Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Variable Responding Scale for Detection of Random Responding on the Multidimensional Pain Inventory

This study developed a scale for detecting random responding on the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI). Ninety-five undergraduates (derivation sample) completed the MPI randomly, as did 2 cross-validation samples, 34 chronic pain patients (pain) and 115 health care professionals (health care). Up to 71% of random profiles appeared valid. For comparison in validity scale development, a clinical MPI sample (N = 507) was split into derivation and cross-validation samples. Given that responses to similar items should be consistent in nonrandom protocols, 8 pairs of highly intercorrelated items were selected. Absolute differences between pairs were summed into a variable responding (VR) scale; scores were contrasted across clinical and random groups. On the basis of derivation sample results, VR scale cut scores (from 12 to 17) were tested and found to discriminate accurately (p <.001) between the cross-validation clinical and the healthcare and pain random responding samples. The potential clinical utility of the VR scale to identify random MPI protocols is supported.
Nonomuraea muscovyensis sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A novel actinomycete, strain FMN03(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from Yuga Zapadnaya South-West Forest Park, Moscow, Russia. The isolate had chemical and morphological properties typical of members of the genus Nonomuraea and formed a distinct 16S rRNA gene subclade with the type strains Nonomuraea roseoviolacea subsp. carminata NBRC 15903(T) and Nonomuraea roseoviolacea subsp. roseoviolacea NBRC 14098(T). The organism formed extensively branched substrate and aerial hyphae, which generated spiral chains of spores with smooth surfaces. The cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid and the whole cell sugars were glucose, galactose and trace amounts of madurose, mannose and xylose. The polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, hydroxyphosphatidylethanolamine, four unidentified phospholipids, four unidentified glycolipids and one unidentified lipid. The predominant menaquinone was MK-9(H4). The major fatty acids were iso-C16 : 0 2-OH, C17 : 0 10-methyl, C17 : 1 cis9 and iso-C16 : 0. Analyses of its morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics, together with DNA-DNA relatedness data, confirmed that strain FMN03(T) is a representative of a novel species of the genus Nonomuraea, which is distinct from closely related reference strains. Strain FMN03(T) ( = DSM 45913(T) = KCTC 29233(T)) is proposed as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Nonomuraea muscovyensis sp. nov. is proposed.
A mobility model based on WLAN traces and its validation

The simulation of mobile networks calls for a mobility model to generate the trajectories of the mobile users (or nodes). It has been shown that the mobility model has a major influence on the behavior of the system. Therefore, using a realistic mobility model is important if we want to increase the confidence that simulations of mobile systems are meaningful in realistic settings. In this paper we present an executable mobility model that uses real-life mobility characteristics to generate mobility scenarios that can be used for network simulations. We present a structured framework for extracting the mobility characteristics from a WLAN trace, for processing the mobility characteristics to determine a parameter set for the mobility model, and for using a parameter set to generate mobility scenarios for simulations. To derive the parameters of the mobility' model, we measure the mobility' characteristics of users of a campus wireless network. Therefore, we call this model the WLAN mobility model Mobility-analysis confirms properties observed by other research groups. The validation shows that the WLAN model maps the real-world mobility' characteristics to the abstract world of network simulators with a very small error. For users that do not have the possibility to capture a WLAN trace, we explore the value space of the WLAN model parameters and show how different parameters sets influence the mobility of the simulated nodes.
Dynamic Test Collections for Retrieval Evaluation

Batch evaluation with test collections of documents, search topics, and relevance judgments has been the bedrock of IR evaluation since its adoption by Salton for his experiments on vector space systems. Such test collections have limitations: they contain no user interaction data; there is typically only one query per topic; they have limited size due to the cost of constructing them. In the last 15-20 years, it has become evident that having a log of user interactions and a large space of queries is invaluable for building effective retrieval systems, but such data is generally only available to search engine companies. Thus there is a gap between what academics can study using static test collections and what industrial researchers can study using dynamic user data. In this work we propose dynamic test collections to help bridge this gap. Like traditional test collections, a dynamic test collection consists of a set of topics and relevance judgments. But instead of static one-time queries, dynamic test collections generate queries in response to the system. They can generate other actions such as clicks and time spent reading documents. Like static test collections, there is no human in the loop, but since the queries are dynamic they can generate much more data for evaluation than static test collections can. And since they can simulate user interactions across a session, they can be used for evaluating retrieval systems that make use of session history or other user information to try to improve results.
PARTANS: An autotuning framework for stencil computation on multi-GPU systems

GPGPUs are a powerful and energy-efficient solution for many problems. For higher performance or larger problems, it is necessary to distribute the problem across multiple GPUs, increasing the already high programming complexity. In this article, we focus on abstracting the complexity of multi-GPU programming for stencil computation. We show that the best strategy depends not only on the stencil operator, problem size, and GPU, but also on the PCI express layout. This adds nonuniform characteristics to a seemingly homogeneous setup, causing up to 23% performance loss. We address this issue with an autotuner that optimizes the distribution across multiple GPUs.
Au 4f spin-orbit coupling effects in supported gold nanoparticles.

Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy we examine the Au 4f spin-orbit components in Au 4f spectra of nanosized Au particles on a TiO2 support. In general, the peak ratios of the Au 4f7/2 and 4f5/2 excitations are found to deviate from the statistical ratio of 4 : 3 and their linewidths (FWHM) are not equal. We reveal that both the FWHM and the Au 4f7/2-to-4f5/2 peak ratios increase appreciably as the Au atomic concentration on the surface of the TiO2 support and the size of Au nanoparticles decrease. On the contrary, the Au 4f spin-orbit splitting remains essentially unchanged. Our findings are discussed in terms of alterations in the electronic band structure.
Diseño y análisis psicométrico de un instrumento para detectar presencia de ciberbullying en un contexto escolar

espanolEl objetivo de la presente investigacion fue disenar un instrumento para detectar Ciberbullying en un contexto escolar y analizar sus propiedades psicometricas. Los participantes fueron 299 adolescentes (54,2% mujeres y 45,8% hombres) con edad promedio de 15 anos, pertenecientes al estrato bajo (22,1%) y estrato medio (78%). Se llevo a cabo un estudio cuantitativo con un diseno no experimental de tipo instrumental y corte transversal. Bajo la teoria clasica de los test, se obtuvo una adecuada consistencia interna (Alfa de Cronbach α = .864) asi como validez convergente con las otras medidas. Se llevo a cabo el analisis factorial exploratorio en el SPSS version 21, el cual arrojo tres factores. Desde la teoria de respuesta al item, se encontro que el INFIT de los items oscilo entre . 73 y 1.23 y el OUTFIT entre 0.74 y 1.24. Con base en los resultados favorables del analisis psicometrico, se concluye que el instrumento puede ser usado para la deteccion del ciberbullying en un contexto escolar. EnglishThe objective of this research was to design an instrument to detect cyberbullying in a school context and analyze its psychometric properties. Participants were 299 adolescents (54.2% female and 45.8% male) with a mean age of 15 years, belonging to the lower stratum (22.1%) and middle layer (78%). A quantitative study with a non-experimental design instrumental and the cross section was performed. Under the classical test theory, adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha α = .864) and convergent validity with other measures was obtained. Confirmatory factor analysis in SPSS version 21, which resulted in three factors was performed. From item response theory, INFIT found that the items ranged from 0.73 and 1.23 and between 0.74 and 1.24 OUTFIT. Based on the favorable results of psychometric analysis, we conclude that the instrument can be used for detection of cyberbullying in a school context.
The Impact of Electoral Rules on Factional Competition in the Democratic South, 1919–48

This article investigates the influence of electoral rules on the factional systems that emerge in the primaries of a one-party political system. It shows that at the state level, especially in gubernatorial primaries, Key (1949) is correct that Southern states did not typically follow the Duvergerian logic that for single-member districts there should be two competitors in plurality-rule primaries and three or fewer competitors in majority-rule with runoff primaries. However, it is found that Southern counties and parishes did satisfy the expectations of institutionalists. The latter finding is novel and important because it would seem to imply some form of political communication or organization that structured elections at the local level.
Two Caveats for the Use of Ideal Point Items: Discrepancies and Bivariate Constructs

Ideal point items in general and the specific item response theory-based models outlined by Drasgow, Chernyshenko, and Stark (2010) hold considerable promise for the measurement of intermediate levels of constructs such as beliefs, traits, and attitudes. The aim of this commentary is to outline two caveats relating to the use of a certain type of ideal point item: one related to the assessment of discrepancies (e.g., person–environment fit) using ideal point items and one related specifically to possible computer adaptive testing applications. Ideal point items for attitude or trait measures as outlined by Drasgow et al. appear to take one of the two forms. The first (assuming Likert items) is a statement of the general form ‘‘I have moderate levels of construct X,’’ whereas the second takes the general form of ‘‘I have equal amounts of A and B’’ or ‘‘I am characterized by a balance between A and B,’’ where A and B represent the two endpoints of a bipolar scale. This commentary focuses on this second possible form for an ideal point item, hereafter referred to as a double-barrel ideal point item.
A spatial interpolation algorithm for the upsampling of uniform linear arrays

A method to spatially interpolate (upsample) a uniform linear array (ULA) originally sampled at less than the spatial Nyquist rate in the presence of noise is considered. The multichannel narrowband interpolation algorithm is based on a forward-backward linear prediction approach. The method interpolates N-1 virtual sensor outputs based on the outputs of N real sensors. This is done by solving a set of forward-backward linear prediction equations that relate the known (real) sensor outputs to the unknown (virtual) sensor outputs. Simulation results that validate the performance and usefulness of this method are presented in the context of code division multiple access (CDMA) mobile communications. The algorithm is applied to increase the user capacity and resolution and decrease the mutual coupling of ULA's used in conjunction with cellular CDMA systems.
Hungry for an Us: Adolescent Girls and Adult Women Negotiating Territories of Race, Gender, Class and Difference

This article explores conversational territory covered by an ongoing `girls' group' of six women, four adults, spanning age, generation, race/ethnicity and social class categories. Discourse analysis of these conversations allows us to follow the young women's collective talk, their early and desperate struggle for sameness, and then to trace our bumpy journey, ultimately, into a discourse of power and difference. The article marvels at our collective ability, among women, to move toward difference, and ends with worries about young women's inability/refusal to analyze for power or difference when talking about `personal' relations with young men.
On the Elimination of Quantifiers through Descriptors in Predicate Logic

We present a variant of the Davis–Fechter’s technique for eliminating quantifiers in first-order logic, aimed at reducing the incidence of irrelevant dependencies in the construction of Skolem terms. The basic idea behind this contribution is to treat as a single syntactic unit every maximal ‘quantifier batch’, i.e., group of contiguous alike quantifiers, whose internal order (which has no significance) is thereby prevented from entangling the final result. Through concrete cross-translations, our version of the free-variable predicate calculus turns out to be equipollent—in means of expression and of proof—to the one originally proposed by Davis and Fechter and hence to a relatively conventional version of quantified first-order logic.
Segmentation of X-ray CT images using stochastic templates

X-ray computed tomography (CT), a non-invasive imaging technique, is being used increasingly in sheep breeding. Currently, considerable human intervention is needed to segment images into different tissues. This is undesirable because of its subjectivity and tediousness. We propose the use of deformable templates to automate the segmentation. A stochastic model has been constructed using a training set of 99 manually-segmented images: Fourier coefficients were used to parameterise the template boundaries, and the coefficients were reduced in dimensionality using principal components. As a matching criterion between a template and an image, a weighted sum of squares of the difference between pixel values and their expected values was identified using the training images. Finally, the Nelder-Mead algorithm was used to optimise the matching criterion in order to fit a template to a specific image. The results have been validated on an independent set of 99 images, and boundaries were positioned to an average accuracy of 2.7 mm.
Laminin mediates tissue-specific gene expression in mammary epithelia

Tissue-specific gene expression in mammary epithelium is dependent on the extracellular matrix as well as hormones. There is good evidence that the basement membrane provides signals for regulating beta-casein expression, and that integrins are involved in this process. Here, we demonstrate that in the presence of lactogenic hormones, laminin can direct expression of the beta-casein gene. Mouse mammary epithelial cells plated on gels of native laminin or laminin-entactin undergo functional differentiation. On tissue culture plastic, mammary cells respond to soluble basement membrane or purified laminin, but not other extracellular matrix components, by synthesizing beta-casein. In mammary cells transfected with chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter constructs, laminin activates transcription from the beta- casein promoter through a specific enhancer element. The inductive effect of laminin on casein expression was specifically blocked by the E3 fragment of the carboxy terminal region of the alpha 1 chain of laminin, by antisera raised against the E3 fragment, and by a peptide corresponding to a sequence within this region. Our results demonstrate that laminin can direct tissue-specific gene expression in epithelial cells through its globular domain.
Protective effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) against metalaxyl induced hepatotoxicity in albino mice

The present work studied the effect of metalaxyl, an acylalanine fungicide, on the liver of albino mice and the possible role played by the aqueous extract of Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in attenuating the hepatotoxicity of metalaxyl. Metalaxyl treatment induced many histological changes in the liver including congestion of blood vessels, cytoplasmic vacuolization of the hepatocytes, necrosis and fatty degeneration. Metalaxyl caused marked elevation in serum ALT and AST. It also caused an increase in malondialdehyde and depletion of the activity of the antoxidant enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase in the liver . Treating animals with metalaxyl and ginger extract led to an improvement in both the histological and biochemical alterations induced by metalaxyl. Moreover, ginger reduced the level of malondialdehyde and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, SOD and CAT. These results indicated that ginger have protective effect against liver damage induced by metalaxyl and this may be attributed to its antioxidant and free radicals scavenging properties.
Bearing-only Simultaneous Localization and Mapping for Vision-Based Mobile Robots

To navigate successfully, a mobile robot must be able to estimate the spatial relationships of the objects of interest accurately. A SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) system employs its sensor data to build incrementally a map of an unknown environment and to localize itself in the map simultaneously. Thanks to recent advances in computer vision and cheaper cameras, vision sensors have become popular to solve SLAM problems. The proposed bearing-only SLAM system requires only a single camera which is simple and affordable for the navigation of domestic robots such as autonomous lawn-mowers and vacuum cleaners. Existing approaches to bearing-only SLAM require the readings from an odometer to estimate the robot locations prior to landmark initialization. This chapter presents a new 2-dimensional bearing-only SLAM system that relies only on the bearing measurements from a single camera. Our proposed system does not require any other sensors like range sensors or wheel encoders. The trade-off is that it requires the robot to be able to move in a straight line for a short while to initialize the landmarks. Once the landmark positions are estimated, localization becomes easy. The induced map created by our method is only determined up to a scale factor as only bearing information is used (no range or odometry information). All the object coordinates in the map multiplied by a scale factor would not change the bearing values.
Reading All the News at the Same Time: Predicting Mid-term Stock Price Developments Based on News Momentum

This paper investigates whether news momentum can predict medium-term stock index developments. News momentum can be built by aggregating tone of news over the past weeks. We find that news momentum can predict future stock price developments and establish profitable trading strategies that beat buy-and-hold and momentum benchmarks. Trades are issued for significant changes in momentum between current and prior weeks. We ensure stability of our results by using two different news data sets and by analyzing both different investment horizons and aggregation times for our news momentum. Compared to intraday news trading, medium-term momentum trading allows higher investment volumes and can contribute to complex investment decisions also incorporating other qualitative and quantitative factors.
Mutations in Wnt2 Alter Presynaptic Motor Neuron Morphology and Presynaptic Protein Localization at the Drosophila Neuromuscular Junction

Wnt proteins are secreted proteins involved in a number of developmental processes including neural development and synaptogenesis. We sought to determine the role of the Drosophila Wnt7b ortholog, Wnt2, using the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Mutations in wnt2 produce an increase in the number of presynaptic branches and a reduction in immunolabeling of the active zone proteins, Bruchpilot and synaptobrevin, at the NMJ. There was no change, however, in immunolabeling for the presynaptic proteins cysteine-string protein (CSP) and synaptotagmin, nor the postsynaptic proteins GluRIIA and DLG at the NMJ. Consistent with the presynaptic defects, wnt2 mutants exhibit approximately a 50% reduction in evoked excitatory junctional currents. Rescue, RNAi, and tissue-specific qRT-PCR experiments indicate that Wnt2 is expressed by the postsynaptic cell where it may serve as a retrograde signal that regulates presynaptic morphology and the localization of presynaptic proteins.
Renewable resources from the oceans: Adding value to the by-products of the aquaculture and fishing industries

This paper presents an overview of this field of research, outlines some of the opportunities available to add value to fishery by-product streams alongside some of our most recent studies and data in this area. In Atlantic Canada around 418 000 tonnes per year waste is produced at fish processing plants. This waste could be used to give a range of products as it is made up of diverse substances including scrap meat, bones, shells and process water. Possible products include fish oils, gelatin, biopolymers and minerals. These could be used in a range of industries from food, medicine and biotechnology to mining, chemical, oil and gas sectors. Chitin is a biopolymer that makes up to 30% of the waste in crustacean (shrimp, lobster and crab) shells. We have been looking at new uses for it beyond its application as a biomedical material. Our results in this area will be described. Finfish processing plants produce a varied waste stream but an oil-rich product can be isolated and used as a heating oil. Blue mussel shells are a by-product of mussel farming/processing in Newfoundland and could facilitate the development of new material outputs. These shells are rich in calcium carbonate and have the potential to be transformed into adsorbents and catalyst supports.
Risk Factors for Heavy Drinking in College Freshmen: Athletic Status and Adult Attachment

This study examined athletic status and adult attachment as risk factors for high-risk drinking in 249 freshmen. Results of hierarchical regression analyses indicated attachment avoidance was related positively to high-risk drinking for former high school and collegiate athletes, but related inversely to high-risk drinking for nonathletes. Further, athletes with high attachment avoidance reported the highest levels of heavy drinking and associated consequences. Findings suggest athletes with high attachment avoidance may use drinking as a coping strategy to manage discomfort associated with social situations and this strategy is likely an extension of patterns established in high school. Clinical implications include providing prevention programs for both high school and collegiate athletes, with an emphasis on targeting interpersonal avoidance and discomfort with relationships.
Fast parallel computation of hermite and smith forms of polynomial matrices

Boolean circuits of polynomial size and polylogarithmic depth are given for computing the Hermite and Smith normal forms of polynomial matrices over finite fields and the field of rational numbers. The circuits for the Smith normal form computation are probabilistic ones and also determine very efficient sequential algorithms. Furthermore, we give a polynomial-time deterministic sequential algorithm for the Smith normal form over the rationals. The Smith normal form algorithms are applied to the rational canonical form of matrices over finite fields and the field of rational numbers.