Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methodological overview of the study of well-being through the Australian National Church Life Survey

All papers in this special edition of Mental Health, Religion & Culture utilise data sets from the 2011 round of the Australian National Church Life Survey (NCLS). This paper presents a methodological overview of the NCLS, including data collection methods, survey instruments and demographic descriptions of church attender and leader data sets. The data sets have good national coverage and denominational diversity, although Pentecostals are under-represented. The data sets may be further affected by self-selection by participating churches; however, the content of the surveys is unlikely to have triggered self-selection biases at the level of individuals. The paper also provides details concerning the measurement of quality of life in the present collection, concentrating on the Personal Wellbeing Index (PWI) which is featured in four of the five empirical papers. Mean PWI scores for churchgoers and leaders were similar to the Australian populace at large, although there was greater variability among churchgoers. The domain of spirituality/religion makes a significant contribution to well-being in these Australian Christian sub-populations.
Bayesian inference of diffusion networks with unknown infection times

The analysis of diffusion processes in real-world propagation scenarios often involves estimating variables that are not directly observed. These hidden variables include parental relationships, the strengths of connections between nodes, and the moments of time that infection occurs. In this paper, we propose a framework in which all three sets of parameters are assumed to be hidden and we develop a Bayesian approach to infer them. After justifying the model assumptions, we evaluate the performance efficiency of our proposed approach through numerical simulations on synthetic datasets and real-world diffusion processes.
Enhanced Arsenic Accumulation in Engineered Bacterial Cells Expressing ArsR

ABSTRACT The metalloregulatory protein ArsR, which offers high affinity and selectivity toward arsenite, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli in an attempt to increase the bioaccumulation of arsenic. Overproduction of ArsR resulted in elevated levels of arsenite bioaccumulation but also a severe reduction in cell growth. Incorporation of an elastin-like polypeptide as the fusion partner to ArsR (ELP153AR) improved cell growth by twofold without compromising the ability to accumulate arsenite. Resting cells overexpressing ELP153AR accumulated 5- and 60-fold-higher levels of arsenate and arsenite than control cells without ArsR overexpression. Conversely, no significant improvement in Cd2+ or Zn2+ accumulation was observed, validating the specificity of ArsR. The high affinity of ArsR allowed 100% removal of 50 ppb of arsenite from contaminated water with these engineered cells, providing a technology useful to comply with the newly approved U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limit of 10 ppb. These results open up the possibility of using cells overexpressing ArsR as an inexpensive, high-affinity ligand for arsenic removal from contaminated drinking and ground water.
Tele echo tube: beyond cultural and imaginable boundaries

Currently, human-computer interaction (HCI) is primarily focused on human-centric interactions; however, people experience many nonhuman-centric interactions during the course of a day. Interactions with nature, such as experiencing the sounds of birds or trickling water, can imprint the beauty of nature in our memories. In this context, this paper presents an interface of such nonhuman interactions to observe people's reaction to the interactions through an imaginable interaction with a mythological creature. Tele Echo Tube (TET) is a speaking tube interface that acoustically interacts with a deep mountain echo through the slightly vibrating lampshade-like interface. TET allows users to interact with the mountain echo in real time through an augmented echo-sounding experience with the vibration over a satellite data network. This novel interactive system can create an imaginable presence of the mythological creature in the undeveloped natural locations beyond our cultural and imaginable boundaries. The results indicate that users take the reflection of the sound as a cue that triggers the nonlinguistic believability in the form of the mythological metaphor of the mountain echo. This echo-like experience of believable interaction in an augmented reality between a human and nature gave the users an imaginable presence of the mountain echo with a high degree of excitement. This paper describes the development and integration of nonhuman-centric design protocols, requirements, methods, and context evaluation.
The Good, the Bad, and the Average: Evidence on Ability Peer Effects in Schools

We study ability peer effects in English secondary schools using data on four cohorts of students taking age-14 national tests and measuring peers’ ability by prior achievements at age 11. Our identification is based on within-pupil regressions exploiting variation in achievements across three compulsory subjects tested at age 14 and age 11. Using this novel strategy, we find significant and sizable negative effects arising from bad peers at the bottom of the ability distribution but little evidence that average peer quality and good peers matter. However, these results are heterogeneous, with girls benefiting from academically bright peers and boys not.
Searching optimal sigma parameter in Radial Basis Kernel Support Vector Machine for classification of HIV sub-type viruses

We propose intelligent methods to classify two different HIV virus types, i.e., R5X4 and R5 or X4 with low computational complexity. Since R5X5 virus has same the features of R5 and X4 viruses, diagnosis of R5X4 can not be determined easily. In this study, the statistical data of R5X4, R5 and X4 was obtained by accessible residues and modelled by Auto-regressive (AR) model. After that the pre-processed data was used for determining the optimal σ value in Radial Basis Kernel of Support Vector Machine (SVM).
An OFDM channel estimation based on a simultaneous use of liner interpolation and feedback channel estimation

In Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), multiple pilot subcarriers are dispersed for propagation channel estimation. Our study suggests a method to reduce the number of pilot subcarriers to 1/15 while maintaining fading tolerance. This can be realized by estimating the propagation channel parameters with combined implementation of sequential feedback estimation for the time direction and linear interpolation for the frequency direction.
Shear stress affects migration behavior of polymorphonuclear cells arrested on endothelium.

Polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) transmigration across the TNF-alpha-stimulated endothelial cell (HUVEC) monolayer in the presence of shear flow was monitored with time-lapse videotapes. More than half of the PMN that arrested on HUVEC transmigrated through endothelial cell junctions within the following 15 min. The kinetics of transmigration was significantly faster than that of PMN placed under static conditions. Once PMN crept into the subendothelial space, they showed random migration beneath the HUVEC monolayer. PMN that did not transmigrate moved on the apical surface of HUVEC in the direction of flow downstream. Anti-beta1 integrin mAb (4B4) and RGD peptide inhibited the transmigration more effectively than anti-beta2 integrin mAb (TS1/18) and almost totally abrogated transmigration. When HUVEC were cultured on fibronectin or laminin, the transmigration was significantly inhibited by anti-alpha5 or alpha6 integrin mAbs, respectively. Our data clearly indicate that shear stress affects the migration behavior of PMN arrested on endothelium and suggest that binding to subendothelial extracellular matrix via beta1 integrins is another essential step in leukocyte extravasation.
Adaptive Discontinuous Galerkin Method for the Shallow Water Equations

SUMMARY In this paper, we present a Discontinuous Galerkin formulation of the shallow water equations. An orthogonal basis is used for the spatial discretization and an explicit Runge-Kutta scheme is used for time discretization. Some results of second order anisotropic adaptive calculations are presented for dam breaking problems. The adaptive procedure uses an error indicator that concentrates the computational eort near discontinuities like hydraulic jumps. Copyright c 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microwave Hematoma Detector for the Rapid Assessment of Head Injuries

A non-invasive microwave device for the detection of epi/subdural hemorrhaging (hematoma) is under current development. The final device will be highly portable and allow real time assessment of head injuries, thereby satisfying early detection needs of the field technician as well as providing a tool for repetitious monitoring of high-risk individuals. The device will adopt the advanced technology of micropower impulse radar (MIR) which is a state of the art low cost ultra wide band (UWB) microwave radar developed here at LLNL. It will consist of a MIR transmitting and receiving module, a computer based signal processing module, and a device-to-patient signal coupling module--the UWB antenna. The prototype design is being guided by the needs of the patient and the practitioner along with the prerequisites of the technology including issues such as the specificity of the device, efficacy of diagnosis, accuracy, robustness, and patient comfort. The prototype development follows a concurrent approach which . includes experiments designed to evaluate requirements of the radar and antenna design, phantom development to facilitate laboratory investigations, and investigation into the limits of adapting pre-existing non-medical MIR devices to medical applications. This report will present the accomplishments and project highlights to date in the fiscal year more » 1999. Future project projections will also be discussed. « less
Software productivity measurement using multiple size measures

Productivity measures based on a simple ratio of product size to project effort assume that size can be determined as a single measure. If there are many possible size measures in a data set and no obvious model for aggregating the measures into a single measure, we propose using the expression AdjustedSize/Effort to measure productivity. AdjustedSize is defined as the most appropriate regression-based effort estimation model, where all the size measures selected for inclusion in the estimation model have a regression parameter significantly different from zero (p<0.05). This productivity measurement method ensures that each project has an expected productivity value of one. Values between zero and one indicate lower than expected productivity, values greater than one indicate higher than expected productivity. We discuss the assumptions underlying this productivity measurement method and present an example of its use for Web application projects. We also explain the relationship between effort prediction models and productivity models.
Sepsis-induced Innate and Adaptive Immune Suppression

The inflammatory response to sepsis has classically been characterized by an overactive innate immune response. Recent adult and pediatric evidence suggests that the immune response is quite dynamic in this setting, often with endogenous innate and adaptive immunosuppression following the onset of sepsis. Sepsis-induced innate immune dysfunction can include reduction in antigen presenting capacity (as evidenced by decreased monocyte HLA-DR expression) and low pro-inflammatory cytokine production capacity (as evidenced by reduced ex vivo LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-� production). The term immunoparalysis describes a state of severe reduction in these parameters and has been associated with increased risks for the development of nosocomial infection and death in septic adults and children. Intriguing evidence suggests that immunoparalysis may be reversible with beneficial effects on outcomes. Adaptive immune dysfunction has also been reported following the onset of sepsis. Lymphopenia, lymphocyte apoptosis, and skewing toward anti-inflammatory T cell subtypes (such as regulatory T cells) have all been associated with adverse outcomes from sepsis. Without specific testing, most aspects of sepsis-related immune dysfunction are occult. Accordingly, the development of robust immune monitoring and modulation protocols should be a high priority in the battle to improve outcomes from sepsis in critically ill adults and children.
The Meaning of Meanness: Popularity, Competition, and Conflict among Junior High School Girls.

The dirty dozen was the name used by several teachers to refer to a clique of junior high school girls who were both mean and popular. In this school, the students used the term mean as a largely undifferentiated characterization for acts of commission and omission whose intent, or result, was to hurt someone emotionally. This article proposes that exploring the meaning of meanness is a starting point for understanding the connections between female competition, conflict and popularity. An examination of these connections in the context of a clique of popular girls allows for a better understanding of the sociocultural construction of meanness in junior high school
Diet, diabetes and schizophrenia: Review and hypothesis

Background Diabetes is more common in people with schizophrenia than in the general population. Aims To explore the possible reasons for the association between diabetes and schizophrenia. Method Diet and other lifestyle factors in patients with schizophrenia were reviewed as risk factors for diabetes. Results People with schizophrenia show features of the metabolic syndrome at the onset of illness, before treatment. They also eat a poor diet, take little exercise and have high rates of smoking. Food intake may be increased further by antipsychotic medication. Nutritional factors appear to have a key role in the development of diabetes in patients with schizophrenia and may also affect the outcome and severity of schizophrenia. A common pathway through which diet might contribute to the development of both diabetes and schizophrenia is proposed. Conclusions Lifestyle factors may influence outcomes in both diabetes and schizophrenia. Lifestyle interventions are the key to improving the long-term health of people with schizophrenia.
Leukaemia

A 81-year-old woman developed monoblastic leukaemia during treatment with doxorubicin, vinblastine and dacarbazine for mixed cellularity Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Additionally, she exhibited lack of efficacy during treatment with decitabine for monoblastic leukaemia [ routes and dosages not stated ]. The woman, who had been diagnosed with mixed cellularity Hodgkin’s lymphoma, presented with a complaint of newly developed skin rash on her chest. She had been receiving chemotherapy with doxorubicin [adriamycin], vinblastine and dacarbazine, on remission. Upon presentation, punch biopsy a diffuse infiltrate of blastoid mononuclear cells with a component of monocytic differentiation noted throughout the dermis. Laboratory analyses showed bicytopenia, platelets 32 x 10 9 /L, haemoglobin 8.4 g/dL, peripheral blood smear examination revealed 54% blasts, bone marrow biopsy was notable for infiltration by 79.2% blasts, along with monocytic differentiation and prominent haemophagocytosis. Immunophenotypic analysis showed weak positivity for p53 as well as a Ki67 proliferation index of 20%. Thus, she was diagnosed with monoblastic leukaemia attributed to doxorubicin, vinblastine and dacarbazine [ durations of treatments to reaction onset and outcome not stated ], along with haemophagocytosis. Subsequently, the woman was admitted to the hospital, where cytogenic analyses revealed t(8;16)(p11.2;p13.3) and KAT6A- CREBBP fusion gene. She received induction chemotherapy with decitabine. However, her hospital course was complicated due to pulmonary oedema and acute kidney injury, along with rapid deterioration and persistent increase in blasts in blood. Despite receiving decitabine, she exhibited lack of improvement. Unfortunately, she died [ cause of death not stated ].
Tracking Trajectory of a Cable-Driven Robot for Lower Limb Rehabilitation

—This paper investigates and presents a cable-driven robot to lower limb rehabilitation use in sagittal plane. The presented rehabilitation robot is used for a trajectory tracking in joint space. The paper covers kinematic and dynamic analysis, which reveals the tensionability of the used cables as being the actuating source to provide a rehabilitation exercises of the human leg. The desired trajectory is generated to be used in the control system design in joint space. The obtained simulation results is showed to be efﬁcient in this kind of application.
VRAPS: Visual Rhythm-based Audio Playback System

VRAPS (Visual Rhythm-based Audio Playback System) is an interactive multimedia application that uses a novel visual rhythm detection technique to allow a user to control the playback speed of an audio signal by moving in front of a video camera. As traditionally defined in the context of music, a beat represents a distinctive musical event such as the hitting of a drum or the start of a new melodic note. Similarly, we define a visual beat to indicate distinctive visual events such as rhythmic gestures and dance motions. In this paper, we propose a method for automatically detecting visual beats and tempo from a video signal. As a demonstration of this technique, we present an interactive, real-time audio playback system that continuously adjusts the playback speed of an audio signal based on the visual rhythm detected from a real-time video capture device.
Globalisation as Constraint and Opportunity: Reconceptualising Policy Capacity in Australia

While in the past the effects of the world political economy on the nationstate were often ignored or just assumed to be important without adequate investigation or explication, in recent years the analytical focus of political economy has shifted to the global arena. Gourevitch’s concern in the late 1970s that political scientists had neglected `̀ reasoning from international system to domestic structure’’ has been more than adequately addressed in recent years. The `̀global’’ has come to be seen as the determining factor in understanding policy change, and the increased focus on globalisation has often made it appear that the effects of the world political economy are overwhelming, outrightly determining policy choices and irrevocably weakening the state. In the view of writers such as Ruggie, Strange, Cerny, Greider and Friedman, globalisation entails the victory of economics over politics and signals a comprehensive decline in the policy capacity of the state. Globalisation has become a rhetorical device to convey the message that the domestic has been colonised by the global and the state overpowered by the market. Globalisation, in sum, supplies a simple, parsimonious explanation for policy change. Australia provides a particularly pertinent case study for analysing the impact of economic globalisation on policy because it is a small, advanced economy that is highly vulnerable to developments in the world political economy. This paper analyses economic policy change in Australia during the years of the Hawke and Keating Labor governments (1983 ± 1996). It argues that the economic liberal shift in policy does not signal a decline in state power; rather, it shows the ability
Caracterización de Ambientes Educativos y la Propensión a Enseñar, y sus Relaciones Dinámicas, a través de Modelamiento Fuzzy e ID3 Fuzzy

Today there is a strong critique of teacher training, therefore several actions have launched intended to strengthen initial teacher training and educational identity. However, it seems that these actions have not been sufficiently effective. From research conducted in the framework of a doctoral thesis, we will present the characterization of challenging educational environments and of the profiles of future educators emerging when immersed in these environments. The characterization of both of them, and their dynamic relationships, enables configuring the concept of Propensity to Teach, foundation for the construction of pedagogic identity, through the use of Fuzzy Theory.
So Many Children Left Behind

Although the No Child Left Behind Act was intended to help “all students meet high academic standards,” it is focused on subgroups of low-achieving students. The authors analyze the possible impact of the legislation's requirement for performance reporting by racial subgroup in light of the considerable racial segregation in U.S. schools. In particular, using data on elementary and middle schools in New York State, the authors show that the schools are so highly segregated that more than half are too homogeneous to report test scores for any racial or ethnic subgroups. In addition, they show that the racial achievement gap is greatest across segregated schools rather than within integrated ones. The authors analyze the characteristics of schools that are and are not accountable for subgroups, finding that urban schools and large schools are particularly likely to be accountable, and conclude with implications for the reach of the law and for incentives for school segregation.
International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems Efficient Reactive Navigation with Exact Collision Determination for 3 D Robot Shapes Regular Paper

This paper presents a reactive navigator for wheeled mobile robots moving on a flat surface which takes into account both the actual 3D shape of the robot and the 3D surrounding obstacles. The robot volume is modelled by a number of prisms consecutive in height, and the detected obstacles, which can be provided by different kinds of range sensor, are segmented into these heights. Then, the reactive navigation problem is tackled by a number of concurrent 2D navigators, one for each prism, which are consistently and efficiently combined to yield an overall solution. Our proposal for each 2D navigator is based on the concept of the “Parameterized Trajectory Generator” which models the robot shape as a polygon and embeds its kinematic constraints into different motion models. Extensive testing has been conducted in office-like and real house environments, covering a total distance of 18.5 km, to demonstrate the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed method. Moreover, additional experiments are performed to highlight the advantages of a 3D-aware reactive navigator. The implemented code is available under an open-source licence.
Model checking lots of systems: efficient verification of temporal properties in software product lines

In product line engineering, systems are developed in families and differences between family members are expressed in terms of features. Formal modelling and verification is an important issue in this context as more and more critical systems are developed this way. Since the number of systems in a family can be exponential in the number of features, two major challenges are the scalable modelling and the efficient verification of system behaviour. Currently, the few attempts to address them fail to recognise the importance of features as a unit of difference, or do not offer means for automated verification. In this paper, we tackle those challenges at a fundamental level. We first extend transition systems with features in order to describe the combined behaviour of an entire system family. We then define and implement a model checking technique that allows to verify such transition systems against temporal properties. An empirical evaluation shows substantial gains over classical approaches.