Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The genus Rosellinia (Xylariaceae) in Guadeloupe and Martinique (French West Indies)

This survey deals with the Rosellinia taxa collected in the French West Indies in the course of an ongoing inventorial work on the mycobiota of these islands initiated in 2003. Based on the evaluation and comparison of their morphological characters, sixteen species are described, illustrated and discussed, including seven new taxa viz.: R. aciculispora, R. asperata var. minor, R. discreta, R. granulosa, R. heliconiae, R. nigropileata and R. truncatispora, and two taxonomically unsettled species provisionally referred to R. acutispora and R. perusensis. Other known recorded taxa include R. bunodes, R. lechatii, R. leopoldensis, R. longispora, R. parva, R. pepo and R. winckleriana. A seventeenth species, R. arcuata, known from Guadeloupe, was not collected during this survey and therefore is cited but not illustrated. A dichotomous identification key and a synoptical table of stromata are provided. Living cultures and ITS sequences of R. cf. acutispora, R. asperata var. minor and R. truncatispora were deposited at Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute (formerly CBS) and GenBank respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences supports the placement of these species in Rosellinia and their affinities with morphologically similar species
A cross-cultural comparison of expectations in romantic relationships: India and the United States

ABSTRACT This research investigated romantic expectations in a cross-cultural comparison of India and the United States (US). The study was grounded in expectancy violations theory (EVT), which argues that expectancies are a universal phenomenon whose content is influenced by communicator, relational, and contextual factors. The expectations of romantic partners in the two countries were assessed in conjunction with relational models, sex, and gender roles in a cross-sectional study (N = 366). Results indicated that romantic partners from the two countries placed different importance on specific expectations. Furthermore, expectations were successfully predicted by one’s culture, relational models, sex, and gender roles.
Neuromorphic active vision used in simple navigation behavior for a robot

We explore a neuromorphic robot vision controller which actively extracts sparse information to control the basic navigation behavior of a robot. We investigate the interaction of active vision and the robot's behavior with the objective of avoiding obstacles. A neural map recurrently connected to an active attention pointer uses edge-enhanced visual data as input. The output of the neural network is a population vector representation which contains information about the location of potential obstacles and is used to generate motor control signals. The neural network architecture which we simulated numerically is suitable for an implementation in analog VLSI technology.
OntoSoft: Capturing Scientific Software Metadata

This paper presents OntoSoft, an ontology to describe metadata for scientific software. The ontology is designed considering how scientists would approach the reuse and sharing of software. This includes supporting a scientist to: 1) identify software, 2) understand and assess software, 3) execute software, 4) get support for the software, 5) do research with the software, and 6) update the software. The ontology is available in OWL and contains more than fifty terms. We are using OntoSoft to structure a software registry for geosciences, and to develop user interfaces to capture its metadata.
Understanding the relationship between work intensification and burnout in secondary teachers

ABSTRACT This cross-sectional study sought to investigate teachers’ experiences of work intensification and wellbeing. Using the Job Demands-Resources model as a framework, this study investigated the relationship between work intensification, satisfaction with workload, perceived organisational support, and burnout. An Australian sample of 215 high school teachers completed a confidential and anonymous online survey battery. Multiple regression analyses indicated that non-teaching-related workload was a stronger predictor of burnout than teaching-related-workload. In addition, the results indicated that perceived organisational support moderated the relationship between work intensification and the emotional exhaustion component of burnout. These findings have important implications for teacher wellbeing and highlight the importance of organisational support for staff.
SaaS Access Control Research Based on UCON

SaaS access control security issues become increasingly significant. How to ensure that user data's confidentiality, integrity and scalability has become the focus problems. To solve this problem, we have studied the usage control (UCON) model which can achieve dynamic access control by mutability of attributes and continuity of decisions. SaaS access control needs the duribility of obligations. However, UCON does not have this feature. In order to achieve fine-grained, and secure access control preferably, we propose a UCON post-obligation model. At the same time, we use set theory and logic predicates to define the UCON post-obligation model. On that basis, we combine different UCON models and features of SaaS, and put forward a common access control flow to achieve the user data's privacy protection.
A sit-to-stand trainer system in lower limb rehabilitation

As standing up disability is increasing under the trend of population aging of many countries, a new rehabilitation trainer system for training and analyzing human lower limb athletic ability on sit-to-stand is presented in this paper. An impedance control method was introduced to assure patients safely and effectively stand up in their normal posture. In standing up process human segment rotational angles, movement trajectories, ground reaction forces (GRF), center of pressure (COP) and rope tensile forces were measured by sensors, then the moments of ankle, knee and hip joint were calculated. To validate the effectiveness of the trainer system, sit-to-stand training experiments were implemented on four volunteers. Experimental results validate that the system can insure patients complete the stand up process in their comfortable posture, and that the peak joint moments in impedance training were lower than the joint moments by self-support standing. Furthermore, we noted that in impedance training the joint moments fluctuate around the peak values, which means the trainer system could improve athletic ability of the joint effectively. Therefore, the system is suitable for home-training in which patients could control the training process independently and safely, and it can be applied to assess sit-to-stand dynamic parameters and improve the rehabilitation of patients in clinical settings.
Comparison and combination of adaptive query shifting and feature relevance learning for content-based image retrieval

Despite the efforts to reduce the semantic gap between user perception of similarity and feature-based representation of images, user interaction is essential to improve retrieval performance in content-based image retrieval. To this end a number of relevance feedback mechanisms are currently adopted to refine image queries. They are aimed either to locally modify the feature space or to shift the query point towards more promising regions of the feature space. A novel adaptive query shifting mechanism is proposed to improve retrieval performance beyond that provided by other relevance feedback mechanisms. In addition we discuss the extent to which query shifting may provide better performance than feature weighting and provide experimental results on the complementarity of the two approaches. Finally, some combinational approaches are proposed to exploit such complementarities.
Outcome prediction in head and neck cancer patients using machine learning methods

Outcome prediction in head and neck cancer patients using machine learning methods. Uncles, Cousins, and my friends who have helped me to become the person I am today. iii ABSTRACT Head and Neck cancers account for approximately 3.2% of the estimated 1,660,290 new cancer cases for the year 2013 and roughly 1.9% of cancer-related deaths in 2013. In this research, machine learning techniques were employed to predict outcome in cancer patients supporting more objective assessment of the treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy. Selection of features capable of distinguishing between the possible outcomes was accomplished by using a highly selective cohort of 61 patients with similar treatment and location of the primary tumor. An accuracy of 80.33% (compared to a baseline majority classifier of 60.66%) was achieved utilizing this cohort. Further, it is shown that this limited cohort has the power to provide valuable information on outcome prediction utilizing as few as four features. Feature selection was drawn from both clinical features and quantitative imaging features including the site of cancer, primary tumor volume, and race.
Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye using ZnO thin films

Zinc oxide thin films were deposited on glass substrates using sol gel spin coating method. Zinc acetate dihydrate was used as a starting material. Isoproponol and monoethanolamine were used as the solvent and stabilizer respectively. The prepared solution was dropped on the cleaned glass substrates and the substrates were rotated at 2000 rpm for 20s and the ZnO thin films were prepared by repeated coating. The prepared thin films were annealed at 250,350 and 450C. The annealed films were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet – visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). Photocatalytic activities of ZnO thin films annealed at 450C have been examined towards the photo degradation of methylene blue by varying degradation time and area of catalysist. A maximum efficiency of 90.4% is reported using low watt (8W) UV source.
Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explain the rationale for choosing the qualitative approach to research human resources practices, namely, recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management, rewards management, employee communication and participation, diversity management and work and life balance using deductive and inductive approaches to analyse data. The paper adopts an emic perspective that favours the study of transfer of human resource management practices from the point of view of employees and host country managers in subsidiaries of western multinational enterprises in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Despite the numerous examples of qualitative methods of data generation, little is known particularly to the novice researcher about how to analyse qualitative data. This paper develops a model to explain in a systematic manner how to methodically analyse qualitative data using both deductive and inductive approaches. Findings The deductive and inductive approaches provide a comprehensive approach in analysing qualitative data. The process involves immersing oneself in the data reading and digesting in order to make sense of the whole set of data and to understand what is going on. Originality/value This paper fills a serious gap in qualitative data analysis which is deemed complex and challenging with limited attention in the methodological literature particularly in a developing country context, Ghana.
Quantifying Causal Effects on Query Answering in Databases

The notion of actual causation, as formalized by Halpern and Pearl, has been recently applied to relational databases, to characterize and compute actual causes for possibly unexpected answers to monotone queries. Causes take the form of database tuples, and can be ranked according to their causal responsibility, a numerical measure of their relevance as a cause to the query answer. In this work we revisit this notion, introducing and making a case for an alternative measure of causal contribution, that of causal effect. The measure generalizes actual causes, and can be applied beyond monotone queries. We show that causal effect provides intuitive and intended results.
A case study of coverage-checked random data structure testing

We study coverage-checked random unit testing (CRUT), the practice of repeatedly testing units on sequences of random function calls until given code coverage goals are achieved. Previous research has shown that this practice can be a useful complement to traditional testing methods. However, questions remained as to the breadth of its applicability. In this paper, we report on a case study in which we applied CRUT to the testing of two mature public-domain data structures packages. We show that CRUT helped in identifying faults, in debugging, in extracting and specifying actual behaviour, and in achieving greater assurance of the correctness of the debugged software
Family Dysfunction Differentially Affects Alcohol and Methamphetamine Dependence: A View from the Addiction Severity Index in Japan

We investigated the differential influence of family dysfunction on alcohol and methamphetamine dependence in Japan using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), a useful instrument that multilaterally measures the severity of substance dependence. The participants in this study were 321 male patients with alcohol dependence and 68 male patients with methamphetamine dependence. We conducted semi-structured interviews with each patient using the ASI, which is designed to assess problem severity in seven functional domains: Medical, Employment/Support, Alcohol use, Drug use, Legal, Family/Social relationships, and Psychiatric. In patients with alcohol dependence, bad relationships with parents, brothers and sisters, and friends in their lives were related to current severe psychiatric problems. Bad relationships with brothers and sisters and partners in their lives were related to current severe employment/support problems, and bad relationships with partners in their lives were related to current severe family/social problems. The current severity of psychiatric problems was related to the current severity of drug use and family/social problems in patients with alcohol dependence. Patients with methamphetamine dependence had difficulty developing good relationships with their father. Furthermore, the current severity of psychiatric problems was related to the current severity of medical, employment/support, and family/social problems in patients with methamphetamine dependence. The results of this study suggest that family dysfunction differentially affects alcohol and methamphetamine dependence. Additionally, family relationships may be particularly related to psychiatric problems in these patients, although the ASI was developed to independently evaluate each of seven problem areas.
Decoding of Faces and Face Components in Face-Sensitive Human Visual Cortex

A great challenge to the field of visual neuroscience is to understand how faces are encoded and represented within the human brain. Here we show evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for spatially distributed processing of the whole face and its components in face-sensitive human visual cortex. We used multi-class linear pattern classifiers constructed with a leave-one-scan-out verification procedure to discriminate brain activation patterns elicited by whole faces, the internal features alone, and the external head outline alone. Furthermore, our results suggest that whole faces are represented disproportionately in the fusiform cortex (FFA) whereas the building blocks of faces are represented disproportionately in occipitotemporal cortex (OFA). Faces and face components may therefore be organized with functional clustering within both the FFA and OFA, but with specialization for face components in the OFA and the whole face in the FFA.
STOCHASTIC LINEAR PROGRAMMING FOR OPTIMAL RESERVOIR OPERATION : A CASE STUDY

Optimal reservoir operating policy should consider the uncertainty associated with the uncontrolled inflow to the reservoir. In the present study, Stochastic Linear Programming (SLP) model is developed to obtain optimal operating policy for the existing multipurpose reservoir. The objective of the model is to maximise the expected value of the system performance which is the sum of the all performance value times the respective joint probabilities. The decision variables are the probabilities of reservoir release, PRk,i,l,t, which are the joint probabilities of the reservoir release, Rk,i,l,t, with an initial reservoir storage volume of Sk,t, inflow of Qi,t and the final storage volume of Sl,t+1 for a given time period t. The joint probabilities are influenced by the target reservoir storages, releases and the stochastic nature of inflows. This objective is subject to a set of stochastic constraints to maintain continuity. Historic inflow data is used to consider the stochastic nature of inflows in the form of inflow transition probability matrices. A computer program is developed in LINGO (Language for INteractive General Optimisation) to perform stochastic optimisation. The model gives the steady state probabilities of reservoir storage and inflow as output. The model is applied to Hirakud reservoir in Mahanadi river basin of orissa state, India, for development of an optimal reservoir operating policy. The steady state optimal operating policy and its implications are discussed in this paper.
A Novel Representation of 3 D Shapes Based on Modified Sphere Equation

Term blob is used with reference to 3D models with smooth shapes which can be described as a liquid in weightlessness. There are several methods of getting blobs. Our main goal has been to present novel method called GSE (Generalized Sphere Equation). GSE method allows getting models which are generalization of classical blobs. This paper includes description of input data, mathematical interpretation and solutions which allow rendering pictures of GSE models using ray tracing.
On the use of SPECT imaging datasets for automated classification of ventricular heart disease

In this study, a SPECT dataset containing the records of 267 patients with a variety of heart diseases was analysed using a combined rough sets and neural network approach. The dataset consists of a collection of binary features representing thresholded intensity levels (perfusion levels measured via 201Tl radiography) from SPECT images of the heart, taken at rest and after stress. It should be noted that the subjects with a variety of heart diseases were collectively grouped under the single category of `abnormal'. The rough sets data mining approach provides a human readable rule based classification scheme that is used to classify the objects in the database. The results from this preliminary study yielded an overall classification accuracy of over 93% (± 3.8), with a specificity and sensitivity of 85% and 95% respectively. Further, the rough sets analysis was able to reduce the feature space from 22 to 10 essential features, with a minimal reduction in classification accuracy. The reduced feature set was tested for classification accuracy independently using a neural network approach. The resulting classification accuracy was significantly lower than the obtained from a rough sets based approach. This result is significant in that it provides further evidence that small biomedical datasets are very noisy, with a significant number of local minima that render them resistant to standard machine learning approaches. One must be prepared to try alternative approaches, such as rough sets, that do not rely on smooth energy landscapes.
In press, Infection and Immunity A genome-wide proteome array reveals a limited set of immunogens in natural infections of humans and white-footed mice with Borrelia burgdorferi 5 Running title: Immunogens of Borrelia burgdorferi in natural infections

Alan G. Barbour1-3,*, Algimantas Jasinskas1-3,†, Matthew A. Kayala4,5,†, D. Huw Davies1,3,6, Allen C. Steere7, Pierre Baldi4,5, and Philip L. Felgner1,3,6 10 1Pacific Southwest Center for Research on Emerging Infections, 2Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, 3Department of Medicine, 4Department of Computer Science, and 5Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics of the University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA; 6ImmPORT Therapeutics Inc., Irvine, CA; 7Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 15
EM BUSCA DE SIGNIFICADOS PARA A EXPRESSÃO “IDEOLOGIA DE GÊNERO”

RESUMO: Essa pesquisa investigou os significados que têm sido produzidos pela expressão “Ideologia de Gênero” no cenário contemporâneo. De modo específico o estudo objetivou fazer um mapeamento de publicações que contenham essa expressão em seu título e/ou resumo, explorar suas definições, bem como as propostas que são apresentadas. Trata-se de uma investigação de natureza qualitativa, do tipo bibliográfica, que se amparou na abordagem da revisão sistemática de literatura. Inicialmente foi realizada uma busca no “Google Acadêmico” pela expressão “Ideologia de Gênero”. Foram acessadas as 20 primeiras páginas. Foram identificados 26 arquivos. Esse material foi lido e analisado e como resultado se constatou que a expressão “Ideologia de Gênero” tem assumido pelo menos três significados gerais: o machismo e a LGBTIfobia como ideologias de gênero; “Ideologia de Gênero” como um prelúdio do apocalipse moral (no campo religioso e no campo legislativo); e “Ideologia de Gênero” como uma falácia.
A Systematic Review of Music Therapy Practice and Outcomes with Acute Adult Psychiatric In-Patients

Background and Objectives There is an emerging evidence base for the use of music therapy in the treatment of severe mental illness. Whilst different models of music therapy have been developed in mental health care, none have specifically accounted for the features and context of acute in-patient settings. This review aimed to identify how music therapy is provided for acute adult psychiatric in-patients and what outcomes have been reported. Review Methods A systematic review using medical, psychological and music therapy databases. Papers describing music therapy with acute adult psychiatric in-patients were included. Analysis utilised narrative synthesis. Results 98 papers were identified, of which 35 reported research findings. Open group work and active music making for nonverbal expression alongside verbal reflection was emphasised. Aims were engagement, communication and interpersonal relationships focusing upon immediate areas of need rather than longer term insight. The short stay, patient diversity and institutional structure influenced delivery and resulted in a focus on single sessions, high session frequency, more therapist direction, flexible use of musical activities, predictable musical structures, and clear realistic goals. Outcome studies suggested effectiveness in addressing a range of symptoms, but were limited by methodological shortcomings and small sample sizes. Studies with significant positive effects all used active musical participation with a degree of structure and were delivered in four or more sessions. Conclusions No single clearly defined model exists for music therapy with adults in acute psychiatric in-patient settings, and described models are not conclusive. Greater frequency of therapy, active structured music making with verbal discussion, consistency of contact and boundaries, an emphasis on building a therapeutic relationship and building patient resources may be of particular importance. Further research is required to develop specific music therapy models for this patient group that can be tested in experimental studies.