Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
De l'acceptation d'une composante internet dans une formation tout papier. Un exemple : la formation 1er degré du CNED

Il s'agit d'une recherche de type descriptif basee sur la composante internet de la formation a distance des eleves inscrits en scolarite primaire obligatoire au CNED. La mise en place de cette composante baptisee « Mondecole » est analysee sous l'angle de l'acceptabilite par les parents d'eleves selon le modele TAM de Davis (Davis,1989) et de l'utilisation des aides en ligne par les eleves sur la base des travaux de Pajares (Pajares et al., 2004). Cette recherche montre que l'introduction d'une composante internet dans une formation « tout papier » a ete globalement bien acceptee par les prescripteurs/acheteurs de la formation, meme si le benefice principal de cette modification n'est pas forcement une amelioration de l'apprentissage. Pour les eleves, obliges de developper tres tot de vraies competences metacognitives du fait du dispositif totalement a distance, l'utilisation des aides en ligne se fait plutot avec benefice sans qu'il y ait un cout trop important au niveau psychologique.
Right Ventricular Diastolic Impairment in Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Background— The role of right ventricular (RV) diastolic stiffness in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is not well established. Therefore, we investigated the presence and possible underlying mechanisms of RV diastolic stiffness in PAH patients. Methods and Results— Single-beat RV pressure-volume analyses were performed in 21 PAH patients and 7 control subjects to study RV diastolic stiffness. Data are presented as mean±SEM. RV diastolic stiffness (&bgr;) was significantly increased in PAH patients (PAH, 0.050±0.005 versus control, 0.029±0.003; P<0.05) and was closely associated with disease severity. Subsequently, we searched for possible underlying mechanisms using RV tissue of PAH patients undergoing heart/lung transplantation and nonfailing donors. Histological analyses revealed increased cardiomyocyte cross-sectional areas (PAH, 453±31 &mgr;m2 versus control, 218±21 &mgr;m2; P<0.001), indicating RV hypertrophy. In addition, the amount of RV fibrosis was enhanced in PAH tissue (PAH, 9.6±0.7% versus control, 7.2±0.6%; P<0.01). To investigate the contribution of stiffening of the sarcomere (the contractile apparatus of RV cardiomyocytes) to RV diastolic stiffness, we isolated and membrane-permeabilized single RV cardiomyocytes. Passive tension at different sarcomere lengths was significantly higher in PAH patients compared with control subjects (>200%; Pinteraction<0.001), indicating stiffening of RV sarcomeres. An important regulator of sarcomeric stiffening is the sarcomeric protein titin. Therefore, we investigated titin isoform composition and phosphorylation. No alterations were observed in titin isoform composition (N2BA/N2B ratio: PAH, 0.78±0.07 versus control, 0.91±0.08), but titin phosphorylation in RV tissue of PAH patients was significantly reduced (PAH, 0.16±0.01 arbitrary units versus control, 0.20±0.01 arbitrary units; P<0.05). Conclusions— RV diastolic stiffness is significantly increased in PAH patients, with important contributions from increased collagen and intrinsic stiffening of the RV cardiomyocyte sarcomeres.
A Biological Model for Delayed Recall of Childhood Abuse

Abstract There is currently scientific controversy related to the validity of delayed recall of memories of childhood abuse. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which affects 8% of the general population, is a possible consequence of childhood abuse. Changes in brain structures and systems mediating memory offer a possible explanation for delayed recall of childhood abuse in patients with abuse-related PTSD. Brain areas affected by traumatic stress are involved in memory and the modulation of emotion and include the hippocampus and medial pre-frontal cortex. Stress also results in acute and chronic changes in neu-rochemical systems, including cortisol and norepinephrine, that strengthens or weakens the laying down of memory traces. Patients with PTSD have alterations in a broad range of memory functions, including insertions, deletions and distortions. PTSD patients also show changes in structure and function in brain regions mediating memory, including the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, as well as in brain chemical systems involved in the stress response that influence the laying down and retrieval of memories, including cortisol and norepinephrine. The effects of stress on the brain highlight the importance of considering PTSD in research on memory that is generalized to questions about the delayed recall of childhood abuse.
Enhancing Cultural Competence in Financial Counseling and Planning: Understanding Why Families Make Religious Contributions

Some highly religious individuals contribute a relatively high percent of their income (e.g., 10-15% or more) to their faith communities. This study used a racially and religiously diverse sample and employed qualitative methods to investigate why these individuals give. Five themes emerged from the grounded-theory analysis. Four themes concerned why families gave: a) out of a sense of obedience/duty, b) to express thanksgiving and feel joy, c) because they feel that it is a wise investment, and d) to promote social justice and charity. The final theme that emerged was that they give despite their financial challenges. Based on these findings, this study offers suggestions for how financial counselors and planners might provide culturally competent services to highly religious individuals.
Current status of demonstration and comercialization of HTS cable system in grid in Korea

Over the past decade, LS cable & system Ltd. has developed and demonstrated various classes of HTS cable systems successfully by collaborating with KEPCO, KEPRI and KERI as members of several national projects sponsored by government. As a result of carrying out consecutive projects, AC 22.9 kV 50 MVA class, AC 154 kV 1GVA class HTS cable system has been successfully developed, and, in particular, the former has completed the demonstration in actual grid without any shutdown for over 20 months including 1 year's unmanned operation. Furthermore, DC 80 kV 500 MW class has passed the type test in June 2013 and will be started the demonstration in actual grid in 2014. In addition, AC 22.9 kV 150 MVA class is about to be demonstrated in actual grid until 2014 and the development of AC 154 kV 600 MVA class is in progress from 2013. Abroad market of HTS cable system is actively in progress and under discussion dominantly in Europe and US targeting on medium voltage level, and Domestic market is expected to be launched from 2014 after completing feasibility study to put it into commercial business.
Understanding RealWorld Indoor Scenes with Synthetic Data

Scene understanding is a prerequisite to many high level tasks for any automated intelligent machine operating in real world environments. Recent attempts with supervised learning have shown promise in this direction but also highlighted the need for enormous quantity of supervised data- performance increases in proportion to the amount of data used. However, this quickly becomes prohibitive when considering the manual labour needed to collect such data. In this work, we focus our attention on depth based semantic per-pixel labelling as a scene understanding problem and show the potential of computer graphics to generate virtually unlimited labelled data from synthetic 3D scenes. By carefully synthesizing training data with appropriate noise models we show comparable performance to state-of-the-art RGBD systems on NYUv2 dataset despite using only depth data as input and set a benchmark on depth-based segmentation on SUN RGB-D dataset.
Discovering Highly Informative Feature Set over High Dimensions

For many textual collections, the number of features is often overly large. These features can be very redundant, it is therefore desirable to have a small, succinct, yet highly informative collection of features that describes the key characteristics of a dataset. Information theory is one such tool for us to obtain this feature collection. With this paper, we mainly contribute to the improvement of efficiency for the process of selecting the most informative feature set over high-dimensional unlabeled data. We propose a heuristic theory for informative feature set selection from high dimensional data. Moreover, we design data structures that enable us to compute the entropies of the candidate feature sets efficiently. We also develop a simple pruning strategy that eliminates the hopeless candidates at each forward selection step. We test our method through experiments on real-world data sets, showing that our proposal is very efficient.
Entity-Based Cross-Document Coreferencing Using the Vector Space Model

Cross-document coreference occurs when the same person, place, event, or concept is discussed in more than one text source. Computer recognition of this phenomenon is important because it helps break "the document boundary" by allowing a user to examine information about a particular entity from multiple text sources at the same time. In this paper we describe a cross-document coreference resolution algorithm which uses the Vector Space Model to resolve ambiguities between people having the same name. In addition, we also describe a scoring algorithm for evaluating the cross-document coreference chains produced by our system and we compare our algorithm to the scoring algorithm used in the MUC-6 (within document) coreference task.
HeteroClass : A Framework for Effective Classification from Heterogeneous Databases

Classification is an important data mining task and it has been studied from different perspectives. Recently multi-relational classification algorithms has been studied due to many real-world applications. However, current work has generally assumed that all the needed data to build an accurate prediction model resides in a single database. Many practical settings, however, require that we combine tuples from multiple databases to obtain enough information to build appropriate models for the classification task. Such databases are often autonomous, and heterogeneous in their schemas and data. In this project, we describe HeteroClass, a framework for effective classification from heterogeneous databases. First we show how to combine schema matching and structure discovery techniques to find approximate foreign-key joins across heterogeneous databases. Such joins are critical for producing accurate models that capture the required information that spans across multiple databases and relations. We then develop an ensemble construction algorithm that exploit the joins – discovered automatically across the databases – to enable effective classification across the distributed data, using specialized classifiers on more homogeneous regions. Since in multi-database settings, we have to deal with attribute instability, i.e., data with various characteristics and distributions, our algorithm guarantees that the created ensemble is diverse enough to cope with these challenges. Our extensive experiments over two real-world data sets show that (1) our classification framework outperforms single database and its counterpart multi-database algorithms in terms of accuracy, and (2) our approach manages to produce links across the heterogeneous databases, with no need for human reconciliation of the different databases.
Multi-objective complexity reduction for set-based fault diagnosis

Fault diagnosis methods ensure safe operation of industrial plants. Steadily increasing appearance of larger and interconnected systems and the necessity to take process uncertainties into account drives the need for reliable diagnosis procedures. Set-based frameworks for model-based fault diagnosis allow to handle these challenges, albeit at a high cost of computations. We propose a method to reduce the complexity of polynomial discrete-time models that retain the guarantee of fault detection. The relaxation-based method substitutes uncertain parts of model dynamics which are not relevant to diagnosing the fault. The method is illustrated with a fault detection example for an automatic air conditioning system of a building.
Analysis of carbonic anhydrase in human red Blood cells using capillary electrophoresis/ electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

Capillary electrophoresis/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (CE/ESI-MS) was applied to the analysis of human red blood cells (RBCs) using the split-flow technique for interfacing CE to MS. By using a long (approximately125-cm) and narrow (approximately 15-microm-i.d.) capillary, the four major proteins of the RBC, which are hemoglobin (Hb, alpha- and beta-chains, 900 amol/chain), carbonic anhydrase I (CAI, approximately 7 amol/cell), and carbonic anhydrase II (CAII, approximately 0.8 amol/cell), were separated from each other and detected at low-attomole levels in one run and minimal sample preparation. Under these conditions, the detection limits for CAI and CAII in lysed RBCs were approximately 20 and approximately 44 amol, respectively. The approximately 20-amol detection limit of CAI was confirmed by the CE/ESI-MS analysis of three intact RBCs that had been drawn into the capillary under a microscope. A shorter capillary (approximately 55 cm long) provided faster analysis time but did not separate CAII from the beta-chain of hemoglobin, causing the CAII signal to be masked by the background chemical noise generated by the approximately 1,000 x molar excess of the beta-chain. Under this condition, the CAII detection limit increased to approximately 500 amol. From three methods of sample introduction (injection of lysed blood, injection of intact cells under microscope, and injection of intact cells suspended in saline solution), injection of lysed blood provided the optimum sensitivity. It was found that a background electrolyte (BGE) containing 0.1% acetic acid in water worked best for the analysis of intact cells, while a BGE containing 0.1% acetic acid in water + acetonitrile (50/50 by volume) worked best for the analysis of lysed blood.
Effects of Binders and Additives on Inkjet Coating Pigment Pore Structures

This study considers the evidence for pore volume loss, studied by mercury intrusion porosimetry, of inkjet coating structures when using certain binder types and polymer additives. It is shown that starch is particularly disadvantageous as it not only prevents access, when film formed, to the crucially absorbing pores, but is itself nonabsorbing. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) on the other hand does absorb up to ~30 % of its own weight of water, but if present in pores acts also to limit the absorption rate by reducing it to the interpolymer matrix diffusivity, and reduces the volume according to the loss of pore space by the presence of the PVOH. It is also shown that latex particulate binder can be used to allow continued access to the nanopore region within the porous pigment particles by choosing the right glass transition temperature, Tg, and chemistry of the synthetic polymer. Similarly, the permeability can also be maintained to a large extent when adopting particulate binder. Depending on ink type, pigmented or dye-based, the coating can be dispersed either anionically or cationically for pigmented inks, but the coating must be cationic to enable the development of water fastness when considering anionic ink dyes. This requirement adds another source of pore volume loss, and hence degraded printability, as the added cationic polymer, such as PolyDadmac, used to achieve cationising, itself reduces the available pore volume for absorption by distributing itself on the pigment surfaces and within pores. Linking this pore volume loss to increased feathering and intercolour bleed supports the need to re-consider carefully the use of water soluble polymers and binders, and indicates that coating formulation optimisation for the future, when using cost-effective porous pigments in inkjet coatings, points to the minimising of charge conversion requirements and the development of improved particulate binders.
Characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific for Brucella smooth lipopolysaccharide and development of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to improve the serological diagnosis of brucellosis

The reactivity of monoclonal antibody (MAb) 12G12 was analyzed in regard to the main biovars of Brucella species and some members of the families Enterobacteriaceae and Vibrionaceae which present serological cross-reactions with the smooth lipopolysaccharide (S-LPS) of Brucella species. This MAb was strictly directed against the common specific epitope of the Brucella S-LPS. It recognized all of the smooth Brucella strains and biovars except B. suis biovar 2. In order to improve the specificity of the serological diagnosis of brucellosis, a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was developed with the horseradish peroxidase-conjugated MAbs 12G12 and S-LPS of B. melitensis Rev1. The specificity of the cELISA was analyzed with 936 serum samples from healthy cattle. The assay was evaluated with sera from heifers (n = 18) experimentally infected with B. abortus 544. After infection, the performance of the cELISA was in agreement with those of the complement fixation test and the rose Bengal plate test. Finally, the specificity of the assay was also evaluated in regard to false-positive serological reactions by using sera from heifers experimentally infected with Yersinia enterocolitica 0:9 (n = 4) and with field sera presenting false-positive reactions (n = 74). The specificity of the cELISA was greater than the specificities of the complement fixation test and the rose Bengal plate test. Indeed, the new assay detected only 31 of the 101 false-positive serum samples detected by at least one serological test.
A model of shared dasd and multipathing

This paper presents a model of an I/O subsystem in which devices can be accessed from multiple CPUs and/or via alternative channel and control unit paths. The model estimates access response times, given access rates for all CPU-device combinations. The systems treated are those having the IBM System/370 architecture, with each path consisting of a CPU, channel, control unit, head of string, and device with rotational position sensing. The path selected for an access at seek initiation time remains in effect for the entire channel program. The computation proceeds in three stages: First, the feasibility of the prescribed access rates is determined by solving a linear programming problem. Second, the splitting of access rates among the available paths is determined so as to satisfy the following principle: The probability of selecting a given path is proportional to the probability that the path is free. This condition leads to a set of nonlinear equations, which can be solved by means of the Newton-Raphson method. Third, the RPS hit probability, i.e. the probability that the path is free when the device is ready to transmit, is computed in the following manner: From the point of view of the selected path, the system may be viewed as being in one of 25 possible states. There are twelve different subsets of states whose aggregate probabilities can be computed from the (by now) known flow rates over the various paths. The maximum entropy principle is used to calculate the unknown state probabilities, with the known aggregate probabilities acting as constraints. The required RPS hit probability can be computed easily once the state probabilities have been determined. Explicit formulas are given for all these quantities. Empirically derived formulas are used to compute the RPS miss probability on subsequent revolutions, given the probability on the first revolution. The model is validated against a simulator, showing excellent agreement for systems with path utilizations up to 50 percent. The model is also validated against measurements from a real three-CPU system with 31 shared devices. In this validation, the I/O subsystem model acts as a common submodel to three copies of a system model, one for each CPU. Estimated end-user transaction response times show excellent agreement with the live measurements.
Does Spiritual Awareness Foster Managerial Values? - A Quizzical Survey Conducted on a Group of MBA Final Year Students in Botswana

In this paper the authors review various modern theories of Leadership and Management and observe that there are diverse views in Leadership theories while Management theory broadly remaining the same. All these theories are secular in their character, originating mostly in the west where material dimension is predominant. The Role of Spiritual connectedness and Consciousness in Leadership and Management is not to be found in these theories, though some ethical elements such as transparency, fairness and Corporate Social Responsibility find place in these theories. While accepting the fact that material dimension is important for material progress of humanity, the authors express the view that spiritual dimension is not to be ignored. Spiritual awareness and conscious practice of spirituality promotes and fosters values in all human beings in general and in particular, a valuable asset for Leaders and Managers. To verify this view, a Two-Quiz survey was designed and conducted on a group of 48 MBA final year students in the Faculty of Business, University of Botswana. The first quiz was to assess the spiritual awareness and the second Quiz was to assess Values in management. The numerical scores of spiritual awareness and Management values were analysed on a scatter plot with spiritual awareness as base, which indicated that the group as a whole showed a tendency of positive coefficient of correlation between these two variables. The results support the view of the authors who recommend that Spiritual Foundation with conscious spiritual practices is a factor to be considered in leadership and management training and development. A universal theory of leadership with spiritual foundation is presented in the concluding part of the paper.
A Bayesian LOD Score for Linkage Analysis of Complex Diseases

Motivation: The emphasis of genetic linkage analysis is rapidly shifting from the task of locating genes responsible for mendelian diseases, for which one major gene causes the disease, to identifying a collection of genes and their interactions which govern what is termed complex diseases. Results: We propose a Bayesian averaging approach based on a known method called MMLS-C. The difference is in the way the likelihood of data, given a specific position of a disease gene, is computed. Given a certain inheritance model, either recessive or dominant, the likelihood of data is computed by averaging the likelihood of data given this model over all penetrance values, using a flat prior. We have implemented this approach, called Maximizing Bayesian LOD score (MBLOD), within SUPERLINK (Fishelson and Geiger, 2002), and demonstrated via simulations its advantages. Availability: The program SUPERLINK is available at bioinfo.cs.technion.ac.il/superlink/temp/V1.4. htm l Contact: {fmaayan,rusakov,dang}@cs.technion.ac.il
The making of an intercultural learning context for entrepreneuring

Departing from the standpoint that internationalisation needs to become a more explicit part of assessing the quality of academic activity (i.e., education, research, and (business) community interaction), we elaborate upon how the intercultural composition of a student cohort could be leveraged as a road to the advancement of entrepreneurship education at the graduate level. We argue that the very heterogeneity of the students with respect to their socio-cultural background and personal experiences offers a rich potential for mutual social learning that reinforces formal education activities. Creating awareness of this collective resource opens up for self-organising processes among the students as they craft an entrepreneurial identity which guides them in their learning throughout the master programme.