Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A call for sustainability education in post‐secondary outdoor recreation programs

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the link between sustainability education and outdoor education and to encourage outdoor recreation educators to evaluate their programs with regard to sustainability and sustainable living.Design/methodology/approach – This paper starts by presenting several factors that currently hinder the delivery of sustainability education in outdoor recreation training programs. It then turns to a presentation of Lefebvre's sustainability education framework, which offers a helpful structure for integrating sustainability education into outdoor recreation academic curricula.Findings – Although there are programs that have successfully implemented sustainability training into their curricula, there are many factors that serve to hinder the education of outdoor recreation students in the philosophy and techniques of sustainability and sustainable living. No doubt these impediments pose critical challenges to those offering academic training programs. These challenges .
Economics of software reuse

The author discusses the type of software that can and should be reused. At least 10 different software artifacts lend themselves to reusability. Breaking down the cost of manually producing these 10 artifacts lets us create a preliminary analysis of the return on investment (ROI) of reusing them, with an admittedly large margin of error. He discusses the barriers to full software reusability. <<ETX>>
Visual hyperacuity: spatiotemporal interpolation in human vision

Stroboscopic presentation of a moving object can be interpolated by our visual system into the perception of continuous motion. The precision of this interpolation process has been explored by measuring the vernier discrimination threshold for targets displayed stroboscopically at a sequence of stations. The vernier targets, moving at constant velocity, were presented either with a spatial offset or with a temporal offset or with both. The main results are: (1) vernier acuity for spatial offset is rather invariant over a wide range of velocities and separations between the stations (see Westheimer & McKee 1975); (2) vernier acuity for temporal offset depends on spatial separation and velocity. At each separation there is an optimal velocity such that the strobe interval is roughly constant at about 30 ms; optimal acuity decreases with increasing separation; (3) blur of the vernier pattern decreases acuity for spatial offsets, but improves acuity for temporal offsets (at high velocities and large separations); (4) a temporal offset exactly compensates the equivalent (at the given velocity) spatial offset only for a small separation and optimal velocity; otherwise the spatial offset dominates. A theoretical analysis of the interpolation problem suggests a computational scheme based on the assumption of constant velocity motion. This assumption reflects a constraint satisfied in normal vision over the short times and small distances normally relevant for the interpolation process. A reasonable implementation of this scheme only requires a set of independent, direction selective spatiotemporal channels, that is receptive fields with the different sizes and temporal properties revealed by psychophysical experiments. It is concluded that sophisticated mechanisms are not required to account for the main properties of vernier acuity with moving targets. It is furthermore suggested that the spatiotemporal channels of human vision may be the interpolation filters themselves. Possible neurophysiological implications are briefly discussed.
1 FREE NONLINEAR NONCLASSICAL OSCILLATIONS OF MICROSCALE BEAMS

Free vibration analysis of microscale beams is investigated in this paper. The nonlinear model is conducted within the context of non-classical continuum mechanics, by introducing a material length scale parameter. The nonlinear equation of motion is derived by using a combination of the modified couple stress theory and Hamilton’s principle. Based on this newly developed model, calculations have been performed for microbeams simply supported between two immobile supports. The nonlinear frequencies of a beam with initial lateral displacement are discussed. It is shown that the size effect is significant when the ratio of characteristic thickness to internal material length scale parameter is approximately equal to one, but is diminishing with the increase of the ratio. Our results also indicate that the nonlinearity has a great effect on the vibration behavior of microscale beams. To attain accurate and reliable characterization of the vibration properties of microscale beams, therefore, both the microstructuredependent parameters and the nonlinearities have to be incorporated in the design of microscale beam devices and systems.
Making a Case for Restorative Rhetoric: Mayor Rudolph Giuliani & Mayor Ray Nagin's Response to Disaster

This analysis of the rhetorical styles of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin—in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina—and the former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani—following the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11—outlines the characteristics of what we term “restorative rhetoric. ” We demonstrate how restorative rhetoric functions in situations of natural disasters and acts of terrorism, and we distinguish it from other crisis response frameworks. Through this examination, we establish the features of restorative rhetoric that reflect a clear process for managing these unique crisis situations—whereby image restoration is not the primary goal. Further, we argue that these unique types of crises prompt a unique type of rhetorical response; one that combines strategic communication—to alleviate risk and restore public safety—with a deeper, more humanistic communication—to focus on more substantive issues of crisis leadership. It is this unique response that exemplifies restorative rhetoric. Features of this form of rhetoric include: (1) initial reaction; (2) assessment of the crisis; (3) issues of blame; (4) healing and forgiveness; and (5) corrective action and rebuilding through a rhetorical vision. Finally, we conclude that both Giuliani and Nagin employ restorative rhetoric in an attempt to restore hope after tragedy.
Real-time PCR vs standard culture detection of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci at various anatomic sites in tonsillectomy patients.

OBJECTIVE To compare rates of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) and standard culture (SCx) at different anatomic sites to determine whether a more patient-friendly site (eg, retromolar trigone or gingivobuccal sulcus) would yield results similar to the tonsillar surface. Real-time polymerase chain reaction can detect GABHS at rates equal to SCx, and results require only a few hours. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Tertiary care setting. PATIENTS The study population comprised 130 patients undergoing tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy. INTERVENTION At tonsillectomy, swabs were taken of pharyngeal tonsil surface, pharyngeal tonsillar core, inferior gingivobuccal sulcus, and retromolar trigone. Tissue samples were taken from tonsil core and adenoid. All comparisons between methods and sites were made using the McNemar test for comparing correlated proportions. All calculated P values were 2-sided. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Detection of GABHS by rtPCR and SCx. RESULTS In 41 cases (32%), GABHS was detected at 1 or more sampled sites, and 29 of those positive were detected on the tonsil surface-SCx and rtPCR results were both positive in 28 (97%). Of these 29 cases, results from the gingivobuccal site were positive by both rtPCR and SCx in 4 (14%), rtPCR only in 3 (10%), and SCx only in 3 (10%). Of the 7 tonsil surface-positive cases with retromolar trigone swabs, results were positive by rtPCR only in 1 (14%) and SCx only in 2 (29%). CONCLUSION Whether rtPCR or SCx is used, swabs of gingivobuccal sulcus and retromolar trigone do not accurately reflect GABHS populations on the tonsil surface.
Comparative Genomic Analysis of Two Serotype 1/2b Listeria monocytogenes Isolates from Analogous Environmental Niches Demonstrates the Influence of Hypervariable Hotspots in Defining Pathogenesis

The vast majority of clinical human listeriosis cases are caused by serotype 1/2a, 1/2b, 1/2c, and 4b isolates of Listeria monocytogenes. The ability of L. monocytogenes to establish a systemic listeriosis infection within a host organism relies on a combination of genes that are involved in cell recognition, internalization, evasion of host defenses, and in vitro survival and growth. Recently, whole genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis have proven to be powerful tools for the identification of these virulence-associated genes in L. monocytogenes. In this study, two serotype 1/2b strains of L. monocytogenes with analogous isolation sources, but differing infection abilities, were subjected to comparative genomic analysis. The results from this comparison highlight the importance of accessory genes (genes that are not part of the conserved core genome) in L. monocytogenes pathogenesis. In addition, a number of factors, which may account for the perceived inability of one of the strains to establish a systemic infection within its host, have been identified. These factors include the notable absence of the Listeria pathogenicity island 3 and the stress survival islet, of which the latter has been demonstrated to enhance the survival ability of L. monocytogenes during its passage through the host intestinal tract, leading to a higher infection rate. The findings from this research demonstrate the influence of hypervariable hotspots in defining the physiological characteristics of a L. monocytogenes strain and indicate that the emergence of a non-pathogenic isolate of L. monocytogenes may result from a cumulative loss of functionality rather than by a single isolated genetic event.
Can Emotion Regulation Change Political Attitudes in Intractable Conflicts? From the Laboratory to the Field

Halperin, E. , Porat, R. , Tamir, M. , & Gross, J. J. (2013). Can emotion regulation change political attitudes in intractable conflicts? From the laboratory to the field. Psychological Science, 24, 106–111. (Original DOI: 10.1177/0956797612452572) In Figure 1 of this article, the signs for the coefficients on the direct paths from reappraisal to policy support were reported incorrectly. The coefficients on the path from reappraisal to support for conciliatory policies (top panel) should be positive, and the coefficients on the path from reappraisal to support for aggressive policies (bottom panel) should be negative. The corrected figure is printed below. Fig. 1. Results from Study 1: anger as a mediator of the effect of reappraisal on support for conciliatory (top) and aggressive (bottom) policies following an anger-inducing presentation. The model controlled for social desirability, gender, and political stance, but these variables were omitted from the figure to simplify the presentation. Along the paths from reappraisal to policy support, the numbers in parentheses represent the coefficients when anger was entered into the analyses. Asterisks indicate levels of significance (*p < .05, **p < .001).
Trophic Niche in a Raptor Species: The Relationship between Diet Diversity, Habitat Diversity and Territory Quality

Recent research reports that many populations of species showing a wide trophic niche (generalists) are made up of both generalist individuals and individuals with a narrow trophic niche (specialists), suggesting trophic specializations at an individual level. If true, foraging strategies should be associated with individual quality and fitness. Optimal foraging theory predicts that individuals will select the most favourable habitats for feeding. In addition, the “landscape heterogeneity hypothesis” predicts a higher number of species in more diverse landscapes. Thus, it can be predicted that individuals with a wider realized trophic niche should have foraging territories with greater habitat diversity, suggesting that foraging strategies, territory quality and habitat diversity are inter-correlated. This was tested for a population of common kestrels Falco tinnunculus. Diet diversity, territory occupancy (as a measure of territory quality) and habitat diversity of territories were measured over an 8-year period. Our results show that: 1) territory quality was quadratically correlated with habitat diversity, with the best territories being the least and most diverse; 2) diet diversity was not correlated with territory quality; and 3) diet diversity was negatively correlated with landscape heterogeneity. Our study suggests that niche generalist foraging strategies are based on an active search for different prey species within or between habitats rather than on the selection of territories with high habitat diversity.
Less Is More: Immigration and European Integration at the 2010 General Election

What impact did immigration and European integration have on the 2010 general election campaign and result? We explain why immigration was a salient campaign issue, while European integration barely figured. We show that the Conservatives learned to speak less about European integration and immigration as part of their re-evaluation of campaign strategy following three successive defeats. For different reasons, Labour were not keen to talk about immigration. Labour were in fact damaged by perceptions that they had lost control of immigration. We also explain why both the UK Independence Party and the British National Party failed to make the election breakthrough that some had foreseen following their relative successes in the 2009 European Parliament election.
Série Scientifique Scientific Series Firm Heterogeneity and Worker Self-selection Bias Estimated Returns to Seniority Les Organisations-partenaires / the Partner Organizations Firm Heterogeneity and Worker Self-selection Bias Estimated Returns to Seniority

Ce document est publié dans l'intention de rendre accessible les résultats préliminaires de la recherche effectuée au CIRANO, afin de susciter des échanges et des suggestions. Les idées et les opinions émises sont sous l'unique responsabilité des auteurs, et ne représentent pas nécessairement les positions du CIRANO ou de ses partenaires. This paper presents preliminary research carried out at CIRANO and aims to encourage discussion and comment. The observations and viewpoints expressed are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not necessarily represent positions of CIRANO or its partners. CIRANO Le CIRANO est une corporation privée à but non lucratif constituée en vertu de la Loi des compagnies du Québec. Le financement de son infrastructure et de ses activités de recherche provient des cotisations de ses organisations-membres, d'une subvention d 'in fra stru cture du ministère de l'Industrie, du Commerce, de la Science et de la Technologie, de même que des subventions et mandats obtenus par ses équipes de recherche. La Série Scientifique est la réalisation d'une des missions que s'est données le CIRANO, soit de développer l'analyse scientifique des organisations et des comportements stratégiques. CIRANO is a private non-profit organization incorporated under the Québec Companies Act. Its infrastructure and research activities are funded through fees paid by member organizations, an infrastructure grant from the Ministère de l'Industrie, du Commerce, de la Science et de la Technologie, and grants and research mandates obtained by its research teams. The Scientific Series fulfils one of the missions of CIRANO: to develop the scientific analysis of organizations and strategic behaviour. Fédération des caisses populaires de Montréal et de l'Ouest-du-Québec. Abstract R esum e I develop a model under which workers with diierent marginal productivities self-select into rms based on the rm's seniority reward p olicy. I show how this may bias upwards the estimates of returns to seniority in cross-sectional and even some longitudinal studies , when diierences in workforce c omposition are ignored. I develop a new estimator of true" returns to seniority and empirically test the implications of the model. I show how several previous estimation strategies overestimate returns to seniority, particularly in rms that ooer zero o r n e gative returns to job seniority, using a large longitudinal sample of French rms and workers. Dans ce papier je d ecris un mod ele d'embauches o u les individus avec des productivit es marginales h et erog enes se …
Multiple Fingers – One Gestalt

The Gestalt theory of perception offered principles by which distributed visual sensations are combined into a structured experience (“Gestalt”). We demonstrate conditions whereby haptic sensations at two fingertips are integrated in the perception of a single object. When virtual bumps were presented simultaneously to the right hand's thumb and index finger during lateral arm movements, participants reported perceiving a single bump. A discrimination task measured the bump's perceived location and perceptual reliability (assessed by differential thresholds) for four finger configurations, which varied in their adherence to the Gestalt principles of proximity (small versus large finger separation) and synchrony (virtual spring to link movements of the two fingers versus no spring). According to models of integration, reliability should increase with the degree to which multi-finger cues integrate into a unified percept. Differential thresholds were smaller in the virtual-spring condition (synchrony) than when fingers were unlinked. Additionally, in the condition with reduced synchrony, greater proximity led to lower differential thresholds. Thus, with greater adherence to Gestalt principles, thresholds approached values predicted for optimal integration. We conclude that the Gestalt principles of synchrony and proximity apply to haptic perception of surface properties and that these principles can interact to promote multi-finger integration.
Processed and Unprocessed Red Meat and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: Analysis by Tumor Location and Modification by Time

Although the association between red meat consumption and colorectal cancer (CRC) is well established, the association across subsites of the colon and rectum remains uncertain, as does time of consumption in relation to cancer development. As these relationships are key for understanding the pathogenesis of CRC, they were examined in two large cohorts with repeated dietary measures over time, the Nurses’ Health Study (n = 87,108 women, 1980–2010) and Health Professionals Follow-up Study (n = 47,389 men, 1986–2010). Cox proportional hazards regression models generated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), which were pooled by random-effects meta-analysis. In combined cohorts, there were 2,731 CRC cases (1,151 proximal colon, 816 distal colon, and 589 rectum). In pooled analyses, processed red meat was positively associated with CRC risk (per 1 serving/day increase: HR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.01–1.32; P for trend 0.03) and particularly with distal colon cancer (per 1 serving/day increase; HR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.09–1.69; P for trend 0.006). Recent consumption of processed meat (within the past 4 years) was not associated with distal cancer. Unprocessed red meat was inversely associated with risk of distal colon cancer and a weak non-significant positive association between unprocessed red meat and proximal cancer was observed (per 1 serving/day increase: distal HR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.68–0.82; P for trend <0.001; proximal HR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.92–1.40; P for trend 0.22). Thus, in these two large cohorts of US health professionals, processed meat intake was positively associated with risk of CRC, particularly distal cancer, with little evidence that higher intake of unprocessed red meat substantially increased risk of CRC. Future studies, particularly those with sufficient sample size to assess associations by subsites across the colon are needed to confirm these findings and elucidate potentially distinct mechanisms underlying the relationship between processed meat and subtypes of unprocessed red meat with CRC.
Orally Active Antischistosomal Early Leads Identified from the Open Access Malaria Box

Background Worldwide hundreds of millions of schistosomiasis patients rely on treatment with a single drug, praziquantel. Therapeutic limitations and the threat of praziquantel resistance underline the need to discover and develop next generation drugs. Methodology We studied the antischistosomal properties of the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) malaria box containing 200 diverse drug-like and 200 probe-like compounds with confirmed in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum. Compounds were tested against schistosomula and adult Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Based on in vitro performance, available pharmacokinetic profiles and toxicity data, selected compounds were investigated in vivo. Principal Findings Promising antischistosomal activity (IC50: 1.4–9.5 µM) was observed for 34 compounds against schistosomula. Three compounds presented IC50 values between 0.8 and 1.3 µM against adult S. mansoni. Two promising early leads were identified, namely a N,N′-diarylurea and a 2,3-dianilinoquinoxaline. Treatment of S. mansoni infected mice with a single oral 400 mg/kg dose of these drugs resulted in significant worm burden reductions of 52.5% and 40.8%, respectively. Conclusions/Significance The two candidates identified by investigating the MMV malaria box are characterized by good pharmacokinetic profiles, low cytotoxic potential and easy chemistry and therefore offer an excellent starting point for antischistosomal drug discovery and development.
Social Inequality, Cultural Discontinuity, and Equity in School Mathematics

Abstract In order to achieve equity in school mathematics, mathematics educators must question their assumptions about its nature and worth. Culture practice theory, based on the idea that knowledge is situated within particular contexts, explains the difficulty particular groups have with school mathematics as the result of a discontinuity between schooling and other cultural contexts in their lives. Critical theory, based on the idea that political and economic power are unequally and unjustly distributed in society, describes the school curriculum as a result of a selective tradition that provides the greatest benefits to powerful social groups. Missing from culture‐practice theory is an analysis of the relationship between cultural discontinuity and social inequality; missing from critical theory is an analysis of the privileged position of mathematics in the school curriculum. Taken together, culture practice theory and critical theory provide the foundation of a reform and research agenda for equity.
Effective learning-based illuminant estimation using simple features

Illumination estimation is the process of determining the chromaticity of the illumination in an imaged scene in order to remove undesirable color casts through white-balancing. While computational color constancy is a well-studied topic in computer vision, it remains challenging due to the ill-posed nature of the problem. One class of techniques relies on low-level statistical information in the image color distribution and works under various assumptions (e.g. Grey-World, White-Patch, etc). These methods have an advantage that they are simple and fast, but often do not perform well. More recent state-of-the-art methods employ learning-based techniques that produce better results, but often rely on complex features and have long evaluation and training times. In this paper, we present a learning-based method based on four simple color features and show how to use this with an ensemble of regression trees to estimate the illumination. We demonstrate that our approach is not only faster than existing learning-based methods in terms of both evaluation and training time, but also gives the best results reported to date on modern color constancy data sets.