Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Host, a Guest, and our Lifetime Relationship: Another Hour with Grandma Havitz

This autoethnographic narrative explores my evolving personal relationship with my paternal grandmother. Written from a feminist perspective, I explore issues related to gender, life course, leisure and family, recognizing that virtually our entire shared lives occurred in contexts wherein I was on vacation and she was not. Our relationship was also influenced by the spatial context of the central Wisconsin dairy farm where she worked and lived through most of her adult life, and generational nuances specific to her time. The preface is intended to provide scholarly context for the personal issues discussed in the body of text. After reading this preface, readers can proceed to www.ahs. uwaterloo.ca/~mhavitz/grandma/presentation.html for the full text.
Similarity-based Contrastive Divergence Methods for Energy-based Deep Learning Models

Energy-based deep learning models like Restricted Boltzmann Machines are increasingly used for real-world applications. However, all these models inherently depend on the Contrastive Divergence (CD) method for training and maximization of log likelihood of generating the given data distribution. CD, which internally uses Gibbs sampling, often does not perform well due to issues such as biased samples, poor mixing of Markov chains and highmass probability modes. Variants of CD such as PCD, Fast PCD and Tempered MCMC have been proposed to address this issue. In this work, we propose a new approach to CDbased methods, called Diss-CD, which uses dissimilar data to allow the Markov chain to explore new modes in the probability space. This method can be used with all variants of CD (or PCD), and across all energy-based deep learning models. Our experiments on using this approach on standard datasets including MNIST, Caltech-101 Silhouette and Synthetic Transformations, demonstrate the promise of this approach, showing fast convergence of error in learning and also a better approximation of log likelihood of the data.
Activated bovine cytoplasts prepared by demecolcine‐induced enucleation support development of nuclear transfer embryos in vitro

Demecolcine‐induced enucleation (IE) of mouse oocytes has been shown to improve development to term of cloned mice. In this study, we characterized the kinetics and morphological progression of bovine oocytes subjected to IE, and evaluated their ability to support embryo development to the blastocyst stage after nuclear transfer (NT). In vitro matured bovine oocytes were parthenogenetically activated and subsequently exposed to demecolcine at various times post‐activation. Onset and duration of demecolcine treatment significantly altered activation and IE frequencies, which varied from 7.1% to 100% and 33.3% to 91.7%, respectively, at 5 hr post‐activation. A significant decrease in IE frequencies was observed at 17 hr post‐activation (3.4%–46.1%), possibly due to reincorporation of chromosomes into the oocyte after incomplete second polar body (PB) extrusion. Oocytes were reconstructed by NT before (treatment 1) or after (treatment 2) activation and demecolcine treatment, and cultured in vitro. Cleavage (48.1%–54.2%) and blastocyst rates (15.7%–19%) were equivalent for the two treatments, as well as the total cell number in NT blastocysts. Furthermore, most of the blastocysts were completely diploid (treatment 2) or heteroploid but with a majority of diploid nuclei (treatment 1). Our results demonstrate that the IE method can be successfully used to produce enucleated bovine cytoplasts that are competent to support development to the blastocyst stage after NT. This technically simple approach may provide a more efficient method to enhance the success rate of NT procedures. Further studies are needed to improve the in vitro development efficiency and to expand our understanding of the mechanism(s) involved in demecolcine‐induced enucleation. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
CONFIRMATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS AND RELIABILITY OF THE CHINESE VERSION OF A REVISED TEACHER EFFICACY SCALE AMONG GUIDANCE TEACHERS IN HONG KONG

Emmer & Hickman (1991) revised the Teacher Efficacy Scale (Gibson and Dembo, 1984) by adding in a Teacher Efficacy in Classroom Management and Discipline Sub-Scale and examined its factor structure. They recommended a three-factor model with Classroom Management and Discipline as a distinct factor from the other aspects of Teacher Efficacy. In the present study, the factor structure of responses to the Chinese version of a Revised Teacher Efficacy Scale (TES-R; Emmer & Hickman, 1991) in a sample of 250 secondary school guidance teachers in Hong Kong was examined using the EQS approach to confirmatory factor analysis. The results showed that a three-factor model (Personal Teaching, Classroom Management & Discipline, and External Influences) provided the best fit, though with the first two sub-scales highly correlated (r = .75). In addition, the deletion of three items yielded a better fitting model that was cross-validated by analyzing the responses of two separate sub-samples (guidance teachers with nine years' or less teaching experience, and those with ten years' or more teaching experience). Potential uses of the C-TES-R are
Identification of Peer-to-Peer Applications' Flow Patterns

Peer-to-peer file-sharing systems have gained tremendous popularity in the past few years. More users are continually joining such systems and more objects are being made available, seducing even more users to join. Today, the traffic generated by P2P systems accounts for a major fraction of the Internet traffic and is bound to increase. An accurate mapping of traffic to their applications can be very important for a broad range of network management and measurement tasks including traffic engineering, service differentiation, performance/failure monitoring, and security. Traditional mapping approaches have become increasingly inaccurate because many applications use non-default or ephemeral port numbers, use well-known port numbers associated with other applications, change application signatures or use traffic encryption. This paper presents a new approach, based on neural networks, that is able to identify flow patterns generated by P2P Internet applications while overcoming the limitations of existing approaches. The results obtained show that, when conveniently trained, neural networks constitute a valuable tool to identify P2P Internet applications since they are able to achieve good performance results while, at the same time, avoid the most important disadvantages presented by the other identification methods.
Sustainability and the human/nature connection: a critical discourse analysis of being “symbolically” sustainable

Environmental sustainability as a social and marketing discourse has gathered momentum since the 1990s, forcing companies and consumers to consider how to apprehend this shift. However, this has proved to be challenging, given that sustainability itself remains a fuzzy concept. This paper argues that this fuzziness resides in the impetus for sustainability itself, suggesting that our concern for the environment is driven by an existing, historically embedded sense of human/nature connection rather than a concern for future decimation as typically thought. This paper performs a critical discourse analysis of Toyota's hybrid car website, showing how their discourses of human/nature connectedness and technological innovation draw from, and build, their participation in the sustainability conversation. It is argued here that Toyota's technology/ethical consumption discourse constructions are underpinned by the mobilisation of a “human/nature connection” that offers explanatory purpose as to why we should care about sustainability in the first place. The discourse analysis offers details on how Toyota has created an evocative campaign that tacitly connects with the broader social concern for sustainability while eliding the complications of its own position in this concern. The paper concludes that Toyota's marketing campaign provides an example of how the human/nature connection underpins or provides motivation for sustainability but also works to obfuscate sustainability as actionable agenda as a result.
An examination of two aspects of work‐family conflict: time and identity

The part played by time in exacerbating work‐family conflict has long been recognized. Recently, however, researchers have argued that the degree of identification one receives from work and family is also important. While direct effects of both of these sources of work‐family conflict have been found, the trend is not constant. Hence, time and identity alone may not be sufficient to explain work‐family conflict. Proposes and tests an interactive effect for these two antecedents of work‐family conflict in order to understand and explain the phenomenon better.
Salicylic Acid and NPR1 Induce the Recruitment of trans-Activating TGA Factors to a Defense Gene Promoter in Arabidopsis Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.012211.

Efforts to elucidate the contributions by transcription factors to plant gene expression will require increasing knowledge of their specific in vivo regulatory associations. We are systematically investigating the role of individual TGA factors in the transcriptional control of pathogenesis-related (PR) defense genes, whose expression is stimulated in leaves by salicylic acid (SA) through a stimulus pathway involving NPR1. We focused on PR-1 because its SA-induced expression in Arabidopsis is mediated by an as-1–type promoter cis element (LS7) that is recognized in vitro by TGA factors. We found that two NPR1-interacting TGA factors, TGA2 and TGA3, are the principal contributors to an LS7 binding activity of leaves that is enhanced by SA through NPR1. The relevance of these findings to PR-1 expression was investigated by the use of chromatin immunoprecipitation, which demonstrated that in vivo these TGA factors are strongly recruited in an SA- and NPR1-dependent manner to the LS7-containing PR-1 promoter. Significantly, the timing of promoter occupancy by these factors is linked to the SA-induced onset and sustained expression of PR-1. Because leaf transfection assays indicate that TGA3 activates transcription, as noted previously for TGA2, these two TGA factors are predicted to make positive contributions to the expression of this target gene. Thus, the findings presented here distinguish among different modes of regulation by these transcription factors and provide strong support for their direct role in the stimulus-activated expression of an endogenous defense gene.
Exploring Behavioral Expressions of Player Experience in Digital Games

This paper describes a first exploration of human motor behavior that may be associated with player experiences in digital games. Evidence from literature suggests that patterns in pressure and postural movement data may be indicative for experiences such as interest, arousal, frustration and boredom. In the current study we explore the relation between behavioral measures and people's emotional experience during game play. Results from the study presented in this paper indicate that the intensity of people's actions (e.g. pressure exerted on the mouse) and bodily movement relates to several experiences during game-play, including frustration. However, the results show that these behavioral measures do not exclusively relate to one specific experience. Rather, the results imply these behavioral measures to relate to the level of arousal and level of dominance felt during game-play. From these results it is evident that behavioral measures have a clear application potential. This study presents a starting point in the development of a set of behavior-based measures of player experiences. Establishing sensitivity and validity of such measures can be regarded as the necessary first step in the process of creating an emotionally adaptive game.
A Comprehensive Study on Technologies of Tyre Monitoring Systems and Possible Energy Solutions

This article presents an overview on the state of the art of Tyre Pressure Monitoring System related technologies. This includes examining the latest pressure sensing methods and comparing different types of pressure transducers, particularly their power consumption and measuring range. Having the aim of this research to investigate possible means to obtain a tyre condition monitoring system (TCMS) powered by energy harvesting, various approaches of energy harvesting techniques were evaluated to determine which approach is the most applicable for generating energy within the pneumatic tyre domain and under rolling tyre dynamic conditions. This article starts with an historical review of pneumatic tyre development and demonstrates the reasons and explains the need for using a tyre condition monitoring system. Following this, different tyre pressure measurement approaches are compared in order to determine what type of pressure sensor is best to consider in the research proposal plan. Then possible energy harvesting means inside land vehicle pneumatic tyres are reviewed. Following this, state of the art battery-less tyre pressure monitoring systems developed by individual researchers or by world leading tyre manufacturers are presented. Finally conclusions are drawn based on the reviewed documents cited in this article and a research proposal plan is presented.
Caffeine ingestion does not alter carbohydrate or fat metabolism in human skeletal muscle during exercise

1 This study examined the effect of ingesting caffeine (6 mg kg−1) on muscle carbohydrate and fat metabolism during steady‐state exercise in humans. Young male subjects (n= 10) performed 1 h of exercise (70 % maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O2,max)) on two occasions (after ingestion of placebo and caffeine) and leg metabolism was quantified by the combination of direct Fick measures and muscle biopsies. 2 Following caffeine ingestion serum fatty acid and glycerol concentration increased (P≤ 0.05) at rest, suggesting enhanced adipose tissue lipolysis. 3 In addition circulating adrenaline concentration was increased (P≤ 0.05) at rest following caffeine ingestion and this, as well as leg noradrenaline spillover, was elevated (P≤ 0.05) above placebo values during exercise. 4 Caffeine resulted in a modest increase (P≤ 0.05) in leg vascular resistance, but no difference was found in leg blood flow. 5 Arterial lactate and glucose concentrations were increased (P≤ 0.05) by caffeine, while the rise in plasma potassium was dampened (P≤ 0.05). 6 There were no differences in respiratory exchange ratio or in leg glucose uptake, net muscle glycogenolysis, leg lactate release or muscle lactate, or glucose 6‐phosphate concentration. Similarly there were no differences between treatments in leg fatty acid uptake, glycerol release or muscle acetyl CoA concentration. 7 These findings indicate that caffeine ingestion stimulated the sympathetic nervous system but did not alter the carbohydrate or fat metabolism in the monitored leg. Other tissues must have been involved in the changes in circulating potassium, fatty acids, glucose and lactate.
When a GUI Regression Test Failed, What Should be Blamed?

Script-based automated regression testing is widely used in industry. In this work, we focus on failed tests in a real regression test project. The causes of 197 failed tests produced in automated testing are examined and categorized based on an analysis procedure presented. The result shows that incorrect scripts, oracle mismatches, test tool bugs and misconfigurations involved in testing contribute most to failures instead of product bugs. Detecting and fixing the false positives are laborious and time-consuming. Our empirical study demonstrates that the benefits of test automation are obliterated to some extent in practical settings. To improve the effectiveness of automated regression testing further, some issues should receive more attention.
Kalman Filter Estimation of the Number of Competing Terminals in an IEEE 802, 11 Network Utilizing Error Pron-Channel

Numerous applications of the wireless local area networks (WLANs) are sensitive to the state of the employed channel. Packet delay and throughput which are the crucial characteristic for almost all recent applications of the WLANs are sensitive to: number of associate stations in the network, amount of error in the employed channel, and type of the adopted transmission mechanism. The number of competing stations is essential to be known in terms of optimizing the system performance. Although several of considered studies have investigated these aspects most of them are anchored in some assumptions which turn into far from the reality, such as using ideal channel (errorless) or assuming unlimited number of retransmissions with the adopted accessing mechanism. In this paper, number of competing stations based on using Kalman filter technique with taking state of the channel into consideration is estimated. The achieved results show that amount of the error and number of retransmissions with the utilized mechanism play a key role on the estimation number of stations in the WLANs compare with the other studies.
Segmental Tibia Fractures

Fractures of the tibia account for approximately 17-21% of all lower extremity fractures and approximately 2% of all combined fractures [1,2]. Within this number, 3% to 13% of tibia fractures are classified as segmental with most literature on this injury consisting of case series or retrospective reviews [3,4]. Segmental fractures of the tibia present a challenge to treating orthopedic surgeons due to their infrequent presentation, wide zone of tissue injury, and increased rate of complications. Segmental tibia fractures (AO 42-C2) are defined by two or more distinct fracture lines isolating an interposed cortical segment which excludes butterfly fragmentation [5]. Severe soft tissue defects are common due to their association with high energy trauma mechanisms of injury [6]. As a result of the trauma to the surrounding soft tissues approximately 15% of tibial shaft fractures represent open injuries with reports of segmental tibia fractures having an open injury 53% to 80% of presentations [79]. The perfusion of the intermediate segment is provided through endosteal and periosteal blood supply, which sustains increased damage leading to impaired fracture healing with the already precarious blood supply of the intermediary cortical segment [6,10]. With this in mind Woll et al. classified segmental tibial fractures as “an extremely high risk injury” with postoperative complications noted more frequently than in any other category of tibia fracture [6,8]. Classification
MIRACLE Retrieval Experiments with East Asian Languages

This paper describes the participation of MIRACLE in NTCIR 2005 CLIR task. Although our group has a strong background and long expertise in Computational Linguistics and Information Retrieval applied to European languages and using Latin and Cyrillic alphabets, this was our first attempt on East Asian languages. Our main goal was to study the particularities and distinctive characteristics of Japanese, Chinese and Korean, specially focusing on the similarities and differences with European languages, and carry out research on CLIR tasks which include those languages. The basic idea behind our participation in NTCIR is to test if the same familiar linguisticbased techniques may also applicable to East Asian languages, and study the necessary adaptations.
Reevaluating the Role of Acanthamoeba Proteases in Tissue Invasion: Observation of Cytopathogenic Mechanisms on MDCK Cell Monolayers and Hamster Corneal Cells

The morphological analysis of the cytopathic effect on MDCK cell monolayers and hamster cornea and qualitative and quantitative analyses of conditioned medium and proteases were evaluated and compared between two strains of Acanthamoeba genotype T4. Further than highlighting the biological differences found between both strains, the most important observation in this study was the fact that proteases both in total extracts and in conditioned medium are apparently not determinant in tissue destruction. An interestingly finding was that no lysis of corneal tissue was observed as it was previously suggested. These results, together with previous studies, allow us to conclude that the invasion and disruption of corneal tissue is performed by the penetration of the amoebae through cell junctions, either by the action of proteases promoting cellular separation but not by their destruction and/or a mechanical effect exerted by amoebae. Therefore, contact-dependent mechanisms in Acanthamoeba pathogenesis are more relevant than it has been previously considered. This is supported because the phagocytosis of recently detached cells as well as those attached to the corneal epithelium leads to the modification of the cellular architecture facilitating the migration and destruction of deeper layers of the corneal epithelium.
GUIDO/MIR - an Experimental Musical Information Retrieval System based on GUIDO Music Notation

Musical databases are growing in number, size, and complexity, and they are becoming increasingly relevant for a broad range of academic as well as commercial applications. The features and performance of musical database systems critically depend on two factors: The nature and representation of the information stored in the database, and the search and retrieval mechanisms available to the user. In this paper, we present an experimental database and retrieval system for score-level musical information based on GUIDO Music Notation as the underlying music representation. We motivate and describe the database design as well as the flexible and efficient query and retrieval mechanism, a query-by-example technique based on probabilistic matching over a clustered dataset. This approach has numerous advantages, and based on experience with a first, experimental implementation, we believe it provides a solid foundation for powerful, efficient, and usable database and retrieval systems for structured musical information.
Smooth surface reconstruction via natural neighbour interpolation of distance functions

We present an algorithm to reconstruct smooth surfaces of arbitrary topology from unorganised sample points and normals. The method uses natural neighbour interpolation, works in any dimension and allows to deal with non uniform samples. The reconstructed surface is a smooth manifold passing through all the sample points. This surface is implicitly represented as the zero-set of some pseudo-distance function. It can be meshed so as to satisfy a user-defined error bound. Experimental results are presented for surfaces in R^3.
Fingertip stimulus cue-based tactile brain-computer interface

The reported project aims to confirm whether a tactile glove fingertips' stimulator is effective for a brain-computer interface (BCI) paradigm using somatosensory event potential (SEP) responses with possible attentional modulation. The proposed simplified stimulator device is presented in detail together with psychophysical and EEG BCI experiment protocols. Results supporting the proposed simple tactile glove device are presented in form of online BCI classification accuracy results using shrinkage linear discriminant analysis (sLDA) technique. Finally, we discuss future possible paradigm improvement steps.
Compressive sensing reconstruction of signals with sinusoidal phase modulation: Application to radar micro-Doppler

The algorithm for compressive sensing reconstruction of signals with sinusoidal phase modulation is proposed. The signal is firstly demodulated and reduced to a set of sparse sinusoids, while the reconstruction is achieved by exploiting the sparsity in the DFT domain. The demodulation process is based on the parameters search method which also employs specific compressive sensing reconstruction procedure to detect the exact parameters sets. The procedure is tested on the multicomponent signals with sinusoidal modulation that often appear in radar communication as a micro-Doppler part reflected from fast rotating scatterers.