Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relation Between Smartphone Use and Everyday Inattention

In 2 studies, we explored the relation between subjective reports of smartphone use and everyday inattention. We created 2 questionnaires that measured general smartphone use (e.g., how frequently people send and receive text messages, use social media, etc.), and absent-minded smartphone use (e.g., how frequently people use their phone without a purpose in mind). To measure everyday inattention, participants completed 4 scales that assessed everyday attention lapses, attention-related errors, spontaneous mind-wandering, and deliberate mind-wandering, respectively. The results of both studies revealed a strong positive relation between general and absent-minded smartphone use. Furthermore, we observed significant positive correlations between each of the smartphone use questionnaires and each of the 4 measures of inattention. However, a series of regression analyses demonstrated that when both types of smartphone use were considered simultaneously, the relation between inattention and smartphone use was driven entirely by absent-minded use. Specifically, absent-minded smartphone use consistently had a unique positive relation with the inattention measures, while general smartphone use either had no relation (Study 1) or a unique negative relation (Study 2) with inattention.
Constraint-based Action Specification for bridging the gap between Symbolic and Control-theoretic Action Execution

In this paper we propose a bridge between a symbolic reasoning system and a task function based controller. We suggest to use modular positionand force constraints, which are represented as action-object-object triples on the symbolic side and as task function parameters on the controller side. This description is a considerably more fine-grained interface than what has been seen in high-level planners before. It can preserve the ’null space’ of the task and make it available to the control level. We demonstrate how a symbolic description can be translated to a control-level description that is executable on the robot. We describe the relation to existing robot knowledge bases and indicate information sources for generating constraints on the symbolic side. On the control side we then show how our approach outperforms a traditional controller, by exploiting the tasks null space, leading to a significantly extended work space.
Properties of the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve for diagnostic test data

The summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve has been recommended to represent the performance of a diagnostic test, based on data from a meta‐analysis. However, little is known about the basic properties of the SROC curve or its estimate. In this paper, the position of the SROC curve is characterized in terms of the overall diagnostic odds ratio and the magnitude of inter‐study heterogeneity in the odds ratio. The area under the curve (AUC) and an index Q* are discussed as potentially useful summaries of the curve. It is shown that AUC is maximized when the study odds ratios are homogeneous, and that it is quite robust to heterogeneity. An upper bound is derived for AUC based on an exact analytic expression for the homogeneous situation, and a lower bound based on the limit case Q*, defined by the point where sensitivity equals specificity: Q* is invariant to heterogeneity. The standard error of AUC is derived for homogeneous studies, and shown to be a reasonable approximation with heterogeneous studies. The expressions for AUC and its standard error are easily computed in the homogeneous case, and avoid the need for numerical integration in the more general case. SE(AUC) and SE(Q*) are found to be numerically close, with SE(Q*) being larger if the odds ratio is very large. The methods are illustrated using data for the Pap smear screening test for cervical cancer, and for three tests for the diagnosis of metastases in cervical cancer patients. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
THE BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR FINANCIAL MARKETS The University of Reading Matching and the Estimated Impact of Interlisting

We show that tests for differences in trade execution costs using standard nearest neighbor matching estimation techniques typically have comparable empirical power but less bias than more “sophisticated” alternatives. However, estimation techniques that place more weight on distant firms (e.g. kernel-based matching) have better testing power and produce tighter confidence intervals when there are few matched pairs. For stocks listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, we employ these techniques to estimate the impact of US interlisting on percentage bid-ask spreads, institutional and market maker participation rates, and market maker profits. JEL Classification: G10
On The Value of Code Inspections for Software Project Management: An Empirical Analysis

Code inspections continue to gain significance as a software verification scheme since Fagan introduced the concept. Software engineering researchers examining the value of code inspections have exclusively focused on defect removal benefits of inspections. In this paper we develop and test empirical models of both quality improvement and project management benefits realized because of effort spent on code inspections. We analyze data collected on 40 real world projects from a leading software corporation to provide rigorous empirical evidence for the value of code inspections. We find evidence for hitherto unexplored hypothesis that improved understanding gained during code inspection has project management benefit of better test planning and control that could eventually avoid project overruns. We provide a research framework that takes into account the sequential characteristics of waterfall software development model and the effects of rework generated by verification schemes to answer an important research question on the value of code inspections for project management.
Airport noise predicts song timing of European birds

Abstract Anthropogenic noise is of increasing concern to biologists and medical scientists. Its detrimental effects on human health have been well studied, with the high noise levels from air traffic being of particular concern. However, less is known about the effects of airport noise pollution on signal masking in wild animals. Here, we report a relationship between aircraft noise and two major features of the singing behavior of birds. We found that five of ten songbird species began singing significantly earlier in the morning in the vicinity of a major European airport than their conspecifics at a quieter control site. As birds at both sites started singing before the onset of air traffic in the morning, this suggests that the birds in the vicinity of the airport advanced their activity to gain more time for unimpaired singing before the massive plane noise set in. In addition, we found that during the day, chaffinches avoided singing during airplane takeoffs, but only when the noise exceeded a certain threshold, further suggesting that the massive noise caused by the airport can impair acoustic communication in birds. Overall, our study indicates that birds may be adjusting their mating signals and time budgets in response to aircraft noise.
Romanian Parents’ Use of the Internet: Optimizing Parenting Skills as Sexual Educators

There is a growing trend for parents to use the Internet and social media aiming to obtain parenting information and support. We present here an on-line exploration of the beliefs, concerns and needs that Romanian parents express regarding the sexual development and health of their children. Thematic analysis of discussions from social media and internet asynchronous discussion boards (two forums and one Facebook parenting group) is performed. In line with the existent literature, our preliminary data indicate that the major themes of parental discourse in Romania are information and advice seeking, experience and advice sharing and social support seeking. With respect to sexual health and education of children and young people, parents in Romania usually express the following themes in their online interactions with other parents: sex education significance; sexual development and sexual behaviour of children and young people; parenting sexually developing children and young people. It seems that parents do benefit from the social media interactions to a certain extent, especially by creating online support communities and accessing a considerable and diverse amount of information, but there are also concerns about the reliability of the information thus exchanged. © 2016 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy. org.uk
Performance Analysis of Relay-Aided Cellular Networks

Energy efficiency in cellular networks has been receiving significant attention in wireless communication, because of the importance in reducing the energy consumption and maintaining the profitability of networks, in addition it makes these networks “greener”. In the traditional cellular architecture, the urban cell topography increases the capacity along with the coverage require the deployment of a large number of base stations (BSs). This approach is cost prohibitive and also increase the mobile station (MS) transmission power. An alternative, relaying techniques are expected to alleviate the coverage problem and reduce the MS transmission power. To propose a geometrical model for the energy efficient relay station (RS) placement that requires only a small number of characteristic distances and is to estimate the maximum cell coverage of a relay aided cell, given power constraints. This proposed method analyzes the path loss model based on RS to BS link and it compares both cell coverage and energy efficiency using Decode and Forward (DF) relaying schemes in line of sight conditions
A Distributed Neural Network Architecture for Hexapod Robot Locomotion

We present fully distributed neural network architecture for controlling the locomotion of a hexapod robot. The design of this network is directly based on work on the neuroethology of insect locomotion. Previously, we demonstrated in simulation that this controller could generate a continuous range of statically stable insect-like gaits as the activity of a single command neuron was varied and that it was robust to a variety of lesions. We now report that the controller can be utilized to direct the locomotion of an actual six-legged robot, and that it exhibits a range of gaits and degree of robustness in the real world that is quite similar to that observed in simulation.
Squalene feeding in experimental atherosclerosis.

The hydrocarbon squalene, which has been suggested as a precursor in the biosynthesis of cholesterol, was fed to rabbits to see whether cholesterol thus synthesized would be efficacious in producing atheromatous lesions. Rabbits on a 3 per cent squalene diet for seven weeks showed an increase in liver weight and liver nonsaponifiable material but no more atheroma than did controls. Animals on the same diet for 14 weeks showed an increase in the cholesterol-rich lipoproteins as determined in the ultracentrifuge. Addition of squalene in no way altered the atherogenic propensities of the cholesterol diet.
The mitochondrial permeability transition initiates autophagy in rat hepatocytes

Cells degrade excess and effete organelles by the process of autophagy. Autophagic stimulation of rat hepatocytes by serum deprivation and glucagon (1 µM) caused a fivefold increase of spontaneously depolarizing mitochondria to about 1.5% of total mitochondria after 90 min. Cyclosporin A (CsA, 5 µM), an immunosuppressant that blocks the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT), prevented this depolarization. Depolarized mitochondria moved into acidic vacuoles labeled by LysoTracker Red. These autophagosomes also increased several‐fold after autophagic stimulation. CsA blocked autophagosomal proliferation, whereas tacrolimus, an immunosuppressant that does not block the MPT, did not. In conclusion, the MPT initiates mitochondrial depolarization after autophagic stimulation and the subsequent sequestration of mitochondria into autophagosomes.
Humanoids and personal robots: Design and experiments

This paper addresses the field of humanoid and personal robotics—its objectives, motivations, and technical problems. The approach described in the paper is based on the analysis of humanoid and personal robots as an evolution from industrial to advanced and service robotics driven by the need for helpful machines, as well as a synthesis of the dream of replicating humans. The first part of the paper describes the development of anthropomorphic components for humanoid robots, with particular regard to anthropomorphic sensors for vision and touch, an eight-d.o. f. arm, a three-fingered hand with sensorized fingertips, and control schemes for grasping. Then, the authors propose a user-oriented design methodology for personal robots, and describe their experience in the design, development, and validation of a real personal robot composed of a mobile unit integrating some of the anthropomorphic components introduced previously and aimed at operating in a distributed working environment. Based on the analysis of experimental results, the authors conclude that humanoid robotics is a tremendous and attractive technical and scientific challenge for robotics research. The real utility of humanoids has still to be demonstrated, but personal assistance can be envisaged as a promising application domain. Personal robotics also poses difficult technical problems, especially related to the need for achieving adequate safety, proper human–robot interaction, useful performance, and affordable cost. When these problems are solved, personal robots will have an excellent chance for significant application opportunities, especially if integrated into future home automation systems, and if supported by the availability of humanoid robots. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Exploring Causal Relationships with Streaming Features

Causal discovery is highly desirable in science and technology. In this paper, we study a new research problem of discovery of causal relationships in the context of streaming features, where the features steam in one by one. With a Bayesian network to represent causal relationships, we propose a novel algorithm called causal discovery from streaming features (CDFSF) which consists of a two-phase scheme. In the first phase, CDFSF dynamically discovers causal relationships between each feature seen so far with an arriving feature, while in the second phase CDFSF removes the false positives of each arrived feature from its current set of direct causes and effects. To improve the efficiency of CDFSF, using the symmetry properties between parents (causes) and children (effects) in a faithful Bayesian network, we present a variant of CDFSF, S-CDFSF. Experimental results validate our algorithms in comparison with the existing algorithms of causal relationship discovery.
Securing MAODV in Wireless Sensor Network

Most of the multicast routing protocols proposed for ad hoc networks assume a trusted, non-adversarial environment and do not take security issues into account in their design. In this paper, we investigate the security of MAODV (Multicast Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector protocol), a well-known multicast routing protocol, and identify several attacks on it. We show, via simulation, that these attacks can have a significant impact on the performance of MAODV. We present an authentication framework for MAODV and propose countermeasures that can prevent or mitigate the impact of these attacks
Glioblastoma Stem-Like Cells—Biology and Therapeutic Implications

The cancer stem-cell hypothesis proposes that malignant tumors are likely to encompass a cellular hierarchy that parallels normal tissue and may be responsible for the maintenance and recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in patients. The purpose of this manuscript is to review methods for optimizing the derivation and culturing of stem-like cells also known as tumor stem cells (TSCs) from patient-derived GBM tissue samples. The hallmarks of TSCs are that they must be able to self-renew and retain tumorigenicity. The isolation, optimization and derivation of TSCs as outlined in this review, will be important in understanding biology and therapeutic applications related to these cells.
Measuring visual vocabulary appropriateness by dispersion index and its improvement by globalizing SIFT descriptors

Correct classification rates are often used to measure the appropriateness of a visual-word vocabulary. Appropriateness is also measured by the dispersion index, a technique in quantitative ecology that estimates the distribution pattern of individuals. In the bag-of-keypoints method of making a visual vocabulary, the size of the vocabulary is examined. In addition, a method to globalize a local feature is proposed. In this globalization method, each descriptor is modified to be similar to adjacent descriptors and therefore provides more opportunity for a visual word to form clumps on a test image. Although applying the index is limited by the classifier, we found that appropriateness is measured by estimating the average dispersion index for every visual word. In addition, this paper discusses another method for creating a visual-word vocabulary that is more appropriate for classification by globalization.
Investigation the Relationship between Intrinsic Motivation and Creative Production on Solving Real Problems

ABSTRACT : This study was designed to investigate whether Intrinsic Motivation (IM) related to the creative production on solving real problems that measured based on two criteria: novelty and appropriateness. 10 th -grade students in Oman represented by 367 students (male and female) from eight schools (rural and urban) were the sample of the study. Work Preference Inventory from T.M. Amabile, B. Hennessy and E. Tighe (1994) was manipulated to assess intrinsic motivation. Problem-Solving Test (PST) developed by researchers was used to measure creative production on solving real problems through content contexts of subjects such as Arabic Language, Social Studies, and Science. Findings showed that IM correlated positively with novelty and appropriateness. MANOVA test showed that main effect of school type was significant for novelty and appropriateness, but gender was not. Analysis of simultaneous regression indicated that intrinsic motivation and gender predicted the total score of problem solving test, but school type was not. The implications of the study enhance our understanding of the intrinsic motivation as a personality trait on developing creativity among school students. Key words : Intrinsic motivation, creative production, solving real problems, novelty and appropriateness, and students in Oman. About the Authors: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Subadrah Nair and Mohammed T. Alkiyumi are a Senior Lecturer and a Ph.D. Candidate at the School of Educational Studies USM (Science University of Malaysia), 11800 Minden, Pulau Penang, Malaysia. They can, for academic matters, be contacted at: subadrah@usm.my and alkeumi@gmail.com How to cite this article? Nair, Subadrah & Mohammed T. Alkiyumi. (2011). “Investigation the Relationship between Intrinsic Motivation and Creative Production on Solving Real Problems” in SOSIOHUMANIKA: Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan , Vol.4, No.2 [November], pp.185-196. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI, ISSN 1979-0112. Chronicle of article: Accepted (September 9, 2011); Revised (October 13, 2011); and Published (November 20, 2011).
Dopamine D4 Receptor-Induced Postsynaptic Inhibition of GABAergic Currents in Mouse Globus Pallidus Neurons

Dopamine D4 receptors (D4R) are localized in the globus pallidus (GP), but their function remains unknown. In contrast, dopamine D2 receptor activation hyperpolarizes medium spiny neurons projecting from the striatum to the GP and inhibits GABA release. However, using slice preparations from D2R-deficient [D2 knock-out (D2KO)] mice, we found that dopamine inhibited GABAA-receptor-mediated currents in GP neurons. The paired-pulse ratio was statistically unchanged after dopamine application but was significantly elevated in D2KO wild-type littermates (WT). Furthermore, in D2KO mice, outward currents elicited by iontophoretically applied GABA were suppressed by dopamine. Dopamine (30 μm) decreased the amplitude of miniature IPSCs in both WT and D2KO mice, but the decrease in the frequency was observed only in the former but not significantly in the latter. Dopamine-induced suppression of IPSCs was blocked by selective D4R antagonists (clozapine or 3-[4-(4-iodophenyl)piperazin-1-yl]methyl-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine trihydrochloride), and a D4R-selective agonist N-[[4-(2-cyanophenyl)-1-piperazinyl]methyl]-3-methyl-benzamide reversibly and dose-dependently suppressed IPSCs, whereas agonists [SKF38,393 ((+/-)-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(1H)-3-benzazepine-7,8-diol hydrochloride) or (+)-(4aR,10bR)-3,4,4a,10b-tetrahydro-4-propyl-2H,5H-[1]benzopyrano[4,3-b]-1,4-oxazin-9-ol] or antagonists [SCH23,390 (R(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine hydrochloride) or sulpiride] of other receptor subtypes had little effect. In GP neurons from D4R-deficient mice, dopamine-induced inhibition of GABAergic outward currents was undetectable. D4R activation suppressed the activity of protein kinase A in GP neurons, resulting in a decrease in the amplitude of GABAergic IPSCs. These findings showed that postsynaptic activation of D4R on the GP neurons reduces GABAergic currents through the suppression of PKA activity.