Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toward the design of a methodology to predict relevance through multiple sources of evidence

Textual queries, often short and ambiguous, can be insufficient when describing complex user information needs. Since users are reluctant or unable to provide long or precise descriptions, a possible solution to the low Information Retrieval (IR) system relevance prediction capability is to exploit diverse sources of evidence which are available during the search process. One of the open problems of the combination of diverse sources of evidence is the need of a uniform formalism which seamlessly describes the sources and the document ranking function within a single model. To this end, this paper discusses an IR view which explicitly considers other sources in addition to the information need and the document, and proposes a methodology to exploit them to support feedback. The IR view is described using the Entity-Relationship (ER) model which allows us to view the sources as properties of entities -- e.g. of the entity information need, document, or user -- or of their relationships.
Leveraging Methodological Pluralism in interpretive IS research: The example of ERP as a complex phenomenon

Over the years, interpretivism has been gradually gaining ground in Information Systems (IS) research. At the heart of this interpretivist movement is a belief in theoretical and methodological pluralism. In this study, we argue the need for a better leverage of methodological pluralism in interpretive IS research. Specifically, we note that greater research insights may be obtained by considering the complementarity of various strategies of inquiry (such as ethnography, grounded theory, case study and action research) with respect to a specific IS phenomenon. Indeed, we suggest that when complementary strategies of inquiry are purposefully employed in a portfolio of separate studies over time, they may collectively help to shed new light on complex IS phenomena. A good example of such phenomena is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). While ERP implementations in the industry reached their peak in the late 1990s, research in this area is still in a stage of infancy. In this study, we use this ERP phenomenon and the symbolic interactionism theoretical perspective to demonstrate the complementarity of three strategies of inquiry: the “descriptive strengths” of ethnography, the “analytical edge” of grounded theory and the “practical contribution” of participatory action research Individually, each strategy of inquiry boasts a unique platform from which a certain complex IS phenomenon (such as ERP implementations) can be investigated; when purposefully employed in different studies over time, they may help to collectively and synergistically shed new light on the phenomenon in question. By highlighting the possible leverage of methodological pluralism in such a complementary manner, this study may thus have valuable implications for interpretive IS research.
Evaluating collaborative filtering over time

Recommender systems have become essential tools for users to navigate the plethora of content in the online world. Collaborative filtering—a broad term referring to the use of a variety, or combination, of machine learning algorithms operating on user ratings—lies at the heart of recommender systems’ success. These algorithms have been traditionally studied from the point of view of how well they can predict users’ ratings and how precisely they rank content; state of the art approaches are continuously improved in these respects. However, a rift has grown between how filtering algorithms are investigated and how they will operate when deployed in real systems. Deployed systems will continuously be queried for personalised recommendations; in practice, this implies that system administrators will iteratively retrain their algorithms in order to include the latest ratings. Collaborative filtering research does not take this into account: algorithms are improved and compared to each other from a static viewpoint, while they will be ultimately deployed in a dynamic setting. Given this scenario, two new problems emerge: current filtering algorithms are neither (a) designed nor (b) evaluated as algorithms that must account for time. This thesis addresses the divergence between research and practice by examining how collaborative filtering algorithms behave over time. Our contributions include: 1. A fine grained analysis of temporal changes in rating data and user/item similarity graphs that clearly demonstrates how recommender system data is dynamic and constantly changing. 2. A novel methodology and time-based metrics for evaluating collaborative filtering over time, both in terms of accuracy and the diversity of top-N recommendations. 3. A set of hybrid algorithms that improve collaborative filtering in a range of different scenarios. These include temporal-switching algorithms that aim to promote either accuracy or diversity; parameter update methods to improve temporal accuracy; and re-ranking a subset of users’ recommendations in order to increase diversity. 4. A set of temporal monitors that secure collaborative filtering from a wide range of different temporal attacks by flagging anomalous rating patterns. We have implemented and extensively evaluated the above using large-scale sets of user ratings; we further discuss how this novel methodology provides insight into dimensions of recommender systems that were previously unexplored. We conclude that investigating collaborative filtering from a temporal perspective is not only more suitable to the context in which recommender systems are deployed, but also opens a number of future research opportunities.
MR-DTI and PET multimodal imaging of dopamine release within subdivisions of basal ganglia

The basal ganglia is a group of anatomical nuclei, functionally organised into limbic, associative and sensorimotor regions, which plays a central role in dopamine related neurological and psychiatric disorders. In this study, we combine two imaging modalities to enable the measurement of dopamine release in functionally related subdivisions of the basal ganglia. [11C]−(+)-PHNO Positron Emission Tomography (PET) measurements in the living human brain pre- and post-administration of amphetamine allow for the estimation of regional dopamine release. Combined Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (MR-DTI) data allows for the definition of functional territories of the basal ganglia from connectivity information. The results suggest that there is a difference in dopamine release among the connectivity derived functional subdivisions. Dopamine release is highest in the limbic area followed by the sensorimotor and then the associative area with this pattern reflected in both striatum and pallidum.
Hyperbolicity Measures "Democracy" in Real-World Networks

In this work, we analyze the hyperbolicity of real-world networks, a geometric quantity that measures if a space is negatively curved. We provide two improvements in our understanding of this quantity: first of all, in our interpretation, a hyperbolic network is "aristocratic", since few elements "connect" the system, while a non-hyperbolic network has a more "democratic" structure with a larger number of crucial elements. The second contribution is the introduction of the average hyperbolicity of the neighbors of a given node. Through this definition, we outline an "influence area" for the vertices in the graph. We show that in real networks the influence area of the highest degree vertex is small in what we define "local" networks (i.e., social or peer-to-peer networks), and large in "global" networks (i.e., power grid, metabolic networks, or autonomous system networks).
Spatial Congruity Effects Reveal Metaphorical Thinking, not Polarity Correspondence

Spatial congruity effects have often been interpreted as evidence for metaphorical thinking, but an alternative account based on polarity correspondence (a.k.a. markedness) has challenged this view. Here we compared metaphor- and polarity-correspondence-based explanations for spatial congruity effects, using musical pitch as a testbed. In one experiment, English speakers classified high- and low-frequency pitches as “high” and “low,” or as “front” and “back,” to determine whether space-pitch congruity effects could be elicited by any marked spatial continuum. Although both pairs of terms describe bipolar spatial continuums, we found congruity effects only for high/low judgments, indicating that markedness is not sufficient to produce space-pitch congruity effects. A second experiment confirmed that there were no space-pitch congruity effects for another pair of terms that have clear markedness (big/small), but which do not denote spatial height. By contrast, this experiment showed congruity effects for words that cued an appropriate vertical spatial schema (tall/short), even though these words are not used conventionally in English to describe pitches, ruling out explanations for the observed pattern of results based on verbal polysemy. Together, results suggest that space-pitch congruity effects reveal metaphorical uses of spatial schemas, not polarity correspondence effects.
Analysis of One Stroke Survivor's Transition into Vocational Experiences

Background and Aims: Return to work presents a unique transition for the person with mild stroke who is often unsupported and does not anticipate difficulties from hidden impairments. The aim of this study was to explore the return to work experience from the perspective of one person with mild stroke. Methods: An inductive thematic analysis was undertaken with a narrative of e-mail correspondence from a person with mild stroke. The analysis follows the participant from three to six years after stroke during a process of upskilling and training for return to work. Results: The female participant was 32 years old at the time of stroke and returned to tertiary studies after experiencing difficulties with initial return to work. Four themes emerged from the analysis of the narrative: I don't know which identity to choose, My anxieties and reactions, I need support and structure, and I am exhausted. Discussion: The results demonstrate the impact of hidden impairments on the struggle to reconcile a past with present identity. The process of reconciliation was ongoing and dependent on work-based experiences that enhanced understanding of strengths and limitations, and required adaptations. The impact of fatigue on performance in work and non-work time was highlighted.
Insights From Breast Cancer Survivors

This study explored the processes by which a group of breast cancer survivors experienced positive learning and growth from their cancer experiences. The author argues that such learning and growth can be considered transformative learning, especially from ontological perspectives of the theory. The participants’ change process consisted of different types of experiences that can be classified as Crisis, Coping, and Engagement. These types of experiences illustrate a process of adaptation to a new context. The findings suggests that the specific context in which transformative learning occurs has a profound effect on the epistemology used to negotiate that learning and growth, and in turn shapes and informs the types of change that occur.
Ungraded Primary Reading Program: An Objective Evaluation

More and more elementary schools are replacing their first three grades with so-called ungraded primaries. In these units, groups of children who show about equal readiness for learning are allowed to progress through the primary work at rates appropriate to their ability. In the ungraded primaries, learning is so paced that the child may experience success at every step of the way. Slow learners are not pushed into learning to read before they are ready, a practice sometimes followed in the hope that the children will be able to "pass" into second grade at the end of one year. Gifted children spend as little time as possible on the extremely simple reading matter at the preprimer and primer levels and can be given a good deal of enrichment material. In short, the aim of the ungraded primary is to insure that provisions are made to meet individual differences.
Astrocytes Are More Resistant Than Neurons to the Cytotoxic Effects of Increased [Zn2+]i


Increased intracellular free Zn(2+) ([Zn(2+)](i)) is toxic to neurons. Glia are more resistant to Zn(2+)-mediated toxicity; however, it is not known if this is because glia are less permeable to Zn(2+) or if glia possess intrinsic mechanisms that serve to buffer or extrude excess [Zn(2+)](i). We used the Zn(2+)-selective ionophore pyrithione to directly increase [Zn(2+)](i) in both neurons and astrocytes. In neurons, a 5-min exposure to 1 microM extracellular Zn(2+) in combination with pyrithione produced widespread toxicity, whereas extensive astrocyte injury was not observed until extracellular Zn(2+) was increased to 10 microM. Measurements with magfura-2 demonstrated that pyrithione increased [Zn(2+)](i) to similar levels in both cell types. We also measured how increased [Zn(2+)](i) affects mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsi(m)). In astrocytes, but not in neurons, toxic [Zn(2+)](i) resulted in an acute loss of Deltapsi(m), suggesting that mitochondrial dysregulation may be an early event in [Zn(2+)](i)-induced astrocyte but not neuronal death.
In vitro Drug Sensitivity Predicts Response and Survival after Individualized Sensitivity-Directed Chemotherapy in Metastatic Melanoma: A Multicenter Phase II Trial of the Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group

Purpose:In vitro sensitivity assays are promising tools to predict the individual outcome of different chemotherapy regimens. However, a direct association between in vitro and in vivo chemosensitivity has to be shown by clinical studies. This multicenter phase II trial was aimed to investigate the efficacy of a sensitivity-directed, first-line chemotherapy in metastasized melanoma patients, and to prove an association between in vitro sensitivity and therapy outcome. Patients and Methods: The primary study end point was objective response; secondary end points were safety, overall survival, and progression-free survival. Viable tumor cells obtained from metastatic lesions were tested for chemosensitivity to seven single drugs and five drug combinations using an ATP-based luminescence viability assay. Results: Out of 82 recruited patients (intention-to-treat), 57 received assay-directed chemotherapy and 53 were evaluable for all study end points (per protocol). The drug combinations used were gemcitabine + treosulfan, paclitaxel + cisplatin, paclitaxel + doxorubicin, and gemcitabine + cisplatin. The per protocol population could be divided into 22 (42%) chemosensitive and 31 (58%) chemoresistant patients by an arbitrary chemosensitivity index. Objective response was 36.4% in chemosensitive patients compared with 16.1% in chemoresistant patients (P = 0.114); progression arrest (complete response + partial response + stable disease) was 59.1% versus 22.6% (P = 0.01). Chemosensitive patients showed an increased overall survival of 14.6 months compared with 7.4 months in chemoresistant patients (P = 0.041). Conclusion:In vitro chemosensitivity testing may be worthy of further exploration to see if it could be a useful tool to predict the outcome of melanoma patients treated with a sensitivity-directed chemotherapy. Therefore, these preliminary results will be evaluated by a planned phase III trial using a randomized, standard-regimen controlled setting.
Lung toxicity in mice of airborne particulate matter from a modern layer hen facility containing Proposition 2-compliant animal caging

Proposition 2, which requires that egg-laying hens be confined only in ways that allow these animals to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely, was passed by the voters of California in 2008. These new housing requirements were introduced in the USA and European Union without considering the potential impact of changes in layer hen housing on the health of poultry workers in the new facilities. Particles were collected from ambient air inside a large layer hen complex featuring separate barns with conventional battery caging, enriched caging, or ‘free range’ (aviary) housing during winter, spring, and summer seasons over one year. Toxicity of the particles was evaluated by analysis of inflammatory cell influx into lung lavage fluid after intratracheal instillation into mice. Capacity of the particles to elicit oxidative stress was evaluated using a macrophage cell line engineered with a reporter gene sensitive to nuclear factor κB activation. We observed similar pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant effects of the particles collected from different types of barns and over different seasons, suggesting that standard industrial hygiene techniques for evaluating respirable particles in ambient air can adequately monitor worker risk. Based on particle concentrations found in ambient air in the barns, we can rank the facilities for worker exposure to particles as conventional caging (now banned) approximately equal to enriched caging (permitted under Proposition 2). Aviary housing is associated with increased exposure of workers to particulate matter and, therefore, to greater risk of allergic reactions and/or decreased respiratory function.
Comment on “Towards Rigor in Reviews of Multivocal Literatures: Applying the Exploratory Case Study Method”

Rodney Ogawa and Betty Malen (1991) have presented a framework for reviewing literature from diverse sources around a common topic, arguing that such reviews should be treated as exploratory case studies and that there are well-specified standards of inquiry that apply to such studies. I find their article quite useful, in both methodological and conceptual terms, and I have few criticisms. I was, however, stimulated by their article to think about a number of questions related to the review of what they call multivocal' literatures. So rather than search for critical things to say about their article, I will try to capture a few questions that are embedded in their argument but, for whatever reason, are not treated in detail.
Antidiabetic Medications and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Antidiabetic medications (ADM) may modify colorectal cancer risk in patients with diabetes mellitus. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, evaluating the effect of metformin, thiazolidinediones (TZD), sulfonylureas, and insulin on colorectal cancer risk in diabetic patients. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of multiple bibliographic databases, up to September 2012, for articles that evaluated exposure to metformin, TZD, sulfonylureas, and insulin, reported colorectal cancer risk in patients with diabetes mellitus, and reported OR or provided data for their estimation. Summary OR estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using the random-effects model. Results: Fifteen studies reporting 13,871 cases of colorectal cancer in 840,787 patients with diabetes mellitus were included. Meta-analysis of observational studies showed an 11% reduction in colorectal cancer risk associated with metformin use (n = 9 studies; OR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81–0.99), whereas TZD use was not associated with colorectal cancer risk (n = 5 studies; OR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.87–1.05). Conversely, a trend toward higher colorectal cancer risk was observed with sulfonylurea (n = 7 studies; OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.97–1.26) and insulin (n = 9 studies; OR, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.91–1.94) use, although these associations were not statistically significant. There was considerable heterogeneity across studies, partly explained by study location and adjustment for concomitant use of other ADMs. Post-hoc analysis of randomized controlled trials did not reveal any significant association between ADM and colorectal cancer risk. Conclusions: Meta-analysis of published studies supports a protective association between metformin use and colorectal cancer risk in patients with diabetes mellitus. Impact: Clinical trials on the chemopreventive effect of metformin against colorectal cancer are warranted. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(12); 2258–68. ©2013 AACR.
Role models, approaches to studying, and self‐efficacy in forensic and mainstream high school students: a pilot study

This study investigated the relationships between role models, approaches to studying, and self‐efficacy in students attending a high school specialising in educating those with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD, n = 30) and students attending a mainstream high school (n = 41) in the UK. Types and quantity of role models held by students were assessed using semi‐structured interviews. Approaches to studying and self‐efficacy were measured using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students and the General Self‐Efficacy Scale, respectively. In the EBD sample, the quantity of personally known role models correlated positively with deep and strategic approaches to studying, while quantity of media role models correlated negatively with a deep approach to studying and general self‐efficacy. In the mainstream sample, no association was found between quantity of role models, on the one hand, and approaches to studying and self‐efficacy, on the other hand. The findings suggest that EBD students would benefit from direct exposure to more interpersonal role models, which would further their chances of selecting and assimilating adaptive attitudes and behaviours.
The Effects of Quality of Care on Child Development

Most recent studies of nonparental care have placed emphasis on the mediating role of the quality of child care, defined by practices that directly or indirectly promote social adjustment, cognitive development, and the ability to learn efficiently. The articles in this special issue address the ways in which quality can best be measured, the nature, reliability, and causal implications of the association between quality and child development, and the strength of the association. Unfortunately, sophisticated data analytic strategies and inadequacies of measurement combine to minimize the apparent magnitude of reported associations, although these problems are seldom recognized.
The Variational Ising Classifier (VIC) Algorithm for Coherently Contaminated Data

There has been substantial progress in the past decade in the development of object classifiers for images, for example of faces, humans and vehicles. Here we address the problem of contaminations (e.g. occlusion, shadows) in test images which have not explicitly been encountered in training data. The Variational Ising Classifier (VIC) algorithm models contamination as a mask (a field of binary variables) with a strong spatial coherence prior. Variational inference is used to marginalize over contamination and obtain robust classification. In this way the VIC approach can turn a kernel classifier for clean data into one that can tolerate contamination, without any specific training on contaminated positives.
Fingerprint Enhancement using Improved Orientation and Circular Gabor Filter

In an automatic fingerprint identification system (AFIS), the fingerprint enhancement algorithm is mainly used to improve the visual quality of the input fingerprint image. The factors affecting the quality of an input fingerprint image may be the presence of scars, cuts, pressure variation between the finger and sensor, worn artifacts, and humidity during acquisition process. An enhancement algorithm is applied on the input fingerprint image to improve image quality and to repair broken ridges. This paper proposes a new method of enhancing fingerprint image. The method uses a hybrid approach of a new orientation scheme and a Circular Gabor filter to improve the visual quality of the fingerprint image. The proposed approach is compared to other enhancement algorithms using structural similarity index (SSIM). Experimental results and comparative analysis show that the new method performs better than the previous methods .