Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Playing to learn or learning to play? Playing Rocksmith to learn electric guitar and bass in Nordic music teacher education

This article is based on a case study of how the Rocksmith entertainment music video game can be used in the context of studying electric guitar and bass as part of music teacher training. In empirical terms, we were interested in how music teachers’ knowledge becomes articulated in the pedagogical discourse of our participants. As conceptual points of departure, we used play theory, game studies, and the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) model of teacher's knowledge. Four ways of approaching the potential role of Rocksmith in music teacher education stand out as a result. In the discussion, we suggest that music gaming can be conceptualised as an activity that expands the reach of what can be considered as ‘playful’ and ‘serious’ in music teacher studies. Such an approach can guide our thinking about how different areas of music teachers’ knowledge merge into multidimensional competence, paving the way for further discussion about how ‘music educatorship’ can be constructed in the digital era.
Hubiness, length, crossings and their relationships in dependency trees

Here tree dependency structures are studied from three different perspectives: their degree variance (hubiness), the mean dependency length and the number of dependency crossings. Bounds that reveal pairwise dependencies among these three metrics are derived. Hubiness (the variance of degrees) plays a central role: the mean dependency length is bounded below by hubiness while the number of crossings is bounded above by hubiness. Our findings suggest that the online memory cost of a sentence might be determined not just by the ordering of words but also by the hubiness of the underlying structure. The 2nd moment of degree plays a crucial role that is reminiscent of its role in large complex networks.
Opinions within Media, Power and Gossip

Despite the increasing diffusion of the Internet technology, TV remains the principal medium of communication. People's perceptions, knowledge, beliefs and opinions about matter of facts get (in)formed through the information reported on by the mass-media. However, a single source of information (and consensus) could be a potential cause of anomalies in the structure and evolution of a society. Hence, as the information available (and the way it is reported) is fundamental for our perceptions and opinions, the definition of conditions allowing for a good information to be disseminated is a pressing challenge. In this paper starting from a report on the last Italian political campaign in 2008, we derive a socio-cognitive computational model of opinion dynamics where agents get informed by different sources of information. Then, a what-if analysis, performed trough simulations on the model's parameters space, is shown. In particular, the scenario implemented includes three main streams of information acquisition, differing in both the contents and the perceived reliability of the messages spread. Agents' internal opinion is updated either by accessing one of the information sources, namely media and experts, or by exchanging information with one another. They are also endowed with cognitive mechanisms to accept, reject or partially consider the acquired information.
Comparison of the precision of smooth pursuit in humans and head unrestrained monkeys

Direct comparison of results of humans and monkeys is often complicated by differences in experimental conditions. We replicated in head unrestrained macaques experiments of a recent study comparing human directional precision during smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEM) and saccades to moving targets (Braun & Gegenfurtner, 2016). Directional precision of human SPEM follows an exponential decay function reaching optimal values of 1.5°-3° within 300 ms after target motion onset, whereas precision of initial saccades to moving targets is slightly better. As in humans, we found general agreement in the devel-opment of directional precision of SPEM over time and in the differences between direc-tional precision of initial saccades and SPEM initiation. However, monkeys showed over-all lower precision in SPEM compared to humans. This was most likely due to differences in experimental conditions, such as in the stabilization of the head, which was by a chin and a head rest in human subjects and unrestrained in monkeys.
Spirulina versicolor improves insulin sensitivity and attenuates hyperglycemia-mediated oxidative stress in fructose-fed rats

Aim: The current study aimed to investigate the anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemic and insulin sensitizing effects of the cyanobacterium Spirulina versicolor extract in fructose-fed rats. Materials and Methods: Rats were fed 30% fructose solution in drinking water for 4 weeks. Animals exhibited hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia were selected for further investigations. Diabetic and control rats were orally supplemented with 50 mg/kg body weight S. versicolor extract for 4 weeks. Results: At the end of 8 weeks, fructose-fed rats showed a significant increase in serum glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, cardiovascular risk indices and insulin resistance. Treatment of the fructose-fed rats with S. versicolor extract improved this metabolic profile. Fructose feeding produced a significant increase in serum tumor necrosis factor alpha and a decrease in adiponectin levels. In addition, fructose-fed rats exhibited a significant increase in liver, kidney and heart lipid peroxidation levels, and declined antioxidant defenses. Supplementation of the fructose-fed rats with S. versicolor extract reversed these alterations. Conclusion: S. versicolor attenuates hyperglycemia-mediated oxidative stress and inflammation, and is thus effective in improving insulin sensitivity in fructose-fed rats.
Automatic Integration of Facade Textures into 3D Building Models with a Projective Geometry Based Line Clustering

Visualization of city scenes is important for many applications including entertainment and urban mission planning. Models covering wide areas can be efficiently constructed from aerial images. However, only roof details are visible from aerial views; ground views are needed to provide details of the building facades for high quality 'fly‐through' visualization or simulation applications. We present an automatic method of integrating facade textures from ground view images into 3D building models for urban site modeling. We first segment the input image into building facade regions using a hybrid feature extraction method, which combines global feature extraction with Hough transform on an adaptively tessellated Gaussian Sphere and local region segmentation. We estimate the external camera parameters by using the corner points of the extracted facade regions to integrate the facade textures into the 3D building models. We validate our approach with a set of experiments on some urban sites.
Power Allocation and Relay Selection for Multisource Multirelay Cooperative Vehicular Networks

In wireless distributed networks, multisource multirelay cooperative techniques can be used to exploit the spatial and temporal diversity gains to increase the performance or reduce the transmission energy consumption, which is very useful for intelligent transport system (ITS) networks. In this paper, we propose a power allocation method to optimize the hybrid decode-amplify-forward cooperative transmission for multisource multirelay ITS networks as a means to reduce the total power consumption while minimizing outage probability. Specifically, we derive closed-form outage probability expressions and present an energy-efficient relay selection method to form an optimal relay set. It is proven that the proposed methods can solve the joint power allocation and relay selection problem under outage probability constraint. Our performance analysis is supplemented by numerical simulation results to illustrate the significant energy savings of the proposed optimal power allocation and the relay selection methods.
Moderation and its relationship with the participation and knowledge building through chat

This paper describes two studies of the research: Moderation and its relationship with the participation and knowledge building through chat. A study seeks to understand the current state of the uses that faculty make new technologies to teach the subject of radio production at Mexican universities. Sixty teachers have participated of 35 Mexican universities of seventy in which is provided the Bachelor of Science degree in Communication and Journalism in Mexico. In the other study were applied different levels of moderation, high, low and zero at six discussion groups via chat using the methods of oral communication and writing, with the goal of generating participation and knowledge building among participants. In the experiment involved thirty students enrolled in the course Radio Production of Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Sonora. This study intends to add data that help to understand how knowledge is produced in a context of computer- mediated communication in synchronous situation. The studies are based on the use of methodologies that generate data on participants from two perspectives, the quantitative and qualitative analysis. Currently being processed the data.
Changing practice through boundary organizing: A case from medical R&D

This article contributes to our understanding of practices in innovating organizations. Previous studies have demonstrated how breakthroughs in knowledge may fail to be translated into practices if they are not aligned with existing practices, or if they cut across established boundaries and power structures. By drawing upon an ethnographic study of a medical R&D department that has been highly successful in developing new medical practices, this article investigates how such challenges can be overcome. To date, much of the literature has focused on coordination across single, well-defined boundaries. We here extend this focus and introduce the notion of ‘boundary organizing’ to analyse highly political and contingent processes of innovation and change within and across different practices. We add to existing literature by highlighting how the handling of multiple boundaries, the indirect effects of boundary work, the negotiation of mutual benefits and interests, and mutual adaptation are key aspects of boundary organizing.
Association of Regional Variation in Primary Care Physicians’ Colorectal Cancer Screening Recommendations with Individual Use of Colorectal Cancer Screening

Introduction Studies show that the recommendations of a primary care physician for colorectal cancer screening may be one important influence on an individual's use of screening. However, another possible influence, the effect of regional differences in physicians' beliefs and recommendations on screening use, has not been assessed. Methods We linked data from the National Health Interview Survey on the use of colorectal cancer screening by respondents aged 50 years or older, by hospital-referral region, with data from the Survey of Colorectal Cancer Screening Practices on the colorectal cancer screening recommendations of primary care physicians, by region. Our principal independent variables were the proportion of physicians in a region who recommended screening at age 50 and continuing screening at the recommended frequency. Results On average, 53.3% of physicians in a region correctly recommended initiating colorectal cancer screening, and 64.8% advised screening at the recommended frequency. Of adults who lived in regions where less than 30% of physicians correctly recommended initiating screening, 47.3% had been screened, in contrast to 54.8% in areas where 70% or more of physicians made correct recommendations. Seventy-one percent of respondents living in regions where less than 30% of physicians advised screening at the recommended frequency were current on screening, in contrast to 79.9% of respondents living in regions where 70% or more of physicians made this recommendation. These differences were statistically significant after adjustment for individual characteristics. Conclusion Strategies to improve colorectal cancer screening recommendations of primary care physicians may improve the use of screening for millions of Americans.
ERV3 and Related Sequences in Humans: Structure and RNA Expression

ABSTRACT The ERV3 locus at chromosome 7q11 is a much studied human endogenous retroviral (HERV) sequence, owing to an env open reading frame (ORF) and placental RNA and protein expression. An analysis of the human genome demonstrated that ERV3 is one of a group of 41 highly related elements (ERV3-like HERVs) which use proline, isoleucine, or arginine tRNA in their primer binding sites. In addition to elements closely related to ERV3, the group included the previously known retinoic acid-inducible element, RRHERVI, also referred to as HERV15, but was separate from the related HERV-E elements. The ERV3-like elements are defective. The only element with an ORF among gag, pro, pol, and env genes was the env ORF of the original ERV3 locus. A search in dbEST revealed ERV3 RNA expression in placenta, skin, carcinoid tumor, and adrenal glands. Expression was also studied with newly developed real-time quantitative PCRs (QPCR) of ERV3 and HERV-E(4-1) env sequences. Results from a novel histone 3.3 RNA QPCR result served as the expression control. QPCR results for ERV3 were compatible with previously published results, with a stronger expression in adrenal gland and placenta than in 15 other human tissues. The expression of the envelope (env) of ERV3 at chromosome 7q11 was also studied by using stringent in situ hybridization. Expression was found in corpus luteum, testis, adrenal gland, Hassal's bodies in thymus, brown fat, pituitary gland, and epithelium of the lung. We conclude that ERV3 env is most strongly expressed in adrenal and sebaceous glands as well as in placenta.
Who cares about the Content? An Analysis of Playful Behaviour at a Public Display

In this paper, we report on a field deployment study of a public interactive display, in which we observed a surprising number of interactions that seemed to be more concerned about playing 'with' the display rather than exploring its content. The display featured information about events at a nearby theatre and activities at the university, and supported four basic gestures for navigating through the content. To indicate its interactive capabilities, the display represented passers-by as a mirror image in the form of a skeleton. Our analysis of depth video recordings suggests that this representation may have triggered some of the playful behaviour we observed in the deployment study. To better understand how and when people engaged in playful behaviours, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the 40 recordings of longest duration. These had a total of 102 people recorded over an 8-day period. We discuss our observations in the context of performative aspects of human actions in public space, and how they can be fed back into the design of gesture interfaces for public displays.
Intermittently Proving Dynamic Programming to Solve Infinite MDPs on GPUs

In this paper, we propose a variant of the dynamic programming which is suitable for solving infinite Markov decision processes on GPUs. The primary feature of the proposed method is to not always but intermittently transfer and check values for proving the convergence of the procedure. It is expected for the proposed method to decrease computational times by suppressing surplus transfers and checks of values. This expectation is verified through applications of some dynamic programming programs to a simple animat problem and the mountain-car problem.
Hemophagocytic Macrophages Harbor Salmonella enterica during Persistent Infection

Salmonella enterica subspecies can establish persistent, systemic infections in mammals, including human typhoid fever. Persistent S. enterica disease is characterized by an initial acute infection that develops into an asymptomatic chronic infection. During both the acute and persistent stages, the bacteria generally reside within professional phagocytes, usually macrophages. It is unclear how salmonellae can survive within macrophages, cells that evolved, in part, to destroy pathogens. Evidence is presented that during the establishment of persistent murine infection, macrophages that contain S. enterica serotype Typhimurium are hemophagocytic. Hemophagocytic macrophages are characterized by the ingestion of non-apoptotic cells of the hematopoietic lineage and are a clinical marker of typhoid fever as well as certain other infectious and genetic diseases. Cell culture assays were developed to evaluate bacterial survival in hemophagocytic macrophages. S. Typhimurium preferentially replicated in macrophages that pre-phagocytosed viable cells, but the bacteria were killed in macrophages that pre-phagocytosed beads or dead cells. These data suggest that during persistent infection hemophagocytic macrophages may provide S. Typhimurium with a survival niche.
Diagnostic Instrument for Limb Apraxia : Short Version (DILA-S)

Instructions for the therapist – The patient should pantomime the movements with the ipsilesional hand. It is not necessary to evaluate possible supportive functions, which are normally performed with the non-dominant hand – The therapist starts with “Show me how to“, then turns the page of the booklet and finishes the instruction while simultaneously showing the photo (e.g. “hit a nail with a hammer”) – The photo has to be presented centrally. Or in case of neglect it rather should be shifted towards the unaffected side, so the patient is able to perceive all important features of the object on the photo. – Always execute at least the 1 practice item, use the additional practice items only if necessary
Semantic Structure and Episodic Memory

Department of PsychologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaInvited chapter for LSA: A Road Toward Meaning. In press September 8, 2005AbstractIn remembering a list of words, subjects’ order of recall can reveal the in-ﬂuence of both semantic and temporal associations among items. In thischapter, we examine how well measures of semantic relatedness (e.g., Lan-dauer & Dumais, 1997; Steyvers, Shiﬀrin, & Nelson, 2004) predict the orderof subject’s recalls. Analysis of recall transitions reveal that subtle varia-tions in semantic relatedness strongly inﬂuence memory retrieval. Contraryto the view that temporal and semantic similarity strictly compete as re-trieval cues, the data reveal that these two factors are separately modiﬁable,at least under certain conditions. These ﬁndings are not easily reconciledwithin current models of episodic and semantic memory.A central function of episodic memory is to form and utilize associations betweenitems experienced at nearby times. In addition to these newly–formed episodic associations,subjects enter the laboratory with a great deal of knowledge about verbal stimuli. Studyingthe relation between episodic and pre–existing, or semantic, associations can help shedlight on the processes that lead to episodic retrieval. One prominent view is that episodicmemory and semantic memory are separate memory systems (Tulving, 1983, 2002), and
Personal Legal Counselor and Interpreter of the Law via Machine Learning

The goal of this project was to predict the likelihood of winning a new legal dispute based on results of past cases. We collected over 5000 legal proceedings in the form of case briefs from the internet and used various language processing techniques to parse the raw text into feature vectors. We then used this feature vectors to train several binary classification algorithms, including Naive Bayes, Random Forest, logistic regression and an SVM. The SVM model achieved the highest test set accuracy of 62%, which was an improvement over the random 50% baseline. In this paper, we explained the details of how we transformed the raw text of the case briefs into feature vectors, and how we used them to build several models for prediction. We then discussed the results obtained by each of the models and suggested future work that could be done in the area.
A 0.5-V 5.8-GHz ultra-low-power RF transceiver for wireless sensor network in 65nm CMOS

This paper proposes the RF CMOS transceiver that is suitable for wireless sensor network applications. To reduce the size of the antenna, target frequency is chosen to be 5.8 GHz band, therefore proposed transceiver has potentiality to achieve ultra-small size wireless sensor module. Supply voltage of 0.5 V can reduce the power consumption of overall RF transceiver. Current-reuse VCO and injection-locked frequency divider can enable ultra-low-power consumption of the PLL. In order to achieve both low power and high sensitivity, uncertain-IF and active mixer first architecture of the receiver are employed. Inverter-based topology of the transmitter is suitable for low supply voltage. The prototype transceiver was fabricated in 65 nm CMOS process, and the transmitter achieved EVM of 12.6% while consuming 2.86 mW including the PLL, and the receiver realizes sensitivity of -75 dBm while consuming 0.83 mW including the local oscillator.
Multiresolution framework for emotion sensing in physiological signals

This paper propose a new framework for emotion recognition and classification using a Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) for features extraction from physiological signal. Data from the emotional corpus recorded at Augsburg university were used in our study. In the first phase four wavelet families were chosen to analyze EMG RESP SC and ECG signals in order to extract emotional features in multi level of wavelet coefficients. The most relevant features vectors were combined to create a multimodal representation for each class of emotion. The proposed system was performed using an SVM classifier for the training and the test of the generated models, a classification accuracy of 95% was obtained and it clearly prove the performance of our framework in the estimation and characterization of emotional pattern.
Coupled fuzzy k-nearest neighbors classification of imbalanced non-IID categorical data

Mining imbalanced data has recently received increasing attention due to its challenge and wide applications in the real world. Most of the existing work focuses on numerical data by manipulating the data structure which essentially changes the data characteristics or developing new distance or similarity measures which are designed for data with the so-called IID assumption, namely data is independent and identically distributed. This is not consistent with the real-life data and business needs, which request to fully respect the data structure and coupling relationships embedded in data objects, features and feature values. In this paper, we propose a novel coupled fuzzy similarity-based classification approach to cater for the difference between classes by a fuzzy membership and the couplings by coupled object similarity, and incorporate them into the most popular classifier: kNN to form a coupled fuzzy kNN (ie. CF-kNN). We test the approach on 14 categorical data sets compared to several kNN variants and classic classifiers including C4.5 and NaiveBayes. The experimental results show that CF-kNN outperforms the baselines, and those classifiers incorporated with the proposed coupled fuzzy similarity perform better than their original editions.
Money demand dynamics: some new evidence

‘ONSIDERABLE empirical work and a significant, but considerably smaller, volume of theoretical effort has been devoted to the question of the short-run, dynamic adjustment of the demand for money. Much of the impetus for the empirical work came from the classic study by Chow (1966), who employed the partial adjustment model to characterize the adjustment of actual to desired real money balances.