Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validating LIWC Dictionaries

This article presents a validation strategy for creating new LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) dictionaries. The context used for this validation study is an analysis of the Israeli–Palestinian rhetoric preceding the 1993 Oslo I accords by Donohue and Druckman (2009). In that study, coders were trained to code six constructs in the texts: looking forward, looking backward, power, affiliation, trust, and mistrust. For the current study, six new dictionaries of words tapping these constructs were developed and evaluated. Several data reduction strategies were used to identify the most relevant words pertaining to the constructs. These reduced dictionaries were correlated with the coder results from the earlier research. The forward-looking construct emerged as a significant correlate with the forward-looking coder rating across all data reduction techniques and the full dictionary list. These findings suggest that both approaches be used. Automated dictionary coding is more efficient; human coding is more sensitive to context.
Eine Überprüfung von Modellen zur Genese akademischer Selbstkonzepte: Ergebnisse aus der PISA-Studie

Zusammenfassung: Durch die PISA-Studie (Programme for International Student Assessment) liegen fur Deutschland national reprasentative Daten fur den Lesebereich und Mathematik vor, die zusammen mit Masen zu selbstbezogenen Fahigkeitskognitionen die Uberprufung von Modellen zur Selbstkonzeptgenese erlauben. Die PISA-Daten (N = 4861 Schuler aus 203 Schulen) werden daher genutzt, um das Modell des internen und externen Bezugsrahmens (I/E-Modell; Marsh, 1986) und den Fischteich-Effekt (BFLPE; Marsh, 1987) zu uberprufen. Mehrebenenanalysen zeigen, dass im Einklang mit dem I/E-Modell Leistungsindikatoren positive Effekte auf die akademischen Selbstkonzepte im selben Bereich und zusatzliche negative Einflusse auf das Selbstkonzept im anderen Fach haben. Analysen zum Fischteich-Effekt belegen, dass bei steigender Leistungsstarke der Mitschulerinnen und -schuler in einem Fach die individuellen fachspezifischen Selbstkonzepte sinken. Der Fischteich-Effekt zeigt sich auch bei Kontrolle der Zeugnisnoten. Implikatione.
Real Time Pattern Recognition using Matrox Imaging System

A primary goal of pattern recognition is to be able to classify data into a set of related elements. Many applications today take advantage of pattern recognition; among them are data mining, face recognition, web searching, robotics and a lot more. Pattern recognition concerning Artificial Intelligence has been in research and development for approximately 50 years. The ability to quickly locate one or more instances of a model in a grey scale image is of importance to industry. The recognition/ localization must be fast and accurate. Two algorithms are employed in this work to achieve fast recognition and localization. Both the algorithm relies on a pyramid representation of both the model image and the search image. Specifically these algorithms are suitable for implementation on a personal computer equipped with an image acquisition board and a camera. Finally, results are given for searches on real images with perspective distortion and the addition of Gaussian noise.
Automated scoring of Bender Gestalt Test using image analysis techniques

Drawing tests have been long used by practitioners and researchers for early detection of psychological and neurological impairments. These tests allow subjects to naturally express themselves as opposed to an interview or a written assessment. Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) is a well-known and established neurological test designed to detect signs of perceptual distortions. Subjects are shown a number of geometric patterns for reconstruction and assessments are made by observing properties like rotation, angulations, simplification and closure difficulty. The manual scoring of the test, however, is a time consuming and lengthy procedure especially when a large number of subjects is to be analyzed. This paper proposes the application of image analysis techniques to automatically score a subset of hand drawn images in the BGT test. A comparison of the scores reported by the automated system with those assigned by the psychologists not only reveals the effectiveness of the proposed system but also reflects the huge research potential this area possesses.
Planar geometric location problems and maintaining the width of a planar set

Set* We present an O(n2 log3 n) algorithm for the two-center problem, in which we are given a set S of n points in the plane and wish to find two closed discs whose union contains 5' so that the larger of the two radii is ss small as possible. We also give an O(rz2 log5 n) algorithm for solving the two-line center problem, where we want to find two strips that cover S whose maximum width is as small as possible. To obtain the second result, we need as a subroutine an algorithm for determining whether the width of a given set S of points in the plane ever becomes less than or equal to a given parameter W > 0, as we perform n insertions and deletions on S, and the sequence of these operatiom is known in advance. We present an O(n log3 n) algorithm for solving this problem. 1 Introduction In this paper we consider the following three problems involving a set S of n points in R2: Two-center problem: Find two closed discs whose union contains S so that the larger radius of the two discs is as small aa possible. + Ivlicha Sharir+ the Width of a Planar Two-line center problem: union contains S so that Find two strips whose the larger width of the two strips is as small aa possible. Off-line dynamic maintenance of width: Given a real parameter W >0 and a sequence Z= (al,., cm) of n insert/delete operations on S, determine whether there is any i such that the width of S after the it h operation is at most w. The two-center problem is a special case of a basic problem in geometric location theory. It is an intermediate version between the simpler l-center problem , which can be solved in linear time [21, 18], and the general p-center problem (seeking p discs of minimal maximum radius whose union covers S), which can be solved in time no(p), and is NP-complete when p is part of the input the two-line center problem is an intermediate version between the l-line center problem, which can be solved in O(n log n) time by computing the width of S, and the general p-line center problem, which is again known to be NP-complete [23]. The running time of the best previously known algorithms for both of these problems is 0(n3) [8]. In …
The process of creating dynamic capabilities

The concept of dynamic capability (DC) is receiving significant attention from scholars in strategy and organisation research. However, most of the research is conceptual in nature. In this thesis, the process of how DCs are created in two firms is examined using the grounded theory methodology (GTM) with the aim of developing a substantive theory of DC creation. Data were collected using theoretical sampling, and unstructured and semi-structured interviews. These data were then analysed using the constant comparison method to identify and explain the process through which DCs are created. The findings from the study reveal that DCs are created through continuous internal activities such as in-house innovation, human resource activities (HRAs), and external activities with partners through collaboration and acquisitions. Firms learn from these activities, which lead to changes in the static organisational capabilities and the development of higher order capabilities, the DCs. From this study, a framework has been developed for considering and managing the process of creating DCs at a strategic level. The framework explains the reasons why these firms develop and renew their DCs, identifies the key resources required, and examines the activities through which DCs are developed and renewed. The framework is both iterative and simultaneous. Implications for academics and practitioners are discussed, and limitations and directions for future research are outlined.
Self‐control in Pakistani Muslims: relationships with religious orientation, depression and anxiety

Islam literally refers to a personal ‘surrender’ or submission, and may therefore promote a form of self‐control that some have associated with psychosocial benefits. English‐speaking Pakistani university students (N = 160) responded to the Brief Self‐Control Scale along with measures of religious interest, religious orientation and psychological maladjustment. Self‐control correlated positively with religious interest ratings and an intrinsic religious orientation and negatively with an extrinsic religious orientation, depression and anxiety. These data supported the hypothesis that the ‘surrender’ of Islamic commitments would be associated with a self‐control that predicts religious and psychological adjustment.
Estimating Reservoir Competence of Borrelia burgdorferi Hosts: Prevalence and Infectivity, Sensitivity, and Specificity

Abstract Most vector-borne zoonotic pathogens are transmitted among several host species, but different species vary considerably in their importance to pathogen transmission, at least partially because they vary in their propensity to infect feeding vectors. This propensity is often called realized reservoir competence. Realized reservoir competence is the product of 1) the probability the individual host is infected, i.e., infection prevalence, and 2) the probability that if the host is infected, it will transmit the infection to a feeding vector, or infectivity. Prevalence varies in space and time, whereas infectivity may be a property of the host species. Both prevalence and infectivity are ecologically and epidemiologically important, but measuring them simultaneously is difficult. We present a probabilistic model that separately estimates host infection prevalence and infectivity from data on the infection status of vectors collected from individual hosts, data generally used to measure realized reservoir competence. We then consider how imperfect diagnostic tests (i.e., false negatives and positives) influence these probabilities—estimates of prevalence and infectivity are fairly robust to false negatives, but not to false positives. We thus extend the model to estimate the rate of false positives in order to improve estimates of prevalence and infectivity. We illustrate these methods by reanalyzing data from LoGiudice et al. (2003; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 100: 567–571) on the reservoir competence of ten vertebrate hosts of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease. We find that these vertebrate hosts vary both in prevalence and infectivity and that both values are highly, positively correlated among species.
Integrating usability models into pervasive application development

This thesis describes novel processes in two important areas of human-computer interaction (HCI) and demonstrates ways to combine these in appropriate ways. First, prototyping plays an essential role in the development of complex applications. This is especially true if a user-centred design process is followed. We describe and compare a set of existing toolkits and frameworks that support the development of prototypes in the area of pervasive computing. Based on these observations, we introduce the EIToolkit that allows the quick generation of mobile and pervasive applications, and approaches many issues found in previous works. Its application and use is demonstrated in several projects that base on the architecture and an implementation of the toolkit. Second, we present novel results and extensions in user modelling, specifically for predicting time to completion of tasks. We extended established concepts such as the Keystroke-Level Model to novel types of interaction with mobile devices, e.g. using optical markers and gestures. The design, creation, as well as a validation of this model are presented in some detail in order to show its use and usefulness for making usability predictions. The third part is concerned with the combination of both concepts, i.e. how to integrate user models into the design process of pervasive applications. We first examine current ways of developing and show generic approaches to this problem. This leads to a concrete implementation of such a solution. An innovative integrated development environment is provided that allows for quickly developing mobile applications, supports the automatic generation of user models, and helps in applying these models early in the design process. This can considerably ease the process of model creation and can replace some types of costly user studies.
The Experiences of Registered Sex Offenders With Internet Offender Registries in Three States

For over two decades, U.S. state and federal governments have enacted broad legislation in an effort to keep communities aware about and safe from sex offenders living nearby. The current study qualitatively analyzes unsolicited responses from sex offenders regarding their feelings, attitudes, and experiences living under the auspices of such legislation. A total of 60 survey responses from offenders in three states were reviewed. Several key themes emerged, including legal issues, hopelessness and despair, collateral consequences, and lack of effectiveness of registration and notification. Policy and research implications are discussed.
Reciprocity, Respect and Responsibility: The 3Rs Underlying Parent-Child Relationships in Ghana and the Implications for Children's Rights

As families are central to the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and children's rights generally, it is necessary to develop a deeper understanding of the ways in which children and adults interact with each other in these spheres. Thus, this paper explores the dynamics of parent-child relationships in Ghana, the first country to ratify the Convention. In particular, it focuses on the three Rs of intergenerational relationships in Ghana – respect, responsibility and reciprocity, which continue to be central to parent-child/adult-child relations, and assesses their implications for the very concept of children's rights as inalienable and the implementation of the Convention.
Virion Incorporation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Nef Is Mediated by a Bipartite Membrane-Targeting Signal: Analysis of Its Role in Enhancement of Viral Infectivity

ABSTRACT The nef gene of primate immunodeficiency viruses is essential for high-titer virus replication and AIDS pathogenesis in vivo. In tissue culture, Nef is not required for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection but enhances viral infectivity. We and others have shown that Nef is incorporated into HIV-1 particles and cleaved by the viral proteinase. To determine the signal for Nef incorporation and to analyze whether virion-associated Nef is responsible for enhancement of infectivity, we generated a panel of nef mutants and analyzed them for virion incorporation of Nef and for their relative infectivities. We report that N-terminal truncations of Nef abolished its incorporation into HIV particles. Incorporation was reconstituted by targeting the respective proteins to the plasma membrane by using a heterologous signal. Mutational analysis revealed that both myristoylation and an N-terminal cluster of basic amino acids were required for virion incorporation and for plasma membrane targeting of Nef. Grafting the N-terminal anchor domain of Nef onto the green fluorescent protein led to membrane targeting and virion incorporation of the resulting fusion protein. These results indicate that Nef incorporation into HIV-1 particles is mediated by plasma membrane targeting via an N-terminal bipartite signal which is reminiscent of a Src homology region 4. Virion incorporation of Nef correlated with enhanced infectivity of the respective viruses in a single-round replication assay. However, the phenotypes of HIV mutants with reduced Nef incorporation only partly correlated with their ability to replicate in primary lymphocytes, indicating that additional or different mechanisms may be involved in this system.
Enhancing mobile search using web search log data

Mobile search is still in infancy compared with general purpose web search. With limited training data and weak relevance features, the ranking performance in mobile search is far from satisfactory. To address this problem, we propose to leverage the knowledge of Web search to enhance the ranking of mobile search. In this paper, we first develop an equivalent page conversion between web search and mobile search, then we design a few novel ranking features, generated from the click-through data in web search, for estimating the relevance of mobile search. Large scale evaluations demonstrate that the knowledge from web search is quite effective for boosting the relevance of ranking on mobile search.
Cortical morphology and early adverse birth events in men with first-episode psychosis

Background Reduced cortical gray-matter volume is commonly observed in patients with psychosis. Cortical volume is a composite measure that includes surface area, thickness and gyrification. These three indices show distinct maturational patterns and may be differentially affected by early adverse events. The study goal was to determine the impact of two distinct obstetrical complications (OCs) on cortical morphology. Method A detailed birth history and MRI scans were obtained for 36 patients with first-episode psychosis and 16 healthy volunteers. Results Perinatal hypoxia and slow fetal growth were associated with cortical volume (Cohen's d = 0.76 and d = 0.89, respectively) in patients. However, the pattern of associations differed across the three components of cortical volume. Both hypoxia and fetal growth were associated with cortical surface area (d = 0.88 and d = 0.72, respectively), neither of these two OCs was related to cortical thickness, and hypoxia but not fetal growth was associated with gyrification (d = 0.85). No significant associations were found within the control sample. Conclusions Cortical dysmorphology was associated with OCs. The use of a global measure of cortical morphology or a global measure of OCs obscured important relationships between these measures. Gyrification is complete before 2 years and its strong relationship with hypoxia suggests an early disruption to brain development. Cortical thickness matures later and, consistent with previous research, we found no association between thickness and OCs. Finally, cortical surface area is largely complete by puberty and the present results suggest that events during childhood do not fully compensate for the effects of early disruptive events.
Computational refinement of post-translational modifications predicted from tandem mass spectrometry

Motivation: A post-translational modification (PTM) is a chemical modification of a protein that occurs naturally. Many of these modifications, such as phosphorylation, are known to play pivotal roles in the regulation of protein function. Henceforth, PTM perturbations have been linked to diverse diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer. To discover PTMs on a genome-wide scale, there is a recent surge of interest in analyzing tandem mass spectrometry data, and several unrestrictive (so-called ‘blind’) PTM search methods have been reported. However, these approaches are subject to noise in mass measurements and in the predicted modification site (amino acid position) within peptides, which can result in false PTM assignments. Results: To address these issues, we devised a machine learning algorithm, PTMClust, that can be applied to the output of blind PTM search methods to improve prediction quality, by suppressing noise in the data and clustering peptides with the same underlying modification to form PTM groups. We show that our technique outperforms two standard clustering algorithms on a simulated dataset. Additionally, we show that our algorithm significantly improves sensitivity and specificity when applied to the output of three different blind PTM search engines, SIMS, InsPecT and MODmap. Additionally, PTMClust markedly outperforms another PTM refinement algorithm, PTMFinder. We demonstrate that our technique is able to reduce false PTM assignments, improve overall detection coverage and facilitate novel PTM discovery, including terminus modifications. We applied our technique to a large-scale yeast MS/MS proteome profiling dataset and found numerous known and novel PTMs. Accurately identifying modifications in protein sequences is a critical first step for PTM profiling, and thus our approach may benefit routine proteomic analysis. Availability: Our algorithm is implemented in Matlab and is freely available for academic use. The software is available online from http://genes.toronto. edu. Supplementary Information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. Contact: frey@psi.utoronto. ca
Mutations producing resistance to norfloxacin in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Two genetically distinct classes of norfloxacin-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO4009 mutants were isolated spontaneously. Two norfloxacin resistance genes, nfxA and nfxB, were mapped hex-9001 and leu-9005 and between pro-9031 and ilv-9023, respectively, on the P. aeruginosa PAO chromosome. The nfxA gene was shown to be an allele of nalA by transductional analysis with bacteriophage F116L. The nfxB mutant showed a 16-fold increase in resistance to norfloxacin and a slight increase in resistance to nalidixic acid. The nfxB mutant was unique in that it showed hypersusceptibility to beta-lactam and aminoglycoside antibiotics. This mutant had about a threefold-lower rate of norfloxacin uptake than that of the wild-type strain or nfxA mutant. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of outer membrane proteins demonstrated the appearance of a 54,000-dalton protein in the nfxB mutant. These findings suggested that the norfloxacin resistance mechanism in the nfxB mutant might be an alteration in outer membrane permeability to norfloxacin.
The Effect of Ligament Modeling Technique on Knee Joint Kinematics: A Finite Element Study

Finite element (FE) analysis has become an increasingly popular technique in the study of human joint biomechanics, as it allows for detailed analysis of the joint/tissue behavior under complex, clinically relevant loading conditions. A wide variety of modeling techniques have been utilized to model knee joint ligaments. However, the effect of a selected constitutive model to simulate the ligaments on knee kinematics remains unclear. The purpose of the current study was to determine the effect of two most common techniques utilized to model knee ligaments on joint kinematics under functional loading conditions. We hypothesized that anatomic representations of the knee ligaments with anisotropic hyperelastic properties will result in more realistic kinematics. A previously developed, extensively validated anatomic FE model of the knee developed from a healthy, young female athlete was used. FE models with 3D anatomic and simplified uniaxial representations of main knee ligaments were used to simulate four functional loading conditions. Model predictions of tibiofemoral joint kinematics were compared to experimental measures. Results demonstrated the ability of the anatomic representation of the knee ligaments (3D geometry along with anisotropic hyperelastic material) in more physiologic prediction of the human knee motion with strong correlation (r ≥ 0.9 for all comparisons) and minimum deviation (0.9º ≤ RMSE ≤ 2.29°) from experimental findings. In contrast, non-physiologic uniaxial elastic representation of the ligaments resulted in lower correlations (r ≤ 0.6 for all comparisons) and substantially higher deviation (2.6° ≤ RMSE ≤ 4.2°) from experimental results. Findings of the current study support our hypothesis and highlight the critical role of soft tissue modeling technique on the resultant FE predicted joint kinematics.