Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Business information analysis and integration technique (BIAIT): the new horizon

One of the deep-seated problems plaguing the computing profession is poor communication between top executives and dat a processing managers about effective use of new information tech nologies . Some research in IBM over the past several years has focused on this problem . This paper and its companion by Davi d Kerner present an overview of this research . The papers are bein g published at this stage to solicit suggestions on directions whic h further studies and experiments might take . I have not conducted any of the research and developmen t personally . I have, however, helped guide the effort, and the results to date respond to a goal that I set nearly 25 years ago when I first became responsible for DuPont's computer activity . The goal was to establish a "business calculus" which coul d describe and analyze information-handling processes and whic h could integrate solutions with the same rigor and discipline that a traditional "calculus " deals with mathematical, engineering or scientific processes . We tested a wide range of approaches in th e late '50s, but none yielded useful results . Now, however, the work being described has those sought after virtues of simplicity, rigor, disciplined reproducibility and universal applicability . It may not be the final solution, but it come s closest by far to meeting the goal set and pursued for more tha n two decades . For nearly three decades, computer professionals have bee n trying to create methodologies which express business information processes in terms that are easily understood by busines s executives . To date, the efforts have had marginal success, a t best . Some recent research has pointed the way to a new horizon i n the search for a generalized solution . In fact, the new horizon may
Dual Ethnicity and Depressive Symptoms: Implications of Being Black and Latino in the United States

This study investigated the expression of depressive symptoms in adolescents who are of Afro-Latino descent. Levels of expression of depressive symptoms were compared for four groups of adolescents in Grades 7 through 12 residing in the United States: European Americans, African Americans, Latinos, and Afro-Latinos. One hypothesis is that Afro-Latinos should exhibit higher levels of depressive symptoms than either African Americans or Latinos by virtue of being double minorities. An alternative hypothesis is that Afro-Latino youth will show lower levels of depressive symptomology because of their access to a broader repertoire of cultural resources when faced with stress and depression-inducing events. Results indicated that Afro-Latino females tended to exhibit higher levels of depressive symptoms than those of the other ethnic groups. Across all ethnic groups, adolescent females tended to show higher levels of depressive symptoms than adolescent males and older adolescents tended to show higher levels of depression than younger adolescents.
Incremental composition of static decoding graphs

A fast, scalable and memory-efficient method for static decoding graph construction is presented. As an alternative to the traditional transducer-based approach, it is based on incremental composition. Memory efficiency is achieved by combining composition, determinization and minimization into a single step, thus eliminating large intermediate graphs. We have previously reported the use of incremental composition limited to grammars and left cross-word context [1]. Here, this approach is extended to n-gram models with explicit arcs and right cross-word context.
The VUB Blizzard Challenge 2010 Entry: Towards Automatic Voice Building

Abstract In this paper we describe the voices we submitted to the 2010 Blizzard Challenge, a yearly challenge to evaluate auditory speech synthesis on common data. One of the goals of a data-driven synthesizer, such as ours, is to generalize the speech database in such a way that it allows a realistic rendition of unseen input text. The two main changes to our system, compared to previous submissions, are the inclusion of an HMM-based acoustic prosody model, and the automatic training of context-dependent target cost weights. These weights are estimated for each individual target during synthesis, and depend on the linguistic features of these targets which encompass their broader linguistic context. Another new aspect of our synthesizer is the ability to synthesize Mandarin Chinese speech. Its evaluation helps us assess the quality of our synthesizer for languages unfamiliar to the voice developers. Evaluation results and possible improvements to our synthesizer are also discussed.
Pigeon Control by Chemosterilization: Population Model from Laboratory Results

Reproductivity of pigeons is inhibited with mestranol incorporated in a synthetic grit; continual erosion releases daily doses. Young squabs may be permanently sterilized when fed crop milk by treated birds. A theoretical model of pigeon population dynamics using laboratory-obtained data shows the advantages of chemosterilization over killing as a means of pigeon control.
Decoding Partner Type in Human-Agent Negotiation using functional MRI

People interact differently with humans than they do with computers, but there is minimal research on what brings about these differences. Using agents labeled as either “another participant” or a “computer program”, we investigated the differences in people’s behavior and brain activity during the course of a negotiation paradigm. Our results indicate that people perceive human-labeled agents more human-like than computerlabeled agents, and the level of concession in the negotiations is dependent on agent type. We have also found that these differences can be captured in brain activation by showing that parts of the Theory of Mind neural correlates are activated in human-labeled agent conditions, but not in computer-labeled agent conditions. We further demonstrate that brain activity can predict whether the negotiation agent was introduced as a competing human player or a computer program. Overall, our study suggests that labeling an interaction partner as either another human or a computer program leads to significant impacts on one’s decision making.
Support Groups for People Who Have Experienced Psychosis

Support groups are not usually provided for people who have experienced psychosis. Ten clients who had been admitted to hospital following a psychotic episode were invited to take part in a support group session each week for 10 weeks. This study aimed to examine the participants' experience of this type of intervention by using observation and interview. Qualitative research techniques were used and the information was gathered by in-depth interviews with clients and by the writing of fieldwork notes about the group and the post-group peer supervision. The transcribed interviews and fieldwork notes were subjected to content analysis where emerging themes were identified and the findings were confirmed by respondent validation. The findings suggested that this type of therapy enabled the members of the group to offer support to each other and to help with reality testing. They were able to mitigate, to some extent, the damaging effect of being diagnosed ‘psychotic’ by validating the experience in a personal sense. The group members shared coping strategies and, in some cases, were able to shift away from using non-coping strategies. They were therefore able to take a more active part in their own treatment. The occupational therapists found the experience to be positive in terms of their own professional development: it improved their listening skills and encouraged their use of reflection to evaluate their own contribution. They also felt that the availability to them of immediate post-group peer supervision was beneficial. This support seemed to be reflected back into the group experience for the clients. This type of support group was found to be appropriate where clients had been admitted to hospital and were preparing for discharge.
Neural substrates of object identification: Functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence that category and visual attribute contribute to semantic knowledge

Abstract Recent findings suggest that neural representations of semantic knowledge contain information about category, modality, and attributes. Although an object’s category is defined according to shared attributes that uniquely distinguish it from other category members, a clear dissociation between visual attribute and category representation has not yet been reported. We investigated the contribution of category (living and nonliving) and visual attribute (global form and local details) to semantic representation in the fusiform gyrus. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 40 adults named pictures of animals, tools, and vehicles. In a preliminary study, identification of objects in these categories was differentially dependent on global versus local visual feature processing. fMRI findings indicate that activation in the lateral and medial regions of the fusiform gyrus distinguished stimuli according to category, that is, living versus nonliving, respectively. In contrast, visual attributes of global form (animals) were associated with higher activity in the right fusiform gyrus, while local details (tools) were associated with higher activity in the left fusiform gyrus. When both global and local attributes were relevant to processing (vehicles), cortex in both left and right medial fusiform gyri was more active than for other categories. Taken together, results support distinctions in the role of visual attributes and category in semantic representation. (JINS, 2009, 15, 169–181.)
Psychometric Properties of Four 5-Point Likert Type Response Scales

One hundred and twenty eight subjects responded to one of four differently labeled 5-point Likert-type response scales. Although no significant differences in test means and in reliability estimates were found among response scales, the scales did differ on measures of variability. Subjects using scales with more nearly absolute endpoints tended to concentrate their responses on the middle scale steps; those responding to scales with less nearly absolute endpoints tended to use the scale steps in a more balanced manner. Greater item variance was associated with scales having less rather than more nearly absolute endpoints.
Automated prostate cancer diagnosis and Gleason grading of tissue microarrays

We present the results on the development of an automated system for prostate cancer diagnosis and Gleason grading. Images of representative areas of the original Hematoxylin-and-Eosin (H&E)-stained tissue retrieved from each patient, either from a tissue microarray (TMA) core or whole section, were captured and analyzed. The image sets consisted of 367 and 268 color images for the diagnosis and Gleason grading problems, respectively. In diagnosis, the goal is to classify a tissue image into tumor versus non-tumor classes. In Gleason grading, which characterizes tumor aggressiveness, the objective is to classify a tissue image as being from either a low- or high-grade tumor. Several feature sets were computed from the image. The feature sets considered were: (i) color channel histograms, (ii) fractal dimension features, (iii) fractal code features, (iv) wavelet features, and (v) color, shape and texture features computed using Aureon Biosciences' MAGIC system. The linear and quadratic Gaussian classifiers together with a greedy search feature selection algorithm were used. For cancer diagnosis, a classification accuracy of 94.5% was obtained on an independent test set. For Gleason grading, the achieved accuracy of classification into low- and high-grade classes of an independent test set was 77.6%.
Sparse Coding and Autoencoders

In this work we study the landscape of squared loss of an Autoencoder when the data generative model is that of “Sparse Coding”/“Dictionary Learning”. The neural net considered is an $\mathbb{R}^{n}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{n}$ mapping and has a single ReLU activation layer of size $h > n$. The net has access to vectors $y\in \mathbb{R}^{n}$ obtained as $y=A^{\ast}x^{\ast}$ where $x^{\ast}\in \mathbb{R}^{h}$ are sparse high dimensional vectors and $A^{\ast}\in \mathbb{R}^{n\times h}$ is an overcomplete incoherent matrix. Under very mild distributional assumptions on $x^{\ast}$, we prove that the norm of the expected gradient of the squared loss function is asymptotically (in sparse code dimension) negligible for all points in a small neighborhood of $A^{\ast}$. This is supported with experimental evidence using synthetic data. We conduct experiments to suggest that $A^{\ast}$ sits at the bottom of a well in the landscape and we also give experiments showing that gradient descent on this loss function gets columnwise very close to the original dictionary even with far enough initialization. Along the way we prove that a layer of ReLU gates can be set up to automatically recover the support of the sparse codes. Since this property holds independent of the loss function we believe that it could be of independent interest. A full version of this paper is accessible at: https://arxiv.org/abs/1708.03735
Further Insight into the Depth-Dependent Microstructural Response of Cartilage to Compression Using a Channel Indentation Technique

Stress relaxation and structural analysis were used to investigate the zonally differentiated microstructural response to compression of the integrated cartilage-on-bone tissue system. Fifteen cartilage-on-bone samples were divided into three equal groups and their stress relaxation responses obtained at three different levels of axial compressive strain defined as low (~20%), medium (~40%) and high (~60%). All tests were performed using a channel indenter which included a central relief space designed to capture the response of the matrix adjacent to the directly loaded regions. On completion of each stress relaxation test and while maintaining the imposed axial strain, the samples were formalin fixed, decalcified, and then sectioned for microstructural analysis. Chondron aspect ratios were used to determine the extent of relative strain at different zonal depths. The stress relaxation response of cartilage to all three defined levels of axial strain displayed an initial highly viscous response followed by a significant elastic response. Chondron aspect ratio measurements showed that at the lowest level of compression, axial deformation was confined to the superficial cartilage layer, while in the medium and high axial strain samples the deformation extended into the midzone. The cells in the deep zone remained undeformed for all compression levels.
Genotoxic and oxidative stress potential of nanosized and bulk zinc oxide particles in Drosophila melanogaster

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONP) are manufactured on a large scale and can be found in a variety of consumer products, such as sunscreens, lotions, paints and food additives. Few studies have been carried out on its genotoxic potential and related mechanisms in whole organisms. In the present study, the in vivo genotoxic activity of ZnONP and its bulk form was assayed using the wing-spot test and comet assay in Drosophila melanogaster. Additionally, a lipid peroxidation analysis using the thiobarbituric acid assay was also performed. Results obtained with the wing-spot test showed a lack of genotoxic activity of both ZnO forms. However, when both particle sizes were tested in the comet assay using larvae haemocytes, a significant increase in DNA damage was observed for ZnONP treatments but only at the higher dose applied. In addition, the lipid peroxidation assay showed significant malondialdehyde (MDA) induction for both ZnO forms, but the induction of MDA for ZnONP was higher for the ZnO bulk, suggesting that the observed DNA strand breaks could be induced by mediated oxidative stress. The overall data suggest that the potential genotoxicity of ZnONP in Drosophila can be considered weak according to the lack of mutagenic and recombinogenic effects and the induction of primary DNA damage only at high toxic doses of ZnONP. This study is the first assessing the genotoxic and oxidative stress potential of nano and bulk ZnO particles in Drosophila.
Amolecular mechanism that links Hippo signalling to the inhibition of Wnt / b-catenin signalling

The Hippo signalling pathway has emerged as a key regulator of organ size, tissue homeostasis, and patterning. Recent studies have shown that two effectors in this pathway, YAP/TAZ, modulate Wnt/b-catenin signalling through their interaction with b-catenin or Dishevelled, depending on biological contexts. Here, we identify a novel mechanism through which Hippo signalling inhibits Wnt/b-catenin signalling. We show that YAP and TAZ, the transcriptional co-activators in the Hippo pathway, suppress Wnt signalling without suppressing the stability of b-catenin but through preventing its nuclear translocation. Our results show that YAP/TAZ binds to b-catenin, thereby suppressing Wnt-target gene expression, and that the Hippo pathway-stimulated phosphorylation of YAP, which induces cytoplasmic translocation of YAP, is required for the YAP-mediated inhibition of Wnt/b-catenin signalling. We also find that downregulation of Hippo signalling correlates with upregulation of b-catenin signalling in colorectal cancers. Remarkably, our analysis demonstrates that phosphorylated YAP suppresses nuclear translocation of b-catenin by directly binding to it in the cytoplasm. These results provide a novel mechanism, in which Hippo signalling antagonizes Wnt signalling by regulating nuclear translocation of b-catenin. The EMBO Journal (2012) 31, 1109–1122. doi:10.1038/ emboj.2011. 487; Published online 10 January 2012 Subject Categories: signal transduction; development
A Novel Approach for Reconstructing Super Resolution Video from Low Resolution Video

Super-resolution is the process of recovering a high-resolution image from multiple low-resolution images of the same scene. Also refers to techniques for overcoming the sampling limits and blurring effect of the digital image. This paper presents a spatiotemporal kernel regression technique for video super resolution, which is computationally efficient and simple in implementation. The objective of image restoration is to restore the visual information of a degraded image. It has wide applications in photographic deblurring, remote sensing, medical imaging, etc. Some web cam captures low resolution images due to low cost sensors or limitation of the hardware. So, the proposed resolution enhancement technique could be used as an inexpensive software alternative. The performance of the proposed algorithm is better when compared to other techniques.
The Work and Family Researchers Network: an organizational and intellectual agenda

This essay outlines the organizational form and programmatic goals of the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN). This international membership organization aspires to bring together researchers and scholars from a range of academic disciplines as well as policy makers and practitioners. A brief sketch of the structure of the WFRN emphasizes its marriage of virtual and face-to-face communities. A sketch of the intellectual domain of work and family research maps this field with respect to basic social science and applied concerns. I suggest that the preoccupations of this field of inquiry are not marginal but rather occupy intellectually central space in several disciplines. Moreover, the policy questions of interest to work and family researchers are numerous and noteworthy, as they pertain to different stages of the life course and individuals facing a wide array of work and family interactions. Work and family research is interdisciplinary, based on the extensive cross-disciplinary citation patterns that are already well established in this area. WFRN can nonetheless play a role in facilitating communication and fostering collaborations. The essay ends with a brief note about opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
Vascular KCNQ Potassium Channels as Novel Targets for the Control of Mesenteric Artery Constriction by Vasopressin, Based on Studies in Single Cells, Pressurized Arteries, and in Vivo Measurements of Mesenteric Vascular Resistance

Pressor effects of the vasoconstrictor hormone arginine vasopressin (AVP), observed when systemic AVP concentrations are less than 100 pM, are important for the physiological maintenance of blood pressure, and they are also the basis for therapeutic use of vasopressin to restore blood pressure in hypotensive patients. However, the mechanisms by which circulating AVP induces arterial constriction are unclear. We examined the novel hypothesis that KCNQ potassium channels mediate the physiological vasoconstrictor actions of AVP. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction revealed expression of KCNQ1, KCNQ4, and KCNQ5 in rat mesenteric artery smooth muscle cells (MASMCs). Whole-cell perforated patch recordings of voltage-sensitive K+ (Kv) currents in freshly isolated MASMCs revealed 1,3-dihydro-1-phenyl-3,3-bis(4-pyridinylmethyl)-2H-indol-2-one (linopirdine)- and 10,10-bis(4-pyridinylmethyl)-9(10H)-anthracenone (XE-991)-sensitive KCNQ currents that were electrophysiologically and pharmacologically distinct from other Kv currents. Suppression of KCNQ currents by AVP (100 pM) was associated with significant membrane depolarization, and it was abolished by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor calphostin C (250 nM). The KCNQ channel blocker linopirdine (10 μM) inhibited KCNQ currents in MASMCs, and it induced constriction of isolated rat mesenteric arteries. The vasoconstrictor responses were not additive when combined with 30 pM AVP, and they were prevented by the L-type Ca2+ channel blocker verapamil. Ethyl-N-[2-amino-6-(4-fluorophenylmethylamino)pyridin-3-yl] carbamic acid (flupirtine) significantly enhanced KCNQ currents, and it reversed constrictor responses to 30 pM AVP. In vivo, i.v. administration of linopirdine induced a dose-dependent increase in mesenteric artery resistance and blood pressure, whereas flupirtine had the opposite effects. We conclude that physiological concentrations of AVP induce mesenteric artery constriction via PKC-dependent suppression of KCNQ currents and L-type Ca2+ channel activation in MASMCs.
Engagement@web 2.0 between the government and citizens in Singapore: dialogic communication on Facebook?

Responding to the rapid adoption of new technologies, political parties, both incumbent parties and minor ones, have been quick to leverage web 2.0 technologies for party communication and mobilization. A coterie of work addressed how social media such as Facebook are used as political tools for the promotion of candidate and party campaign platforms. However, a present bias is observed as current literature focus on western democracies. To bridge the gap, this study examines the gradual, yet significant, evolution in technology deployment by the ruling elite in Singapore. This paper traces the developments in e-engagement to bridge the affective gap between the ruling elite and an increasingly IT-savvy population, one which has demonstrated its astuteness in using new media to articulate its disenchantment. Developments in the last five years indicate that the government's earlier endeavor to centralize and streamline its political engagement via a single portal, REACH, is insufficient to say the least. Between the general election in 2006 and the watershed election in May 2011, the repertoire of media tools deployed by the political elite has broadened, with the inclusion of personal blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. In this paper, we apply Kent and Taylor's public relations dialogic communication framework to examine how Facebook fosters greater mutuality, propinquity, and empathy between the government and the electorate. However, problems arising from new technologies themselves inadvertently create risks and challenge the government's ability to commit to dialogic communication.