Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relating Machine Estimates of Students' Learning Goals to Learning Outcomes: A DBN Approach

Students' actions while working with a tuoring system were used to generate estimates of learning goals, specifically, the goal of learning by using multimedia help resources, and the goal of learning through independent problem solving. A Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN) model was trained with interface action and inter-action interval latency data from 115 high school students, and then tested with action data from an independent sample of 135 students. Estimates of learning goals generated by the model predicted student performance on a post-test of math achievement, whereas pre-test performance did not.
Plagiarism Detection in Students ’ Assignments Written in Natural Language

Testing students’ knowledge is crucial aspect for e-learning. However, students are often plagiarising their assignments and using obfuscation techniques to hide plagiarising. In this paper we have proposed and implemented new methods for improved detection of obfuscations into PlaDes plagiarism detection system. We have also modified LCS – substring method for improved detection of similar texts by ability to detect N longest common substrings. Implemented changes significantly improved detection results without significant time penalty.
Near‐patient testing devices to monitor oral anticoagulant therapy

Oral anticoagulants are widely used for the treatment and prophylaxis of thromboembolic disorders (Hirsh et al, 1998). Although no accurate information is presently available on the number of patients treated with oral anticoagulants, a rough estimate made in Italy from the consumption of coumarin drugs put the figure at 300 000 in 1993, with an average increase of 10% per year (unpublished observation by the Italian Federation of Oral Anticoagulant Clinics). This figure brings the numbers of patients currently on oral anticoagulants up to 600 000, which represent roughly 1% of the Italian population. These numbers are probably similar in other European countries and North America, and may increase further because of the increasing numbers of elderly patients put on oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation (Connolly et al, 1991; Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation Investigators, 1994) and because of the recent suggestion of low-dose warfarin in the primary prevention of ischaemic heart disease (The Medical Research Council's General Practice Research Framework Investigators, 1998). This situation will probably create organizational problems in the near future and the way of dealing with clinical and laboratory monitoring might need to be reshaped. A shift from central laboratory monitoring, by means of conventional prothrombin time (PT) systems, to small peripheral units and/or patient self-testing might be the solution. Peripheral units could be equipped with near-patient testing devices run by nurses or patients themselves and linked via modem to a prescription centre equipped with software capable of automated prescription (Poller et al, 1993, 1998) and run by an expert physician. Essential to this organizational scheme is the provision of reliable, easy-to-handle devices for PT measurements. Currently, there are many commercial devices using thromboplastin-containing test cartridges for PT testing that might serve the purpose. This article will review the present state-of-the-art of such devices with respect to their suitability to fulfil the requirements set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the expression of results with the universal scale [International Normalized ratio (INR)] to report results for the laboratory control of oral anticoagulant treatment (WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization, 1999).
Expectations of Youth in the Foster Care System Foster Care and College : The Educational Aspirations and

Despite an overall increase in college attendance, low-income youth and particularly those in the foster care system are less likely to attend college (Wolanin, 2005). Although youth in foster care report high educational aspirations, as little as 4% obtain a 4-year college degree (Nixon & Jones, 2007). The purpose of this study is to explore differences in educational aspirations and expectations among foster care and nonfoster care youth and to explore key predictors of these differences. Using baseline data generated from Kansas Kids @ GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), 1,377 youth were surveyed in regard to their future educational goals, academic self-perception, and level of social support. Results demonstrated that youth from the foster care system report lower educational aspirations and expectations, of which academic self-perception and parental support for education were the best predictors. Limitations and implications for future research will be discussed.
Helical Tomotherapy Significantly Reduces Dose to Normal Tissues When Compared to 3D-CRT for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

Combined modality treatment (neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery) for locally advanced rectal cancer requires special attention to various organs at risk (OAR). As a result, the use of conformal dose delivery methods has become more common in this disease setting. Helical tomotherapy is an image-guided intensity modulated delivery system that delivers dose in a fan-beam manner at 7 degree intervals around the patient and can potentially limit normal tissue from high dose radiation while adequately treating targets. In this study we dosimetrically compare helical tomotherapy to 3D-CRT for stage T3 rectal cancer. The helical tomotherapy plans were optimized in the TomoPlan system to achieve an equivalent uniform dose of 45 Gy for 10 patients with T3N0M0 disease that was at least 5cm from the anal verge. The GTV included the rectal thickening and mass evident on colonoscopy and CT scan as well as with the help of a colorectal surgeon. The CTV included the internal iliac, obturator, and pre-sacral lymphatic chains. The OAR that were outlined included the small bowel, pelvic bone marrow, femoral heads, and bladder. Anatom-e system was used to assist in delineating GTV, CTV and OAR. These 10 plans were then duplicated and optimized into 3-field 3D-CRT plans within the Pinnacle planning system. The V[45], V[40], V[30], V[20], V[10], and mean dose to the OAR were compared between the helical tomotherapy and 3D-CRT plans. Statistically significant differences were achieved in the doses to all OAR, including all volumes and means except for V[10] for the small bowel and the femoral heads. Adequate dosimetric coverage of targets were achieved with both helical tomotherapy and 3D-CRT. Helical tomotherapy reduces the volume of normal tissue receiving high-dose RT when compared to 3D-CRT treatment. Both modalities adequately dose the tumor. Clinical studies addressing the dosimetric benefits are on-going.
Benefits of a Classroom Based Instrumental Music Program on Verbal Memory of Primary School Children: A Longitudinal Study.

Previous research has demonstrated a benefit of music training on a number of cognitive functions including verbal memory performance. The impact of school-based music programs on memory processes is however relatively unknown. The current study explored the effect of increasing frequency and intensity of classroom-based instrumental training program on verbal and visual memory across a two year period. Data from 142 participants were analysed: 82 (41 female (F), 41 male (M); mean age 8.62 years) allocated to the intensive strings music training program and 68 (37F, 31M; mean age 8.79 years) allocated to the control group (usual music classes). The Children's Memory Scale was used to test digit span, verbal learning and immediate and delayed verbal memory. Immediate visual recall was tested using the Benton Visual Designs test. Mixed model ANOVAs revealed that students receiving the intensive music training program exhibited significantly better learning and immediate recall for verbal information, after approximately one year, but not two years, after implementation of the program than did controls. No such benefit was observed following one year of a similarly novel juggling program in a sub-set of the sample. As anticipated, the intensive music training had no effect on visual memory, although an improvement in visual perceptual ability and digit span recall was observed in the first year also. The current findings have implications for educational programs (such as literacy training) which may benefit from transient improvements in verbal memory.
Exercise training in chronic heart failure

The syndrome of heart failure (HF) is a growing epidemic that causes a significant socio-economic burden. Despite considerable progress in the management of patients with HF, mortality and morbidity remain a major healthcare concern and frequent hospital admissions jeopardize daily life and social activities. Exercise training is an important adjunct nonpharmacological treatment modality for patients with HF that has proven positive effects on mortality, morbidity, exercise capacity and quality of life. Different training modalities are available to target the problems with which HF patients are faced. It is essential to tailor the prescribed exercise regimen, so that both efficiency and safety are guaranteed. Electrical implanted devices and mechanical support should not exclude patients from exercise training; however, particular precautions and a specialized approach are advised. At least 50% of patients with HF, older than 65 years of age, present with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF). Although the study populations included in studies evaluating the effect of exercise training in this population are small, the results are promising and seem to support the idea that exercise training is beneficial for HFPEF patients. Both the short- and especially long-term adherence to exercise training remain a major challenge that can only be tackled by a multidisciplinary approach. Efforts should be directed towards closing the gap between recommendations and the actual implementation of training programmes.
Defining severity in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis

Bronchiectasis is a common disease with important impacts on patient’s quality of life and on healthcare systems in terms of healthcare costs, hospitalisations and mortality. After decades of being regarded as an orphan disease there are an increasing numbers of treatments available, or in late-stage clinical trials. Assessment of disease severity is fundamental to clinical management. To date, however, there is no agreed definition of what constitutes mild, moderate or severe bronchiectasis. These terms are often applied to radiological appearances, but while important, computed tomography findings are not sufficiently precise to capture the complex impact of the disease. Studies are beginning to define the risk factors for mortality, hospital admissions, exacerbations and impaired quality of life in bronchiectasis, allowing us to propose new definitions of what constitutes severe bronchiectasis. An improved understanding of severity and prognosis in this disease will aid clinical decision making and the application of new therapies.
Facilitating online interaction and collaboration in a professional learning network

: The Creating, Collaborating, and Computing in Mathematics (CCC-M) project is a collaborative research project based on a university-school board partnership to design and build a professional learning network (PLN) of teachers. This study describes the CCC-M project, examines online interaction and collaboration among the teachers within the PLN in Year 1 (2013-2014) of this project, and discusses the strategies emerging from these analyses for the following project year (2014-2015).
Inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of step length and step width measurement after traumatic brain injury

Purpose: To determine the inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity of step length and step width measurement after traumatic brain injury. Method: Twelve people with traumatic brain injury completed six comfortable and six fast paced walking trials over a 10 m distance. Step length and step width were measured by five observers using two procedures. First, using pens taped on the subjects' heels which marked the floor at each heel strike and a tape measure. Second, by videotaping the subjects' feet as they walked on a mat marked with 5 cm grids and using a computer program to digitize foot position and calculate step length and width. Results: The inter-rater reliability of step length and width measurements was very high, with intraclass correlation coefficients between 0.94 and 1.00, for both procedures. Concurrent validity was excellent, with correlations between the procedures ranging from 0.93 to 1.00. However, attaching pens to the heels did cause a slight reduction in right step length and walking speed when walking at a fast or comfortable pace, respectively. Conclusions: Assessing step length and width using pens taped to the subjects' heels and a tape measure is a reliable and valid clinical measure after traumatic brain injury.
The Mechanism of Huo Xue Hua Yu Chinese Medicine and its Relationship with Antioxidant Activity

Traditional Chinese medicine, generally focused on preventative measures for the body, can be subdivided into areas of focus. In recent years, studies analyzing the impact of Chinese herbal medicine on blood stasis have focused on hemodynamic factors. Specifically, the measurable change in whole blood and plasma viscosity, fibrin, as well as red cell aggregation and deformation have all provided insight into areas that may be directly affected by Chinese medicinal treatment. It is theorized that this type of treatment's ability to promote blood circulation is closely linked with the inhibition of free radical damage. Although the mechanism behind Chinese herbal medicine's impact on blood stasis and circulation remains unclear, there is some evidence indicating that Chinese herbal medicine may produce an antioxidant effect, thereby alleviating free radical damage. Meanwhile, in the free radical theory, most of Chinese herb medicine for promoting blood circulation and dissipating blood stasis can block free radical damage from a variety of links. Although the mechanism underlying Chinese herb medicine's functions hasn't been explained clearly, its active ingredient has been deemed to be antioxidant activity.
Collaborative reputation mechanisms for online communities

The members of electronic communities are often unrelated to each other, they may have never met and have no information on each other's reputation. This kind of information is vital in Electronic Commerce interactions, where the potential counterpart's reputation can be a significant factor in the negotiation strategy. I will investigate two complementary reputation mechanisms that rely on collaborative rating and personalized evaluation of the various ratings assigned to each user. While these reputation mechanisms are developed in the context of electronic commerce, I believe that they may have applicability in other types of electronic communities such as chatrooms, newsgroups, mailing lists etc. Thesis Supervisor: Dr Pattie Maes Title: Associate Professor in Media Arts and Sciences Collaborative Reputation Mechanisms for Online Communities by Giorgos Zacharia The following people have served as readers for this thesis: Thesis Reader Judith Donath Assistant Professor of Media Arts and Sciences NEC Career Development Professor of Computers and Communications MI4T Media Lab Thesis Reader Mark Glickman Assistant Professor Department of Mathematics and Statistics Boston University
Vibration and voice operated navigation system for visually impaired person

Usually blind people use white canes which are very limited in its ability to provide navigation assistance to the user and cannot easily detect obstacles. Mobility of visually impaired people is limited by their inability to perceive their surroundings. Therefore the purpose of this project is to build a navigation system that will be able to guide a visually impaired person safely and with ease, in an indoor and outdoor environment. This goal has been realized through the use of an ultrasonic device to determine the range of obstacles and also a microcontroller to act accordingly. The system includes a warning system through voice rendering and through generation of vibration.
Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of 5‐Fluorouracil and Mitomycin C in Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Abstract— Eight patients with malignancies confined to the peritoneal space participated in this study. Five hundred milligrams 5‐fluorouracil or 10 mg mitomycin C was diluted in 1 L saline. The mixed solution was injected intraperitoneally through the semi‐permanent peritoneal catheter. Blood and peritoneal fluid were collected after injection. 5‐Fluorouracil concentrations in the peritoneal fluid were 1000 times those in serum, while mitomycin C concentrations were 100 times those in serum. Areas under the concentration vs time curve (AUC) were calculated by the trapezoidal method with extrapolation to infinity. The ratio of peritoneal fluid AUC to serum AUC was about 1400 for 5‐fluorouracil and 80 for mitomycin C. Patterns for the absorption and elimination from systemic circulation were similar for both compounds. Drug concentrations in the peritoneal fluid and serum were analysed according to the compartment model. The half‐life in the peritoneal fluid (t½p) and the rate constant from the peritoneal fluid to the systemic circulation (ka) were nearly equal for both 5‐fluorouracil and mitomycin C (t½p, 1·0 h for 5‐fluorouracil and 1·3 h for mitomycin C; ka 0·71 h−1 for 5‐fluorouracil and 0·68 h−1 for mitomycin C), although the apparent volume of distribution (Vds/F) and clearance in the peritoneal cavity (CLp) for mitomycin C (78 Lm−2 and 1.8 L h−1 m−2) were about twice the values for 5‐fluorouracil (149 L m−2 and 0·8 L h−1 m−2).
A Survey on Techniques in Detection and Analyzing Malware

The computer technology has emerged as a necessity in our day to day life to deal with various aspects like education, banking, communication, entertainment etc. Computer system's security is threatened by weapons named as malware to accomplish malicious intention of its writers. Various solutions are available to detect these threats like AV Scanners, Intrusion Detection System, and Firewalls etc. These solutions of malware detection traditionally use signatures of malware to detect their presence in our system. But these methods are also evaded due to some obfuscation techniques employed by malware authors. This survey paper highlights the existing detection and analysis methodologies used for these obfuscated malicious code.
Pump-power dependence of transparency characteristics in semiconductor optical amplifiers

A numerical investigation is performed of the characteristics of the pump-power dependent transparency carrier density of semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) in pump-probe configurations. The simulations show good agreement with published experimental measurements. It is found that both gain compression due to two-photon absorption (TPA) and TPA carrier generation are crucial in determining the behavior of SOAs at transparency. In particular, a novel technique for significantly reducing the pump-power dependence of the transparency carrier density is proposed. Calculations also indicate that, by using negative frequency detuned probe and pump pulses, SOAs with fixed-transparency carrier densities can be obtained for a large pump energy range.
A Diachronic Study on British and Chinese Cultural Complexity with Google Books Ngrams

ABSTRACT The present study examined British and Chinese cultural complexity from the 1900 to 2000 with Shannon’s entropy. The British and Chinese bigrams parts of the Google Books Ngrams Corpus were used as the data. The findings indicated that, similar to American cultural complexity both British and Chinese cultural complexity show a general increasing trend during the past century. However, the cultural complexity in either Britain or China does not rise steadily. In addition, significant differences were found between American, British, and Chinese cultural complexities. Several issues concerned are discussed and suggestions for future research are made.
Change-Preserving Model Repair : Extended Version

During modeling activities, inconsistencies can easily occur due to misunderstandings, lack of information or simply mistakes. In this paper, we focus on model inconsistencies that occur due to model editing and cause violation of the meta-model conformance. Although temporarily accepting inconsistencies helps to keep progress, inconsistencies have to be resolved finally. One form of resolution is model repair. Assuming that model changes are state-based, (potentially) performed edit operations can be automatically identified from state differences and further analyzed. As a result, inconsistent changes may be identified causing a need to repair the model. There may exist an overwhelming number of possible repair actions that restore consistency. The edit history may help to identify the relevant repairs. Model inconsistencies are repaired by computing and applying complement edit operations that are needed to re-establish the overall model consistency. In this paper, we clarify under which conditions this kind of model repair can be applied. The soundness of this approach is shown by formalizing it based on the theory of graph transformation. A prototype tool based on the Eclipse Modeling Framework and Henshin is used to conduct an initial evaluation.
Identification, classification, and clinical relevance of catalase-negative, gram-positive cocci, excluding the streptococci and enterococci

Several new genera and species of gram-positive, catalase-negative cocci that can cause infections in humans have been described. Although these bacteria were isolated in the clinical laboratory, they were considered nonpathogenic culture contaminants and were not thought to be the cause of any diseases. Isolation of pure cultures of these bacteria from normally sterile sites has led to the conclusion that these bacteria can be an infrequent cause of infection. This review describes the new bacteria and the procedures useful for clinical laboratories to aid in their identification. The clinical relevance and our experience with the various genera and species are reviewed and discussed.
Dictyostelium A cell-counting factor regulating structure size in

Genes Dev. Debra A. Brock and Richard H. Gomer Dictyostelium A cell-counting factor regulating structure size in References http://genesdev.cshlp. org/content/13/15/1960.full. html#related-urls Article cited in: http://genesdev.cshlp. org/content/13/15/1960.full. html#ref-list-1 This article cites 41 articles, 18 of which can be accessed free at: service Email alerting click here top right corner of the article or Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article sign up in the box at the