Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generalizability of the WEBSOM Method to Document Collections of Various Types

WEBSOM is a method in which the self-organizing map algorithm is used to automatically organize collections of documents on a map to enable easy exploration of the collection. This article illustrates with case studies how collections of various types of text can be successfully organized using the WEBSOM. The emphasis is on describing the particular challenges that each type of material poses, as well as on identifying properties of a text collection that aaect the choices made at each progessing stage. Properties such as the size of the document collection, the size of the vocabulary, the domain, the style of writing, and the language are considered.
Executive Dysfunction in Criminal Populations: Comparing Forensic Psychiatric Patients and Correctional Offenders

Abstract Background: Robust executive function (EF) deficits have been found in criminal groups and have been implicated as contributors to criminal behavior. A widely cited model of EF is made up of inhibition, shifting, and working memory. The current study compares these three EF components of two different criminal groups to one another and to a normative sample. Methods: EF of 42 forensic psychiatric patients was assessed and compared with 77 correctional offenders. EF was determined using the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS). Results: Forensic psychiatric patients display poorer performance on EF compared to correctional offenders. Overall, forensic psychiatric patients perform most poorly on measures of shifting. Furthermore, a large proportion of both forensic psychiatric patients (9.5–35.7%) and correctional offenders (5.2–27.3%) display clinically significant deficits in all components of EF compared to what would be expected in the normative population (2.5%). Conclusions/Implications: This study provides evidence of heterogeneity of cognitive deficits among different criminal populations and pervasive EF deficits in forensic and correctional populations compared to a normative sample. Understanding the unique EF profiles of different criminal groups can better inform rehabilitation programs and risk and release decisions.
Nesticus baeticus sp. n., a new troglobitic spider species from south-west Europe (Araneae, Nesticidae)

Abstract A new troglobitic species, Nesticus baeticus sp. n. (♂♀), inhabiting the karst landscapes of the high part of the Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park (NE Jaén, Spain) where it has been found in 8 caves is diagnosed and described, its distribution and habitat are also analyzed.The new species belongs to the Iberian species group that includes Nesticus luquei, Nesticus lusitanicus and Nesticus murgis. Evolutionary relationships of the Iberian Nesticus species are discussed on the basis of morphological and molecular data (cox1 and rrnL).
Implicit Feedback Embeddings for Recommender Systems on Sparse Data

In information recommendation, the preferences of users and the attributes of items to be recommended are represented by feature vectors. The items are recommended based on the similarity of the corresponding feature vectors. Characteristics of users and items are learned from the rating for items of users, etc. In general, the amount of ratings is limited, and extracting effective features from sparse data will be necessary. Also, for users who newly participate in the system, it is difficult to obtain user characteristics because the information is limited. The aim of this thesis is to propose effective models of recommender systems for such sparse data. We first look into the rating prediction problem, one of the essential tasks in recommender systems. Rating is another kind of feedback known as explicit feedback. Different from the implicit feedback, the amount of rating data is limited because it requires users to provide the ratings explicitly. I first proposed a feature extraction method that utilizes the data that is easy to obtain, such as the click history recorded in the log when a user examines an item. In this method, the features of items are extracted based on two sources of feedback: rating data and click data. We show that exploiting the click data can supplement the shortage of rating data. We further advance this research and proposed a method to analyze the similarity of items in more detail. The proposed model can identify two kinds of relationships between items, (1) “items that can be replaced" such as products of company A and products of company B, and (2) items that are “often purchased together” such as bread and butter. In this research, the item features are extracted under the assumption that there is a strong correlation between the items that are positively evaluated by each user. Finally, we introduce a model to learn the representations of the products based on their titles to model a collection of shopping transactions. The learned representations can help identify two kinds of relationships between products: the similar products and also-buy products. The proposed model can be used for multiple purposes: next product recommendation, similar product recommendation, also-buy product recommendation, and product search by keywords. Because the model learns the representations from product titles, it can deal with the cold-start problem, the problem of modeling new products which have not appeared in any shopping transactions.
Ethnic Identity Development of 1.5 Generation Filipino American Immigrants: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative study examines ethnic identity development of 1.5 generation Filipino American immigrants in U.S. The survey methods used in the study were a demographic questionnaire, and semi-structured interview. Two Filipino students, one from the Southwest and the other from the Midwest regions of the U.S. participated in the study. Two research questions guided this study; what factors influence the ethnic identity development of the 1.5 generation Filipino American immigrants, and what strategies educators can use to facilitate 1.5 generation Filipino American immigrant student success. The results of the study revealed six themes. Three themes emerged from research question one as factors influencing ethnic identity development; age, schooling, and family. Three themes emerged from research question two around educator strategies and student success; instructional, administration, and family. The findings reported that parents and families' cultural values and practice play an important role in the ethnic development of 1.5 Generation Filipino American immigrants. In addition, teachers and administrators should be knowledgeable about diversity, multicultural education, and culturally sensitive teaching. Participants' suggestions are also presented to provide educators ways to enhance instructional practices, promote cultural competency, and enhance psychosocial development for both teachers and administrators to facilitate 1.5 generation Filipino American immigrant ethnic identity development and student success.
Fuzzy logic based self tuning of PI controller for a non linear spherical tank system

Tuning the parameters of a controller is very important in system performance. Ziegler and Nichols tuning method is simple and cannot guarantee to be effective always. This paper investigates the design of fuzzy logic based self tuning Proportional Integral (PI) controller on a First order Plus Dead Time (FOPDT) non linear spherical tank system using block box modelling. The real time PI controller was designed for a liquid level process, the servo and regulatory responses of the controller were obtained. The simulation results of conventional PI controller, Internal Model Control (IMC) based PI controller and Self tuning Fuzzy PI controller is obtained using MATLAB. From the simulation it is clear that there is substantial improvement in the Self tuning Fuzzy PI controller in terms of peak overshoot, settling time, peak time, rise time, Integral Square Error (ISE) and Integral Absolute Error (IAE).
Performance Comparison of Combined Collaborative Filtering Algorithms for Recommender Systems

Recommender systems have a goal to make personalized recommendations by using filtering algorithms. Collaborative filtering (CF) is one of the most popular techniques for recommender systems. As usual, huge number of the datasets on the Internet increase the amount of time to work on data. This challenge enforces people to improve better algorithms for processing data with user preferences and recommending the most appropriate item to the users. In this paper, we analyze CF algorithms and present results for combined user-based/item-based CF algorithms for different size of datasets. Our goal is to show combined solution results using Loglikelihood, Spearman, Tanimoto and Pearson algorithms. The contribution is to describe which user based CF algorithms and user/item based combined CF algorithms perform better according to dataset, sparsity, execution time and k-neighborhood values.
Object-aware Deep Network for Commodity Image Retrieval

Recent years, with the development of e-commerce and population of mobile phones, image-based commodity retrieval has attracted much attention. This paper proposed a deep framework for commodity image retrieval(CMIR) from the view that they are same designed commodities. Our framework can catch as many design details as possible by exploring object detection and ranking sensitive feature learning, while the former is performed based on Faster R-CNN, and the later is learned with a multi-task Siamese Network. Besides, we refine the processing speed of the framework to make it a live system. Our framework is implemented on an android application based on Client/Server structure model whose server response time is about 150 ms per query.
Clustering of Physical Activities for Quantified Self and mHealth Applications

The explosion of smaller and more powerful wearable sensing devices has allowed us to continually record and quantify our lives. Undertaking such activities is becoming very popular and has grown into a community called the Quantified Self (QS). Utilizing this outlet has the potential to benefit many aspects of our lives and is gaining momentum within the health sector. However, whilst we can easily collect data, interpreting this information is more challenging. Without extensive data analysis, this information is essentially meaningless in its raw form. This paper posits an approach to quantify and cluster levels of physical activity from accelerometer and heartrate data, which has been obtained from four wearable devices (3 accelerometers and 1 hear rate monitor). The approach details our method for pre-processing the data, extracting and selecting the features and a comparison between hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and k-means. The results illustrate that, whilst both methods are capable of successfully separating the data, the k-means approach out-performed the HCA method at clustering the data.
A Pbx1-dependent genetic and transcriptional network regulates spleen ontogeny

The genetic control of cell fate specification, morphogenesis and expansion of the spleen, a crucial lymphoid organ, is poorly understood. Recent studies of mutant mice implicate various transcription factors in spleen development, but the hierarchical relationships between these factors have not been explored. In this report, we establish a genetic network that regulates spleen ontogeny, by analyzing asplenic mice mutant for the transcription factors Pbx1, Hox11 (Tlx1), Nkx3.2 (Bapx1) and Pod1 (capsulin, Tcf21). We show that Hox11 and Nkx2.5, among the earliest known markers for splenic progenitor cells, are absent in the splenic anlage of Pbx1 homozygous mutant (-/-) embryos, implicating the TALE homeoprotein Pbx1 in splenic cell specification. Pbx1 and Hox11 genetically interact in spleen formation and loss of either is associated with a similar reduction of progenitor cell proliferation and failed expansion of the splenic anlage. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays show that Pbx1 binds to the Hox11 promoter in spleen mesenchymal cells, which co-express Pbx1 and Hox11. Furthermore, Hox11 binds its own promoter in vivo and acts synergistically with TALE proteins to activate transcription, supporting its role in an auto-regulatory circuit. These studies establish a Pbx1-Hox11-dependent genetic and transcriptional pathway in spleen ontogeny. Additionally, we demonstrate that while Nkx3.2 and Pod1 control spleen development via separate pathways, Pbx1 genetically regulates key players in both pathways, and thus emerges as a central hierarchical co-regulator in spleen genesis.
Understanding governance at university: from management to leadership

Purpose The higher education system must move closer to society and its requirements, and therefore, the process of transformation in the university context brings new challenges. The purpose of this paper is to present research on a case study that examines the perception of the middle managers’ role from their own perspective: how they describe it, the associated tasks, the skills perceived as necessary and what they think about the need to become academic leaders. Design/methodology/approach The authors have adopted a mixed-method approach. Data were collected through an in-depth interview and an adapted version of the Personal Construct Grid (Kelly, 1955). Two types of analyses have been carried out: statistical analysis and content analysis following a category system. The participants were academics performing a management position selected in accordance with certain criteria relevant for the study. Findings The research shows how their perception collides with the traditional characteristics of the university, which focus on the managerial and bureaucratic tasks of the middle managers. The study also reveals evidence of the poor visibility of these managers with no place for action due to their lack of power and decision-making opportunities. Originality/value The participants claim that it is necessary for people who hold the position to become agents of change by creating a shared identity through teamwork and collaboration. To this end, this paper presents a proposal for the development of a framework for action.
The Cultivation of Critical Thinking in the Teaching of College English Reading

Since twenty years ago, scholars in foreign language teaching have pointed out that lack of critical thinking has hindered the cultivation of comprehensive abilities of English majors. Yet few previous researches focus on the application of critical thinking in actual teaching. The paper tries to explore the effectiveness of the teaching in the reading course by questionoriented and task-oriented measures in different stages to cultivate this capacity of critical thinking. Keywords—critical thinking; reading teaching; question; task
MetOcean data to linked data

This paper describes the Linked Data initiative in meteorological environment. MetOcean data are meteorological and oceanographic datasets that provide information to meteorological industries, petroleum industries as well as research institutes. The MetOcean has a myriad of data and scattered along the globe which lack Linked Data or Semantic Web capabilities. Linked Data is a concept of publishing interoperable data globally. As a way of integrating MetOcean data, this work used D2R server, a server that manages data sources and translates it to Web data. Therefore, the paper elucidates the process of developing Linked Data in Meteorological sector. Also, the results were queried using SPARQL endpoint as a graph. This approach was analyzed using F-measure which reveals the system is sufficient for querying and accessing the data as a graph.
Barriers to Marital Infidelity

Abstract This study used a qualitative approach as a means of exploring barriers to marital infidelity. There has been a substantial amount of research on marital infidelity in recent years, but there is no significant empirical research that looks at protective factors that act as a barrier to keep the marital relationship safe from marital infidelity. This study focused on establishing themes that represent opportunities to have a marital affair, as well as identifying protective factors that act as a barrier to marital infidelity. Semi-structured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis, a process for encoding qualitative information (Boyatzis) served to identify themes and categories from the recorded participant experiences. Three themes emerged that represent an opportunity to have a marital affair and three themes emerged as barriers to marital infidelity. Opportunities to have a marital affair were represented by direct attempts, flirtatious behavior, and establishing emotional intimacy. Finally, the barriers to marital infidelity were love, religious values and commitment, and communication. Clinical implications are discussed, as well as the limitations of the current study.
Virtual Property Theft Detection Framework: An Algorithm to Detect Virtual Propety Theft in Virtual World Environments

The issue of virtual property theft in virtual worlds is a serious problem which has ramifications in both the real and virtual world. Virtual world users invest a considerable amount of time, effort and often money to collect virtual property items, only to have them stolen by thieves. Many virtual property thefts go undetected, with thieves often stealing virtual property items without resistance, leaving victims to discover the theft only after it has occurred. This paper presents the design of a detection framework that uses an algorithm for identifying virtual property theft at two key stages: account intrusion and unauthorized virtual property trades. Initial tests of this framework on a synthetic data set show an 80% detection rate with no false positives. This framework can allow virtual world developers to tailor and extend it to suit their specific virtual world software and provide an effective way of detecting virtual property theft while being a low maintenance, user friendly and cost effective.
LONELINESS IN MANAGERS SHOWING PERFECTIONIST BEHAVIOR

Object: This study aims to empirically test whether there is a relationship between perfectionism and loneliness in the sense that managers, known as perfectionists in businesses, feel loneliness. Findings: Factor analysis and reliability tests were applied to the data set. Loneliness variable is collected in 1 sub-dimension; Perfectionism variable is collected in 3 sub-dimensions. The effect of the independent variables Self-Oriented Perfectionism (SOP), Other-Oriented Perfectionism (OOP) and Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism (SPP) on loneliness perception was tested. For the test of research hypotheses, regression analysis was performed with SPSS package program. Result: No relationship was found between the Self-Oriented Perfectionism sub-dimension of Perfectionism variable and Loneliness, but there were positive and significant relationships between Other- Oriented Perfectionism and Socially-Prescribed Perfectionism and Loneliness.
Hyperosmolarity Invokes Distinct Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms in Pulmonary Epithelial Cells: Evidence from Signaling and Transcription Layers

Hypertonic saline (HTS) has been used intravenously to reduce organ dysfunction following injury and as an inhaled therapy for cystic fibrosis lung disease. The role and mechanism of HTS inhibition was explored in the TNFα and IL-1β stimulation of pulmonary epithelial cells. Hyperosmolar (HOsm) media (400 mOsm) inhibited the production of select cytokines stimulated by TNFα and IL-1β at the level of mRNA translation, synthesis and release. In TNFα stimulated A549 cells, HOsm media inhibited I-κBα phosphorylation, NF-κB translocation into the nucleus and NF-κB nuclear binding. In IL-1β stimulated cells HOsm inhibited I-κBα phosphorylation without affecting NF-κB translocation or nuclear binding. Incubation in HOsm conditions inhibited both TNFα and IL-1β stimulated nuclear localization of interferon response factor 1 (IRF-1). Additional transcription factors such as AP-1, Erk-1/2, JNK and STAT-1 were unaffected by HOsm. HTS and sorbitol supplemented media produced comparable outcomes in all experiments, indicating that the effects of HTS were mediated by osmolarity, not by sodium. While not affecting MAPK modules discernibly in A549 cells, both HOsm conditions inhibit IRF-1 against TNFα or IL-1β, but inhibit p65 NF-kB translocation only against TNFα but not IL-1β. Thus, anti-inflammatory mechanisms of HTS/HOsm appear to disrupt cytokine signals at distinct intracellular steps.
Lag-modeling approach for dissipation terms in large eddy simulation

Here hi = uiφ − ūiφ̄ is the SGS scalar flux. Both τij and hi are not available from the resolved (LES) flow field and thus have to be modeled. A very promising approach to modeling τij and hi consists of utilization of extra LES quantities such as SGS kinetic energy (Schumann 1975; Ghosal et al. 1995) and SGS scalar variance (Jiménez et al. 2001; Chumakov & Rutland 2004, 2005). For these quantities, transport equations can be rigorously derived:
Language constructs for managing change in process-centered environments

Change is pervasive during software development, affecting objects, processes, and environments. In process centered environments, change management can be facilitated by software-process programming, which formalizes the representation of software products and processes using software-process programming languages (SPPLs). To fully realize this goal SPPLs should include constructs that specifically address the problems of change management. These problems include lack of representation of inter-object relationships, weak semantics for inter-object relationships, visibility of implementations, lack of formal representation of software processes, and reliance on programmers to manage change manually. APPL/A is a prototype SPPL that addresses these problems. APPL/A is an extension to Ada. The principal extensions include abstract, persistent relations with programmable implementations, relation attributes that may be composite and derived, triggers that react to relation operations, optionally-enforceable predicates on relations, and five composite statements with transaction-like capabilities. APPL/A relations and triggers are especially important for the problems raised here. Relations enable inter-object relationships to be represented explicitly and derivation dependencies to be maintained automatically. Relation bodies can be programmed to implement alternative storage and computation strategies without affecting users of relation specifications. Triggers can react to changes in relations, automatically propagating data, invoking tools, and performing other change management tasks. Predicates and the transaction-like statements support change management in the face of evolving standards of consistency. Together, these features mitigate many of the problems that complicate change management in software processes and process-centered environments.
Explorations in Timbre

Timbre is the quality of sound that enables us to recognise different instruments. The most successful methods for automatic instrument recognition are performed using information from sound that does not mean anything to the musician and is not directly related to the perception of timbre. Instead we start with an attribute of sound that is known to affect the way we perceive timbre. Two such attributes are the harmonic content of the sound and the “envelope” which describes the way volume rises and falls. This thesis explored several methods for detecting envelopes for the purpose of timbre description. A tool was developed that allows a user to match a synthetic wave to recorded audio by adding and adjusting amplitude and frequency control points. The resulting synthetic wave sounds subjectively close to the real audio. This provides avenues for future psychoacoustic research.