Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UTM Postgraduate Students’ Perspective on Feedback Practices in Higher Education

Assessment Feedback (AFB) is one of the most potent influences on student’s learning and achievement as it enables postgraduate students to restructure understanding and develop powerful ideas to meet Higher Education (HE) standard. A focus on AFB practices among the lecturers from postgraduate students’ perspective is pertinent in enhancing retention and completion of research studies. Thus, this prelim study investigates mean differences and interactions of AFB practices on three dimensions (Timeliness, Meaningfulness, Specificity) in relation to gender, Mode of Study and Field of Study. A sample of 37 postgraduate students who engaged in research studies in UTM was selected as respondents. Assessment Feedback Practices Inventory (AFBI) was analyzed using the Rasch Measurement Model for item reliability (.96). The data were analyzed using descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Spearman rho correlation coefficient). It was found that AFB practices were at the highest level for Meaningfulness (M = 4.69, SD = .75) followed by Timeliness (M = 4.04, SD = .53), and Specificity (M = 3.88, SD = .55). AFB forms practiced among lecturers resulted in verbal form (M = 2.80, SD = 1.27) being practiced more than the written form (M = 2.48, SD = .63). For the AFB preference, results showed that 81.1% of the students preferred the feedback in both, verbal and written form, whereas 10.8% prefers verbal, and 8.1% prefers written form. However, the results showed weak relationship between AFB and gender, Mode of Study and Field of Study. It is suggested that an assessment feedback manual should be developed.
Adaptive perceptual color-texture image segmentation

We propose a new approach for image segmentation that is based on low-level features for color and texture. It is aimed at segmentation of natural scenes, in which the color and texture of each segment does not typically exhibit uniform statistical characteristics. The proposed approach combines knowledge of human perception with an understanding of signal characteristics in order to segment natural scenes into perceptually/semantically uniform regions. The proposed approach is based on two types of spatially adaptive low-level features. The first describes the local color composition in terms of spatially adaptive dominant colors, and the second describes the spatial characteristics of the grayscale component of the texture. Together, they provide a simple and effective characterization of texture that the proposed algorithm uses to obtain robust and, at the same time, accurate and precise segmentations. The resulting segmentations convey semantic information that can be used for content-based retrieval. The performance of the proposed algorithms is demonstrated in the domain of photographic images, including low-resolution, degraded, and compressed images.
The Newsletter of the Autonomous Mental Development Technical Committee

Editorial During the last decade of cognitive sciences, language has often played a pivotal role in the organisation of scientific enquiry. This is today the case in the study of development. Cognitive development in infants happens as a complex dynamical process, and for this reason many have argued for the necessity to use computational and robotic models as tools to refine our understanding. This makes sense, but only if a true and deep dialogue takes place between specialists of human development and specialists of computational modelling. Establishing such dialogue is perhaps the main challenge for our research community. Work around language development has been an example to follow. As illustrated in this issue of the newsletter, linguists, developmental psychologists and roboticists have made great steps forward to work in the same garden, growing together the trees of knowledge , and learning from each other. Dialog initiated by Peter Ford Dominey investigates how structured embodied meanings, such as the temporal enfolding of events, and grammatical constructions to talk about these meanings, can be developed. Weng propose their own perspective. A particularly illuminating hypothesis is that structured conceptual and linguistic meanings form within the flow of structured social interaction loops, which themselves act as a frame that guides the infant. This process of learning shall not be conceptualized as a process where building blocks or atoms of conceptual structures are first learnt, then combined, but rather as a process starting from learning how to pragmatically deal with global situations , which are then later on decomposed into subunits. Further, it is actually suggested that linguistic grammatical constructions interact with a sensorimotor system which has itself a full-blown grammatical organization, which opens in itself stimulating research avenues. Such interaction between the formation of linguistic and conceptual/sensorimotor structures is taken as the starting point of Katerina Pastra's new dialog initiation, entitled " Autonomous acquisition of sensorimotor experiences: Any role for language? ". In particular , she formulates a bold hypothesis: language as a communication system may have evolved as a byproduct of language as a tool for (self-)organizing conceptual structures. Those of you interested in reacting to this dialog initiation are welcome to submit a response by March 15th, 2013. The length of each response must be between 600 and 800 words including references (contact pierre-The issue of the role and study of social interaction loops as structures bootstrap-ping efficient social learning is also …
Eurographics/ Ieee-vgtc Symposium on Visualization 2008 Exploratory Visualization of Animal Kinematics Using Instantaneous Helical Axes

We present novel visual and interactive techniques for exploratory visualization of animal kinematics using instantaneous helical axes (IHAs). The helical axis has been used in orthopedics, biomechanics, and structural mechanics as a construct for describing rigid body motion. Within biomechanics, recent imaging advances have made possible accurate high-speed measurements of individual bone positions and orientations during experiments. From this high-speed data, instantaneous helical axes of motion may be calculated. We address questions of effective interactive, exploratory visualization of this high-speed 3D motion data. A 3D glyph that encodes all parameters of the IHA in visual form is presented. Interactive controls are used to examine the change in the IHA over time and relate the IHA to anatomical features of interest selected by a user. The techniques developed are applied to a stereoscopic, interactive visualization of the mechanics of pig mastication and assessed by a team of evolutionary biologists who found interactive IHA-based analysis a useful addition to more traditional motion analysis techniques.
Quaternion-Based Kalman Filter With Vector Selection for Accurate Orientation Tracking

Human body orientation estimation from microinertial/magnetic sensor units is highly important for synthetic environments, robotics, and other human-computer interaction applications. In practice, the main challenge is how to deal with linear acceleration interference and magnetic disturbance which always cause significant attitude-estimation errors. In this paper, we present a novel quaternion-based Kalman filter with vector selection scheme for accurate human body orientation estimation using an inertial/magnetic sensor unit. In the proposed algorithm, the gyroscope measurement is used as an input to construct the linear process equation, and the accelerometer and magnetometer measurements are manipulated to establish the linear pseudomeasurement equation. A linear Kalman filter is then deployed to estimate the body orientation. In the Kalman filter framework, a vector selection scheme is designed to protect the algorithm against undesirable conditions such as temporary intensive movement and magnetic disturbance and enable it to acquire more accurate orientation estimation. The experimental results have shown that the proposed algorithm can provide accurate attitude estimations with regard to the ground truth.
Exaggerated Response of Systolic Blood Pressure to Cycle Ergometer

Objective The aim of this study is to exam the effects of exercise modes on the systolic blood pressure and rate-pressure product during a gradually increasing exercise load from low to high intensity. Methods Fifteen apparently healthy men aged 19 to 23 performed the graded exercise tests on cycle ergometer (CE) and treadmill (TM). During the low-to-maximal exercises, oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and rate-pressure product were measured. Results CE had a significantly lower maximum VO2 than TM (CE vs. TM: 48.51±1.30 vs. 55.4±1.19 mL/kg/min; p<0.001). However, CE showed a higher maximum SBP (SBPmax) at the all-out exercise load than TM (CE vs. TM: 170±2.4 vs. 154±1.7 mmHg; p<0.001). During the low-to-maximal intensity increment, the slope of the HR with VO2 was the same as VO2 increased in times of the graded exercise test of CE and TM (CE vs. TM: 2.542±0.100 vs. 2.506±0.087; p=0.26). The slope of increase on SBP accompanied by VO2 increase was significantly higher in CE than in TM (CE vs. TM: 1.669±0.117 vs. 1.179±0.063; p<0.001). Conclusion The SBP response is stronger in CE than in TM during the graded exercise test. Therefore, there is a possibility that CE could induce a greater burden on workloads to cardiovascular system in humans than TM.
Fezf1 and Fezf2 are required for olfactory development and sensory neuron identity

The murine olfactory system consists of main and accessory systems that perform distinct and overlapping functions. The main olfactory epithelium (MOE) is primarily involved in the detection of volatile odorants, while neurons in the vomeronasal organ (VNO), part of the accessory olfactory system, are important for pheromone detection. During development, the MOE and VNO both originate from the olfactory pit; however, the mechanisms regulating development of these anatomically distinct organs from a common olfactory primordium are unknown. Here we report that two closely related zinc‐finger transcription factors, FEZF1 and FEZF2, regulate the identity of MOE sensory neurons and are essential for the survival of VNO neurons respectively. Fezf1 is predominantly expressed in the MOE while Fezf2 expression is restricted to the VNO. In Fezf1‐deficient mice, olfactory neurons fail to mature and also express markers of functional VNO neurons. In Fezf2‐deficient mice, VNO neurons degenerate prior to birth. These results identify Fezf1 and Fezf2 as important regulators of olfactory system development and sensory neuron identity. J. Comp. Neurol. 519:1829–1846, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cross-hemisphere migration of a 25 g songbird

The northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) is a small (approx. 25 g), insectivorous migrant with one of the largest ranges of any songbird in the world, breeding from the eastern Canadian Arctic across Greenland, Eurasia and into Alaska (AK). However, there is no evidence that breeding populations in the New World have established overwintering sites in the Western Hemisphere. Using light-level geolocators, we demonstrate that individuals from these New World regions overwinter in northern sub-Sahara Africa, with Alaskan birds travelling approximately 14 500 km each way and an eastern Canadian Arctic bird crossing a wide stretch of the North Atlantic (approx. 3500 km). These remarkable journeys, particularly for a bird of this size, last between one to three months depending on breeding location and season (autumn/spring) and result in mean overall migration speeds of up to 290 km d−1. Stable-hydrogen isotope analysis of winter-grown feathers sampled from breeding birds generally support the notion that Alaskan birds overwinter primarily in eastern Africa and eastern Canadian Arctic birds overwinter mainly in western Africa. Our results provide the first evidence of a migratory songbird capable of linking African ecosystems of the Old World with Arctic regions of the New World.
Phase contrast ultrashort TE: A more reliable technique for measurement of high‐velocity turbulent stenotic jets

Accurate measurement of peak velocity is critical to the assessment of patients with stenotic valvular disease. Conventional phase contrast (PC) methods for imaging high‐velocity jets in aortic stenosis are susceptible to intravoxel dephasing signal loss, which can result in unreliable measurements. The most effective method for reducing intravoxel dephasing is to shorten the echo time (TE); however, the amount that TE can be shortened in conventional sequences is limited. A new sequence incorporating velocity‐dependent slice excitation and ultrashort TE (UTE) centric radial readout trajectories is proposed that reduces TE from 2.85 to 0.65 ms. In a high‐velocity stenotic jet phantom, a conventional sequence had >5% flow error at a flow rate of only 400 mL/s (velocity >358 cm/s), whereas the PC‐UTE showed excellent agreement (<5% error) at much higher flow rates (1080 mL/s, 965 cm/s). In vivo feasibility studies demonstrated that by measuring velocity over a shorter time the PC‐UTE approach is more robust to intravoxel dephasing signal loss. It also has less inherent higher‐order motion encoding. This sequence therefore demonstrates potential as a more robust method for measuring peak velocity and flow in high‐velocity turbulent stenotic jets. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Understanding relationships among customer experience, engagement, and word-of-mouth intention on online brand communities: The perspective of service ecosystem

Thriving brand communities are inseparable from engaged members and their word-of-mouth behavior. The purpose of this paper is to investigate which customer experience elevates customer engagement and consequent word-of-mouth intention in online brand communities, and how. ,From the perspective of service ecosystem theory, a framework with several hypotheses was proposed. The model was verified with structural equation modeling based on questionnaire data collected from smartphone communities in China. ,Empirical results indicate that customer experience promotes community engagement, and further enhances word-of-mouth intention. Furthermore, the mediating effect of community engagement in the relation between customer experience (social support and flow) and word-of-mouth intention has been verified. ,This paper informs practitioners about the importance of experience co-creation with community members in brand and community promotion, and provides several implications to encourage more engaged customers with fostering pleasant customer experiences. ,This study contributes to the theory of service ecosystem by empirical examination of its several propositions in a brand community context. The paper extends the present theory with the discussion of the mediation effect of community engagement in the continuing value co-creation process.
A Novel STAP Based on Spectrum-Aided Reduced-Dimension Clutter Sparse Recovery

Space-time adaptive processing based on clutter sparse recovery (SR-STAP) methods outperform traditional statistical-STAP algorithms in scenarios with limited training numbers. However, the computational burden of current SR-STAP methods is extremely heavy, particularly when the number of discretized angle and Doppler grid points is large, which hinders these methods from coming into practical use. This letter proposes a spectrum-aided reduced-dimension SR-STAP method to overcome this issue. The proposed method employs the clutter spectrum estimated by training samples to design the reduced-dimension dictionary. By solving a reduced-dimension sparse recovery problem, the computational load of the proposed method can be reduced significantly while only slightly degrading the performance of clutter suppression and target detection compared with current SR-STAP methods. Numerical experiments using both simulated and measured data validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
ATP6V1H Deficiency Impairs Bone Development through Activation of MMP9 and MMP13

ATP6V1H is a component of a large protein complex with vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) activity. We identified two generations of individuals in which short stature and osteoporosis co-segregated with a mutation in ATP6V1H. Since V-ATPases are highly conserved between human and zebrafish, we generated loss-of-function mutants in atp6v1h in zebrafish through CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout. Homozygous mutant atp6v1h zebrafish exhibited a severe reduction in the number of mature calcified bone cells and a dramatic increase in the expression of mmp9 and mmp13. Heterozygous adults showed curved vertebra that lack calcified centrum structure and reduced bone mass and density. Treatment of mutant embryos with small molecule inhibitors of MMP9 and MMP13 significantly restored bone mass in the atp6v1h mutants. These studies have uncovered a new, ATP6V1H-mediated pathway that regulates bone formation, and defines a new mechanism of disease that leads to bone loss. We propose that MMP9/MMP13 could be therapeutic targets for patients with this rare genetic disease.
Impaired immunity to recall antigens and neoantigens in severely immunocompromised children and adolescents during the first year of effective highly active antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND We studied whether severely immunocompromised, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children who were beginning highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) or changing HAART regimens could spontaneously respond to a recall antigen (tetanus toxoid [TT] vaccine) or respond to a recall antigen and neoantigen (hepatitis A virus [HAV] vaccine) after 3 vaccinations. METHODS A total of 46 children who had CD4 cell percentages <15% and who demonstrated a >0.75-log reduction in plasma HIV RNA levels within 4 weeks of starting HAART were randomized to receive vaccinations with either TT or HAV vaccines during the first 6 months of HAART. Study subjects then received the alternate vaccine during the next 6 months of HAART. RESULTS Despite the early decline in viremia and the later increase in the percentage of CD4 T cells, spontaneous recovery of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was not seen for TT. Serologic responses to TT required 3 vaccinations and were comparable in both groups. Serologic responses to HAV were infrequent and of low titer, although the group that received HAV vaccine after receiving TT vaccine performed somewhat better. CMI to HAV was virtually absent. CONCLUSIONS Severely immunocompromised children who are receiving HAART develop CMI and antibody to a recall antigen independent of the timing of vaccination, but they require a primary series of vaccinations. Antibodies to a neoantigen, HAV, developed when vaccination was delayed after initiation of HAART. CMI to a neoantigen was difficult to establish. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00004735/PACTG P1006 .
Manifold Learning for Latent Variable Inference in Dynamical Systems

We study the inference of latent intrinsic variables of dynamical systems from output signal measurements. The primary focus is the construction of an intrinsic distance between signal measurements, which is independent of the measurement device. This distance enables us to infer the latent intrinsic variables through the solution of an eigenvector problem with a Laplace operator based on a kernel. The signal geometry and its dynamics are represented with nonlinear observers. An analysis of the properties of the observers that allow for accurate recovery of the latent variables is given, and a way to test whether these properties are satisfied from the measurements is proposed. Scattering and window Fourier transform observers are compared. Applications are shown on simulated data, and on real intracranial Electroencephalography (EEG) signals of epileptic patients recorded prior to seizures.
Motivational Aspects of the Literacy Problem.

This paper deals with the question of academic motivation. It argues that perseverance at learning is not a function simply of inheritance, early socialisation, or current cultural conditions, but rather an interaction of these factors with key aspects of the educational environment. Two distinct conceptions of motivation are outlined: motivation in a selective model of education and motivation in an adaptive model. In the main body of the paper four factors are proposed to account for perseverance at learning: aspiration, expectations, external rewards, and intrinsic reinforcement. Each of these is described, and their function in the design of educational programs for children and functionally illiterate adults is discussed. Reading is used as the example in these discussions. In the final section, the problem of motivating teachers to adopt new educational practices is analysed in terms of the above mentioned factors. This paper will be of interest to teachers, school supervisors, educational researchers and curriculum designers, and others interested in the psychology of instruction. (Author) MOTIVATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE VITFRACY PROBLEM Lauren B. Resnick Learning Research and Development Center Vniversity of Pittsburgh
Accumulation of Biglycan and Perlecan, but Not Versican, in Lesions of Murine Models of Atherosclerosis

Proteoglycan accumulation within the arterial intima has been implicated in lipoprotein retention and in atherosclerosis progression in humans. Two commonly studied murine models of atherosclerosis, the apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient (apoE−/−) mouse and the low density lipoprotein receptor–deficient (LDLR−/−) mouse, develop arterial lesions similar to those of human atherosclerosis. However, specific proteoglycan classes that accumulate in lesions of these mice and their relation to the retention of specific apolipoproteins have not been previously determined. In this report, we characterized the distribution of proteoglycans (versican, biglycan, and perlecan) and apolipoproteins (apoB, apoA-I, and apoE) in proximal aortic lesions of chow-fed apoE−/− and LDLR−/− mice at 10, 52, and 73 weeks of age. We observed that similar to the apoE−/− mice, the LDLR−/− mice develop intermediate and advanced plaques within 52 weeks of age. Perlecan and biglycan (both are proteoglycans) appeared early in lesion development with distinct expression patterns as the plaques advanced. Versican, a major proteoglycan detected in human plaques, was mostly absent in both strains. ApoA-I and apoB were detected in early through advanced lesions in regions of proteoglycan accumulation in both strains. Our results indicate that proteoglycans may contribute to the retention of lipoproteins at the earliest stage of atherosclerosis in murine models of atherosclerosis.
Signature based Boolean matching in the presence of don’t cares

Boolean matching is to determine whether two functions are equivalent under input permutation and input/output phase assignment. This paper will address the Boolean Matching problem for incompletely specified functions. Signatures have previously been used for Boolean matching of completely specified functions. In this paper for the first time we use signatures to determine the equivalency of incompletely specified functions.
Multicore OSes: Looking Forward from 1991, er, 2011

Upcoming multicore processors, with hundreds of cores or more in a single chip, require a degree of parallel scalability that is not currently available in today's system software. Based on prior experience in the supercomputing sector, the likely trend for multicore processors is away from shared memory and toward shared-nothing architectures based on message passing. In light of this, the lightweight messages and channels programming model, found among other places in Erlang, is likely the best way forward. This paper discusses what adopting this model entails, describes the architecture of an OS based on this model, and outlines a few likely implementation challenges.