Familiar Structure Research Articles

Towards standardised cross-sectoral agreements for data depositing and data access in Trusted Research Environments: streamlined contracting to advance public benefit research.

Objective Trusted Research Environments (TREs) rely on Data Contributor Agreements (DCAs) and Data Access Agreements (DAAs) to bind organisations to terms and conditions in place to protect data. Our objective is to develop and drive adoption of DCA and DAA standardised templates which are optimised for data science in TREs. This is intended to reduce delays arising from the legal review process yet must not compromise on the safeguards needed for trustworthy data science. ApproachA template DAA and DCA have been developed by the Pan-UK Data Governance Steering Group of the UK Health Data Research Alliance, underpinned by a core set of principles, and informed by a benchmarking exercise of existing DCAs/DAAs and meaningful involvement of public members and stakeholders. ResultsPrinciples for TRE data contribution and data access in TREs have been mapped to core DCA and DAA terms for UK-based TREs and assigned to Five Safes’ categories. Flexibility will be ensured by including terms specific to TREs or specific data/data owners in customisable annexes to the agreements. Public views obtained through public involvement and engagement (PIE) activities have been formative in the development of the outputs. Conclusions By providing a familiar structure and terms, the templates should build trust among data owners and the UK public and provide clarity to all parties on their data protection obligations. ImplicationsThis familiar structure and terms are intended to accelerate data research by enabling faster ingress of data into TREs and approval of projects, enabling more timely research.

The Natal coastal belt

Owing to its climatic conditions and political evolution the Natal Coastal Belt forms a distinct region within South Africa. As such, a unique set of landscapes has evolved reflecting changing agricultural patterns and rapid urban expansion. In addition it has been the meeting place of a variety of peoples each of whom has attempted to build familiar structures and pursue known activities. The result is a highly complex and diverse landscape.

Phonological networks and systematicity in early lexical acquisition.

Infants' early words tend to be phonologically similar. This may reflect a systematic approach to early production, as they adapt newly acquired forms to fit familiar structures in the output. This "rich-get-richer" approach to phonological acquisition, known as preferential attachment in network science, proposes that new words cluster together with existing phonologically similar words in the lexicon (or network). This contrasts with recent work (e.g., Fourtassi et al., 2020) showing that the learning environment is the key predictor of learning (preferential acquisition). This study expands on previous analyses of vocabulary norm data to analyze naturalistic data, namely phonetic transcriptions of nine infants' word productions, from word onset to age 2;6. Network growth models test whether (a) acquisition is best modeled through preferential attachment or preferential acquisition, (b) the trajectory of network growth changes over time, and (c) there are any differences in network growth of adult target forms versus infants' actual productions. Results show that preferential attachment predicts acquisition of new words more convincingly than preferential acquisition: newly acquired words are phonologically similar to existing words in the network. Furthermore, systematicity becomes increasingly apparent over the course of acquisition, and infants produce their early words more systematically than we would expect from looking at target forms alone. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Simplifying algebraic expressions with brackets: Insights into Grade 10 learners’ structure sense through a study of their errors

Developing structure sense is an important part of learning algebra. We investigated learners’ structure sense of algebraic expressions involving brackets. This led us to propose the constructs surface structure sense and systemic structure sense. Using a random sample of 58 Grade 10 learners scoring above 40% in a test, we coded incorrect responses for surface and systemic structure errors. The initial analysis revealed that the presence of more brackets supports surface structure sense. However, learners overgeneralised the presence of brackets to represent multiplication in situations involving subtraction. The arrangement of brackets also led to errors in the order of operations. Further analysis suggested that regular application of procedures on familiar algebraic structures may give the illusion of systemic structure sense. We recommend that the teaching of algebraic expressions must emphasise what the arrangement of an expression means before focusing on how to operate on the expression.Contribution: The research contributes to mathematics teaching by suggesting teaching strategies to improve on learners’ understanding of the role of brackets in algebraic expressions, by considering the arrangement of the components in structures.

Cartesian double theories: A double-categorical framework for categorical doctrines

The categorified theories known as “doctrines” specify a category equipped with extra structure, analogous to how ordinary theories specify a set with extra structure. We introduce a new framework for doctrines based on double category theory. A cartesian double theory is defined to be a small double category with finite products and a model of a cartesian double theory to be a finite product-preserving lax functor out of it. Many familiar categorical structures are models of cartesian double theories, including categories, presheaves, monoidal categories, braided and symmetric monoidal categories, 2-groups, multicategories, and cartesian and cocartesian categories. We show that every cartesian double theory has a unital virtual double category of models, with lax maps between models given by cartesian lax natural transformations, bimodules between models given by cartesian modules, and multicells given by multimodulations. In many cases, the virtual double category of models is representable, hence is a genuine double category. Moreover, when restricted to pseudo maps, every cartesian double theory has a virtual equipment of models, hence an equipment of models in the representable case. Compared with 2-monads, double theories have the advantage of being straightforwardly presentable by generators and relations, as we illustrate through a large number of examples.

Spontaneous symmetry breaking from an on-shell perspective

We show how the well known patterns of masses and interactions that arise from spontaneous symmetry breaking can be determined from an entirely on-shell perspective, that is, without reference to Lagrangians, gauge symmetries, or fields acquiring a vacuum expectation value. To do this, we review how consistent factorization of 2 → 2 tree level scattering can lead to the familiar structures of Yang-Mills theories, and extend this to find structures of Yukawa theories. Considering only spins-0, 1/2 and 1 particles, we construct all the allowed on-shell UV amplitudes under a symmetry group G, and consider all the possible IR amplitudes. By demanding that on-shell IR amplitudes match onto on-shell UV amplitudes in the high energy limit, we reproduce the Higgs mechanism and generate masses for spins-1/2 and 1, find that there is a subgroup H ⊆ G in the IR, and other interesting relations. To highlight the results, we show the breaking pattern of the Standard Model U(1)EM ⊂ SU(2)L × U(1)Y, along with the generation of the masses and interactions of the particles.

Navigating a Two-dimensional Field / across the plane

Composing for the piano is beset by constant compromise. As a composer whose musical language is exemplified by glissandi, microtones, timbral transformation, and states of destabilisation and distortion, the piano—at least as traditionally focused upon the keyboard—invokes feelings of frustration and constriction. With the instrument’s design predicated by performance upon the keyboard, twelve-tone equal temperament, a clarity of pitch and timbre (even at extreme dynamics),1 and a uniform timbral profile, I find myself restricted to a narrow band of exploratory possibilities. This is amplified by my classical training as a pianist in which my fingers default to learnt gestures, familiar pitch structures, typical voicings, and are always drawn to the keyboard as a primary location of activity. In an attempt to divorce these learnt behaviours, open up a more exploratory compositional space, and re-work the many existing notational models that still focus upon the five-line stave, this article outlines my development of a new notational model that serves as both a scoring tool and, most crucially, a lens in which to approach and compose for the piano. The aims for this notational model include the following: • decentralising the keyboard as only a subcomponent of the entire instrument • capturing the entire body of the piano and invite exploration • allowing for manipulations to the strings, preparations, object-oriented composition, and exploration of glissandi, distortion, and timbral transformation • appearing ultimately coherent and intuitive to read. These aims will be further illustrated through my recent work, Fourteen piano transcriptions from across the plane [plain] (2023), composed specifically to explore the possibilities and limits of this notation.

Beyond Unbounded Beliefs: How Preferences and Information Interplay in Social Learning

When does society eventually learn the truth, or take the correct action, via observational learning? In a general model of sequential learning over social networks, we identify a simple condition for learning dubbed excludability. Excludability is a joint property of agents' preferences and their information. We develop two classes of preferences and information that jointly satisfy excludability: (i) for a one‐dimensional state, preferences with single‐crossing differences and a new informational condition, directionally unbounded beliefs; and (ii) for a multi‐dimensional state, intermediate preferences and subexponential location‐shift information. These applications exemplify that with multiple states, “unbounded beliefs” is not only unnecessary for learning, but incompatible with familiar informational structures like normal information. Unbounded beliefs demands that a single agent can identify the correct action. Excludability, on the other hand, only requires that a single agent must be able to displace any wrong action, even if she cannot take the correct action.

A Tragedy at the Ends of Time: Applying Aristotle’s Poetics to The Last of Us Part II

Digital games have come a long way since their origins as pure entertainment and can no longer be easily brushed aside as a frivolous pastime. The past decade or so has seen the introduction of many narrative-intensive games that take the joy of watching a great story unfold and combine it with a sense of agency in the audience, in this case, the player, thus giving us a new form of dramatic narrative. Despite the seeming appropriateness, however, attempts at conjoining Aristotle’s Poetics to digital game scholarship have been contentious. This paper aims to show that there is great merit in viewing narrative games through the lens of the terms and mechanisms discussed by Aristotle, more specifically his outlining of the ground rules for the desired form of tragedy. Additionally, a more in-depth definition of words like hamartia, catharsis, and mimesis and their application will show the appropriateness of such a method in arguing for the artistic and aesthetic worth of this new medium that is known for obfuscating the more familiar structures of other narrative forms. To support the argument, the paper relies on recent digital game discourse and uses Naughty Dog’s award-winning, and highly contentious game, The Last of Us Part II, to demonstrate how it fits the mould designed by Aristotle and why it deserves the title of tragedy.

Doubles Connected Moments Expansion: A Tractable Approximate Horn-Weinstein Approach for Quantum Chemistry.

Ab initio methods based on the second-order and higher connected moments, or cumulants, of a reference function have seen limited use in the determination of correlation energies of chemical systems over the years. Moment-based methods have remained unattractive relative to more ubiquitous methods, such as perturbation theory and coupled cluster theory, due in part to the intractable cost of assembling moments of high-order and poor performance of low-order expansions. Many of the traditional quantum chemical methodologies can be recast as a selective summation of perturbative contributions to their energy; using this familiar structure as a guide in selecting terms, we develop a scheme to approximate connected moments limited to double excitations. The tractable Doubles Connected Moments [DCM(N)] approximation is developed and tested against a multitude of common single-reference methods to determine its efficacy in the determination of the correlation energy of model systems and small molecules. The DCM(N) sequence of energies exhibits smooth convergence toward limiting values in the range of N = 11-14, with compute costs that scale as a noniterative O(M6) with molecule size, M. Numerical tests on correlation energy recovery for 55 small molecules comprising the G1 test set in the cc-pVDZ basis show that DCM(N) strongly outperforms MP2 and even CCD with a Hartree-Fock reference. When using an approximate Brueckner reference from orbital-optimized (oo) MP2, the resulting oo:DCM(N) energies converge to values more accurate than CCSD for 49 of 55 molecules. The qualitative success of the method in regions where strong correlation effects begin to dominate, even while maintaining spin purity, suggests this may be a good starting point in the development of methodologies for the description of strongly correlated or spin-contaminated systems while maintaining a tractable single-reference formalism.

Female Language in Popular Science

Abstract Fewer women than men are involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields and one of the reasons might be a lack of exposure to familiar linguistic structures in reading materials designed to spark interest and to recruit new scientists. Popular science, as a multifaceted genre, creates an accessible kind of exposure to the scientific world that can potentially lead to a career in that field. Considering this potential of the genre and keeping in mind that most popular science is written by men, the present study examined fifteen articles (five written by men, five by women, and five co-written by authors of both genders) for the presence of female language. Female language was differentiated from gendered language (which is tied to female stereotypes) and identified based on the frequency of certain linguistic markers found in texts produced by women. The results demonstrate that women and teams of authors that include women write differently than men do, thus confirming previous investigations into differences in linguistic production between men and women. The study suggests that exposing young women considering a career in science to popular science written by females might be beneficial in cementing their aspirations, as language has a strong connection to self-perceived gender identity.

Under-canopy dataset for advancing simultaneous localization and mapping in agricultural robotics

Simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) has been an active research problem over recent decades. Many leading solutions are available that can achieve remarkable performance in environments with familiar structure, such as indoors and cities. However, our work shows that these leading systems fail in an agricultural setting, particularly in under the canopy navigation in the largest-in-acreage crops of the world: corn (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max). The presence of plenty of visual clutter due to leaves, varying illumination, and stark visual similarity makes these environments lose the familiar structure on which SLAM algorithms rely on. To advance SLAM in such unstructured agricultural environments, we present a comprehensive agricultural dataset. Our open dataset consists of stereo images, IMUs, wheel encoders, and GPS measurements continuously recorded from a mobile robot in corn and soybean fields across different growth stages. In addition, we present best-case benchmark results for several leading visual-inertial odometry and SLAM systems. Our data and benchmark clearly show that there is significant research promise in SLAM for agricultural settings. The dataset is available online at: https://github.com/jrcuaranv/terrasentia-dataset.

Development of an intervention to prevent violence in Catholic primary schools in Zimbabwe: Innovation from within the Church

Schools have enormous potential to prevent and respond to violence against children. In this paper, we describe a new intervention to protect children from violence in Zimbabwe’s Catholic primary schools, initiated and developed by the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC). ZCBC and academic institutions in Zimbabwe and the UK are partnering to conduct formative research to understand the school context, barriers, and facilitators to intervention implementation. Semi-structured qualitative interviews with teachers and other stakeholders [n=18] suggest that this intervention will be well received. Perceived facilitators include utilising existing structures within the Church, the intervention being viewed as in alignment with Catholic values, and the use of familiar structures within Catholic schools to deliver intervention activities. Challenges will include perceptions of “child protection” among parents and teachers. ZCBC is refining the intervention model, which will be evaluated for effectiveness in reducing violence against children in a randomised controlled trial.

Towards a standardised cross-sectoral data access agreement template for research: a core set of principles for data access within trusted research environments.

Trusted Research Environments (TREs) are secure computing environments that provide access to data for approved researchers to use in studies that can save and improve lives. TREs rely on Data Access Agreements (DAAs) to bind researchers and their organisations to the terms and conditions of accessing the infrastructure and data use. However, DAAs can be overly lengthy, complex, and can contain outdated terms from historical data sharing agreements for physical exchange of data. This is often cited as a cause of significant delays to legal review and research projects starting. The aim was to develop a standardised DAA optimised for data science in TREs across the UK and framed around the 'Five Safes framework' for trustworthy data use. The DAA is underpinned by principles of data access in TREs, the development of which is described in this paper. The Pan-UK Data Governance Steering Group of the UK Health Data Research Alliance led the development of a core set of data access principles. This was informed by a benchmarking exercise of DAAs used by established TREs and consultation with public members and stakeholders. We have defined a core set of principles for TRE data access that can be mapped to a common set of DAA terms for UK-based TREs. Flexibility will be ensured by including terms specific to TREs or specific data/data owners in customisable annexes. Public views obtained through public involvement and engagement (PIE) activities are also reported. These principles provide the foundation for a standardised UK TRE DAA template, designed to support the growing ecosystem of TREs. By providing a familiar structure and terms, this template aims to build trust among data owners and the UK public and to provide clarity to researchers on their obligations to protect the data. Widespread adoption is intended to accelerate health data research by enabling faster approval of projects, ultimately enabling more timely and effective research.

Catalyst for co-construction: the role of AI-directed speech recognition technology in the self-organization of knowledge

The purpose of this study was to analyze knowledge co-construction as a self-organization process and the role of technology as its catalyst. Novel AI-directed speech recognition technology and the artifacts it generates were deployed to scaffold the knowledge co-construction process in two groups of pre-service teachers in a science education context. Throughout the lesson, the focus of the learning tasks was on pedagogical content knowledge and students' preconceptions. Analysis was conducted through the key characteristics of the social system's self-organization theory. The process of self-organization refers to the system's capacity to diverge from familiar structures, perspectives, and operations. Through the lenses of system theories, the active role of artifacts in co-construction was grasped and the role of technology in the self-organization of knowledge was analyzed. The pedagogical design of knowledge co-construction followed the principles of student-engaging learning. The technology used in co-construction was novel speech recognition AI software, which produced visual and editable word cloud artifacts from oral discussions on the large-format screen to edit. The data included videos and audio recordings. In this qualitative study, a content analysis and interaction analysis were used with descriptive analysis. The results showed that when technology became visible, as an active component of the system, artifacts triggered key signs of the social system's self-organization in co-construction. Exchange of information, “entropy levels,” were rapidly increased, and different viewpoints were expressed. Also, “chaos zones,” far-from-equilibrium states, were reached in both groups. Editable artifacts on the screen represented bifurcation spaces where groups' discussions were crystallized for the first time. Information was further categorized and evaluated through artifacts and this demonstrated how the groups processed communication into learning insights. Based on the results, the role played by this kind of technology was significant in the self-organization of knowledge. Materialized artifacts pushed the groups from small group conversation phases, comfort zones, toward uncertainty and confusion, which are central in self-organization. Technology in the system is seen not only as an interactor but also as an active agent that can facilitate epistemic emotions and support the group in the self-organization of knowledge.

English learner talk in mainstream classrooms: Examining classroom ecology

This qualitative study examines two multilingual, mainstream, secondary classrooms in the United States in which English learners consistently participated in classroom talk. Using an ecological perspective, this study unpacks these classroom environments and ways these teachers created and facilitated language use. Findings indicate that talk in these classrooms was grounded in classroom norms and structures that were established and then cultivated throughout the course. Highly-structured and familiar communication structures reduced many obstacles to EL participation and recognized all students, regardless of language proficiency, as knowledgeable members of the classroom community. These teachers accounted for language learning and language learners at the outset of the course in the overall structure, design, and delivery, not only within individual activities, lessons, or units. This suggests that teaching ELs in mainstream mathematics contexts can extend beyond EL-specific strategies and modifications to considerations for language learning that can be enacted on a classroom level.

Time to VENT: a weekly, voluntary peer support initiative to improve colleague wellbeing and promote reflective practice

Background: Anaesthesia trainees are particularly susceptible to burnout and depression.1 2 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland suggest that wellbeing interventions warrant further research, leading to campaigns such as ‘#CoffeeAndAGas’. A pre-intervention survey showed, within our department, that being on call causes stress that negatively impacts trainees’ wellbeing beyond shifts and there is not always someone who understands their job role to talk to. Trainees do not want to speak to consultants or supervisors about these wellbeing issues but are more willing to speak to colleagues of a similar grade. Therefore, weekly VENT sessions were designed and implemented in our department. Methods: Weekly, voluntary, 30-min VENT sessions were organised for all junior anaesthetists. Ground rules were displayed at the beginning of every session. Core principles included: voluntary engagement, mutual respect, no consultant presence, complete confidentiality, and non-judgmental discussion. The aims were to promote wellbeing through offloading, developing reflective practice, and stimulating culture change. Sessions were structured the same way to promote a comfortable, empathetic, and open environment. The sessions included Vocalising how you really feel, Empathising with colleagues (sharing similar feelings, experiences, and advice), learning a New wellbeing theory or mindfulness technique each session, and finally, Talking about cases and experiences. Anonymous surveys were sent to attendees after four sessions to assess impact and gain feedback. Results: Voluntary attendance was sustained at 95% of all available trainees. Ten (90%) responded to the post session survey. All respondents believed the sessions were helpful for wellbeing and were valuable for learning, with most (80%) seeing value in learning wellbeing theory. All felt the sessions will promote ‘cultural change’ and have a positive impact on overall wellbeing. All respondents believed VENT should be offered by other hospitals and should continue in our hospital. Free text feedback included comments expressing relief and reassurance gained from speaking to more senior trainees, relieving stress, and improving confidence. Trainees also found it helpful to talk through scenarios which aided their own reflection and processing of difficult situations. Conclusion: Junior anaesthetists feel more comfortable speaking to their peers about wellbeing issues than to consultants. The ability to talk to colleagues about things that have happened whilst working is beneficial. Promoting an open environment with a familiar structure exceeded expectations of colleague engagement with most colleagues attending regularly. VENT allows learning from each other’s experiences, and revisiting of personal experiences allows improved reflective practice. VENT is also beneficial in teaching colleagues how to look after their own wellbeing. Overall, regular VENT sessions have had a positive impact on personal wellbeing of our trainees and should become embedded into practice, and be adopted by other hospitals. 1.Looseley A, Wainwright E, Cook TM, et al. Anaesthesia 2019; 74: 1231–92.Nyssen AS, Hansez I, Baele P, Lamy M, De Keyser V. Br J Anaesth 2003; 90: 333–7

The Masjid Kamal Loves by Ashley Franklin

Reviewed by: The Masjid Kamal Loves by Ashley Franklin Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Franklin, Ashley The Masjid Kamal Loves; illus. by Aaliya Jaleel. Salaam Reads/Simon, 2023 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781534499836 $18.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781534499843 $10.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 3-7 yrs Going to the masjid is an experience of pure joy for Kamal, “A bubble-up joy causing wiggles and giggles, a percolating pride from sole to soul.” After excitedly greeting friends and family, Kamal heads into the masjid, where he and others prepare to spend their time in prayer, guided by the imam and reveling in their jubilant sense of community. Echoing the familiar structure of “This is the House That Jack Built,” the third-person narrative introduces each new element of Kamal’s experience by building on the previous, and the ultimate result is a buoyant, rhythmic celebration of the place, people, and religion that create an atmosphere of warmth and support for Kamal. While the digital illustrations are mostly flat and static, multiple visual stories unfold throughout the book, highlighting the theme of community as readers see Kamal’s young friends getting into some mischief, parents corralling youngsters, and happy families chatting and hugging. An author’s note provides further information on the masjid’s role in the Muslim community and the five pillars of Islam. This has multiple uses for inclusive storytimes or discussions of religious traditions, and it offers both a chance for young Muslims to feel seen and respected and an accessible entry point for others to learn more about the religion. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

A COMUNICAÇÃO ENTRE FAMÍLIAS OUVINTES E FILHOS SURDOS: um estudo exploratório

The high rate of deaf people in Brazil who are born in hearing families led to the questioning about how the familiar relationship is established between deaf children and hearing parents. The purpose of this project is research was to understand how the language is developed among the family members, and how their relationship is stablished according to the perspective of professional in this area. It was developed through bibliographic research in addition to semi structured interviews. The bibliographic analysis was made through fluctuating reading. The data gathered in the interviews were analyzed qualitatively, according to the referential system. The results confirmed with the bibliographical data, indicating the need to reorganize the familiar structure in both communicative and cultural aspects in case of a deafness diagnosis as well as that the lack of knowledge about such topic harms the acceptance process. The professional formations were described as insufficient while teaching about deafness. The communicative discrepancy between hearing parents and deaf children was affirmed as the motive of bigger difficulty for the development of deeper connection in their relationship. The conflict between Portuguese and Libras, the feelings generated after the diagnosis, the lack of information on the topic, the identity and the deaf cultural context are matters that interfere in the process of a deaf person as an individual and as a family member. This project completion intends to assist in the spread of information in this topic, in a way to contribute to the professional and family guidance around this topic.

Adaptation at the Syntax-Semantics Interface: Evidence From a Vernacular Structure.

Expanding on psycholinguistic research on linguistic adaptation, the phenomenon whereby speakers change how they comprehend or produce structures as a result of cumulative exposure to less frequent or unfamiliar linguistic structures, this study asked whether speakers can learn semantic and syntactic properties of the American English vernacular negative auxiliary inversion (NAI) structure (e.g., didn't everybody eat, meaning "not everybody ate") during the course of an experiment. Formal theoretical analyses of NAI informed the design of a task in which American English-speaking participants unfamiliar with this structure were exposed to NAI sentences in either semantically ambiguous or unambiguous contexts. Participants rapidly adapted to the interpretive properties of NAI, selecting responses similar to what would be expected of a native speaker after only limited exposure to semantically ambiguous input. On a separate ratings task, participants displayed knowledge of syntactic restrictions on NAI subject type, despite having no previous exposure. We discuss the results in the context of other experimental studies of adaptation and suggest the implementation of top-down strategies via analogy to other familiar structure types as possible explanations for the behaviors observed in this study. The study illustrates the value of integrating insights from formal theoretical research and psycholinguistic methods in research on adaptation and highlights the need for more interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary work in both experimental and naturalistic contexts to understand this phenomenon.