Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parental Involvement and Students' Academic Achievement: A Growth Modeling Analysis

Abstract The major research objective of this study was to assess the effect of parental involvement on students' academic growth during the high school years. The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) data were used, and latent growth curve analysis within the framework of structural equation modeling was the major analytic tool. The following are the major findings of the study: (a) Parental involvement appears to be multidimensional; (b) ethnic group samples reported comparable degrees of parental involvement; (c) parents' aspiration for their children's education attainment had a consistent and positive effect on students' academic growth; and (d) the effect, or lack thereof, of parental involvement was consistent across ethnic group samples and across data sources (student vs. parent data). Plausible reasons for the consistent effect of parents' aspirations on students' academic achievement are discussed. The author offers explanations for why some parental involvement dimensions showed negative, though generally small, effects on students' academic growth.
Twisted $C^*$-algebras associated to finitely aligned higher-rank graphs

We introduce twisted relative Cuntz-Krieger algebras associated to finitely aligned higher-rank graphs and give a comprehensive treatment of their fundamental structural properties. We establish versions of the usual uniqueness theorems and the classification of gauge-invariant ideals. We show that all twisted relative Cuntz-Krieger algebras associated to finitely aligned higher-rank graphs are nuclear and satisfy the UCT, and that for twists that lift to real-valued cocycles, the $K$-theory of a twisted relative Cuntz-Krieger algebra is independent of the twist. In the final section, we identify a sufficient condition for simplicity of twisted Cuntz-Krieger algebras associated to higher-rank graphs which are not aperiodic. Our results indicate that this question is significantly more complicated than in the untwisted setting.
DOI encoding on the PET detector using 2 × 2 PMT array

We have begun to develop the PET detector which is composed of a scintillation crystal array and a 2times 2 array of inexpensive photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). The detector is intended for use for a low cost commercial whole body PET scanner. Anger type calculation of the four PMT outputs gives the 2-dimensional (2D) position histogram on which response of each crystal element appears and the scintillated crystal is identified on the histogram. The array of inexpensive PMTs however does not provide small sampling intervals like a position sensitive PMT and some crystal responses may overlap in the histogram due to insufficient scintillation light spread to the other three PMT outputs indirectly connected to the light-emitted crystals. To get more light spread and avoid the overlap of the responses, a light guide is generally inserted between the crystal array and the PMT array. We propose a new way to identify crystals which uses no light guides and which removes reflectors between some crystals and inserts some reflectors between the crystal array and the PMT array. The inserted reflector not only promotes light spread but also controls the light path to improve the crystal identification performance. Since the reflector is sufficiently thin, the method can be applied to a depth of interaction (DOI) detector with a new optical structure. By inserting a reflector between DOI crystal layers, it is possible to get a different light distribution between crystals in any DOI layer, which results in discrimination of all crystal responses in the 2D position histogram. We demonstrated the validity of this method and showed that it improved crystal identification ability without degradation of light output, and in turn, energy resolution. We also applied this method to a 2-layer DOI crystal array and verified its effect.
A Park for the 21st Century: Observations on the Transformation of Mile End Park

But when people’s ideas move closer on a set of issues, history teaches us that they can be given powerful expression despite geographical and intellectual distance. Ideally a new movement comes out of new ideas being specified in particular places*then there may be a model being expressed which is adaptable to the interests of other places and scales of operation. These can be ideas relating to longor short-term real interests and policies which express them. *Raymond Williams, Resources of Hope, 1989.
VISCOELASTIC BASED DROPLET SORTING IN MICROFLUIDIC CHANNELS

We present a passive droplet sorting technique based on intrinsic viscoelastic fluid properties dependent on inner and outer fluid phase viscosity ratio (k-value), droplet deformability, and viscoelastic properties. We demonstrate sorting rates of >200 Hz of both homogeneous and heterogeneous sized droplet populations between 40-100 µm‟s and enrichment rates as high as 99%. We demonstrate sorting viscosity discriminations as low as 2 cPs based on a change from 2cPs to 4cPs corresponding to a k-value of 0.4 to 0.8 respectively. Of particular interest for this research, we aim to investigate the ability to sort droplets containing digital PCR amplified DNA.
Molecular Characterization of Hepatitis A Virus Isolates from a Transcontinental Shellfish-Borne Outbreak

ABSTRACT One hundred eighty-four serologically confirmed cases of hepatitis A were reported in eastern Spain in 1999. A matched case-control study implicated imported coquina clams complying with European Union shellfish standards as the source of infection; this implication was confirmed by the detection by reverse transcription-PCR of hepatitis A virus (HAV) RNA in shellfish samples. In spite of the recognized low variability of HAV, genetic characterization of the complete capsid region of virus isolates from patient serum samples revealed the existence of both synonymous and nonsynonymous variants. Two antigenic variants were detected, one in a discontinuous epitope defined by monoclonal antibody K3-4C8 and a second in a linear VP1 epitope of the virus. In spite of these antigenic variants, all isolates were assigned to genotype IB, providing further evidence that the outbreak originated from a common source, although multiple strains were likely to be involved.
USER EXPERIENCE WHITE PAPER Bringing clarity to the concept of user experience

From September 15 to 17, 2010, the Dagstuhl Seminar 10373 Demarcating User Experience was held in Schloss Dagstuhl, Leibniz Center for Informatics, Germany. The goal of the seminar was to come up with a consensus on the core concepts of user experience in a form of a User Experience White Paper, which would provide a more solid grounding for the field of user experience.
The Effects of Viewing Same-Gender Photographic Models on Body-Esteem

This study was designed to investigate the effects of viewing same-gender photographic models on women and men's body-esteem. Women and men completed body-esteem scales before and after viewing pictures of same-gender photographic models (experimental group) or landscapes (control group). Women scored significantly lower than men on the body-esteem scale [F(1, 90) = 58.5, p < . 001]. Women [F(1, 90) = 8.70, p < . 05] and men [F(1, 90) = 4.17, p < . 05] in the experimental group showed a significant decrease in body-esteem after seeing the photographs and the controls showed no significant change [women F(1, 90) = 0.57; men F(1, 90) = 0.00]. Results suggest that upward comparisons are made by women and men when viewing attractive same-gender models.
Metareasoning for Monte Carlo Tree Search

Sequential decision problems are often approximately solvable by simulating possible future action sequences; such methods are a staple of gameplaying algorithms, robot path planners, model-predictive control systems, and logistical planners in operations research. Since the 1960s, researchers have sought effective metareasoning methods for selecting which action sequences to simulate, basing their approach on some estimate of the expected improvement in decision quality resulting from any particular simulation. Recently, this approach has been applied successfully in the context of Monte Carlo tree search, where each simulation takes the form of a randomized sequence of actions leading to a terminal state. In particular, the UCT algorithm borrows asymptotically optimal selection rules from the theory of bandit problems and has led to a new generation of master-level Go programs such as MoGo. We argue that, despite this success, the bandit framework is inappropriate as a basis for selecting computations. We propose instead a theoretical framework for metareasoning that is isomorphic to the statistical framework of ranking and selection. In this framework, we describe two apparently distinct conceptual approaches to the forward search metareasoning problem and prove them to be equivalent. We derive a number of basic results applicable to simple Monte Carlo selection problems, including asymptotic regret bounds, and discuss prospects for their extension to combinatorial settings.
European democracy and its critique

After presenting a ‘standard version’ of the European Union's democratic deficit thesis, the European democratisation debate is broadened in four directions. First, the issue of demos and the political boundaries of the Union is considered, presenting competing notions of European peoplehood. Then European governance is presented as taking one of three forms: international, supranational and/or infranational. A differentiated democratic discourse is proposed to reflect the multiple‐form governance of the Union. The notion of democracy itself is then subjected to the same differentiated approach with a brief examination of various models of democracy and of the insight they can offer to European governance. Finally, the issue of Union competences ‐ as a form of disaggregating power ‐ is introduced as an important element in the democratisation debate.
Revealing differences in gene network inference algorithms on the network level by ensemble methods

MOTIVATION The inference of regulatory networks from large-scale expression data holds great promise because of the potentially causal interpretation of these networks. However, due to the difficulty to establish reliable methods based on observational data there is so far only incomplete knowledge about possibilities and limitations of such inference methods in this context. RESULTS In this article, we conduct a statistical analysis investigating differences and similarities of four network inference algorithms, ARACNE, CLR, MRNET and RN, with respect to local network-based measures. We employ ensemble methods allowing to assess the inferability down to the level of individual edges. Our analysis reveals the bias of these inference methods with respect to the inference of various network components and, hence, provides guidance in the interpretation of inferred regulatory networks from expression data. Further, as application we predict the total number of regulatory interactions in human B cells and hypothesize about the role of Myc and its targets regarding molecular information processing.
Assessment of estrogenic activity conducted by combining bioassay and chemical analyses of the effluent from wastewater treatment plants in Nanjing, China

The estrogenic activity of the effluent from three municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Nanjing, China, was investigated. The water samples were enriched by solid‐phase extraction and then eluted with different polar solvents, which gave 11 fractionated extracts. Chemical analysis and a vitellogenin (Vtg) assay in goldfish (Carassias auratus) were then utilized to evaluate the estrogenic activities 7 d after a single injection of the effluent extracts of WWTPs and to identify causative agents that led to the induction of Vtg in male fish. The results reveal that Vtg induction occurred primarily in response to the 75 to 90% methanol extracts, and different concentrations of the natural estrogens estrone (E1) and 17β‐estradiol (E2) were detected in these extracts. As the Vtg induction increased, the plasma E2 levels increased, and a correlation between Vtg and E2 does exist. Furthermore, the gonadal somatic index (GSI) did not decrease significantly (p > 0.05) when the Vtg concentrations were elevated after 7 d. Different concentrations of estrogens were detected in the effluents, which demonstrated that the current treatment processes employed by the three WWTPs could not fully remove these compounds. As a result, the aquatic organisms in the receiving water (Yangtze River) were at a risk of feminization. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2010;29:1279–1286. © 2010 SETAC
Vancomycin therapy for enterococcal and Streptococcus viridans endocarditis. Successful treatment of six patients.

During one single year, six patients with subacute bacterial endocarditis due to Streptococcus viridans (two patients) or enterococcus (four patients) were successfully treated with vancomycin hydrochloride. There were no treatment failures. In these patients, vancomycin was administered either because of a history of serious penicillin allergy or because penicillin or penicillin-streptomycin therapy would not be tolerated and had to be discontinued before an adequate period of treatment. Vancomycin has been found previously to be effective for Staphylococcus endocarditis, but only one reported instance of vancomycin cure of S viridans endocarditis and none of enterococcus endocarditis could be found.
On the hardness of distance oracle for sparse graph

In this paper we show that set-intersection is harder than distance oracle on sparse graphs. Given a collection of total size n which consists of m sets drawn from universe U, the set-intersection problem is to build a data structure which can answer whether two sets have any intersection. A distance oracle is a data structure which can answer distance queries on a given graph. We show that if one can build distance oracle for sparse graph G=(V,E), which requires s(|V|,|E|) space and answers a (2-\epsilon,c)-approximate distance query in time t(|V|,|E|) where (2-\epsilon) is a multiplicative error and c is a constant additive error, then, set-intersection can be solved in t(m+|U|,n) time using s(m+|U|,n) space.
A Hybrid License Plate Extraction Method for Complex Scenes

This paper presents a hybrid method for extracting license plates from cluttered images. The proposed algorithm consists of three major components. First, a line detection method is proposed to detect straight lines in the edge map. Second, a weight assignment scheme is applied to obtain a weight based edge density map. Regions with the densest edges are selected as candidates. Third, all candidate plates will pass to a refining selection procedure. One candidate that best satisfy the color constraints becomes the output
Outdoor Management Development: Cellulose or Celluloid?

Outdoor management development programmes are increasingly regarded as an attractive way to develop managers. This paper presents a framework for reviewing such programmes developed out of the author's own experiences as participant and tutor. The framework comprises three dimensions of reality: participant reality, theoretical reality and resource reality, each of which is considered in terms of its effect on the design of outdoor learning events.
Linear versus nonlinear neural modeling for 2-D pattern recognition

This paper compares the classification performance of linear-system- and neural-network-based models in handwritten-digit classification and face recognition. In inputs to a linear classifier, nonlinear inputs are generated based on linear inputs, using different forms of generating products. Using a genetic algorithm, linear and nonlinear inputs to the linear classifier are selected to improve classification performance. Results show that an appropriate set of linear and nonlinear inputs to the linear classifier were selected, improving significantly its classification performance in both problems. It is also shown that the linear classifier reached a classification performance similar to or better than those obtained by nonlinear neural-network classifiers with linear inputs.
Recurrent Neural Networks for Word Alignment Model

This study proposes a word alignment model based on a recurrent neural network (RNN), in which an unlimited alignment history is represented by recurrently connected hidden layers. We perform unsupervised learning using noise-contrastive estimation (Gutmann and Hyvarinen, 2010; Mnih and Teh, 2012), which utilizes artificially generated negative samples. Our alignment model is directional, similar to the generative IBM models (Brown et al., 1993). To overcome this limitation, we encourage agreement between the two directional models by introducing a penalty function that ensures word embedding consistency across two directional models during training. The RNN-based model outperforms the feed-forward neural network-based model (Yang et al., 2013) as well as the IBM Model 4 under Japanese-English and French-English word alignment tasks, and achieves comparable translation performance to those baselines for Japanese-English and Chinese-English translation tasks.
The microfilarial periodicity of Wuchereria bancrofti in north-eastern Brazil

The periodicity of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilariae (mff) in peripheral blood was analysed in 42 microfilaraemics living in Maceió, in Alagoas state, north-eastern Brazil. Nine blood samples were collected from each subject, over a 24-h period, and two quantitative (60-µl) thick smears were prepared from each sample. Although all the subjects had detectable microfilaraemias from 23.00 hours to 06.00 hours, no mff could be detected in most (71.4%) of the smears prepared from samples collected at 15.00 hours. Samples collected during the day, at 15.00 hours, contained 170 times fewer mff/µl than those collected at 01.00 hours, when microfilaraemias were generally most intense. For diagnosis of bancroftian filariasis in Maceió, blood samples should be collected between 22.00 and 03.00 hours, when microfilarial counts will be at least 90% of the peak counts. The circadian variation observed was independent of the subject's gender and microfilarial density. Mathematical analysis, using a simple harmonic-wave model, indicated a periodicity index of 127.6 and that maximum microfilarial densities occurred at 00.51 hours, confirming the nocturnal pattern of microfilaraemia in the study area.
Prevalence and socioeconomic factors associated with smoking in people living with HIV by sex, in Recife, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. The prevalence of smoking is higher in people infected with HIV than in the general population. Although it is biologically plausible that smoking increases the morbidity and mortality of people living with HIV/AIDS, few studies in developing countries have analyzed the determinants and consequences of smoking in HIV infected people. OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of smoking and identify the socioeconomic factors associated with smoking and smoking cessation in patients with HIV by sex. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with baseline data, obtained from an ongoing prospective cohort study of patients with HIV attending two referral centers in Recife, Northeast Region of Brazil, between July 2007 and October 2009. RESULTS The prevalence of current smoking was 28.9%. For both sexes, smoking was independently associated with heavy alcohol drinking and marijuana use. Among women, smoking was associated with living alone, not being married and illiteracy; and among men, being 40 years or older, low income and using crack. Compared with ex-smokers, current smokers were younger and more likely to be unmarried, heavy drinkers and marijuana users. CONCLUSIONS It is important to incorporate smoking cessation interventions for the treatment of heavy alcohol drinkers and marijuana users with HIV/AIDS, which may increase life expectancy and quality of life, as smoking is related to risk of death, relapse of tuberculosis, and non communicable diseases.
Crosslinks Rather Than Strand Breaks Determine Access to Ancient DNA Sequences From Frozen Sediments

Diagenesis was studied in DNA obtained from Siberian permafrost (permanently frozen soil) ranging from 10,000 to 400,000 years in age. Despite optimal preservation conditions, we found the sedimentary DNA to be severely modified by interstrand crosslinks; single- and double-stranded breaks; and freely exposed sugar, phosphate, and hydroxyl groups. Intriguingly, interstrand crosslinks were found to accumulate ∼100 times faster than single-stranded breaks, suggesting that crosslinking rather than depurination is the primary limiting factor for ancient DNA amplification under frozen conditions. The results question the reliability of the commonly used models relying on depurination kinetics for predicting the long-term survival of DNA under permafrost conditions and suggest that new strategies for repair of ancient DNA must be considered if the yield of amplifiable DNA from permafrost sediments is to be significantly increased. Using the obtained rate constant for interstrand crosslinks the maximal survival time of amplifiable 120-bp fragments of bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA was estimated to be ∼400,000 years. Additionally, a clear relationship was found between DNA damage and sample age, contradicting previously raised concerns about the possible leaching of free DNA molecules between permafrost layers.
Long-term observations on unoperated intermittent exotropia.

In a small series, 48 patients having intermittent exotropia were initially examined for size and nature of the deviation. After an interval of 6 to 22 years of observation and nonsurgical treatment, a similar survey was performed on the same patients. From the comparative initial and final findings the following may be concluded: (1) All intermittent exotropias do not deteriorate with the passage of time. (2) Some intermittent exotropias improve both in the quantative and qualitative aspect of the deviation. (3) Surgical interference may be deferred in the small and moderate degrees of intermittent exotropia unless deterioration becomes evident. This group of patients illustrates one variety of the spectrum of intermittent exotropes and the nonprogressive nature of the disorder in this subgroup. Comments are directed at including the sensory aspect of the deviation in the classifications, for it is this phase of the defect which often dictates treatment.
The Scarcity Bias

The bias generated by the subjective perception of scarcity on the consumer's choice is investigated using two separated experiments. The first experiment is aimed to define the prevailing preferences towards a set of commodities, the second experiment checked the effects produced by the perception that a given good is "scarce". The results shown a preference reversal phenomenon when scarcity is introduced in the experimental design. The results are coherent with a previous experiment (Mittone, Savadori, Rumiati, 2005) based on a developmental explanation of the basic scarcity bias and carried on a sample of children as participants.