Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating Invariant Item Ordering in Personality and Clinical Scales

In recent studies, different methods were proposed to investigate invariant item ordering (IIO), but practical IIO research is an unexploited field in questionnaire construction and evaluation. In the present study, the authors explored the usefulness of different IIO methods to analyze personality scales and clinical scales. From the authors’ analyses, it was clear that for clinical scales consisting of items that cover a limited range of “symptoms,” the IIO property is an unrealistic assumption. For scales that consist of items that cover a broader range of item severity, IIO research can provide useful information. However, removing an item because it violates the assumption of IIO may be problematic because it can affect the construct that is measured. Finally, the authors advise researchers to always use plots of item rest-score regressions to interpret IIO results.
The Influence of the Compensation System and Personal Variables on a Salesperson's Effective Listening Behaviour

Effective listening is crucial for salespeople to succeed in today's personal selling environment, yet poor listening is still one of the most important factors contributing to a salesperson's failure. Despite its importance, very little research has focused on effective listening in this context. This study proposes a model that explains the effective listening behaviour of salespeople in terms of their method of compensation, ability to use customer knowledge, intrinsic motivation, gender, education and experience. The findings suggest that the above factors, with the exception of experience, are significant determinants of effective listening in the sales environment. A discussion of theoretical and managerial implications is presented, and key areas for future research are suggested.
Genetic bottlenecks and successful biological invasions: the case of a recent Lessepsian migrant

Our current understanding of the mechanisms that lead to successful biological invasions is limited. Although adaptations play a central role in biological invasions, genetic studies have so far failed to produce a unified theory. The bluespotted cornetfish, a recent Red Sea invader in the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal, provides an ideal case study for research in the mechanisms of invasive genetics. In this study, we show that the invading bluespotted cornetfish underwent a severe population bottleneck that reduced the genetic diversity of this immigrant to only two mitochondrial haplotypes. Although loss of genetic diversity is considered detrimental to the need to adapt to new environments, bluespotted cornetfish experienced an unprecedented success and rapid spread across the Mediterranean.
Representing Children's Identities in Core Assessments

Jane Thomas is a Children's Guardian in CAFCASS, Cymru. She is a Ph.D. candidate in Cardiff University's School of Social Sciences. Sally Holland is a senior lecturer in social work at Cardiff University. She is a former children's social worker. The second edition of her book Child and Family Assessment in Social Work Practice will be published by Sage in 2010. Abstract This paper reports findings from a qualitative research study of twenty-six core assess- ments, concerning thirty-two children, completed over a six-month period in one Welsh local authority. The data reported in the paper come from the twenty-six written assessment reports and interviews with the thirteen social workers who com- pleted the assessments. The study was concerned with how social workers assess and report on children's identities. Identity is one of the seven developmental needs of chil- dren categorised in the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (National Assembly for Wales, 2001b). It is noted that practitioners display a broad understanding of identities when discussing their own identities in interview and report a practice commitment to learning about the details of children's lives in an attempt to 'get to know' the children. However, the assessment reports tend to convey only narrowly defined and negative aspects of the children's identities, with many descriptions standardised and replicated between reports. Similarities to findings from a study conducted by one of the authors prior to the introduction of the Assess- ment Framework are noted, and it is suggested that bureaucratic constraints, the need to argue a case and defensive practices may have impeded change.
Sensor Search Techniques for Sensing as a Service Architecture for the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things (IoT) is part of the Internet of the future and will comprise billions of intelligent communicating “things” or Internet Connected Objects (ICOs) that will have sensing, actuating, and data processing capabilities. Each ICO will have one or more embedded sensors that will capture potentially enormous amounts of data. The sensors and related data streams can be clustered physically or virtually, which raises the challenge of searching and selecting the right sensors for a query in an efficient and effective way. This paper proposes a context-aware sensor search, selection, and ranking model, called CASSARAM, to address the challenge of efficiently selecting a subset of relevant sensors out of a large set of sensors with similar functionality and capabilities. CASSARAM considers user preferences and a broad range of sensor characteristics such as reliability, accuracy, location, battery life, and many more. This paper highlights the importance of sensor search, selection and ranking for the IoT, identifies important characteristics of both sensors and data capture processes, and discusses how semantic and quantitative reasoning can be combined together. This paper also addresses challenges such as efficient distributed sensor search and relational-expression based filtering. CASSARAM testing and performance evaluation results are presented and discussed.
A Bayesian Algorithm for Distributed Network Localization Using Distance and Direction Data

A reliable, accurate, and affordable positioning service is highly required in wireless networks. High-resolution estimates of distance and direction data are available in most current and emerging wireless systems. Combining these two sensing modalities can improve the estimation performance and identifiability of the cooperative localization problem, and reduce its sensitivity to the geometry of anchor nodes, i.e., the reference nodes with known locations. However, this is still an open and challenging research problem. In this paper, the novel Message Passing Hybrid Localization (MPHL) algorithm is proposed to solve the problem of cooperative distributed localization using joint distance and direction estimates without any prior information. A statistical model is formulated for the problem, and approximate minimum mean square error (MMSE) estimates of the node locations are computed. The proposed MPHL algorithm is a distributed technique based on belief propagation and Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling. Numerical results are presented showing that the average localization error is significantly reduced in almost every simulation scenario, about 50% in most cases, compared to the state of the art. This improvement in localization performance is due to close approximation of a statistically optimal MMSE estimator.
Detection of Mouth Movements and its Applications to Cross-Modal Analysis of Planning Meetings

Detection of meaningful meeting events is very important for cross-modal analysis of planning meetings. Many important events are related to speaker's communication behavior. In visual-audio based speaker detection, mouth positions and movements are needed as visual information. We present our techniques to detect mouth positions and movements of a talking person in meetings. First, we build a skin color model with the Gaussian distribution. After training with skin color samples, we obtain parameters for the model. A skin color filter is created corresponding to the model with a threshold. We detect face regions for all participants in the meeting. Second, We create a mouth template and perform image matching to find candidates of the mouth in each face region. Next, according to the fact that the skin color in lip areas is different from other areas in the face region, by comparing dissimilarities of skin color between candidates and the original color model, we decide the mouth area from the candidates. Finally, we detect mouth movements by computing normalized cross-correlation coefficients of mouth area between two successive frames. A real-time system has been implemented to track speaker's mouth positions and detection mouth movements. Applications also include video conferencing and improving human computer interaction (HCI). Examples in meeting environments and others are provided.
Recent developments in graph Ramsey theory

Given a graph $H$, the Ramsey number $r(H)$ is the smallest natural number $N$ such that any two-colouring of the edges of $K_N$ contains a monochromatic copy of $H$. The existence of these numbers has been known since 1930 but their quantitative behaviour is still not well understood. Even so, there has been a great deal of recent progress on the study of Ramsey numbers and their variants, spurred on by the many advances across extremal combinatorics. In this survey, we will describe some of this progress.
Epigenetic Regulation of Individual Modules of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus 3′ Regulatory Region

The Igh locus undergoes an amazing array of DNA rearrangements and modifications during B cell development. During early stages, the variable region gene is constructed from constituent variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) segments (VDJ joining). B cells that successfully express an antibody can be activated, leading to somatic hypermutation (SHM) focused on the variable region, and class switch recombination (CSR), which substitutes downstream constant region genes for the originally used Cμ constant region gene. Many investigators, ourselves included, have sought to understand how these processes specifically target the Igh locus and avoid other loci and potential deleterious consequences of malignant transformation. Our laboratory has concentrated on a complex regulatory region (RR) that is located downstream of Cα, the most 3′ of the Igh constant region genes. The ~40 kb 3′ RR, which is predicted to serve as a downstream major regulator of the Igh locus, contains two distinct segments: an ~28 kb region comprising four enhancers, and an adjacent ~12 kb region containing multiple CTCF and Pax5 binding sites. Analysis of targeted mutations in mice by a number of investigators has concluded that the entire 3′ RR enhancer region is essential for SHM and CSR (but not for VDJ joining) and for high levels of expression of multiple isotypes. The CTCF/Pax5 binding region is a candidate for influencing VDJ joining early in B cell development and serving as a potential insulator of the Igh locus. Components of the 3′ RR are subject to a variety of epigenetic changes during B cell development, i.e., DNAse I hypersensitivity, histone modifications, and DNA methylation, in association with transcription factor binding. I propose that these changes provide a foundation by which regulatory elements in modules of the 3′ RR function by interacting with each other and with target sequences of the Igh locus.
Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide in hepatic cirrhosis

OBJECTIVES:Dendroaspis natriuretic peptide (DNP) is a novel peptide that is structurally similar to atrial, brain, and C-type natriuretic peptides. Many natriuretic peptides are increased in hepatic cirrhosis, but the role of DNP in cirrhosis is unknown at present. The aim of the study was to investigate plasma levels of dendroaspis natriuretic-like immunoreactivity in cirrhosis.METHODS:We measured plasma concentrations of DNP by radioimmunoassay methods in 12 cirrhotic patients without ascites and 44 cirrhotic patients with ascites, and compared these values with 20 age-matched healthy subjects. Renal function, plasma cGMP concentration, plasma renin activity, and plasma endothelin concentration were measured in each patient.RESULTS:Patients without ascites had circulating levels of DNP similar to those of healthy subjects. By contrast, patients with ascites had increased circulating DNP levels compared to both patients without ascites and healthy subjects. In addition, circulating levels of DNP increased in relation to the severity of cirrhosis. Significant positive correlations were also found between DNP levels, endothelin concentrations, and plasma renin activity.CONCLUSIONS:The results of this study indicate that plasma DNP is increased in cirrhotic patients with ascites.
Energy Efficient Medium Access Protocol for Wireless Medical Body Area Sensor Networks

This paper presents a novel energy-efficient MAC Protocol designed specifically for wireless body area sensor networks (WBASN) focused towards pervasive healthcare applications. Wireless body area networks consist of wireless sensor nodes attached to the human body to monitor vital signs such as body temperature, activity or heart-rate. The network adopts a master-slave architecture, where the body-worn slave node periodically sends sensor readings to a central master node. Unlike traditional peer-to-peer wireless sensor networks, the nodes in this biomedical WBASN are not deployed in an ad hoc fashion. Joining a network is centrally managed and all communications are single-hop. To reduce energy consumption, all the sensor nodes are in standby or sleep mode until the centrally assigned time slot. Once a node has joined a network, there is no possibility of collision within a cluster as all communication is initiated by the central node and is addressed uniquely to a slave node. To avoid collisions with nearby transmitters, a clear channel assessment algorithm based on standard listen-before-transmit (LBT) is used. To handle time slot overlaps, the novel concept of a wakeup fallback time is introduced. Using single-hop communication and centrally controlled sleep/wakeup times leads to significant energy reductions for this application compared to more ldquoflexiblerdquo network MAC protocols such as 802.11 or Zigbee. As duty cycle is reduced, the overall power consumption approaches the standby power. The protocol is implemented in hardware as part of the Sensiumtrade system-on-chip WBASN ASIC, in a 0.13- mum CMOS process.
Schlafen 1 Inhibits the Proliferation and Tube Formation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are the major source of cells that restore the endothelium during reendothelialization. This study was designed to investigate whether Schlafen 1 (Slfn1) has an effect on the proliferation and tube formation of EPCs in vivo. Slfn1 was expressed in rat EPCs. The overexpression of Slfn1 suppressed the proliferation and tube formation of EPCs; conversely, the knockdown of Slfn1 by shRNA promoted the proliferation and tube formation of EPCs. Furthermore, when Slfn1 was overexpressed, the EPCs were arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. In contrast, when Slfn1 was knocked down, the EPCs progressed into the S phase of the cell cycle. Additionally, the overexpression of Slfn1 decreased the expression of Cyclin D1, whereas the knockdown of Slfn1 increased the expression of Cyclin D1; these findings suggest that Cyclin D1 is downstream of Slfn1 in Slfn1-mediated EPC proliferation. Taken together, these results indicate a key role for Slfn1 in the regulation of EPC biological behavior, which may provide a new target for the use of EPCs during reendothelialization.
Status hierarchy, attractiveness hierarchy and sex ratio

The moderating effects of three specific conditions (status hierarchy, attractiveness hierarchy and sex ratio) on the link between status (popularity) and physical and relational aggression were examined in a large sample of adolescent boys (N = 1,665) and girls (N = 1,637) (M age = 13.60). In line with the hypotheses, derived from integrating a goal-framing perspective with an evolutionary perspective, it was found for boys that status was more strongly related to both physical and relational aggression in classrooms when differences in status (status hierarchy) and physical attractiveness between same-gender peers (attractiveness hierarchy) were smaller, and to relational aggression when cross-gender peers (potential mating partners) were relatively scarce. For girls, status hierarchy and attractiveness hierarchy only moderated the link between status and relational aggression. These results suggest that competition to a certain extent triggers aggression by high-status adolescents. The findings are discussed from a broader evolutionary perspective, and the utility of this approach for understanding adolescents’ behaviour in the peer context is considered.
Energy-aware exploitation of white spaces in the time domain for wireless sensor networks

Low power communications of sensor nodes operating in unlicensed bands are easily corrupted by transmissions of collocated wireless terminals whose interference can induce packet losses and consequently increase energy consumption of sensor devices. Dynamic spectrum access mechanisms can mitigate these problems however the energy aware design of these access schemes is a challenging task. In this paper we consider an energy constrained system comprising two sensor nodes that avoid interference by exploiting spectrum opportunities in the time domain. Using the distributions of idle period duration obtained during a measurement campaign we show how it is possible to design the access scheme deployed by sensors in an energy efficient manner. We compare different spectrum sensing strategies, showing that per-packet sensing results in significant energy overhead. We further provide a way for dimensioning the size of transmitted packets. Simulation results show that our approach outperforms other access strategies and allows to reduce energy consumption of 20 to 90 percent depending on channel conditions.
Reentrant spiral waves of spreading depression cause macular degeneration in hypoglycemic chicken retina

Spreading depression (SD), a slow diffusion-mediated self-sustained wave of depolarization that severely disrupts neuronal function, has been implicated as a cause of cellular injury in a number of central nervous system pathologies, including blind spots in the retina. Here we show that in the hypoglycemic chicken retina, spontaneous episodes of SD can occur, resulting in irreversible punctate lesions in the macula, the region of highest visual acuity in the central region of the retina. These lesions in turn can act as sites of origin for secondary self-sustained reentrant spiral waves of SD that progressively enlarge the lesions. Furthermore, we show that the degeneration of the macula under hypoglycemic conditions can be prevented by blocking reentrant spiral SDs or by blocking caspases. The observation that spontaneous formation of reentrant spiral SD waves leads to the development of progressive retinal lesions under conditions of hypoglycemia establishes a potential role of SD in initiation and progression of macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of visual disability worldwide.
RUNAWAY EVOLUTION TO SELF‐EXTINCTION UNDER ASYMMETRICAL COMPETITION

We analyze a popular model of the evolution of traits related to performance in exploitative competition. This model has previously been used to explain a mechanism by which interspecific competition can cause taxon cycles. We show that purely intraspecific competition can cause evolution of extreme competitive abilities that ultimately result in extinction, without any influence from other species. The only change in the model required for this outcome is the assumption of a nonnormal distribution of resources of different sizes measured on a logarithmic scale. This suggests that taxon cycles, if they exist, may be driven by within‐ rather than between‐species competition. Self‐extinction does not occur when the advantage conferred by a large value of the competitive trait (e.g., size) is relatively small, or when the carrying capacity decreases at a comparatively rapid rate with increases in trait value. The evidence regarding these assumptions is discussed. The results suggest a need for more data on resource distributions and size‐advantage in order to understand the evolution of competitive traits such as body size.
Concurrency control for Read-Only in Mobile Nested Transactions

This paper introduces a concurrency control mechanism for the Mobile Nested Transactions model (MNT), this approach extends the 2PL mechanism for read-only operations. Under Nested Transactions (NT) 2PL, every transaction must wait for its ancestor to hold (by inheritance) the control over the requested lock. This assumption reduces the performance of applications running concurrent transactions. With the proposed lock scheme, a better performance is achieved in read-only concurrent transactions running over mobile environments, consistency and cascade aborts are not compromised. Transactions can accomplish despite of failures originated from: frequent disconnections, limited energy sources or insufficient bandwidth. The proposed approach facilitates transaction processing at oil extraction facilities platforms. These are places at open sea with difficult access to wired networks or the Internet.
Between the General and the Unique

In accordance with Windelband’s original proposal, the notions of nomothetic and idiographic are complementary terms, rather than an oppositional dyad. Given their dynamic and field-dependent nature, psychological phenomena are inherently unique—the relationship between their way of being and their constant becoming is mediated by the contingent conditions of the field. Therefore, science cannot be anything but idiographic—always facing a new unique event—while it is aimed at producing general knowledge of the nomothetic kind out of the ever-changing processes that unfold through irreversible time. The uniqueness of psychological phenomena makes it unfeasible for science to rely exclusively on inductive generalization that works through accumulation of empirical evidence provided by aggregated collections of specimens either within a single case (accumulation over time) or by assuming equivalence of exemplars across single cases subsumed under the same general class (a category viewed as a population). Abductive generalization can be a solution to the class←→ individuals relationship problem as it allows characterizing the dynamics of the unique case while it arrives at generalization.
Adaptive-tree-structure-based fuzzy inference system

A new fuzzy inference system named adaptive-tree-structure-based fuzzy inference system (ATSFIS) is proposed, which is abbreviated as fuzzy tree (FT). The fuzzy partition of input data set and the membership function of every subset are obtained by means of the fuzzy binary tree structure based algorithm. Two structures of FT, FT-I, and FT-II, are presented. The characteristics of FT are: 1) The parameters of antecedent and consequent for a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model are learned simultaneously; and 2) The fuzzy partition of input data set is adaptive to the pattern of data distribution to optimize the number of the subsets automatically. The main advantage of FT is more suitable to solve the problems, for which the number of input dimension is large, since by using the fuzzy binary tree, every farther set will be partitioned into only two subsets no matter how large the input dimension is. Therefore, in some sense the "rule explosion" will be avoided possibly. In comparison with some existing fuzzy inference systems, it is shown that the FT is also of less computation and high accuracy. The advantages of FT are illustrated by simulation results.