recognition approach which is more robust to both imperfect scenario modeling (human faults) and missed detections (sensor faults). The approach is based on similarity analysis between the event trees representing scenarios and it is effective both on-line and off-line. Applied on-line, it allows for an earlier and more fault-tolerant threat detection, since scenario matching is not required to be complete nor exact. Applied off-line, its effectiveness is twofold: first, it allows for detecting redundancies when updating the scenario repository; secondly, it enhances the post-event forensic search of suspicious behaviors not previously stored in the scenario repository. The strategy is being experimented in the context of railway protection.
Real-Time Alpha Matting for Natural Images and Videos

7 RESUMO . 8
CXorf61 is a target for T cell based immunotherapy of triple-negative breast cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a high medical need disease with limited treatment options. CD8+ T cell-mediated immunotherapy may represent an attractive approach to address TNBC. The objectives of this study were to assess the expression of CXorf61 in TNBCs and healthy tissues and to evaluate its capability to induce T cell responses. We show by transcriptional profiling of a broad comprehensive set of normal human tissue that CXorf61 expression is strictly restricted to testis. 53% of TNBC patients express this antigen in at least 30% of their tumor cells. In CXorf61-negative breast cancer cell lines CXorf61 expression is activated by treatment with the hypomethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine. By vaccination of HLA-A*02-transgenic mice with CXorf61 encoding RNA we obtained high frequencies of CXorf61-specific T cells. Cloning and characterization of T cell receptors (TCRs) from responding T cells resulted in the identification of the two HLA-A*0201-restricted T cell epitopes CXorf6166–74 and CXorf6179–87. Furthermore, by in vitro priming of human CD8+ T cells derived from a healthy donor recognizing CXorf6166–74 we were able to induce a strong antigen-specific immune response and clone a human TCR recognizing this epitope. In summary, our data confirms this antigen as promising target for T cell based therapies.