Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Interplay between Context(s) and Situation 2. Context vs. Situation 2.1 Terminology

In order to interpret the behaviour of cognitive systems, the integration into their specific cultural environment must be considered. The phenomenon of situatedness is a crucial determinant of this behaviour. We derive the notion of situatedness from the interplay between agent, situation, and context (divided into inter-and intracontext). The main objective of this paper is to connect a theoretical analysis of situatedness with its implications for empirical research. In particular, we consider processes of situated learning in natural and artificial systems. One of the difficulties connected to understanding and modelling natural systems is based on the fact that they are not isolated from but rather integrated into context and situation. However, if the goal is to observe mechanisms and processes of a system, it is methodically essential to detach the system from the situation it is part of. A growing sensitivity has emerged in theoretical and empirical research of cognitive science concerning this phenomenon which has been termed situatedness. It has been employed by sociologists, anthropologists, cultural psychologists, and conversation analysts as well as AI and behavioural scientists in describing the close relation between an individual and its environment, and the influence of this relation on the nature and development of the individual itself. This paper is motivated by our aim to connect a theoretical analysis of the role of context(s) and situation with two examples of learning in artificial and natural systems. We will point out some aspects of the interplay between context and situation in order to contribute to the scientific exchange regarding situatedness in the field of (linguistic) concept formation. We start by clarifying the notions context and situation involved in the phenomenon (s. section 2). Then, some theoretical underpinnings for the application of these notions to acting systems are outlined (s. section 3). In sections 4 and 5, we report from two different perspectives on which impact situatedness has on human cognition or more generally, processing of information in an acting system. First, an artificial system is described that models processes of situated learning (section 4). Afterwards, language acquisition in humans is viewed from a situated perspective (section 5). Finally, we summarize our analyses and propose a definition of the notion situatedness (s. section 6). The terms situation and context are often used synonymously. However, to derive situatedness from the interaction of situation and context it is necessary to dissociate these notions. A situation consists of …
Kolmogorov and Probability Theory

There is no doubt that the most famous and influential work by Andrei Nikolaevitch Kolmogorov (1903-1987) is a monograph of around 60 pages published in 1933 by Springer in a collection of texts devoted to the modern theory of probability [16]. This monograph changed the character of the calculus of probability, moving it from a collection of calculations into a mathematical theory. The basic elements of Kolmogorov^s formulation are the notion of probability space associated with a given random experience and the notion of random variable. These notions were formulated in the context of measure theory. More precisely, a probability space is a measure space with total mass equal to one and a random variable is a real-valued measurable function:
On the Way to Fun: An Emotion-Based Approach to Successful Game Design

How can video games be fun and immerse players in fantastic worlds where anything seems possible? How can they be so engaging to have become the main entertainment product for children and adults alike? In On the Way to Fun, the author proposes a possible answer to these questions by going back to the roots of gaming and showing how early games, as well as modern indie productions, captivated generations of players even without the need for fancy graphics and effects but by relying on basic emotions and instincts instead. This book will be most beneficial to aspiring and beginning game designers and to anyone who wants a better understanding of human nature and how it relates to the design process of immersive video game experiences.
Microarray Analysis of Genes Involved with Shell Strength in Layer Shell Gland at the Early Stage of Active Calcification

The objective of this study was to get a comprehensive understanding of how genes in chicken shell gland modulate eggshell strength at the early stage of active calcification. Four 32-week old of purebred Xianju hens with consistent high or low shell breakage strength were grouped into two pairs. Using Affymetrix Chicken Array, a whole-transcriptome analysis was performed on hen’s shell gland at 9 h post oviposition. Gene ontology enrichment analysis for differentially expressed (DE) transcripts was performed using the web-based GOEAST, and the validation of DE-transcripts was tested by qRT-PCR. 1,195 DE-transcripts, corresponding to 941 unique genes were identified in hens with strong eggshell compared to weak shell hens. According to gene ontology annotations, there are 77 DE-transcripts encoding ion transporters and secreted extracellular matrix proteins, and at least 26 DE-transcripts related to carbohydrate metabolism or post-translation glycosylation modification; furthermore, there are 88 signaling DE-transcripts. GO term enrichment analysis suggests that some DE-transcripts mediate reproductive hormones or neurotransmitters to affect eggshell quality through a complex suite of biophysical processes. These results reveal some candidate genes involved with eggshell strength at the early stage of active calcification which may facilitate our understanding of regulating mechanisms of eggshell quality.
A Method for Generating a Minimal Functional Set of Test-Cases for Software-Intensive Systems

In testing software components, choosing appropriate test-cases is a difficult task. Not only input data must be identified that results in different behavior of the component under test, but also the resultant high number of test-cases must be handled. This work describes a method for selecting test input data by dividing the input parameter value domains into equivalence classes and reducing the number of resultant test-cases by applying a pair-wise coverage of parameters values. That way, a minimal number of testcases can be generated that already provides coverage of standard test methods to a high degree and finds a significant number of errors. The described method was implemented and used for automating the testing of automotive systems.
Influence of Silicon on Resistance of Zinnia elegans to Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

ABSTRACT Studies were conducted to examine the effect of treating Zinnia elegans Jacq. with soluble silicon on the performance of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer). Z. elegans plants were irrigated every 2 d throughout the duration of the experiment with a nutrient solution amended with potassium silicate (K2SiO2), or a nutrient solution without K2SiO2. Length of the prereproductive period and survivorship of M. persicae were not affected by K2SiO2 treatment, but total cumulative fecundity and the intrinsic rate of increase (rm ) were slightly reduced on Z. elegans plants receiving soluble silicon. Quantification of silicon contentin leaf tissues using inductively coupled plasmaoptical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) confirmed significantly higher silicon concentrations in plants treated with K2SiO2 compared with control plants. High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) analysis was used to identify and quantify phenolic acids and flavonols in leaf tissue of z. elegans. Compared with untreated control plants, significant elevations in 5-caf-feoylquinic acid, p-coumaroylquinic acid, and rutin were detected in leaves of Z. elegans plants treated with K2SiO2, but none of seven other phenolics were significantly affected. Similarly, a slight elevation in guaiacol peroxidase activity was detected in plants treated with K2SiO2 Overall, these results indicate treatment of Z. elegans with soluble silicon provides a modest increase in resistance levels to M. persicae, which may be caused in part by defense-related compounds.
PENGARUH DISIPLIN, MOTIVASI DAN SEMANGAT KERJA TERHADAP PRODUKTIVITAS KERJA PEGAWAI DINAS PENDAPATAN DAERAH KOTA MANADO

Abstrak: Pihak sumber daya manusia dalam kegiatan organisasi seringkali menemukan kesulitan dalam mengatur rendahnya produktivitas kerja yang dihasilkan pegawai, untuk itu organisasi harus memperhatikan disiplin sebagai upaya meningkatkan kesadaran dan kesediaan pegawai mentaati semua peraturan yang berlaku. Motivasi berperan penting dalam melaksanakan tugas secara efektif dan efisien, karena motivasi pendorong atau penggerak seseorang dalam mencapai tujuan. Faktor lain yang harus diperhatikan juga adalah semangat kerja, dengan adanya semangat kerja yang tinggi maka pekerjaan yang diberikan atau ditugaskan akan dapat diselesaikan dengan waktu yang lebih singkat atau lebih cepat. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh disiplin, motivasi dan semangat kerja terhadap produktivitas kerja pegawai. Sampel ditentukan berdasarkan rumus Slovin, sebanyak 79 responden. Alat analisis yang digunakan adalah regresi linier berganda. Hasil penelitian secara simultan disiplin, motivasi dan semangat kerja berpengaruh signifikan terhadap produktivitas kerja. Secara parsial disiplin tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap produktivitas kerja, motivasi dan semangat kerja berpengaruh signifikan terhadap produktivitas kerja. Sebaiknya pimpinan dispenda memperhatikan dan meningkatkan lagi motivasi dan semangat kerja, untuk meningkatkan produktivitas kerja pegawai. Kata kunci: disiplin, motivasi, semangat kerja, produktivitas kerja
Three-layer Activity Recognition Combining Domain Knowledge and Meta-classification

One of the essential tasks of healthcare and smart-living systems is to recognize the current activity of a particular user. Such activity recognition (AR) is demanding when only limited sensors are used, such as accelerometers. Given a small number of accelerometers, intelligent AR systems often use simple architectures, either general or specific for their AR. In this paper, a system for AR named TriLAR is presented. TriLAR has an AR-specific architecture consisting of three layers: (i) a bottom layer, where an arbitrary number of AR methods can be used to recognize the current activity; (ii) a middle layer, where the predictions from the bottom-layer methods are inputs for a hierarchical structure that combines domain knowledge and meta-classification; and (iii) a top layer, where a hidden Markov model is used to correct spurious transitions between the recognized activities from the middle layer. The middle layer has a hierarchical, three-level structure. First, a meta-classifier is used to make the initial separation between the most distinct activities. Second, domain knowledge in the form of rules is used to differentiate between the remaining activities, recognizing those of interest (i.e., static activities). Third, another meta-classifier deals with the remaining activities. In this way, each activity is recognized by the method best suited to it, leaving unrecognized activities to the next method. This architecture was tested on a dataset recorded using ten volunteers who acted out a complex, real-life scenario while wearing accelerometers placed on the chest, thigh, and ankle. The results show that TriLAR successfully recognized elementary activities using one or two sensors and significantly outperformed three standard, single-layer methods with all sensor placements.
Diversity within cyanobacterial mat communities in variable salinity meltwater ponds of McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica.

This study investigated the diversity of cyanobacterial mat communities of three meltwater ponds--Fresh, Orange and Salt Ponds, south of Bratina Island, McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica. A combined morphological and genetic approach using clone libraries was used to investigate the influence of salinity on cyanobacterial diversity within these ecosystems without prior cultivation or isolation of cyanobacteria. We were able to identify 22 phylotypes belonging to Phormidium sp. , Oscillatoria sp. and Lyngbya sp. In addition, we identified Antarctic Nostoc sp. , Nodularia sp. and Anabaena sp. from the clone libraries. Fresh (17 phylotypes) and Orange (nine phylotypes) Ponds showed a similar diversity in contrast to that of the hypersaline Salt Pond (five phylotypes), where the diversity within cyanobacterial mats was reduced. Using the comparison of identified phylotypes with existing Antarctic sequence data, it was possible to gain further insight into the different levels of distribution of phylotypes identified in the investigated cyanobacterial mat communities of McMurdo Ice Shelf.
Prevalence of Leisure Noise-Induced Tinnitus and the Attitude Toward Noise in University Students

Background Adolescents and young adults often are exposed to potentially damaging loud music during leisure activities. As a consequence, more and more young adults suffer from tinnitus, hearing loss, and hyperacusis. The present study provides prevalence numbers for noise-induced tinnitus (NIT) in this group, the attitude toward loud music, and the factors influencing the use of hearing protection (HP). Method A questionnaire was undertaken to evaluate the influence of permanent/transient tinnitus after loud music, the attitudes toward noise, influence of peers, and the ability to manipulate HP on the use of HP. The questionnaire was completed by 145 university students. Results Approximately 89.5% of the students had experienced transient tinnitus after loud music exposure. The prevalence of transient NIT was higher in female subjects compared with male students. Permanent NIT was experienced by 14.8%. Nevertheless, few respondents were worried, and the degree of HP use was low (11%). However, the presence of permanent tinnitus was a motivation for HP use. Most respondents held a neutral to positive attitude (i.e., pronoise) toward loud music and were not fully aware of the risks of too much noise exposure. Conclusion NIT is a common phenomenon among young adults. The lack of knowledge in young adults and the underuse of HP in leisure activities provide useful information to refine preventive measures in the future.
A Model of Affect and Learning for Intelligent Tutors

A model of affect and learning for intelligent tutoring systems is proposed. The model considers both how a student feels and what a student knows, and then customizes how instruction is presented and how learning and performance are reinforced. The model was designed based on teachers’ expertise, which was obtained through interviews and interaction with an educational game on number factorization learning. The core of the model is a dynamic decision network, which generates tutorial actions balancing affect and knowledge. The student’s affect representation relies on a Bayesian network and theoretical models of emotion and personality. A controlled user study to evaluate the impact of the model on learning was performed. Current results are encouraging since they show significant improvement in learning when the model of affect and learning is incorporated.
The Prognostic Role of Ki-67/MIB-1 in Cervical Cancer: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis

Background A significant relationship has been reported in which Ki-67/MIB-1 expression is correlated with survival in cervical cancer patients. However, the prognostic value of Ki-67/MIB-1 in cervical cancer is still not well understood. Material/Method A meta-analysis was carried out to explore the prognostic value of Ki-67/MIB-1 on overall survival (OS) and/or disease-free survival (DFS) in cervical cancer. The databases of PubMed, ISI Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ScienceDirect, and Wiley Online Library were used to identify relevant literature. Results We included 18 studies covering 1344 patients in the meta-analysis. The effect of Ki-67/MIB-1 on OS for pooled random effects HR estimate was 1.63 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.09–2.45; P<0.05). Subgroup analysis by ethnicity suggested that high expression of Ki-67/MIB-1 had association with Asians (1.84, 95% CI 1.04–3.23), but not with Africans (HR=1.53, 95% CI 0.34–6.86) or Europeans (HR=1.29, 95% CI 0.74–2.23). Furthermore, subgroup analysis of diverse treatments revealed no difference in surgery (HR=1.97, 95% CI 0.78–4.99) and radiation therapy (RT) (HR=1.56, 95% CI 0.93–2.63). The pooled HR for DFS was 1.26 (95% CI 0.58–2.73; P>0.05) and the subgroup analysis indicated Ki-67/MIB1 was associated with DFS (HR=3.67, 95% CI 2.65–5.09) in Asians. In the treatment subgroup analysis, no direct value was found among surgery (HR=1.13, 95% CI 0.10–13.53) and RT (HR=1.26, 95% CI 0.71–2.24). Conclusions Our meta-analysis concludes that Ki-67/MIB-1 had a prognostic value for OS in cervical cancer patients. To further evaluate the prognostic role of Ki-67/MIB-1 on DFS, studies with larger numbers of patients are needed to validate our findings.
Phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 confers PARP inhibitor resistance in BRCA1-deficient cancers

Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a promising therapeutic strategy for BRCA1 deficient cancers, however, the development of drug resistance limits clinical efficacy. Previously we found that the BRCA1-AKT1 pathway contributes to tumorigenesis and that the AKT1/mTOR is a novel therapeutic target for BRCA1-deficient cancers. Here, we report that phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6, a mTOR downstream effector, is greatly increased in BRCA1 deficient cells resistant to PARP inhibition. Phosphorylation of S6 is associated with DNA damage and repair signaling during PARP inhibitor treatment. In BRCA1 deficient cells, expression of S6 lacking all five phosphorylatable sites renders the cells sensitive to PARP inhibitor and increases DNA damage signals. In addition, the S6 mutations reduce tumor formation induced by Brca1-deficiency in mice. Inhibition of S6 phosphorylation by rapamycin restores PARP sensitivity to resistant cells. Combined treatment with rapamycin and PARP inhibitor effectively suppresses BRCA1-deficient tumor growth in mice. These results provide evidence for a novel mechanism by which BRCA1 deficient cancers acquire drug resistance and suggest a new therapeutic strategy to circumvent resistance.
A Riemannian geometry with complete geodesics for the set of positive semidefinite matrices of fixed rank

We present a homogeneous space geometry for the manifold of symmetric positive semidefinite matrices of fixed rank. The total space is the general linear group endowed with its natural rightinvariant metric, and the metric on the homogeneous space is chosen such that the quotient space is the image of a Riemannian submersion from the total space. As a result, we obtain complete geodesics that are the image of certain geodesics on the general linear group. We derive in addition an efficient closed-form expression for these geodesics. Furthermore, we isometrically embed the abstract quotient space into the space of real matrices. This allows us to interpret the vector fields, the metric and the geodesics in terms of concrete matrices. Finally, we compare our geometry with some other geometries in the literature. In particular, we show how other geodesics and their approximations relate to ours.
Role of growth phase and ethanol in freeze-thaw stress resistance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The freeze-thaw tolerance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was examined throughout growth in aerobic batch culture. Minimum tolerance to rapid freezing (immersion in liquid nitrogen; cooling rate, approximately 200 degrees C min-1) was associated with respirofermentative (exponential) growth on glucose. However, maximum tolerance occurred not during the stationary phase but during active respiratory growth on ethanol accumulated during respirofermentative growth on glucose. The peak in tolerance occurred several hours after entry into the respiratory growth phase and did not correspond to a transient accumulation of trehalose which occurred at the point of glucose exhaustion. Substitution of ethanol with other carbon sources which permit high levels of respiration (acetate and galactose) also induced high freeze-thaw tolerance, and the peak did not occur in cells shifted directly from fermentative growth to starvation conditions or in two respiratorily incompetent mutants. These results imply a direct link with respiration, rather than exhaustion of glucose. The role of ethanol as a cryoprotectant per se was also investigated, and under conditions of rapid freezing (cooling rate, approximately 200 degrees C min-1), ethanol demonstrated a significant cryoprotective effect. Under the same freezing conditions, glycerol had little effect at high concentrations and acted as a cryosensitizer at low concentrations. Conversely, under slow-freezing conditions (step freezing at -20, -70, and then -196 degrees C; initial cooling rate, approximately 3 degrees C min-1), glycerol acted as a cryoprotectant while ethanol lost this ability. Ethanol may thus have two effects on the cryotolerance of baker's yeast, as a respirable carbon source and as a cryoprotectant under rapid-freezing conditions.
Hotel Geopolitics: A Research Agenda

This article sets a new agenda for research into the geopolitics of hotels. Moving beyond the study of hotels as neutral sites of leisure and tourism, hospitality mediated by financial exchange, we argue that hotels need to be researched as geopolitical sites. Hotel spaces – from conference rooms to reception halls, from hotel bars to corridors and private rooms – are connected to broader architectures of security and insecurity, war- and peacemaking. We present six themes for this research agenda: hotels as projections of soft power, soft targets for political violence, strategic infrastructures in conflict, hosts for war reporters, providers of emergency hospitality and care, and infrastructures of peace-building. We conclude that the geopolitical potential of hotels emerges from two spatial dimensions of the relation of hospitality: hotels’ selective openness and closure to their surroundings, and their flexible material infrastructures that can facilitate and mediate geopolitical processes. Research on geopolitics, and its engagements with the everyday materialities that shape war and peace, must take seriously the hotel as a geopolitical space.