Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Authority of Experience in Learning to Teach: Messages from a Physics Methods Class

This paper develops the idea of "the authority of experience" to explain the unease about teacher education represented in comments of 19 graduate students enrolled in a preservice physics education methods course which combined on-campus classes and teaching placements. Interviews with the student teachers after the first half of the year-long course are organized under four themes: expectations about learning to teach, observation skills, the credibility of a professor who teaches every day, and overall perspectives on teacher education. The study found that teacher education is a transition from being under authority to being in authority, and this is an uneasy transition: some students wished to be told what to do when they assume authority, and some did not; some students saw no point to classes that did not speak directly to what to do as teachers, and others found such discussions appealing; some found the professor to be authoritative because he was also teaching secondary school physics, while others found his colleagues no less credible for other reasons. The paper recommends that the authority of experience be brought to the surface so that it is not ignored by students. This can be accomplished through metaphor, life histories, narrative, and journals. (Contains 18 references.) (JDD) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** THE AUTHORITY OF EXPERIENCE IN LEARNING TO TEACH: MESSAGES FROM A PHYSICS METHODS CLASS' U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Once or Educational Research and linorovemen1 EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC, 0 This documenl has teen reoroduce<, as recotved from Me person or organisation originating et 0 Minor changes neve bean made ro improve reprOduCtiOn Quality POints Of view Or OcsnionS Slated in MIS dccumerit do r.ol necessarily represenl official OERI position or policy Hugh Munby and Tom Russell Faculty of Education Queen's University Kingston, Ontario Canada K7L 3N6 Introduction "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATE IAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
The Effect of Admission Blood Pressure on the Prognosis of Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage That Occurred during Treatment with Aspirin, Warfarin, or No Drugs

Background. Hypertension is the most important modifiable risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but blood pressure (BP) management during the acute phase of ICH is still controversial. Approximately one-fourth of ICHs occur during treatment with warfarin or aspirin. Aim. This study was designed to determine the effect of admission BP on the early prognosis of ICH patients by dividing them into three groups (warfarin, aspirin, and no drugs). Methods. Three hundred and sixty-nine patients with supratentorial ICH were divided into three groups according to medication. Each group was evaluated in terms of prognosis and the risk for mortality based on the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at discharge (good prognosis: mRS ≤ 3; poor prognosis: mRS > 3). The effect of admission BP on prognosis was evaluated for each group. Results. The inhospital mortality rate was 72% for ICH patients treated with warfarin, 41.6% for ICH patients treated with aspirin, and 35% for ICH patients treated with no drugs. Admission mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) values were higher in patients with poor prognosis compared with patients with good prognosis for the aspirin (P = .002) and no-drug (P = .001) groups, but not in the warfarin (P = .067) group. Conclusion. A high MABP at admission was found to be an independent predictor of poor prognosis for ICH patients treated with aspirin or with no drugs, but not for ICH patients treated with warfarin.
Genomic and Epigenomic Cross-talks in the Regulatory Landscape of miRNAs in Breast Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a class of endogenous, small noncoding RNAs found in animals, plants, and viruses that control their target gene expression posttranscriptionally. They are involved in a wide array of biological processes including cell differentiation, development, cell death and homeostasis, and fine-tune the regulation of these pathways. Their aberrant expressions have been associated with different diseases. These small RNAs are also known to function as oncogenes, oncosupressor genes, modulators of metastatic spread, and regulators of cancer stem cells. Their deregulation is a hallmark of different cancers types including breast cancer. Despite the growing evidence for their involvement in breast cancer, understanding the interplay between miRNAs and their targets leading to the disease remains largely unknown. Here, we provide a comprehensive story on miRNA signatures of breast cancer, miRNAs in breast cancer stem cells, metastamirs (i.e., metastasis regulatory miRNAs), circulating miRNAs as invasive blood-based biomarkers, and oncomiRs and oncosupressor miRNAs associated with breast cancer. Furthermore, we provide biological insights on their regulation by various mechanisms including genomic alterations and demonstration of a complicated feedback network between miRNAs and epigenetic regulators forming an epigenetics–miRNA regulatory circuit whose disruption may underlie the cause of breast cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 11(4); 315–28. ©2013 AACR.
ANALYSIS OF REFLEX VARIABILITY IN TERMS OF PARTIALLY CORRELATED EXCITABILITY FLUCTUATION IN A POPULATION OF MOTONEURONS

Nerve cells characteristically exhibit fluctuation in excitability. In the case of neurons lying within the central nervous system it is reasonable to suppose that multiple influences contribute to excitability fluctuation. Certain of these influences might depend upon factors intrinsic to individual nerve cells while others might be due to extrinsic factors. I t may be assumed that, among a group of neurons, coincidence of excitability swings due to intrinsic sources of fluctuation would be determined purely by chance. On the other hand, extrinsic factors might be expected to influence members of a population to some degree in unison; i.e., in a correlated manner. These considerations suggest that members of a functionally homogeneous population of nerve cells might be subject to excitability fluctuations that are in part independent and in part correlated. Such appears to occur in spinal motoneurons (3). For a fuller understanding of the reflex behavior of populations of neurons it would be desirable to determine the role of independent and correlated excitability fluctuations. Monosynaptic reflex response of a motoneuron population varies in magnitude on successive application of standard test volleys, indicating that the number of motoneurons responding varies on successive trials. A corollary of this variation in population response is that certain of its members discharge on some but not all of a series of trials. By analysis of individual motoneuron response Lloyd and McIntyre have shown that in response to a series of standard monosynaptic excitatory volleys some members of a motoneuron population never respond, others invariably respond, and a certain number respond on an intermediate number of trials (5). They employed firing index as a measure of individual motoneuron response, this index being defined as the per cent of monosynaptic reflex responses in a given number of trials. I t was found that units with firing indices at the upper and lower extremes of the intermediate range (between zero and 100) occurred more frequently than those in the middle part of this range; that is, the distribution of units with respect to firing indices was U-shaped. This was considered to result from a uniform distribution of
Recruitment of a Lineage-Specific Virulence Regulatory Pathway Promotes Intracellular Infection by a Plant Pathogen Experimentally Evolved into a Legume Symbiont

Ecological transitions between different lifestyles, such as pathogenicity, mutualism and saprophytism, have been very frequent in the course of microbial evolution, and often driven by horizontal gene transfer. Yet, how genomes achieve the ecological transition initiated by the transfer of complex biological traits remains poorly known. Here, we used experimental evolution, genomics, transcriptomics and high-resolution phenotyping to analyze the evolution of the plant pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum into legume symbionts, following the transfer of a natural plasmid encoding the essential mutualistic genes. We show that a regulatory pathway of the recipient R. solanacearum genome involved in extracellular infection of natural hosts was reused to improve intracellular symbiosis with the Mimosa pudica legume. Optimization of intracellular infection capacity was gained through mutations affecting two components of a new regulatory pathway, the transcriptional regulator efpR and a region upstream from the RSc0965-0967 genes of unknown functions. Adaptive mutations caused the downregulation of efpR and the over-expression of a downstream regulatory module, the three unknown genes RSc3146-3148, two of which encoding proteins likely associated to the membrane. This over-expression led to important metabolic and transcriptomic changes and a drastic qualitative and quantitative improvement of nodule intracellular infection. In addition, these adaptive mutations decreased the virulence of the original pathogen. The complete efpR/RSc3146-3148 pathway could only be identified in the genomes of the pathogenic R. solanacearum species complex. Our findings illustrate how the rewiring of a genetic network regulating virulence allows a radically different type of symbiotic interaction and contributes to ecological transitions and trade-offs.
Headphone Virtualization: Improved Localization and Externalization of Non-Individualized HRTFs by Cluster Analysis

Research and experimentation is described which aims to prove the hypothesis that by allowing a listener to choose a single non-individualised profile of HRTFs from a subset of maximally different best representative profiles extracted from a database, improved localisation and externalisation can be achieved for the listener. &-means cluster analysis of entire impulse reponses is used to identify the subset of profiles. Experimentation in a controlled environment shows that test subjects who were offered a choice of a preferred HRTF profile were able to consistently discriminate between a front centre or rear centre virtualised sound source 78.6% of the time, compared with 64.3% in a second group given an arbitrary HRTF profile. Similar results were obtained from virtualisations in uncontrolled environments.
Low and High Expressing Alleles of the LMNA Gene: Implications for Laminopathy Disease Development

Today, there are at least a dozen different genetic disorders caused by mutations within the LMNA gene, and collectively, they are named laminopathies. Interestingly, the same mutation can cause phenotypes with different severities or even different disorders and might, in some cases, be asymptomatic. We hypothesized that one possible contributing mechanism for this phenotypic variability could be the existence of high and low expressing alleles in the LMNA locus. To investigate this hypothesis, we developed an allele-specific absolute quantification method for lamin A and lamin C transcripts using the polymorphic rs4641C/T LMNA coding SNP. The contribution of each allele to the total transcript level was investigated in nine informative human primary dermal fibroblast cultures from Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) and unaffected controls. Our results show differential expression of the two alleles. The C allele is more frequently expressed and accounts for ∼70% of the lamin A and lamin C transcripts. Analysis of samples from six patients with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome showed that the c.1824C>T, p.G608G mutation is located in both the C and the T allele, which might account for the variability in phenotype seen among HGPS patients. Our method should be useful for further studies of human samples with mutations in the LMNA gene and to increase the understanding of the link between genotype and phenotype in laminopathies.
Effect of FET model parameters on simulation of RF amplifiers

Accurate FET Model parameters need to be determined to give accurate simulation results for RF ampliflers. The accuracy required varies depending on the application of the flnal amplifler. For Doherty ampliflers, a high accuracy is required for the transfer characteristic of the amplifler. An amplifler was simulated using a model obtained from data sheet information, and then built. Measurements were taken, and new model parameters were determined, in order to improve the accuracy of the simulation results. The new parameters gave signiflcantly improved results, with only a small discrepancy in the amplifler transfer characteristics at high power levels.
Dynamix - a Meta-Model to Support Feature-Centric Analysis

Many researchers have identified the potential of exploiting domain knowledge in a reverse engineering context. Features are abstractions that encapsulate knowledge of a problem domain and denote units of system behavior. As such, they represent a valuable resource for reverse engineering a system. The main body of feature-related reverse engineering research is concerned with feature identification, a technique to map features to source code. To fully exploit features in reverse engineering, however, we need to extend the focus beyond feature identification and exploit features as primary units of analysis. To incorporate features into reverse engineering analyses, we need to explicitly model features, their relationships to source artefacts, and their relationships to each other. To address this we propose Dynamix, am meta–model that expresses feature entities in the context of a structural metamodel of source code entities. Our meta-model supports feature-centric reverse engineering techniques that establish traceability between the problem and solution domains throughout the life-cycle of a system.
Planning with Reduced Operator Sets

Classical propositional STRIPS planning is nothing but the search for a path in the state-transition graph induced by the operators in the planning problem. What makes the problem hard is the size and the sometimes adverse structure of this graph. We conjecture that the search for a plan would be more efficient if there were only a small number of paths from the initial state to the goal state. To verify this conjecture, we define the notion of reduced operator sets and describe ways of finding such reduced sets. We demonstrate that some state-of-the-art planners run faster using reduced operator sets.
Measurement of scaled complex enclosures for EMI applications

It is a challenge to measure electromagnetic wave interference (EMI) and compatibility (EMC) issues in complex structures that are electrically large. We have built a scaled test facility by reducing the size of the enclosures by a factor of s, increased the frequency of measurement by a factor of s, and increased the conductivity of the walls of the enclosure also by a factor of s. This results in an invariance of Maxwell's equations. The facility allows us to conveniently test the scaled equivalent of complex interconnected enclosure networks and other large structures. We report on results of a cryogenically cooled scaled enclosure and illustrate its properties as a function of temperature.
Kinematic Analysis of a Robotically Augmented Pressure Suit for Planetary Exploration

The next generation of pressure suits must enable large-scale planetary Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA). Astronauts exploring the moon and Mars will be required to walk many kilometers, carry large loads, perform intricate experiments, and extract geological samples. Advanced pressure suit architectures must be developed to allow astronauts to perform these and other tasks simply and effectively. The research developed here demonstrates integration of robotics technology into pressure suit design. The concept of a robotically augmented pressure suit for planetary exploration has been developed through the use of analytical and experimental investigations. Two unique torso configurations are examined, including a Soft/Hard Upper Torso with individually adjustable bearings, as well as advances in Morphing Upper Torso research, in which an all-soft torso is analyzed as a system of interconnected parallel manipulators. The forward kinematics of the systems are developed, and tools have been generated to further quantify the dynamic requirements. In addition, the concept of using parallel manipulators to augment suit mobility has been extended to include the lower torso assembly. Coupling these analyses with previous work done on a wire-actuated glove and concurrent work on robotically augmented arm assemblies, it becomes feasible to envision a fully augmented pressure suit, one which significantly increases the astronaut’s capabilities and the efficiency of future planetary EVA.
DISTORTED LIFE CYCLE ON POST-SOCIALIST ADRIATIC ISLANDS: USING THE EXAMPLE OF MLJET, CROATIA

This paper investigates the life cycle of Mljet Island in Croatia according to a modifi ed Butler’s (1980) model using the criteria of Lundtorp and Wanhill (2001) applied to overnight stays. Since it represents an example of a war-distorted life cycle, the development of tourism on Mljet was investigated in two life cycles separated by the Croatian War of Independence: (1) the life cycle in the socialist period (1946 – 1991); and (2) the life cycle after the Croatian War of Independence (1993 – today). Research results suggest that without appropriate tourism management and product improvement, the post-war recovery of tourism would not automatically reach the previous level of visitation and that the threat of decline could even reappear in a few years. Although a part of the island is protected as a national park, its life cycle has the usual course and characteristics as other coastal destinations.
Using Office Discipline Referral Data for Decision Making About Student Behavior in Elementary and Middle Schools

In this evaluation we used Messick's construct validity as a conceptual framework for an empirical study assessing the validity of use, utility, and impact of office discipline referral (ODR) measures for data-based decision making about student behavior in schools. The Messick approach provided a rubric for testing the fit of our theory of use of ODR measures with empirical data on reported and actual use. It also facilitated our demonstration of Messick's principle that validation is both a developmental and an ongoing collaborative process among developers of educational and psychological measures, researchers interested in theories underlying such measures, and educators who use these measures in professional practice. We used a single-group, nonexperimental evaluation design to survey users of ODR measures from the standardized School Wide Information System in 22 elementary and 10 middle schools; respondents included school staff involved exclusively with data entry and staff actively involved in data-based decision making. Results were highly consistent across 2 independent data sources—electronic database records of actual access of summaries of ODR measures and self-report survey responses regarding frequencies and types of uses of ODR measures for decision making. Results indicated that ODR measures are regularly used for a variety of types of data-based decision making and are regarded as both efficient and effective for those purposes. We discuss implications of our SWIS ODR validity evaluation results within the context of the Messick framework.
Function-valued Mappings and SSIM-based Optimization in Imaging

In a few words, this thesis is concerned with two alternative approaches to imaging, namely, Function-valued Mappings (FVMs) and Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM)-based Optimization. Briefly, a FVM is a mathematical object that assigns to each element in its domain a function that belongs to a given function space. The advantage of this representation is that the infinite dimensionality of the range of FVMs allows us to give a more accurate description of complex datasets such as hyperspectral images and diffusion magnetic resonance images, something that can not be done with the classical representation of such data sets as vector-valued functions. For instance, a hyperspectral image can be described as a FVM that assigns to each point in a spatial domain a spectral function that belongs to the function space L(R); that is, the space of functions whose energy is finite. Moreoever, we present a Fourier transform and a new class of fractal transforms for FVMs to analyze and process hyperspectral images. Regarding SSIM-based optimization, we introduce a general framework for solving optimization problems that involve the SSIM as a fidelity measure. This framework offers the option of carrying out SSIM-based imaging tasks which are usually addressed using the classical Euclidean-based methods. In the literature, SSIM-based approaches have been proposed to address the limitations of Euclidean-based metrics as measures of visual quality. These methods show better performance when compared to their Euclidean counterparts since the SSIM is a better model of the human visual system; however, these approaches tend to be developed for particular applications. With the general framework that it is presented in this thesis, rather than focusing on particular imaging tasks, we introduce a set of novel algorithms capable of carrying out a wide range of SSIM-based imaging applications. Moreover, such a framework allows us to include the SSIM as a fidelity term in optimization problems in which it had not been included before.
Exploiting Foursquare and Cellular Data to Infer User Activity in Urban Environments

Inferring the type of activities in neighborhoods of urban centers may be helpful in a number of contexts including urban planning, content delivery and activity recommendations for mobile web users or may even yield to a deeper understanding of the geographical evolution of social life in the city . During the past few years, the analysis of mobile phone usage patterns, or of social media with longitudinal attributes, have aided the automatic characterization of the dynamics of the urban environment. In this work, we combine a dataset sourced from a telecommunication provider in Spain with a database of millions of geotagged venues from Foursquare and we formulate the problem of urban activity inference in a supervised learning framework. In particular, we exploit user communication patterns observed at the base station level in order to predict the activity of Foursquare users who checkin-in at nearby venues. First, we mine a set of machine learning features that allow us to encode the input telecommunication signal of a tower. Subsequently, we evaluate a diverse set of supervised learning algorithms using labels extracted from Foursquare place categories and we consider two application scenarios. Initially, we assess how hard it is to predict specific urban activity of an area, showing that Nightlife and Entertainment spots are those easier to infer, whereas College and Shopping areas are those featuring the lowest accuracy rates. Then, considering a candidate set of activity types in a geographic area, we aim to elect the most prominent one. We demonstrate how the difficulty of the problem increases with the number of classes incorporated in the prediction task, yet the classifiers achieve a considerably better performance compared to a random guess even when the set of candidate classes increases.