Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Managing Musically

This article explores the notion of management as an acoustic phenomenon and approaches this through examining musical performance, especially how symphony orchestra musicians develop musicianship, achieve ensemble, and work together in relationship with the conductor. We explore these ideas under the rubric of “managing musically” and offer as a comparison Captain Holly Graf being relieved of her position commanding the U.S.S. Cowpens. Managing musically implies becoming sensitized to gestural nuances within the environment and among team members.
Salient object detection by composition

Conventional saliency analysis methods measure the saliency of individual pixels. The resulting saliency map inevitably loses information in the original image and finding salient objects in it is difficult. We propose to detect salient objects by directly measuring the saliency of an image window in the original image and adopt the well established sliding window based object detection paradigm.
Nonholonomic Ricci Flows and Parametric Deformations of the Solitonic pp-Waves and Schwarzschild Solutions

We study Ricci flows of some classes of physically valuable solutions in Einstein and string gravity. The anholonomic frame method is applied for generic off-diagonal metric ansatz when the field/ evolution equations are transformed into exactly integrable systems of partial differential equations. The integral varieties of such solutions, in four and five dimensional gravity, depend on arbitrary generation and integration functions of one, two and/ or three variables. Certain classes of nonholonomic frame constraints allow us to select vacuum and/or Einstein metrics, to generalize such solutions for nontrivial string (for instance, with antisymmetric torsion fields) and matter field sources. A very important property of this approach (originating from Finsler and Lagrange geometry but re-defined for semi-Riemannian spaces) is that new classes of exact solutions can be generated by nonholonomic deformations depending on parameters associated to some generalized Geroch transforms and Ricci flow evolution. In this paper, we apply the method to construct in explicit form some classes of exact solutions for multi-parameter Einstein spaces and their nonholonomic Ricci flows describing evolutions/interactions of solitonic pp-waves and deformations of the Schwarzschild metric. We explore possible physical consequences and speculate on their importance in modern gravity. c
Computers in Cardiology / Physionet Challenge 2009: Predicting acute hypotensive episodes

The goal of the Computers in Cardiology / Physionet Challenge 2009 is to predict which patients will experience acute hypotensive episode within a forecast window of one hour. In our study, statistically robust features extracted from the supplied training set were defined. A Support Vector Machine was used to classify these features. In this paper, we present our method, results and conclusion about this statistical approach.
The serine protease homolog CLIPA14 modulates the intensity of the immune response in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae

Clip domain serine protease homologs (SPHs) are positive and negative regulators of Anopheles gambiae immune responses mediated by the complement-like protein TEP1 against Plasmodium malaria parasites and other microbial infections. We have previously reported that the SPH CLIPA2 is a negative regulator of the TEP1-mediated response by showing that CLIPA2 knockdown (kd) enhances mosquito resistance to infections with fungi, bacteria, and Plasmodium parasites. Here, we identify another SPH, CLIPA14, as a novel regulator of mosquito immunity. We found that CLIPA14 is a hemolymph protein that is rapidly cleaved following a systemic infection. CLIPA14 kd mosquitoes elicited a potent melanization response against Plasmodium berghei ookinetes and exhibited significantly increased resistance to Plasmodium infections as well as to systemic and oral bacterial infections. The activity of the enzyme phenoloxidase, which initiates melanin biosynthesis, dramatically increased in the hemolymph of CLIPA14 kd mosquitoes in response to systemic bacterial infections. Ookinete melanization and hemolymph phenoloxidase activity were further increased after cosilencing CLIPA14 and CLIPA2, suggesting that these two SPHs act in concert to control the melanization response. Interestingly, CLIPA14 RNAi phenotypes and its infection-induced cleavage were abolished in a TEP1 loss-of-function background. Our results suggest that a complex network of SPHs functions downstream of TEP1 to regulate the melanization reaction.
Feedback-Driven Restructuring of Multi-threaded Applications for NUCA Cache Performance in CMPs

This paper addresses feedback-directed restructuring techniques tuned to Non Uniform Cache Architectures (NUCA) in CMPs running multi-threaded applications. Access time to NUCA caches depends on the location of the referred block, so the locality and cache mapping of the application influence the overall performance. We show techniques for altering the distribution of applications into the cache space as to achieve improved average memory access time. In CMPs running multi-threaded applications, the aggregated accesses (and locality) of the processors form the actual cache load and pose specific issues. We consider a number of Splash-2 and Parsec benchmarks on an 8 processor system and we show that a relatively simple remapping algorithm is able to improve the average Static-NUCA (SNUCA) cache access time by 5.5% and allows an SNUCA cache to surpass the performance of a more complex dynamic-NUCA (DNUCA) for most benchmarks. Then, we present a more sophisticated remapping algorithm, relying on cache geometry information and on the access distribution statistics from individual processors, that reduces the average cache access time by 10.2% and is very stable across all benchmarks.
A systems biology approach to study glucose repression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Glucose repression in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has evolved as a complex regulatory system involving several different pathways. There are two main pathways involved in signal transduction. One has a role in glucose sensing and regulation of glucose transport, while another takes part in repression of a wide range of genes involved in utilization of alternative carbon sources. In this work, we applied a systems biology approach to study the interaction between these two pathways. Through genome‐wide transcription analysis of strains with disruption of HXK2, GRR1, MIG1, the combination of MIG1 and MIG2, and the parental strain, we identified 393 genes to have significantly changed expression levels. To identify co‐regulation patterns in the different strains we applied principal component analysis. Disruption of either GRR1 or HXK2 were both found to have profound effects on transcription of genes related to TCA cycle and respiration, as well as ATP synthesis coupled proton transport, all displaying an increased expression. The hxk2Δ strain showed reduced overflow metabolism towards ethanol relative to the parental strain. We also used a genome‐scale metabolic model to identify reporter metabolites, and found that there is a high degree of consistency between the identified reporter metabolites and the physiological effects observed in the different mutants. Our systems biology approach points to close interaction between the two pathways, and our metabolism driven analysis of transcription data may find a wider application for analysis of cross‐talk between different pathways involved in regulation of metabolism. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96: 134–145. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Motor Imagery in Huntington's Disease

We investigated the role of the basal ganglia (BG) in motor imagery in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). A visually guided pointing task assessed whether patients could predict actual movement time (MT) through motor imagery. Executed and imagined movements were performed when vision was constrained centrally, or was free to move. Participants completed a series of imagined and actual movements, with and without central fixation, between two target circles. Patients with HD and controls' imagined MTs were significantly faster than their executed MTs. In compliance with Fitt's law, both actual and imagined MTs increased as a function of increasing task difficulty. We conclude that motor imagery is relatively preserved in HD.
Cytocompatibility and Mechanical Properties of Short Phosphate Glass Fibre Reinforced Polylactic Acid (PLA) Composites: Effect of Coupling Agent Mediated Interface

In this study three chemical agents Amino-propyl-triethoxy-silane (APS), sorbitol ended PLA oligomer (SPLA) and Hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) were identified to be used as coupling agents to react with the phosphate glass fibre (PGF) reinforcement and the polylactic acid (PLA) polymer matrix of the composite. Composites were prepared with short chopped strand fibres (l = 20 mm, ϕ = 20 µm) in a random arrangement within PLA matrix. Improved, initial composite flexural strength (~20 MPa) was observed for APS treated fibres, which was suggested to be due to enhanced bonding between the fibres and polymer matrix. Both APS and HDI treated fibres were suggested to be covalently linked with the PLA matrix. The hydrophobicity induced by these coupling agents (HDI, APS) helped to resist hydrolysis of the interface and thus retained their mechanical properties for an extended period of time as compared to non-treated control. Approximately 70% of initial strength and 65% of initial modulus was retained by HDI treated fibre composites in contrast to the control, where only ~50% of strength and modulus was retained after 28 days of immersion in PBS at 37 °C. All coupling agent treated and control composites demonstrated good cytocompatibility which was comparable to the tissue culture polystyrene (TCP) control, supporting the use of these materials as coupling agent’s within medical implant devices.
A Novel Method for the Determination of the Dielectric Properties of Liquids at Microwave Frequencies

At microwave frequencies the precise knowledge of the electromagnetic properties of materials is essential. In this article, methods for the determination of the permittivity of liquids are presented. The methods are based on scattering parameter measurements with the help of a vector network analyzer. For the precise extraction of the material parameters and the elimination of systematic errors of the setup, self-calibration procedures, the LNN (line, network, network) and the LRR (line, reflect, reflect) method, are applied. Both methods have in common that the material parameters are already calculable within the so-called self-calibration procedure, so that a full two-port calibration of the whole setup is not necessary. Furthermore, the methods can be realized effectively in a practical setup having the advantage that a rearrangement of the setup is not needed for the material parameter measurements
Statistically regulated and adaptive EM reconstruction for emission computed tomography

MLEM and related algorithms are rapidly becoming the standard for reconstruction in emission computed tomography, but such algorithms require arbitrary stopping criteria, have severe noise artifacts, and require accelerated implementations that may not work well for all imaging situations. The author has investigated several new approaches with likelihood-based objective functions that use the concepts of statistically-adaptive subsetting and spatially-adaptive updates. The resulting statistically regulated EM (StatREM) algorithms are closely related to OSEM with the following exceptions. They apply spatially-adaptive regularization and use statistically-adaptive subsets to accelerate convergence in a controlled manner. Projection data are processed sequentially, and internal statistically-adaptive subsets are formed. When accumulated statistical power merits an update, e.g. determined by paired sample t-test, then spatially-adaptive updates are applied and the corresponding test statistics and subsets accumulations are reset. Reconstruction continues iteratively until no further statistically-significant errors remain. The following properties were observed for clinical, phantom, and simulated data: (i) user-defined test levels can provide statistically-based stopping criteria; (ii) recovery of spatial resolution is accelerated in high-count regions while low-count regions are regulated to reduce noise artifacts; (iii) notable acceleration is achieved for large, sparse datasets (such as fully-3D PET); and (iv) resolution and contrast are superior to conventional OSEM at much lower noise levels. Statistically regulated EM algorithms may potentially provide a new archetype for PET and SPECT reconstruction.
Eypnosis in children: An experimental approach

Abstract Based on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, the Children's Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, a standardized induction procedure for children five years and older, WM developed. Interscorer reliability ranged from +. 90 to +. 96, and retest reliability was found to be +. 92. Two scoring systems are simultaneously employed, one measuring overt behurrior, the other allegedly measuring subjective involvement. Comparing children to college atudents on items, children were found significantly more susceptible. A linear relationship was found between age and simulation ability (r = +.67). The author speculates that a suspected curvilinear relationship of age and susceptibility may be a function of the confounding of differential simulation ability and motivation with hypnotic behavior. Further studies are suggested.
PISA EHPS 2009: A Health Psychology meeting under a leaning tower of participants

s within their track. Needless to say this unexpected work load has put many of them under pressure. In addition, we had to approach a lot more people to chair sessions and/or to act as a poster session discussant. The fact that so many accepted, shows again that EHPS is very much kicking and alive. While the growing number of participants made the organizers happy, their joy was paralleled by multiple challenges, caused by changing needs of location, food, information, accommodation, social events and communication with participants. My thoughts and gratitude go immediately to Professor Mario Guazzelli and especially Professor Carmen Berrocal, who stood as a rock during these interminable waves of unpredictable stressors. Without her the conference could have easily turned into a chaos. Last but not least, as the number of abstracts doubled with respect to last year, the abstract book has swollen accordingly. The theme of the conference is ‘‘From Knowledge to Interventions’’, whichbook has swollen accordingly. The theme of the conference is ‘‘From Knowledge to Interventions’’, which is reflected in the topics covered by outstanding invited speakers, ranging from health behaviour change (Linda Cameron, New Zealand), over optimal functioning and wellbeing (Gian Vittorio Caprara, Italy) and a critical perspective on interventions (James Coyne, USA) to cancer prevention (Jane Wardle, United Kingdom). Needless to say that the topics of the oral and the poster presentations cover the whole range of health psychology, with contributions from almost every European country, but also from almost every part of the world. Never before did so many researchers present their work on so many different topics at an EHPS conference as this year. Among the many topics covered by sessions are e.g. health psychology models, positive health psychology and post traumatic growth, coping with and interventions in chronic disease, emergency psychology, stress, emotions and health, ageing and health, health and youth, public health interventions, internet based and computer tailored interventions, qualitative and quantitative methods, psychological measures in health and disease, health behaviour change, personality, health and illness and worksite health. Another important observation is that a new generation of researchers has overgrown the old one. Many young, enthusiastic and competent people have found their way to this and previous EHPS conferences and initiatives, including CREATE and SYNERGY. As I stood 23 years ago at the cradle of the European Health Psychology Society, I am very happy to see that the society already walks alone for years now at an ever increasing pace and in larger numbers than any of us would have dreamed of at the time. I hope that you will enjoy the conference programme, that you will get an addictive taste of EHPS and PISA (there is a lot more than the leaning tower as some of you will hopefully discover) and especially that you will 6 Foreword
Estimating Genome-Wide Gene Networks Using Nonparametric Bayesian Network Models on Massively Parallel Computers

We present a novel algorithm to estimate genome-wide gene networks consisting of more than 20,000 genes from gene expression data using nonparametric Bayesian networks. Due to the difficulty of learning Bayesian network structures, existing algorithms cannot be applied to more than a few thousand genes. Our algorithm overcomes this limitation by repeatedly estimating subnetworks in parallel for genes selected by neighbor node sampling. Through numerical simulation, we confirmed that our algorithm outperformed a heuristic algorithm in a shorter time. We applied our algorithm to microarray data from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) treated with siRNAs, to construct a human genome-wide gene network, which we compared to a small gene network estimated for the genes extracted using a traditional bioinformatics method. The results showed that our genome-wide gene network contains many features of the small network, as well as others that could not be captured during the small network estimation. The results also revealed master-regulator genes that are not in the small network but that control many of the genes in the small network. These analyses were impossible to realize without our proposed algorithm.
Bridging the Theory–Practice Gap in Social Work Education: A Reflection on an Action Research in China

Social work educators often ask what kinds of pedagogy can help develop students' competence in addressing the widening gap between theory and practice. The authors conducted an action experiment in Beijing, exploring the extent to which Schön's reciprocal‐reflection theory inhibited or facilitated post‐graduate students' learning of the art of synthesizing Western social work theories and local knowledge. Schön's theory postulates that the reciprocal‐reflection that occurs between teacher and learner determines the latter's ability to integrate theory with practice. This paper first presents the challenges facing social work practitioners on the Chinese Mainland. Second, it discusses how the students employed reciprocal‐reflection to guide them in making a shift from their applied model approach to a collaborative approach based on action research philosophy. Third, it highlights the lessons learnt from the experimentation of providing the Chinese students with a Western approach to learning and teaching.
Multiple Vaccine-Elicited Nonneutralizing Antienvelope Antibody Activities Contribute to Protective Efficacy by Reducing both Acute and Chronic Viremia following Simian/Human Immunodeficiency Virus SHIV89.6P Challenge in Rhesus Macaques

ABSTRACT We have shown that following priming with replicating adenovirus type 5 host range mutant (Ad5hr)-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) recombinants, boosting with gp140 envelope protein enhances acute-phase protection against intravenous simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV)89.6P challenge compared to results with priming and no boosting or boosting with an HIV polypeptide representing the CD4 binding site of gp120. We retrospectively analyzed antibodies in sera and rectal secretions from these same macaques, investigating the hypothesis that vaccine-elicited nonneutralizing antibodies contributed to the better protection. Compared to other immunized groups or controls, the gp140-boosted group exhibited significantly greater antibody activities mediating antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cell-mediated viral inhibition (ADCVI) in sera and transcytosis inhibition in rectal secretions. ADCC and ADCVI activities were directly correlated with antibody avidity, suggesting the importance of antibody maturation for functionality. Both ADCVI and percent ADCC killing prechallenge were significantly correlated with reduced acute viremia. The latter, as well as postchallenge ADCVI and ADCC, was also significantly correlated with reduced chronic viremia. We have previously demonstrated induction by the prime/boost regimen of mucosal antibodies that inhibit transcytosis of SIV across an intact epithelial cell layer. Here, antibody in rectal secretions was significantly correlated with transcytosis inhibition. Importantly, the transcytosis specific activity (percent inhibition/total secretory IgA and IgG) was strongly correlated with reduced chronic viremia, suggesting that mucosal antibody may help control cell-to-cell viral spread during the course of infection. Overall, the replicating Ad5hr-HIV/SIV priming/gp140 protein boosting approach elicited strong systemic and mucosal antibodies with multiple functional activities associated with control of both acute and chronic viremia.
Discipline for Democracy? School Districts' Management of Conflict and Social Exclusion

Abstract An examination of six urban Canadian school districts' policies and co-curricular programs for safe and inclusive schools shows contrasting implicit patterns of citizenship education. Peacekeeping-oriented districts relied heavily on standardized control and exclusion to achieve school safety and allocated few resources to affirming diversity. Peacemaking-oriented districts supplemented peacekeeping with some regularized opportunities for students to learn to manage conflict and diversity. Peacebuilding-oriented districts provided relatively comprehensive and inclusive programs of conflict management and anti-bias education, embracing conflict and diversity as natural learning opportunities. Clearly such system-level policy reflects prevailing understandings of problems that need fixing, not necessarily actual practice. The paper argues that the implicit, daily patterns of human relations and conflict management in school districts are powerful socializers, as well as powerful constraints on the explicit education for peacebuilding citizenship conducted in individual programs and classrooms.