Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Justice-Learning: Exploring the Efficacy with Low-Income, First-Generation College Students

Higher education continues to wrestle with the challenge of engaging and retaining traditionally marginalized populations, particularly first-generation college students of color from low-income backgrounds. The typical North American campus, as a privileged space, has failed to successfully address or dismantle systems of power and difference that continue to influence national retention and graduation rates for many low-income, first-generation college students. This study presents findings from a qualitative research inquiry which indicates that a “justice-learning” curriculum, as a first-year seminar experience, can influence academic and civic engagement for students who identify as low-income, first-generation college students.
Is Australia Moving Too Far Ahead of The United States in the Convergence to International Accounting Standards

To understand Australia's position in financial reporting, it is necessary to examine the global environment in which the financial reporting of all countries is evolving. This article describes that global environment and Australia's policy and progress before answering the question of whether Australia is moving too far ahead of the United States in the convergence to international accounting standards (MS).
Model-Based Reconstruction for Magnetic Particle Imaging

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a new imaging modality capable of imaging distributions of superparamagnetic nanoparticles with high sensitivity, high spatial resolution and, in particular, high imaging speed. The image reconstruction process requires a system function, describing the mapping between particle distribution and acquired signal. To date, the system function is acquired in a tedious calibration procedure by sequentially measuring the signal of a delta sample at the positions of a grid that covers the field of view. In this work, for the first time, the system function is calculated using a model of the signal chain. The modeled system function allows for reconstruction of the particle distribution in a 1-D MPI experiment. The approach thus enables fast generation of system functions on arbitrarily dense grids. Furthermore, reduction in memory requirements may be feasible by generating parts of the system function on the fly during reconstruction instead of keeping the complete matrix in memory.
Val 64 Ile Polymorphism in the C-C Chemokine Receptor 2 Is Associated With Reduced Coronary Artery Calcification

Objective—Studies in mice have shown that genetic disruption of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 or its receptor, the C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), inhibits atherosclerosis, but few data exist in humans to suggest that the monocyte chemotactic protein-1–CCR2 interaction is important in atherogenesis. A common polymorphism in the human CCR2 gene resulting in a substitution of isoleucine for valine (Val64Ile) has been associated with other disease phenotypes in humans. Methods and Results—A cohort of first-degree relatives of persons with premature coronary artery disease was recruited and quantitatively phenotyped for the extent of CAC, a marker of coronary atherosclerosis, by using electron beam CT. The extent of CAC was significantly lower in subjects with the CCR2-Ile64 variant (Val/Ile and Ile/Ile genotypes) than in subjects carrying 2 Val64 alleles, even after adjustment for traditional risk factors. Conclusions—This study provides genetic evidence linking CCR2 with coronary atherosclerosis in humans. (Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2002;22:1924-1928.)
Novel Text Analysis for Investigating Personality: Identifying the Dark Lady in Shakespeare’s Sonnets

Abstract With the rise of social media, understanding a person’s sentiment, their mood and anxiety levels, has become just as important to law enforcement agencies as identifying online anonymous blog posts that aim to radicalize, promote terrorism, or criminal activity. Many of these mood and identity techniques rely on basic statistical correlations, word counts, collocated word groups, or keyword density. We claim that an alternative technique that uses word semantics reflecting personality or characteristics of self can provide a more accurate profile of a person. To test this we analyse Shakespeare’s Sonnets, a collection of poems believed to contain a Dark Lady and two other ‘voices’. We use an exploratory combinatorial data analysis technique called seriation in combination with RPAS, a multi-faceted text analysis approach that draws on a writer’s personality, or self, to visualize the 154 sonnets and to investigate whether it is possible to identify subtle characteristics within a person’s writing style from small texts when an author’s identity is known. We find that RPAS, not only clusters the Dark Lady and other sonnets, but also has the potential to discriminate subtle shifts in personality from texts as small as 90 words.
Asthma and genetics: Investigating nucleotide variants

This project was carried out with the goal of identifying genes with the strongest evidence for a role in asthma. Background: Asthma is a very common disease resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Many genes have been shown to contribute to asthma risk, but the heterogeneity of the disease makes it difficult to know which genes contribute to specific phenotypes. Methods: This project was completed using publicly available genome-wide gene expression datasets. These sets were compared to find overlapping genes across studies with slightly different criteria for sample inclusion. Of the thirteen overlapping genes found, three were selected for further study based on the information about those genes and other prior evidence demonstrating an association with asthma. I looked for SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) in these genes that were associated with asthma in existing studies. SNPs were investigated using bioinformatics approaches to examine ways they could affect gene expression. Results: The SNPs and genes selected for further analysis included: rs200196635 (p < 0.0001) located in MYB Proto-Oncogene Like 1 (MYBL1), rs110199 (p<0.0001) located in Pyrin and Hin Domain Family Member 1 (PYHIN1), and rs1588265 (p < 0.0001) located in Phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D). The SnP rs200196635 is found in an exon and is near a DNase cluster. The SNP rs110199 was at enough distance to be in linkage disequilibrium with an SNP in a binding site for a transcription factor (CTCF). Rs1588265 was not near any landmarks based on the tracks used. Conclusions: The Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) rs200196635 was near a DNase cluster which is normally found near regulatory elements. This could lead to cells multiplying and smooth muscle contracting in response to an environmental stimulus. Rs1101999 is not at a distance to influence the CTCF factor but it rather can be in linkage disequilibrium with CTCF and can act as a marker. The CTCF binding factor could lead to PYHIN1 being repressed and there to be increased multiplication of immune cells along with increased antibodies causing the airways to contract in response to an environmental stimulus [13]. This research attempted to identify genes that span asthma phenotypes and categorize them into functional groups. It took a different approach to furthering knowledge of the selected genes by viewing SNPs correlated to asthma and speculating how outside factors may lead to asthma, therefore, crossing the boundaries of clinical definitions.
Comparative expression profiles of Trk receptors and Shc‐related phosphotyrosine adapters during retinal development: Potential roles of N‐Shc/ShcC in brain‐derived neurotrophic factor signal transduction and modulation

Neurotrophins (NTs) have multiple roles in retinal development and survival, which are mediated through their specific receptors and signaling molecules. An emerging family of adapter protein, Shc (Src homology and collagen)‐related molecules, i.e., Shc/ShcA, Sck/ShcB, and N‐Shc/ShcC, has been implicated in various phosphotyrosine signal transduction mechanisms, including that for NTs. To explore the potential role(s) of Shc‐related adapters in NT signaling in the retina, we compared the developmental changes of the mRNA expression of TrkA ‐B, and ‐C in the rat retina, on one hand and, on the other hand, studied which members of the Shc family were activated after brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) application in axotomized rat retinas. Early in development, both TrkA and ShcA were highly expressed, whereas, in late development to adulthood, TrkB/C and ShcB/C were highly expressed. In the mature retinal ganglion cell layer, the expression of ShcB/C and TrkB/C was evident. Immunoreactivity of ShcC was located in the retinal ganglion cells, amacrine cells, and inner plexiform layer. The response of ShcC following retinal axotomy was most profound with the administration of BDNF, and there was some response with neurotrophin‐3. These results indicate that ShcC could be a potential phosphotyrosine adapter among the Shc family members for BDNF signaling and function during retinal development and regeneration in vivo. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sparse Deep Nonnegative Matrix Factorization

Nonnegative matrix factorization is a powerful technique to realize dimension reduction and pattern recognition through single-layer data representation learning. Deep learning, however, with its carefully designed hierarchical structure, is able to combine hidden features to form more representative features for pattern recognition. In this paper, we proposed sparse deep nonnegative matrix factorization models to analyze complex data for more accurate classification and better feature interpretation. Such models are designed to learn localized features or generate more discriminative representations for samples in distinct classes by imposing $L_1$-norm penalty on the columns of certain factors. By extending one-layer model into multi-layer one with sparsity, we provided a hierarchical way to analyze big data and extract hidden features intuitively due to nonnegativity. We adopted the Nesterov's accelerated gradient algorithm to accelerate the computing process with the convergence rate of $O(1/k^2)$ after $k$ steps iteration. We also analyzed the computing complexity of our framework to demonstrate their efficiency. To improve the performance of dealing with linearly inseparable data, we also considered to incorporate popular nonlinear functions into this framework and explored their performance. We applied our models onto two benchmarking image datasets, demonstrating our models can achieve competitive or better classification performance and produce intuitive interpretations compared with the typical NMF and competing multi-layer models.
Charity Care by Non-profit Hospitals: The Price of Tax-exempt Debt

In this paper, we study the effects of tax-exempt debt on the supply of charity care of non-profit hospitals. We hypothesize that hospitals using tax-exempt rather than taxable debt are forced to provide higher levels of charity care as a condition for gaining access to the tax-exempt market. The study uses a panel of 189 California non-profit hospitals. Hospital uncompensated care is regressed on the level of uncompensated care by other hospitals in the market, lagged values of tax-exempt and taxable debt and other control variables.The magnitude of the tax-exempt bond subsidy has a positive effect on the flow of charity care and varies positively with the charity care provided by other hospitals. We conclude that subsidies provided by tax-exempt debt are an effective media to increase the supply of charity care by hospitals. Regulators can use competition between non-profit hospitals in order to enforce the desired behavior.
Economic Well-Being and Marital Stability: Implications for Income Maintenance Programs.

The purpose of this paper was to examine the effects of economic well-being on marital stability using longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience. The sample was 1,349 married females who were interviewed annually over a five year period. The data indicated that income by itself had little effect on marital dissolution. The level of assets had a rather substantial effect on marital breakup even after other relevant variables were controlled. It was also found that the dissolution rate was considerably higher for blacks than whites and the marital dissolution decreased as level of education increased. These data suggest that direct income supplements may have little effect on marital dissolution unless they increase the level of family assets.
DesigningAnnotation Schemes:From Theory toModel

In this chapter, we describe themethod and process of transforming the theoretical formulations of a linguistic phenomenon, based on empirical observations, into a model that can be used for the development of a language annotation specification. Weoutline this procedure generally, and then examine the steps in detail by specific example. We look at how this methodology has been implemented in the creation of TimeML (and ISO-TimeML), a broad-based standard for annotating temporal information in natural language texts. Because of the scope of this effort and the richness of the theoretical work in the area, the development of TimeML illustrates very clearly themethodology of the early stages of theMATTER annotation cycle, where initial models and schemas cycle through progressively mature versions of the resulting specification. Furthermore, the subsequent effort to convert TimeML into an ISO compliant standard, ISO-TimeML, demonstrates the utility of the CASCADES model in distinguishing between the concrete syntax of the schema and abstract syntax of the model behind it. J. Pustejovsky (B) Department of Computer Science, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA e-mail: jamesp@cs.brandeis. edu H. Bunt TiCC, Tilburg Center for Cognition and Communication Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands e-mail: harry.bunt@uvt.nl A. Zaenen CSLI, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA e-mail: azaenen@earthlink.net © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2017 N. Ide and J. Pustejovsky (eds.), Handbook of Linguistic Annotation, DOI 10.1007/978-94-024-0881-2_2 21 22 J. Pustejovsky et al.
Regional differences of technology modernization in agriculture of Pará State

The objective of this study is to identify, through the application of factor analysis and cluster analysis, the spatial organization of the micro hydrographic regions (MRHs) of the State of Para, as a result of the technology level used in agriculture, the volume of investments, financed credit and by the incorporation of modern means of production. To meet the objectives of the study, information from the Agricultural Census of 2006, published in 2007 by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) was used. The results indicate that the structural changes occurring within the State’s agriculture, during the last two decades have increased considerably in certain MRHs, the regional income by directing most of the production for the export market. However, this led at the same time to a significant reorganization of agrarian space, in other MRHs, where high rates of unemployment and poverty increasing the regional inequalities prevail. Key words: Technological modernization, factor analysis, clusters analysis.
Identifying the Attributes of an Effective Restaurant Chain Endorser

Given the prevalence of using celebrity endorsers as part of restaurants’ merchandising promotions (and the potential complications), this study examined the following preferences of a consumer panel of 278 respondents: (1) their favorite chain restaurant, (2) a celebrity who would be an effective endorser for the chain, and (3) a primary reason for selecting this endorser. Based on their responses, the leading driver for an effective restaurant chain endorser was congruence between the image and values of the celebrity endorser and those of the restaurant brand— in other words, a good fit. Celebrity power was the second most important factor for selecting a celebrity endorser, followed by an individual’s perceived ability to relate to the endorser. Based on a novel demographic analysis, the study found that parents were significantly more likely to consider the match of an endorser’s image and values, women and younger persons relied more heavily on physical attractiveness, and older respondents and less frequent diners focused more on trustworthiness.
Tillage, residue and nitrogen management effects on methane and nitrous oxide emission from rice–wheat system of Indian Northwest Indo-Gangetic Plains

Abstract Zero-tillage, residue management and precision nutrient management techniques are being promoted in the rice–wheat (RW) production system of Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGPs) to enhance climate change adaptation and increase food production. These management practices may also influence greenhouse gas emissions through their effects on various soil processes such as oxidation-reduction and nitrification–denitrification. We measured soil fluxes of CH4 and N2O in RW system under three tillage and residue management systems layered with four nitrogen (N) management treatments. The tillage and residue management systems comprised: conventional tillage (CT), zero-tillage without residue retention (ZT − R) and ZT with full residue retention (ZT + R) for both the crops. The four N management treatments for rice were: (a) basmati cultivar with recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN) applied in three splits, (b) basmati cultivar with 80% RDN as basal dose followed by Green Seeker (GS) guided N application, (c) hybrid cultivar with RDN applied in three splits and (d) hybrid with 80% RDN as basal dose followed by GS guided N application. The four N management treatments for wheat comprised combinations of RDN with and without relay green gram (GG), and 80% of RDN as basal dose followed by GS guided N application with and without relay GG. We employed the static chamber method to collect gas samples from the experimental plots which were subsequently analysed using gas chromatograph. Significant CH4 emissions were detected only in the CT rice system during the initial phase of continuous flooding, irrespective of N management strategies. N fertilization management affected the pattern of N2O emission with higher emission rates during crop establishment phase under 80% RDN as basal followed by GS guided N application than conventional RDN. In case of wheat, 80% RDN as basal followed by GS guided N application also induced higher cumulative N2O emissions than applying RDN at three regular splits. In rice, ZT-based RW system emitted more N2O than CT-based system. Overall ZT-based RW system reduced CH4 emission but this benefit is counterbalanced by higher N2O production compared to CT-based RW system.
Long-term voltage stability analysis and network topology in power systems

This paper is aimed to explore the relationship between the network topology and the network performance in terms of long-term voltage stability. For this purpose, performance indicators for taking into account both aspects are proposed. A six bus test system is proposed, two operational conditions are presented, and eight different grid topologies are investigated. The results show that long-term voltage stability depends on how generation and load are distributed throughout the system. The results reveal that a meshed configuration does not necessarily represent the most desirable configuration.
Numerical research on hydraulic and thermal performance of the motor water jackets based on the orthogonal experiment

The relationship between the motor water jacket design parameters (such as the number of turns, geometry of the cooling duct) and the hydraulic and thermal performance is investigated in this paper. A three-dimensional numerical simulation model for water jacket is developed and calibrated with the experimental data. 27 models are selected by the orthogonal experiment method (OEM) for the multi-level and multi-factor problem. As investigated from the result of the calibrated CFD analysis, it can be seen that, the impact of the number of turns, the ratio between the width of tendon and the width of ducts section and the height of ducts section on heat transfer is reduced in sequence. The influence of the number of turns, the height of ducts section and the ratio between the width of tendon and the width of ducts section on pressure drop is reduced in sequence. Also the best combination of these three geometric factors of spiral cooling ducts is determined.
Contradictory Role of CD97 in Basal and Tumor Necrosis Factor–Induced Osteoclastogenesis In Vivo

CD97, a member of the 7‐transmembrane epidermal growth factor family of adhesion G protein–coupled receptors, is expressed on various cell types. This study was undertaken to elucidate the functions of CD97 in bone and inflammation in an experimental mouse model, by examining the effect of CD97 on osteoclastogenesis in vitro, characterizing the skeletal phenotype of CD97‐deficient (CD97‐knockout [KO]) mice, and assessing the responses to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment.
A distortion measure for blocking artifacts in images based on human visual sensitivity

A visual model that gives a distortion measure for blocking artifacts in images is presented. Given the original and reproduced image as inputs, the model output is a numerical value that quantifies the visibility of blocking error in the reproduced image. The model is derived based on the human visual sensitivity to horizontal and vertical edge artifacts that result from blocking. Psychovisual experiments have been carried out to measure the visual sensitivity to these artifacts. In the experiments, typical edge artifacts are shown to subjects and the sensitivity to them is measured with the variation of background luminance, background activity, edge length, and edge amplitude. Synthetic test patterns are used as background images in the experiments. The sensitivity measures thus obtained are used to estimate the model parameters. The final model is tested on real images, and the results show that the error visibility predicted by the model correlates well with the subjective ranking.
Examination of Protein Complexes Gets SiMPull[OPEN]

Assessing protein-protein interactions remains a fundamental challenge for plant biologists. Current methods such as coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP), yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC), and others can produce artifacts and also yield only a bulk “ensemble” readout