Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cross-Modal Equivalence of Visual and Auditory Scatterplots for Exploring Bivariate Data Samples

The equivalence of visual and auditory scatterplots was examined in two experiments. Experiment 1 examined the relationship between actual Pearson's r and visual and auditory judgments of direction and magnitude of correlation for 24 bivariate data samples. Experiment 2 directly evaluated visual and auditory perceptual sensitivity to outliers by examining changes in perceived magnitude and direction of correlation estimates for scatterplots from Experiment 1 that were altered by the addition of outlier points. Results suggest that the information conveyed by visual and auditory scatterplots is used very similarly by the two modalities. Both visual and auditory scatterplots are quite efficient in conveying sign and magnitude of correlation, and the effect of outliers on judged magnitude of correlation is similar for the two types of data display.
Incorporating Human-like Conversational Behaviors into AutoTutor

: This paper describes our recent attempts to incorporate human-like conversational behaviors into AutoTutor, an animated pedagogical agent that simulates the dialog moves of human tutors. The first section of the paper provides a brief overview of AutoTutor. The second section describes a set of conversational behaviors that are being incorporated into AutoTutor. In particular, behaviors that involve head movements, facial expressions, intonation variation, gaze behaviors, and blinking patterns are discussed.
Trends in Asthma-Related Direct Medical Costs from 2002 to 2007 in British Columbia, Canada: A Population Based-Cohort Study

Background Asthma-related health resource use and costs may be influenced by increasing asthma prevalence, changes to asthma management guidelines, and new medications over the last decade. The objective of this work was to analyze direct asthma-related medical costs, and trends in total and per-patient costs of hospitalizations, physician visits, and medications. Methods A cohort of asthma patients from British Columbia (BC), Canada, was created. Asthma patients were identified using a validated case definition. Costs for hospitalizations, physician visits, and medications were calculated from billing records (in 2008 Canadian dollars). Trends in total and per-patient costs over the study period were analyzed using Generalized Linear Models. Results 398,235 patients satisfied the asthma case definition (mid-point prevalence 8.0%). Patients consumed $315.9 million (M) in direct asthma-related health resources between 2002 and 2007. Hospitalizations, physician visits, and medication costs accounted for 16.0%, 15.7% and 68.2% of total costs, respectively. Cost of asthma increased from $49.4 M in 2002 to $54.7 M in 2007. Total annual costs attributable to hospitalizations and physician visits decreased (−39.8% and −25.5%, respectively; p<0.001), while medication costs increased (+38.7%; p<0.001). Interpretation This population-based analysis shows that the total direct cost of asthma in BC has increased since 2002, mainly due to a rise in asthma prevalence and cost of medication. Combination therapy with inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting beta-agonists has become a significant component of the cost of asthma. Although billing records capture only a fraction of the true burden of asthma, the simultaneous increase in medication costs and reductions in hospitalization and physician visit costs provides valuable insight for policy makers into the shifts in asthma-related resource use.
Role of matrix metalloproteinases in apoptosis after transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats and mice

The involvement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in cerebral ischemia‐induced apoptosis was investigated in a model of transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats treated intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) with 4‐((3‐(4‐phenoxylphenoxy)propylsulfonyl)methyl)‐tetrahydropyran‐4‐carboxylic acid N‐hydroxy amide, a broad spectrum non‐peptidic hydroxamic acid MMP inhibitor, and in MMP‐9‐deficient mice. Our results showed that MMP inhibition reduced DNA fragmentation by 51% (P < 0.001) and cerebral infarct by 60% (P < 0.05) after ischemia. This protection was concomitant with a 29% reduction of cytochrome c release into the cytosol (P < 0.005) and a 54% reduction of calpain‐related α‐spectrin degradation (P < 0.05), as well as with an 84% increase in the immunoreactive signal of the native form of poly(ADP) ribose polymerase (P < 0.01). By contrast, specific targeting of the mmp9 gene in mice did reduce cerebral damage by 34% (P < 0.05) but did not modify the apoptotic response after cerebral ischemia. However, i.c. v. injection of MMP‐9‐deficient mice with the same broad‐spectrum inhibitor used in rats significantly reduced DNA degradation by 32% (P < 0.05) and contributed even further to the protection of the ischemic brain. Together, our pharmacological and genetic results indicate that MMPs other than MMP‐9 are actively involved in cerebral ischemia‐induced apoptosis.
A NEW DENOISING APPROACH FOR THE REMOVAL OF IMPULSE NOISE FROM COLOR IMAGES AND VIDEO SEQUENCES

In this paper a novel Lone Diagonal Sorting (LDS) algorithm for denoising color images and videos co-rrupted with salt and pepper noise is proposed. The proposed lone diagonal sorting algorithm uses diagonal sorting alone for denoising of impulse noise. The algorithm has been implemented and tested for various color images and video signals and appreciable performance in terms of PSNR, MSE and SSIM is obtained. Our algorithm has been compared with other standard algorithms. A drastic improvement in the computational time has been achieved without compromising much on the visual quality after reconstruction.
Grb2 Is Regulated by Foxd3 and Has Roles in Preventing Accumulation and Aggregation of Mutant Huntingtin

Growth factor receptor protein binding protein 2 (Grb2) is known to be associated with intracellular growth and proliferation related signaling cascades. Huntingtin (Htt), a ubiquitously expressed protein, when mutated, forms toxic intracellular aggregates - the hallmark of Huntington’s disease (HD). We observed an elevated expression of Grb2 in neuronal cells in animal and cell models of HD. Grb2 overexpression was predominantly regulated by the transcription factor Forkhead Box D3 (Foxd3). Exogenous expression of Grb2 also reduced aggregation of mutant Htt in Neuro2A cells. Grb2 is also known to interact with Htt, depending on epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation. Grb2- mutant Htt interaction in the contrary, took place in vesicular structures, independent of EGFR activation that eventually merged with autophagosomes and activated the autophagy machinery helping in autophagosome and lysosome fusion. Grb2, with its emerging dual role, holds promise for a survival mechanism for HD.
Self‐reported sensory descriptors are associated with quantitative sensory testing parameters in patients with cervical radiculopathy, but not in patients with fibromyalgia

The painDETECT questionnaire (PD‐Q) has been used as a tool to characterize sensory abnormalities in patients with persistent pain. This study investigated whether the self‐reported sensory descriptors of patients with painful cervical radiculopathy (CxRAD) and patients with fibromyalgia (FM), as characterized by responses to verbal sensory descriptors from PD‐Q (sensitivity to light touch, cold, heat, slight pressure, feeling of numbness in the main area of pain), were associated with the corresponding sensory parameters as demonstrated by quantitative sensory testing (QST).
A Statistical Equivalent Model for Random Waypoint Mobility : A Case Study

Statistical Equivalent Models, or SEMs, have recently attracted considerable interest as a general approach to study computer simulators. By fitting a statistical model to the simulator’s output, SEMs provide an efficient way to quickly explore the simulator’s result. In this paper, we develop a SEM for random waypoint mobility, one of the most widely used mobility models employed by network simulators in the evaluation of communication protocols for wireless multi-hop ad hoc networks (MANETs). We chose the random waypoint mobility model as a case study of SEMs due to recent results pointing out some serious drawbacks of the model (e.g., [1]). In particular, these studies show that, under the random waypoint mobility regime, average node speed tends to zero in steady state. They also show that average node speed varies considerably from the expected average value for the time scales under consideration in most simulation analysis. In order to investigate further the behavior of the random waypoint model, we develop a SEM that captures speed decay over time under random waypoint mobility using maximum speed and terrain size as input parameters. A Bayesian approach to model fitting is employed to capture the uncertainty due to unknown parameters of the statistical model. The SEM is given by the posterior predictive distributions of the average node speed as a function of time. A direct result from our model is that, by characterizing average node speed as a function of time, our approach provides an accurate estimate of the “warm-up” period required by simulations using the random waypoint mobility model. Simulation data from the “warm-up” period can then be discarded to obtain accurate protocol performance results. Given that random waypoint mobility is still, by far, the most widely used mobility model in the evaluation of MANETs, the contribu∗Address for correspondence: Kumar Viswanath, Department of Computer Engineering, University of California, 1156 High Street MS:SOE3, Santa Cruz, CA-95064, USA tion of this work is potentially significant as it allows network protocol designers to continue to use the original random waypoint mobility model and yet obtain accurate results characterizing MANET protocol performance.
Parenting of children with Down syndrome compared to fragile X syndrome

ABSTRACT Children with Down syndrome (DS) and fragile X syndrome (FXS) struggle with language development. Parenting variables, such as responsiveness to children’s communication attempts (Maternal Responsivity), and techniques used to support and teach appropriate behavior (Behavior Management) are known to have a significant impact on early child development. We examined these two aspects of parenting style via coded, videotaped parent-child interactions in two groups of participants matched on child age (2–5 years) and child expressive language level: mothers of children with DS and mothers of children with FXS. The mothers differed in their use of gestures and redirecting the child’s attention. Overall, mothers in both groups of children appeared to adapt appropriately to their children’s developmental needs.
The Impact of Context and Word Type on Students' Maze Task Accuracy

Abstract. Despite evidence that the maze is a reliable measure of reading comprehension, existing research suggests potential problems with the manner in which maze probes are developed. Specifically, research suggests students may be able to respond accurately to a large portion of target words without having to comprehend what they are reading. The purpose of the current study was to examine differences in student accuracy as a function of (a) whether sentences were placed in the context of a passage and (b) target word type (function vs. content). Following the administration of an intact maze probe, 225 third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade students were administered an intact maze probe and a probe with sentences drawn randomly from three different maze probes (scrambled probes). Although statistical analyses suggested context improved student performance, results bring into question the degree to which the maze procedures measure comprehension beyond the sentence level.
A PDMS-Based 2-Axis Waterproof Scanner for Photoacoustic Microscopy

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) is an imaging tool to provide in vivo optically sensitive images in biomedical research. To achieve a small size, fast imaging speed, wide scan range, and high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) in a water environment, we introduce a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based 2-axis scanner for a flexible and waterproof structure. The design, theoretical background, fabrication process and performance of the scanner are explained in details. The designed and fabricated scanner has dimensions of 15 × 15 × 15 mm along the X, Y and Z axes, respectively. The characteristics of the scanner are tested under DC and AC conditions. By pairing with electromagnetic forces, the maximum scanning angles in air and water are 18° and 13° along the X and Y axes, respectively. The measured resonance frequencies in air and water are 60 and 45 Hz along the X axis and 45 and 30 Hz along the Y axis, respectively. Finally, OR-PAM with high SNRs is demonstrated using the fabricated scanner, and the PA images of micro-patterned samples and microvasculatures of a mouse ear are successfully obtained with high-resolution and wide-field of view. OR-PAM equipped with the 2-axis PDMS based waterproof scanner has lateral and axial resolutions of 3.6 μm and 26 μm, respectively. This compact OR-PAM system could potentially and widely be used in preclinical and clinical applications.
Putting a value on injuries to natural assets: The BP oil spill

Stated-preference research supports $17.2B in protections When large-scale accidents cause catastrophic damage to natural or cultural resources, government and industry are faced with the challenge of assessing the extent of damages and the magnitude of restoration that is warranted. Although market transactions for privately owned assets provide information about how valuable they are to the people involved, the public services of natural assets are not exchanged on markets; thus, efforts to learn about people's values involve either untestable assumptions about how other things people do relate to these services or empirical estimates based on responses to stated-preference surveys. Valuation based on such surveys has been criticized because the respondents are not engaged in real transactions. Our research in the aftermath of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill addresses these criticisms using the first, nationally representative, stated-preference survey that tests whether responses are consistent with rational economic choices that are expected with real transactions. Our results confirm that the survey findings are consistent with economic decisions and would support investing at least $17.2 billion to prevent such injuries in the future to the Gulf of Mexico's natural resources.
The diagnostic value of IADL evaluation in the detection of dementia in general practice

It is assumed that general practitioners can make an important contribution to the diagnosis of dementia. One of the used strategies comprises an evaluation of the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). There are contradictory data on the value of this strategy. During one month, 21 Flemish general practitioners evaluated the IADL capacities of all subjects older than 65 years with whom they had contact. Subjects with dementia and/or living in a residential home for the elderly were excluded. Housing and living conditions, medication use and IADL were registered. The general practitioner formulated a clinical evaluation. All subjects with an IADL score ≥ 1 and a random sample from the group IADL = 0 underwent a Mini Mental State Examination. Subjects with an IADL score = 4 were referred for neuropsychological and specialist examination. The average age of the 1003 registered subjects was 75.1 years (SD = 6.8). A large majority of them (85%) were totally independent. There was a large discrepancy between the family's and the patient's judgment on the presence of memory problems. There was an inverse correlation between the IADL and MMSE: when the IADL score increased, the MMSE score fell. The diagnostic value of the IADL for the diagnosis of dementia with Camdex-N as a reference standard could not be evaluated because the number of tested subjects was too small. Against the MMSE, sensitivity was 0.81 (SE = 0.03), and specificity was 0.48 (SE = 0.05). The evaluation of the IADL activities had some drawbacks as a detection method for dementia but the use of IADL data may still be clinically valuable in general practice. The correlation between the general practitioner's judgment and that of the specialist was very good. This study showed that the use of the IADL score might change the general practitioner's diagnostic judgment. Furthermore this study confirms the existence of a major threshold for the referral to a specialist of patients with suspected dementia by general practitioners.
A Transient-Resilient System-on-a-Chip Architecture with Support for On-Chip and Off-Chip TMR

The ongoing technological advances in the semiconductor industry make Multi-Processor System-on-a-Chips (MPSoCs) more attractive, because uniprocessor solutions do not scale satisfactorily with increasing transistor counts. In conjunction with the increasing rates of transient faults in logic and memory associated with the continuous reduction of feature sizes, this situation creates the need for novel MP- SoC architectures. This paper introduces such an architecture, which supports the integration of multiple, heterogeneous IP cores that are interconnected by a time-triggered Network-on-a-Chip (NoC). Through its inherent fault isolation and determinism, the proposed MPSoC provides the basis for fault tolerance using Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR). On-chip TMR improves the reliability of a MPSoC, e.g., by tolerating a transient fault in one of three replicated IP cores. Off-chip TMR with three MPSoCs can be used in the development of ultra-dependable applications (e.g., X-by-wire), where the reliability requirements exceed the reliability that is achievable using a single MPSoC. The paper quantifies the reliability benefits of the proposed MPSoC architecture by means of reliability modeling. These results demonstrate that the combination of on-chip and off- chip TMR contributes towards building more dependable distributed embedded real-time systems.
Fast Mapping in Word Learning: What Probabilities Tell Us

Children can determine the meaning of a new word from hearing it used in a familiar context---an ability often referred to as fast mapping. In this paper, we study fast mapping in the context of a general probabilistic model of word learning. We use our model to simulate fast mapping experiments on children, such as referent selection and retention. The word learning model can perform these tasks through an inductive interpretation of the acquired probabilities. Our results suggest that fast mapping occurs as a natural consequence of learning more words, and provides explanations for the (occasionally contradictory) child experimental data.
Dendritic cells initiate a two-stage mechanism for T lymphocyte proliferation

T cells oxidized with sodium periodate proliferate polyclonally in response to accessory cells. We confirmed previous work showing that DC are potent stimulators of this response. In addition, the accessory function of unfractionated mouse spleen and spleen adherent cells was markedly reduced after elimination of DC with a specific monoclonal antibody and complement. Therefore oxidative mitogenesis was used as a model to study the mechanism by which DC stimulate T cell proliferative responses. A two-stage mechanism was identified. The first stage occurred during the first 20 h of culture, required live DC, and involved the progressive release of interleukin 2 (IL-2) into the medium and acquisition of responsiveness to this growth factor. The second stage occurred between 20 and 40 h, did not require live DC, and involved DNA synthesis in response to IL-2. Similar events occurred during culture of DC with unmodified T cells (syngeneic MLR) but were quantitatively reduced. The experimental approach was to co-culture DC and T cells for up to 20 h and then kill the DC with specific antibody, or anti-Ia antibody, and complement. Subsequent proliferation was inhibited if the T cells were cultured in fresh medium. However, proliferation was restored when the lymphocytes were cultured in the original DC-T cell medium, or with a crude or a purified preparation of IL-2. IL-2 did not induce the proliferation of T cells that had been cultured in the absence of DC, and did not synergize with viable DC. We conclude that DC induce proliferation by tightly coordinating the release of, and responsiveness to, T cell growth factor or IL-2.
From Here to Eternity—The Theory and Practice of a Really Long Experiment

In February 1988, Richard Lenski set up 12 replicate populations of a single genotype of Escherichia coli in a simple nutrient medium. He has been following their evolution ever since. Here, Lenski answers provocative questions from Jeremy Fox about his iconic "Long-Term Evolution Experiment" (LTEE). The LTEE is a remarkable case study of the interplay of determinism and chance in evolution—and in the conduct of science.
ResViz: Politics and Design Issues in Visualizing Academic Metrics

The use of data and metrics on a professional and personal level has led to considerable discourse around the performative power and politics of 'big data' and data visualization, with academia being no exception. We have developed a university system, ResViz, which publicly visualizes the externally funded research projects of academics, and their internal collaborations. We present an interview study that engages 20 key stakeholders, academics and administrators who are part of the pilot release for the first version of this system. In doing so, we describe and problematize our design space, considering the implications of making metrics visible and their social use within a large organization. Our findings cut across the way people communicate, review and manage performance with metrics. We raise seven design issues in this space -- practical considerations that expose the tensions in making metrics available for public contestation.
An Empirical Examination of Challenges in Chinese Parsing

Aspects of Chinese syntax result in a distinctive mix of parsing challenges. However, the contribution of individual sources of error to overall difficulty is not well understood. We conduct a comprehensive automatic analysis of error types made by Chinese parsers, covering a broad range of error types for large sets of sentences, enabling the first empirical ranking of Chinese error types by their performance impact. We also investigate which error types are resolved by using gold part-of-speech tags, showing that improving Chinese tagging only addresses certain error types, leaving substantial outstanding challenges.
Evaluating the effectiveness of search task trails

In this paper, we introduce "task trail" as a new concept to understand user search behaviors. We define task to be an atomic user information need. Web search logs have been studied mainly at session or query level where users may submit several queries within one task and handle several tasks within one session. Although previous studies have addressed the problem of task identification, little is known about the advantage of using task over session and query for search applications. In this paper, we conduct extensive analyses and comparisons to evaluate the effectiveness of task trails in three search applications: determining user satisfaction, predicting user search interests, and query suggestion. Experiments are conducted on large scale datasets from a commercial search engine. Experimental results show that: (1) Sessions and queries are not as precise as tasks in determining user satisfaction. (2) Task trails provide higher web page utilities to users than other sources. (3) Tasks represent atomic user information needs, and therefore can preserve topic similarity between query pairs. (4) Task-based query suggestion can provide complementary results to other models. The findings in this paper verify the need to extract task trails from web search logs and suggest potential applications in search and recommendation systems.