Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Reading the Mind in the Eyes test: validation of a French version and exploration of cultural variations in a multi-ethnic city

Introduction The first aim of our study was to validate the French version of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, a theory of mind test. The second aim was to test whether cultural differences modulate performance on this test. Methods A total of 109 participants completed the original English version and 97 participants completed the French version. Another group of 30 participants completed the French version twice, one week apart. Results We report a similar overall distribution of scores in both versions and no differences in the mean scores between them. However, 2 items in the French version did not collect a majority of responses, which differed from the results of the English version. Test-retest showed good stability of the French version. As expected, participants who do not speak French or English at home, and those born in Asia, performed worse than North American participants, and those who speak English or French at home. Conclusions We report a French version with acceptable validity and good stability. The cultural differences observed support the idea that Asian culture does not use theory of mind to explain people's behaviours as much as North American people do.
CLASSIFICATION TREE BASED BUILDING DETECTION FROM LASER SCANNER AND AERIAL IMAGE DATA

A classification tree based approach for building detection was tested. A digital surface model (DSM) derived from last pulse laser scanner data was first segmented and the segments were classified into classes ‘ground’ and ‘building or tree’ on the basis of preclassified laser points. ‘Building and tree’ segments were further classified into buildings and trees by using the classification tree method. Four classification tests were carried out using different combinations of 44 input attributes. The attributes were derived from the last pulse DSM, first pulse DSM and an aerial colour ortho image. In addition, shape attributes calculated for the segments were used. The attributes of training segments were presented as input data for the classification tree method, which constructed automatically a classification tree for each test. The trees were then applied to classification of a separate test area. Compared with a building map, a mean accuracy of almost 90% was achieved for buildings in each test. The classification tree method appeared to be a feasible and highly automatic approach for distinguishing buildings from trees. If new data sources become available in the future, they can be easily included in the classification process. The results also suggest that satisfactory building detection results can be obtained with different combinations of input data sources. By using a statistical method, it is possible to find useful attributes and classification rules in different cases. The use of an aerial image or both first pulse and last pulse laser scanner data does not necessarily improve the results significantly, compared with a classification that uses only last pulse laser scanner data.
Modeling of epidemic spread by social interactions

Epidemic diseases spread is one of the major problems related to our health and it increases with increase in our social involvement. To examine the behavior of such epidemic contact network in a society, various mathematical epidemic models had been proposed earlier. One of them is the basic SIR( susceptible-infected-recovery) model. Which was not that much effective one, as various assumptions are considered in this model which are not acceptable in real life. Here, by considering the real heterogeneous contact network among people in society rather than homogeneous one as in standard SIR model, proposed an improved SIR model called as ISIR model. The model uses four different immunization strategies which are, random set (RS), dominating set (DS), critical set (CS) and high degree set (HS) based on the different contacts among different people.
Temporal Pattern Mining Using a Time Ontology

The analysis of temporal data has deserved a considerable attention, in particular in the analysis of time series. However, the general research on data mining seldom has focused its attention on dealing with the specific attribute – time. The discovery of temporal patterns, that reveal interesting behaviors over time, is one of such cases. In this paper, we propose a new approach to effectively find frequent temporal patterns. Our approach is based on the interleaved algorithm and the use of a time ontology, which precisely defines the main temporal concepts. Based on these concepts is then possible to effectively generate all possible time intervals when frequent patterns could occur, and then count each corresponding support, identifying frequent patterns. The algorithm follows the candidate generation and test philosophy, being able to deal with different time granularities.
Integrating algebraic thinking in problem-based learning among secondary school students

Algebraic thinking is a very important skill that should be mastered by students at an early stage before learning algebra. However, algebraic thinking is not emphasized in learning algebra. Therefore, this study aims to develop a framework that integrates students’ algebraic thinking into the problem-based learning (PBL) process. Three different learning approaches; the conventional approach (CA), the integration of algebraic thinking (AT) and the PBL approach with the integration of algebraic thinking (ATPBL); were implemented in three different boarding schools (SBP) involving 85 participants in a quasi-experimental study. Results showed that the algebraic thinking process of students in ATPBL sessions was enhanced. A parametric test using MANCOVA revealed that the students from the ATPBL group performed better in exploring relationships, generalizing and formalizing, reasoning about and with representations, and using algebra as a tool compared to the students from the AT group. The ATPBL group performed significantly better in the manipulation of symbols and procedures, exploring relationships, generalizing and formalizing, reasoning about and with representations, and using algebra as a tool compared to the students from the CA group. Next, there was significant difference in students’ algebraic thinking in the AT group compared to the CA group. Qualitative data from a learning task, namely, PBMAThinking (which consisted of teaching notes, self-readings, reflections, selfevaluations, evaluation of scenario problems, task-based interview transcripts, and task-based interview notes) were used to explore the acquisition of algebraic thinking into the ATPBL group. In summary, this study suggests that the PBL approach with the integration of algebraic thinking is able to enhance algebraic thinking among SBP students at lower secondary level. Accordingly, the framework that integrates students’ algebraic thinking with the PBL process is expected to assist teachers in enhancing the effectiveness of teaching and learning of algebra and can potentially serve as a basis for developing algebraic thinking among SBP students, particularly at lower secondary level. Therefore, a conclusion was reached that algebraic thinking should be emphasized in the teaching process when learning algebra.
The τCstF-64 Polyadenylation Protein Controls Genome Expression in Testis

The τCstF-64 polyadenylation protein (gene symbol Cstf2t) is a testis-expressed orthologue of CstF-64. Mice in which Cstf2t was knocked out had a phenotype that was only detected in meiotic and postmeiotic male germ cells, giving us the opportunity to examine CstF-64 function in an isolated developmental system. We performed massively parallel clonally amplified sequencing of cDNAs from testes of wild type and Cstf2t−/− mice. These results revealed that loss of τCstF-64 resulted in large-scale changes in patterns of genome expression. We determined that there was a significant overrepresentation of RNAs from introns and intergenic regions in testes of Cstf2t−/− mice, and a concomitant use of more distal polyadenylation sites. We observed this effect particularly in intronless small genes, many of which are expressed retroposons that likely co-evolved with τCstF-64. Finally, we observed overexpression of long interspersed nuclear element (LINE) sequences in Cstf2t−/− testes. These results suggest that τCstF-64 plays a role in 3′ end determination and transcription termination for a large range of germ cell-expressed genes.
Outlier analyses to test for local adaptation to breeding grounds in a migratory arctic seabird

Abstract Investigating the extent (or the existence) of local adaptation is crucial to understanding how populations adapt. When experiments or fitness measurements are difficult or impossible to perform in natural populations, genomic techniques allow us to investigate local adaptation through the comparison of allele frequencies and outlier loci along environmental clines. The thick‐billed murre (Uria lomvia) is a highly philopatric colonial arctic seabird that occupies a significant environmental gradient, shows marked phenotypic differences among colonies, and has large effective population sizes. To test whether thick‐billed murres from five colonies along the eastern Canadian Arctic coast show genomic signatures of local adaptation to their breeding grounds, we analyzed geographic variation in genome‐wide markers mapped to a newly assembled thick‐billed murre reference genome. We used outlier analyses to detect loci putatively under selection, and clustering analyses to investigate patterns of differentiation based on 2220 genomewide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 137 outlier SNPs. We found no evidence of population structure among colonies using all loci but found population structure based on outliers only, where birds from the two northernmost colonies (Minarets and Prince Leopold) grouped with birds from the southernmost colony (Gannet), and birds from Coats and Akpatok were distinct from all other colonies. Although results from our analyses did not support local adaptation along the latitudinal cline of breeding colonies, outlier loci grouped birds from different colonies according to their non‐breeding distributions, suggesting that outliers may be informative about adaptation and/or demographic connectivity associated with their migration patterns or nonbreeding grounds.
Generalized feedforward structures: a new class of adaptive filters

The authors introduce a new class of filters, the generalized feedforward structures, that combine attractive properties of the moving average (MA) filters for adaptation (i.e. fast algorithms, trivial stability) with some of the power of autoregressive moving average (ARMA) filters (i.e. decoupling of the length of the impulse response with filter order). Preliminary results show that this class of filters is much more efficient than conventional MA filters (i.e. for a given minimum mean square error (MSE) the filter order is much smaller). The authors have extended the Wiener-Hopf solution for this class of filters and have developed some design tools. The generalized feedforward structures accept Widrow's adaptive linear combiner as a special case. An identification example is presented. <<ETX>>
On the Riemannian Geometry of Finite Dimensional Mixed States

We consider the Riemannian geometry of the space of nonsingular density matrices D1 equipped with the Bures metric g . This space is of certain physical relevance on the background of a generalization of the Berry phase to mixed states. We determine the covariant derivative and the curvature tensor field related to the Levi-Cevita connection of (D1, g), which allow us to calculate other curvature quantities . It turns out that D1 is not a space of constant curvature and not even a locally symmetric space, in contrast to what the case of two-dimensional density matrices might suggest. Moreover, we give a local description of D1 and explicit formulae for the Bures metric in terms of natural matrix operations containing % and d% only.
Towards measuring the meridional overturning circulation from space

We present a step towards measuring the meridional overturning circulation (MOC), i.e. the full-depth water mass transport, in the North Atlantic using satellite data. Using the Parallel Ocean Climate Model, we simulate satellite observations of ocean bottom pressure and sea surface height (SSH) over the 20-year period from 1979–1998, and use a linear model to estimate the MOC. As much as 93.5% of the variability in the smoothed transport is thereby explained. This increases to 98% when SSH and bottom pressure are first smoothed. We present initial studies of predicting the time evolution of the MOC, with promising results. It should be stressed that this is an initial step only, and that to produce an actual working system for measuring the MOC from space would require considerable future work.
Synergism of Cattle and Bison Inoculum on Ruminal Fermentation and Select Bacterial Communities in an Artificial Rumen (Rusitec) Fed a Barley Straw Based Diet

This study evaluated the effect of increasing the proportion of bison relative to cattle inoculum on fermentation and microbial populations within an artificial rumen (Rusitec). The experiment was a completely randomized design with a factorial treatment structure (proportion cattle:bison inoculum; 0:100, 33:67, 67:33, and 100:0) replicated in two Rusitec apparatuses (n = 8 fermenters). The experiment was 15 d with 8 d of adaptation and 7 d of sampling. Fermenters were fed a diet of 70:30 barley straw:concentrate (DM basis). True digestibility of DM was determined after 48 h of incubation from d 13 to 15, and daily ammonia (NH3) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production were measured on d 9–12. Protozoa counts were determined at d 9, 11, 13, and 15 and particle-associated bacteria (PAB) from d 13 to 15. Select bacterial populations in the PAB were measured using RT-qPCR. Fermenter was considered the experimental unit and day of sampling as a repeated measure. Increasing the proportion of bison inoculum resulted in a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) on straw, concentrate and total true DM disappearance and on straw and total neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) disappearance, with greater disappearances observed with mixed inoculum. There were no effect of source or proportion of inoculum on ADF disappearance (P > 0.05). Increasing bison inoculum linearly increased (P < 0.05) concentrate aNDF disappearance, total and concentrate N disappearance as well as total daily VFA and acetate production. A positive quadratic response (P < 0.05) was observed for daily NH3-N, propionate, butyrate, valerate, isovalerate and isobutyrate production, as well as the acetate:propionate ratio. Increasing the proportion of bison inoculum linearly increased (P < 0.05) total protozoa numbers. No effects were observed on pH, total gas and methane production, microbial N synthesis, or copies of 16S rRNA associated with total bacteria, Selenomonas ruminantium or Prevotella bryantii. Increasing bison inoculum had a quadratic effect (P < 0.05) on Fibrobacter succinogenes, and tended to linearly (P < 0.10) increase Ruminococcus flavefaciens and decrease (P < 0.05) Ruminococcus albus copy numbers. In conclusion, bison inoculum increased the degradation of feed protein and fiber. A mixture of cattle and bison rumen inoculum acted synergistically, increasing the DM and aNDF disappearance of barley straw.
Designing Interaction Categories for Kinesthetic Empathy: A Case Study of Synchronous Objects

Synchronous Objects is an interactive online dance work that allows audiences to look inside the choreographic structure of William Forsythe's One Flat Thing, reproduced (2000). Ohio State University, in collaboration with Forsythe, created twenty interactive visualizations or "objects" with varying levels of interactivity that present three main choreographic principles: alignments, cueing and movement material. This design allows users to empathize with the movement on multiple levels--shifting attention away from aesthetic biases and highlighting qualities of the movement that may otherwise be missed. We conducted a close reading analysis of the interaction design strategies employed within Synchronous Objects in order to understand what interaction design features support kinesthetic empathy. We suggest categorizing the objects into three types: instructional, exploratory, and translational and claim these interaction categories provide a useful framework for understanding how to design for kinesthetic empathy in computational models of movement. We discuss how these interaction categories represent movement through relatable images that a broader audience can appreciate and connect with. Our analysis contributes to research in movement and computation by including kinesthetic empathy as a design principle within movement representations.
A clinical and molecular genetic study of 112 Iranian families with primary microcephaly

Background Primary microcephaly (MCPH) is a genetically heterogeneous disorder showing an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. Affected individuals present with head circumferences more than three SDs below the age- and sex-matched population mean, associated with mild to severe mental retardation. Five genes (MCPH1, CDK5RAP2, ASPM, CENPJ, STIL) and two genomic loci, MCPH2 and MCPH4, have been identified so far. Methods and results In this study, we investigated all seven MCPH loci in patients with primary microcephaly from 112 Consanguineous Iranian families. In addition to a thorough clinical characterisation, karyotype analyses were performed for all patients. For Homozygosity mapping, microsatellite markers were selected for each locus and used for genotyping. Our investigation enabled us to detect homozygosity at MCPH1 (Microcephalin) in eight families, at MCPH5 (ASPM) in thirtheen families. Three families showed homozygosity at MCPH2 and five at MCPH6 (CENPJ), and two families were linked to MCPH7 (STIL). The remaining 81 families were not linked to any of the seven known loci. Subsequent sequencing revealed eight, 10 and one novel mutations in Microcephalin, ASPM and CENPJ, respectively. In some families, additional features such as short stature, seizures or congenital hearing loss were observed in the microcephalic patient, which widens the spectrum of clinical manifestations of mutations in known microcephaly genes. Conclusion Our results show that the molecular basis of microcephaly is heterogeneous; thus, the Iranian population may provide a unique source for the identification of further genes underlying this disorder.
Chemotherapy for the Brain: The Antitumor Antibiotic Mithramycin Prolongs Survival in a Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fully penetrant autosomal-dominant inherited neurological disorder caused by expanded CAG repeats in the Huntingtin gene. Transcriptional dysfunction, excitotoxicity, and oxidative stress have all been proposed to play important roles in the pathogenesis of HD. This study was designed to explore the therapeutic potential of mithramycin, a clinically approved guanosine-cytosine-rich DNA binding antitumor antibiotic. Pharmacological treatment of a transgenic mouse model of HD (R6/2) with mithramycin extended survival by 29.1%, greater than any single agent reported to date. Increased survival was accompanied by improved motor performance and markedly delayed neuropathological sequelae. To identify the functional mechanism for the salubrious effects of mithramycin, we examined transcriptional dysfunction in R6/2 mice. Consistent with transcriptional repression playing a role in the pathogenesis of HD, we found increased methylation of lysine 9 in histone H3, a well established mechanism of gene silencing. Mithramycin treatment prevented the increase in H3 methylation observed in R6/2 mice, suggesting that the enhanced survival and neuroprotection might be attributable to the alleviation of repressed gene expression vital to neuronal function and survival. Because it is Food and Drug Administration-approved, mithramycin is a promising drug for the treatment of HD.
Communication primitives for ubiquitous systems or RPC considered harmful

RPC is widely used to access and modify remote state. Its procedural call semantics are argued as an efficient unifying paradigm for both local and remote access. Our experience with ubiquitous device control systems has shown otherwise. RPC semantics of a synchronous, blocking invocation on a statically typed interface are overly restrictive, inflexible, and fail to provide an efficient unifying abstraction for accessing and modifying state in ubiquitous systems. This paper considers other alternatives and proposes the use of comvets (conditional, mobility aware events) as the unifying generic communication paradigm for such systems.
Experience-dependent dendrite remodeling of GABAergic interneurons in the adult visual cortex

An ever increasing amount of evidence is demonstrating that structural plasticity is a diverse and ongoing feature that contributes to plasticity in the adult brain. It was previously shown that dendritic arbors of inhibitory interneurons in superficial layer 2/3 can remodel in the adult cortex. Here, we investigated the role of these structural rearrangements during experience-dependent adult plasticity. Using in vivo two photon imaging, we monitored intemeuron dendritic branch tip remodeling in response to changes in visual experience in the adult mouse visual cortex. We find that branch tip dynamics are induced by novel experiences in a stimulus-specific manner. Visual deprivation produces rearrangements that are circuit-specific and are different for branch tips extending into LI or L2/3. The weakening of dendritic input onto these cells functions to reduce levels of inhibition in local cortical circuits. This reduced inhibitory tone provides more salience to remaining instructive input, allowing more structural and functional adaptations to occur. In order to better understand how synaptic plasticity accompanies these dendritic arbor rearrangements as well as other forms of structural plasticity, we developed a method to simultaneously monitor structural and synaptic dynamics in the mammalian brain using in vivo two-photon microscopy. Structural and synaptic components can be labeled in cortical neurons of mice in a cell type and laminar specific manner through co-injection of independent lentiviral vectors at a late embryonic or early postnatal age. We demonstrate that excitatory and inhibitory post-synaptic densities can be visualized by tagging fluorescent proteins to PSD95 and Gephyrin, respectively. Finally, we show that the fluorescent proteins, Teal and Venus, can be simultaneously excited and spectrally resolved through linear unmixing so that individual structural and synaptic components can be identified and followed over time. Through this approach, the relationship between synaptic and structural plasticity can be studied in the living brain.
A Workload Characterization Study of I/o Intensive Parallel Programs

Characterizing the I/O requirements of parallel applications that manipulate huge amounts of data, such as scientiic codes, is critical to the achievement of good application performance and to the eeective use of parallel systems. In this paper we formulate a compositional stochastic model of the behavior of I/O intensive scientiic applications, which can be applied at various granularity levels of characterization. Based on the observation of the interaction of CPU and I/O activity in a set of scientiic codes, we exercise the stochastic model. The model is in excellent agreement with experimental data in the set of the examined codes. For the model to be used for performance prediction, we also propose a set of functional forms for forecasting the scalability of computation and I/O components of an application. The complexity of the functional form adopted aaects the accuracy of performance prediction.