Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning Score Structure from Spoken Language for a Tennis Game

We describe a novel approach to inferring the scoring rules of a tennis game by analysing the chair umpire’s speech. In a tennis match, the chair umpire, amongst other tasks, announces the scores. Hence his or her speech is the key resource for inferring the scoring rules of tennis, a task that can be accomplished by correlating the events on the court with these score announcements. In this work, the learning procedure consists of two steps: speech recognition followed by rule inference. For speech recognition, we use a two coupled language models one for words and one for scores. The first makes make use of the internal structure of a score, the second, the dependency of a score on the previous score. For rule inference, we utilize a multigram model to segment the recognised score streams into variable-length score sequences, each of them corresponding to a game in a tennis match. The approach is applied to four complete tennis matches, and shows both enhanced recognition performance, and a promising approach to inferring the scoring rules of the game. Speech recognition, rule inference, multigram model
Prolactin-induced neuroprotection against glutamate excitotoxicity is mediated by the reduction of [Ca2+]i overload and NF-κB activation

Prolactin (PRL) is a peptidic hormone that displays pleiotropic functions in the organism including different actions in the brain. PRL exerts a neuroprotective effect against excitotoxicity produced by glutamate (Glu) or kainic acid in both in vitro and in vivo models. It is well known that Glu excitotoxicity causes cell death through apoptotic or necrotic pathways due to intracellular calcium ([Ca2+] i) overload. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the molecular mechanisms by which PRL maintains cellular viability of primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons exposed to Glu excitotoxicity. We determined cell viability by monitoring mitochondrial activity and using fluorescent markers for viable and dead cells. The intracellular calcium level was determined by a fluorometric assay and proteins involved in the apoptotic pathway were determined by immunoblot. Our results demonstrated that PRL afforded neuroprotection against Glu excitotoxicity, as evidenced by a decrease in propidium iodide staining and by the decrease of the LDH activity. In addition, the MTT assay shows that PRL maintains normal mitochondrial activity even in neurons exposed to Glu. Furthermore, the Glu-induced intracellular [Ca2+]i overload was attenuated by PRL. These data correlate with the reduction found in the level of active caspase-3 and the pro-apoptotic ratio (Bax/Bcl-2). Concomitantly, PRL elicited the nuclear translocation of the transcriptional factor NF-κB, which was detected by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that PRL prevents Glu excitotoxicity by a mechanism involving the restoration of the intracellular calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial activity, as well as an anti-apoptotic action possibly mediated by the activity of NF-κB. Overall, the current results suggest that PRL could be of potential therapeutic advantage in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Statistics Notes: Units of analysis

In clinical studies the focus of interest is almost always the patient. If we carry out a randomised trial to compare two treatments we are interested in comparing the outcomes of patients who received each of the treatments. In some conditions several measurements will be taken on the same patient, but the focus of interest remains the patient. Failure to recognise this fact results in multiple counting of individual patients and can seriously distort the results. We explain this error below. Its frequency in medical research is indicated by the whole chapter devoted to it in Andersen's classic compilation.1 The simplest case is when researchers study a part of the human anatomy which is, so to speak, in duplicate: eyes, ears, arms, etc. At the other extreme very many measurements can be taken on a single patient. Such data arise frequently in dentistry, with measurements made on each tooth, or even each face of each tooth, and in rheumatology, …
Attention to Information in Working Memory

Working memory retains information and makes it available for processing. People often need to hold several chunks of information available while concentrating on only one of them. This process requires selective attention to the contents of working memory. In this article, we summarize evidence for both a broad focus of attention with a capacity of approximately four chunks and a narrow focus of attention that selects a single chunk at a time.
Using Abstract Models of Behaviours to Automatically Generate Reinforcement Learning Hierarchies

In this paper we present a hybrid system combining techniques from symbolic planning and reinforcement learning. Planning is used to automatically construct task hierarchies for hierarchical reinforcement learning based on abstract models of the behaviours’ purpose, and to perform intelligent termination improvement when an executing behaviour is no longer appropriate. Reinforcement learning is used to produce concrete implementations of abstractly defined behaviours and to learn the best possible choice of behaviour when plans are ambiguous. Two new hierarchical reinforcement learning algorithms are presented: Planned Hierarchical Semi-Markov Q-Learning (P-HSMQ), a variant of the HSMQ algorithm (Dietterich, 2000b) which uses plan-built task hierarchies, and TeleoReactive Q-Learning (TRQ) a more complex algorithm which implements hierarchical reinforcement learning with teleo-reactive execution semantics (Nilsson, 1994). Each algorithm is demonstrated in a simple grid-world domain.
Predicting Success for Musical Artists through Network and Quantitative Data

With the rise of Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube, ninety-nine cent songs have largely replaced $20 albums, slashing music sales by nearly fifty percent [1]. Investing in many artists is prohibitively risky today. It behooves music industry executives to leverage available metrics and machine learning techniques to predict whether an artist will be commercially successful in the future. Our goal is to predict whether artists will be successful based on available music industry metadata, namely artists’ importance in the music industry and the public’s response to their music. We collected annual measurements from 2000 to 2012 representing these features and calculated their change over time. We predict the success of an artist in 2013.
Finite element microstrip antenna simulator (FEMAS)

In this study, a FEM-based microstrip antenna simulator, namely FEMAS, has been developed. The FEMAS allows analysis and design of three-dimensional microstrip antenna elements and outcomes the related antenna parameters such as input impedance, gain, and radiation pattern. In the paper, the FEM formulation is overviewed and the features of FEMAS are presented. Also, The return loss characteristics of a microstrip antenna achieved by means of FEMAS and Ansoft HFSS are presented.
A general outage formula for optimum combining of arbitrarily faded signals with correlated Rayleigh interferers

Exact outage probability analysis for optimum combining of arbitrarily faded signals in the presence of correlated Rayleigh faded interferers is not available in the literature. We show that the conditional probability density of the reciprocal of the instantaneous signal-to-interference ratio (SIR), given the signal vector, can be represented as the higher-order derivative of a simple exponential function in signal power whereby generic formulas for the outage probability and probability density function (PDF) related to SIR can be determined. The new formulas take a simple closed form in terms of the characteristic function of the signal vector. They are therefore widely applicable, leading to various results for correlated Rayleigh, Rician and Nakagami faded signals. Numerical examples are also presented for illustration.
The KIAA0319-Like (KIAA0319L) Gene on Chromosome 1p34 as a Candidate for Reading Disabilities

A locus on chromosome 1p34-36 (DYX8) has been linked to developmental dyslexia or reading disabilities (RD) in three independent samples. In the current study, we investigated a candidate gene KIAA0319-Like (KIAA0319L) within DYX8, as it is homologous to KIAA0319, a strong RD candidate gene on chromosome 6p (DYX2). Association was assessed by using five tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms in a sample of 291 nuclear families ascertained through a proband with reading difficulties. Evidence of association was found for a single marker (rs7523017; P=0.042) and a haplotype (P=0.031), with RD defined as a categorical trait in a subset of the sample (n=156 families) with a proband that made our criteria for RD. The same haplotype also showed evidence for association with quantitative measures of word-reading efficiency (i.e., a composite score of word identification and decoding; P=0.032) and rapid naming of objects and colors (P=0.047) when analyzed using the entire sample. Although the results from the current study are modestly significant and would not withstand a correction for multiple testing, KIAA0319L remains an intriguing positional and functional candidate for RD, especially when considered alongside the supporting evidence for its homolog KIAA0319 on chromosome 6p. Additional studies in independent samples are now required to confirm these findings.
MicroCT versus sTSLIM 3D Imaging of the Mouse Cochlea

We made a qualitative and quantitative comparison between a state-of-the-art implementation of micro-Computed Tomography (microCT) and the scanning Thin-Sheet Laser Imaging Microscopy (sTSLIM) method, applied to mouse cochleae. Both imaging methods are non-destructive and perform optical sectioning, respectively, with X-rays and laser light. MicroCT can be used on fresh or fixed tissue samples and is primarily designed to image bone rather than soft tissues. It requires complex back-projection algorithms to produce a two-dimensional image, and it is an expensive instrument. sTSLIM requires that a specimen be chemically fixed, decalcified, and cleared; but it produces high-resolution images of soft and bony tissues with minimum image postprocessing and is less expensive than microCT. In this article, we discuss the merits and disadvantages of each method individually and when combined.
Partitioning Strategies and Task Allocation for Target-tracking with Multiple Guards in Polygonal Environments

This paper presents an algorithm to deploy a team of {\it free} guards equipped with omni-directional cameras for tracking a bounded speed intruder inside a simply-connected polygonal environment. The proposed algorithm partitions the environment into smaller polygons, and assigns a guard to each partition so that the intruder is visible to at least one guard at all times. Based on the concept of {\it dynamic zones} introduced in this paper, we propose event-triggered strategies for the guards to track the intruder. We show that the number of guards deployed by the algorithm for tracking is strictly less than $\lfloor {\frac{n}{3}} \rfloor$ which is sufficient and sometimes necessary for coverage. We derive an upper bound on the speed of the mobile guard required for successful tracking which depends on the intruder's speed, the road map of the mobile guards, and geometry of the environment. Finally, we extend the aforementioned analysis to orthogonal polygons, and show that the upper bound on the number of guards deployed for tracking is strictly less than $\lfloor {\frac{n}{4}} \rfloor$ which is sufficient and sometimes necessary for the coverage problem.
A conceptual framework for assessing brand equity in division I college athletics.

In an effort to enhance the organization's image and increase its revenues, sport managers should incorporate the concept of brand equity, the strength of a team/university name in the marketplace, into strategic marketing efforts. This article, building on Aaker's (1991) theoretical structure, develops a conceptual framework of brand equity applied to Division I college athletics. The brand equity framework provides a closed-ended system whereby antecedents (team-related, university-related, and market-related) create brand equity that then results in marketplace consequences (e.g., national television exposure, ticket sales). These consequences then feed into a marketplace perception that impacts the antecedents of brand equity through a feedback loop. Directions for future research efforts that address evaluating the validity of the model, implications for different sports within Division I athletics, and relationships to other popular marketing concepts are offered.
Parental Knowledge, Involvement, and Satisfaction with Their Child's Special Education Services

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine levels of parental knowledge of PL 94-142, participation in special education-related activities, and satisfaction with special education services. A three-page questionnaire was sent to 200 parents with children receiving special education services in a Midwestern metropolitan school district. The questionnaire contained items concerning parents' knowledge of PL 94-142 rights and procedures, parental participation and involvement in special education-related activities, and parental satisfaction with special education services. One hundred twelve parents responded to the questionnaire (56%). The sample primarily consisted of Caucasian mothers. Respondents were knowledgeable about procedures and provisions of PL 94-142, highly involved in their child's special education services, and generally satisfied with services their child was receiving. Parent participation was correlated with parent satisfaction with their child's IEP, school personnel, and speci.
Cell segmentation and NC ratio analysis for biopsy images using marker controlled watershed algorithm

Segmentation of cell nuclei and cytoplasm is an important task in most of the medical images. Microscopic cell image analysis is the fundamental tool for biological research. Visual inspection of cellular images is often insufficient to detect and describe the important changes in cellular morphology. In this paper, the cell segmentation approach uses the marker controlled watershed based approach, which is used to avoid over segmentation. The main goal of watershed transform is to distinguish the regional minima of original images, which are the nuclei's region and it integrates the convergence index filter to segment the region of cell's cytoplasm. This cell segmentation approach contributes the way for the analysis of nuclear-to cytoplasm ratio (NC ratio), which is significant to distinguish or detecting the prior symptoms of diseases like cancer based on normal and abnormal NC ratios.
Modernizing the roles of support staff in primary schools: changing focus, changing function

In this article we describe the ways in which primary schools involved in the ‘Transforming the School Workforce: Pathfinder Project’ in England addressed the opportunity to restructure their working practices. The Project was established in 2002 by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) primarily to help fund pilot schools to make interventions into the ways in which they were resourced, managed and organized—interventions that have often affected the whole school's workforce, and in particular the focus and function of the work of their support staff. Here we concentrate on the evaluation of the Pathfinder Project with particular reference to the changing roles of teaching assistants in primary schools, although we draw upon evidence gathered from all the schools involved in the Project. The range of different initiatives introduced to change the work of support staff is explored, as well as the resultant impact on the workloads of teachers within the schools. We discuss how the Project has facilitated innovative practice in remodelling the work of support staff and place this within the context of the changing policy agenda on workload in English schools.
A Framework for Compiling High Quality Knowledge Resources From Raw Corpora

The identification of various types of relations is a necessary step to allow computers to understand natural language text. In particular, the clarification of relations between predicates and their arguments is essential because predicate-argument structures convey most of the information in natural languages. To precisely capture these relations, wide-coverage knowledge resources are indispensable. Such knowledge resources can be derived from automatic parses of raw corpora, but unfortunately parsing still has not achieved a high enough performance for precise knowledge acquisition. We present a framework for compiling high quality knowledge resources from raw corpora. Our proposed framework selects high quality dependency relations from automatic parses and makes use of them for not only the calculation of fundamental distributional similarity but also the acquisition of knowledge such as case frames.
Language tests as language policy tools

This paper contextualizes language tests in relation to educational and national language policies by demonstrating how these language measures may be used as mechanisms for affecting de facto language policies. This phenomenon is of special relevance given current controversies in nation states between multilingual and multicultural realities and government policies that perpetuate homogenous policies with regard to national languages. The introduction of language tests in certain languages delivers messages and ideologies about the prestige, priorities and hierarchies of certain language(s), and not others, leading to policies of suppression of diversity. Tests also influence language policy with regard to the nature of language, as derived from the criteria used for judging language quality via rating scales, guidelines and frameworks, thus leading to a view of language as standardized and homogenous. Yet language tests, when they incorporate research findings about language learning and language use, can serve as tools for creating more valid and real language policies that mediate and negotiate between ideology and practice. The discussion of these issues is supported by examples from a range of international contexts in this paper.
Work and family life: parental work schedules and child academic achievement

This review essay deals with interconnectivity between work life and family life. Specifically, it explores the relationship between parental work schedules and child academic achievement. Existing research focused on that relationship has been somewhat narrow in scope and has largely ignored the issue of underlying mechanisms. This review essay seeks to address those shortcomings by introducing a conceptual framework that sets out some potential pathways through which parental work schedules might exert an impact on child academic achievement. Characteristics of parental work schedules that might be particularly relevant in today's rapidly changing world of work are then identified, and are connected to child achievement by way of a thorough review of research evidence supporting each of the links in the proposed framework. Finally, the review draws on existing research to suggest some ways in which governments, employers, and families might mitigate any risks to child achievement conveyed through the pathways presented in the framework. The potential for empirically testing the framework is also discussed.
The regeneration of skeletal muscle. A review.

Regeneration of skeletal muscle has often been described during the past century, but only during the past 25 years have attempts been made to uncover causal mechanisms underlying the process. The historical and classical histological aspects of skeletal muscle regeneration have been reviewed several times (Studitsky and Striganova, '51; Godman, '57; Field, '60; Betz et al., '66). Here I shall attempt to synthesize the results of the major experimental studies as well as place into sharper focus some of the new problems which have stemmed from electron microscopic investigations of the past decade. With respect to both control mechanisms and certain morphological aspects of regeneration, considerable confusion has reigned in the past because events occurring in the repair of damaged mammalian muscle have been equated with those which take place in the regenerating amphibian limb. One of the major functions of this review will be to point out where similarities between these two processes may exist and where the systems are not directly comparable. The review will conclude with a short discussion about the clinical implications of recent progress in the field of muscle regenera tion.
Purchase Price Allocations: Do they Matter?

Standards setters support that purchase price allocations (PPAs) enhance financial statement decision-usefulness whereas academics and practitioners challenge this statement. We test the consequences of the quality of PPAs, subsequent to business combinations, on change in market expectations. Using the concept of abnormal goodwill - as a proxy for PPAs' quality - we test the association between PPAs' quality and analyst forecasts revisions, change in forecasts dispersion, and analysts' accuracy of 200 major U.S. business combinations. We do not find evidence that PPAs' quality have material impact on change in market expectations, suggesting that market participants fail to fully integrate information content of PPAs. Consistently, we provide evidence that PPAs' quality enables to generate a profitable investment strategy as cumulated abnormal returns can be systematically generated based on abnormal goodwill recognized in PPAs.
An educational tool for generating inaccessible page examples based on WCAG 2.0 failures

One of the problems encountered while teaching web accessibility evaluation to undergraduate students is the lack of proper educational tools that support learning accessibility barriers modularly. This paper presents an online educational tool called Accessibility Example Generator (AEG), designed to assist instructors in the process of creating examples of inaccessible web pages that violate the accessibility guidelines of WCAG 2.0. The online tool supports generating the examples in a form which can be received and reviewed easily by undergraduate computing students. By using a sequence of tailored checks, the instructor can choose which failure or combination of failures the example should include. Utilizing such a tool while teaching web accessibility will enrich the learning and understanding of WCAG 2.0 guidelines through generating modular examples that will not overwhelm the student and at the same time will help spread the knowledge of accessibility through future developers.