Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ochratoxin A Management in Vineyards by Lobesia botrana Biocontrol

Grape berries attacked by Lobesia botrana larvae are more easily infected by Aspergillus section Nigri (black aspergilli) ochratoxigenic species. Two-year field trials were carried out in Apulia (Italy) to evaluate a bioinsecticide control strategy against L. botrana and the indirect effect on reducing ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination in vineyards. A commercial Bacillus thuringiensis formulate and an experimental Beauveria bassiana (ITEM-1559) formulate were tested in two vineyards cultivated with the same grape variety, Negroamaro, but with two different training systems (espalier and little-arbor techniques). In both years and training systems the treatments by B. bassiana ITEM-1559 significantly controlled L. botrana larvae attacks with effectiveness similar to B. thuringensis (more than 20%). A significant reduction of OTA concentrations (up to 80% compared to untreated controls) was observed only in the first year in both training systems, when the metereological parameters prior to harvest were more favorable to the insect attack. Results of field trials showed that B. bassiana ITEM-1559 is a valid bioinsecticide against L. botrana and that grape moth biocontrol is a strategy to reduce OTA contamination in vineyard in seasons with heavy natural infestation.
ABSORPTION AND FLUORESCENCE PROPERTIES OF HIGHLY ENRICHED REACTION CENTER PARTICLES OF PHOTOSYSTEM I AND OF ARTIFICIAL SYSTEMS

Abstract. –The absorption and fluorescence characteristics of subchloroplast particles highly enriched in P700 (1 P700 to 10–15 chlorophyll a molecules) and of two artificial systems are presented here. The fluorescence characteristics measured were excitation and emission spectra, and the degree of polarization of fluorescence. The model systems studied were chlorophyll a and pheophytin a in a polystyrene matrix, and a colloidal mixture of these two pigments with bovine serum albumin. Effects of 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulfate on the optical properties of the P700‐enriched particles are also described. The importance of pigment‐pigment and pigment‐protein interactions in determining the fluorescence properties of these particles are discussed. The possible role of pheophytin in these preparations needs further investigation.
Experimental evaluation of Navigation piles

A navigation pile, which can be used as a priority queue, is an extension of a selection tree. In a compact form the whole data structure requires only a linear number of bits in addition to the elements stored. In this paper, we study the practical efficiency of three different implementations of navigation piles and compare their efficiency against two implementations of binary heaps. The results of our experiments show that navigation piles are a good alternative to heaps when element moves are expensive—even if heaps store pointers to elements instead of elements. Based on the experimental comparison of the three navigationpile implementations it is clear that care should be taken when applying space saving strategies that increase the number of instructions performed. In addition to our experimental findings, we give a new and simple way of dynamizing a static navigation pile. Furthermore, we introduce a pointer-based navigation pile which is inherently dynamic in its nature and can be made to support deletions as well.
Towards the integration of culture into the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology

Educational technology is increasingly used in multicultural contexts and across national cultures. Educational technology users with different national and professional backgrounds may, however, exhibit different attitudes towards technology. Previous research provides isolated evidence of the relationship between learning technology acceptance and culture, and so an overall picture is missing. Therefore, this study attempts to integrate culture (sensu Hofstede, 2001) into an established technology acceptance model (ie. the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, UTAUT, Venkatesh, Morris, Davis & Davis, 2003). Examining a large sample (N = 2866) of learning technology users from Germany and Romania by means of questionnaire survey, we investigate the differences in culture and technology acceptance between sample subgroups. The collected data reveal the presence of cultural differences both between countries and between professions. In line with previous research, these differences are associated with dissimilar acceptance profiles, ie. different values of acceptance variables and of path coefficients between them. Based on the findings, this study makes headway in cross-cultural research by proposing an extended model of UTAUT – one which integrates three of Hofstede’s culture dimensions. As a practical implication, national and professional culture may shape computer-based learning environments.
Environmental Influence and Health Status of Elderly

The study was conducted in order to explore and compare the health status of the elderly living in two different environmental setups. Height, weight, heart rate and blood pressure were measured in 259 subjects ranging from 60-85 years. This process includes 120 elderly from old age homes and 139 elderly living with their families. Body mass index was calculated statistically. Nutritional status was assessed using the BMI guidelines of WHO. Significant differences were found in weight, heart rate, blood pressure and BMI between most of the age groups of old age homes and females living with families. Percentage of overweight/obesity was found to be relatively higher among females living with families as compared to those living in old age homes. The blood pressure showed positive and sig- nificant association (p<0.01) with the BMI. The cardiovascular functions (p<0.001) and nutritional status (p<0.05) were found to be significantly influenced by the environmental set up.
MORTAR ADAPTIVITY IN MIXED METHODS FOR FLOW IN POROUS MEDIA

We define an error indicator for mixed mortar formulation of flow in porous media. The mixed mortar domain decomposition method for singlephase flow problems was defined by Arbogast et al; it relies on coupling of subdomain problems using mortar Lagrange multipliers defined as continuous piecewise linears on the subdomain interface. The accuracy and efficiency of the resulting interface formulation depends on the number of mortar degrees of freedom which we propose to adapt using error indicators involving jump of the flux across the interface. Rigorous a-posteriori analysis and proof of reliability of the estimator are established for single-phase 2D flow problems with diagonal coefficients for RT[0] spaces on rectangular grids. Computational experiments demonstrate the application of the estimator. Next, the algorithm and indicator are extended to the two-phase flow case which is illustrated with numerical examples. We focus on adapting the mortar grid while keeping subdomain grids fixed. Full mortar adaptivity is discussed elsewhere.
Style Transfer Via Image Component Analysis

Example-based stylization provides an easy way of making artistic effects for images and videos. However, most existing methods do not consider the content and style separately. In this paper, we propose a style transfer algorithm via a novel component analysis approach, based on various image processing techniques. First, inspired by the steps of drawing a picture, an image is decomposed into three components: draft, paint and edge, which describe the content, main style, and strengthened strokes along the boundaries. Then the style is transferred from the template image to the source image in the paint and edge components. Style transfer is formulated as a global optimization problem by using Markov random fields, and a coarse-to-fine belief propagation algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem. To combine the draft component and the obtained style information, the final artistic result can be achieved via a reconstruction step. Compared to other algorithms, our method not only synthesizes the style, but also preserves the image content well. We also extend our algorithm from single image stylization to video personalization, by maintaining the temporal coherence and identifying faces in video sequences. The results indicate that our approach performs excellently in stylization and personalization for images and videos.
Asymptotic regimes and approximations for discriminatory processor sharing

We study the joint queue length distribution of the Discriminatory Processor Sharing model, assuming all classes have phase-type service requirement distributions. We show that the moments of the joint queue length distribution can be obtained by solving linear equations. We use this to study the system in two asymptotic regimes. In the first regime, the different user classes operate on strictly separated time scales. Then we study the system in heavy traffic.
Effects of Aging on Functional Connectivity of the Amygdala for Subsequent Memory of Negative Pictures

Aging is associated with preserved enhancement of emotional memory, as well as with age-related reductions in memory for negative stimuli, but the neural networks underlying such alterations are not clear. We used a subsequent-memory paradigm to identify brain activity predicting enhanced emotional memory in young and older adults. Activity in the amygdala predicted enhanced emotional memory, with subsequent-memory activity greater for negative stimuli than for neutral stimuli, across age groups, a finding consistent with an overall enhancement of emotional memory. However, older adults recruited greater activity in anterior regions and less activity in posterior regions in general for negative stimuli that were subsequently remembered. Functional connectivity of the amygdala with the rest of the brain was consistent with age-related reductions in memory for negative stimuli: Older adults showed decreased functional connectivity between the amygdala and the hippocampus, but increased functional connectivity between the amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices. These findings suggest that age-related differences in the enhancement of emotional memory might reflect decreased connectivity between the amygdala and typical subsequent-memory regions, as well as the engagement of regulatory processes that inhibit emotional responses.
Chandra Observation of the Cluster of Galaxies MS 0839.9+2938 at z = 0.194: The Central Excess Iron and Type Ia Supernova Enrichment

We present the Chandra study of the intermediate-redshift (z = 0.194) cluster of galaxies MS 0839.9+2938. By performing both projected and deprojected spectral analyses, we find that the gas temperature is approximately constant at about 4 keV within 130-444 h kpc. In the inner regions, the gas temperature decreases toward the center, reaching ≲3 keV in the central 37 h kpc. This implies that the lower and upper limits of the mass deposit rate are 9-34 and 96-126 M☉ yr-1, respectively, within 74 h kpc, where the gas is significantly colder. Along with the temperature drop, we detect a significant inward iron abundance increase from about 0.4 Z☉ in the outer regions to ≃1 Z☉ within the central 37 h kpc. Thus, MS 0839.9+2938 is the cluster showing the most significant central iron excess at z ≳ 0.2. We argue that most of the excess iron should have been contributed by SNe Ia. Using the observed SN Ia rate and stellar mass loss rate, we estimate that the time needed to enrich the central region with excess iron is 6.4-7.9 Gyr, which is similar to those found for nearby clusters. Coinciding with the optical extension of the cD galaxy (up to about 30 h kpc), the observed X-ray surface brightness profile exhibits an excess beyond the distribution expected by either the β model or the Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) model and can be well fitted with an empirical two-β model that leads to a relatively flatter mass profile in the innermost region.
Behold, I am Coming Soon! A Study on the Conceptualization of Sexual Orgasm in 27 Languages

ABSTRACT This study explores how sexual orgasm is conceptualized in 27 languages and proposes an ideal cognitive model for sexual desire. Specifically, the study has identified that the conceptual metaphors, conceptual metonymies, and related concepts manifested in the terms and announcements for orgasm can be categorized into orgasm as a physiological response, orgasm as a psychological state, and orgasm as an ideal goal. We also observed that languages tend to conceptualize orgasm as a physiological response in the terms for orgasm; whereas more languages are inclined to conceptualize orgasm as an ideal goal in the announcements for orgasm. Depending on whether the focus is on the physiological, psychological, and ideal aspects during sex, native speakers of their various languages may conceptualize orgasm with the conceptual metaphors ORGASM IS A PEAK, ORGASM IS FIRE, ORGASM IS DEATH, ORGASM IS A DESTINATION, and ORGASM IS THE RELEASE OF FORCE/SUBSTANCE IN A CONTAINER; conceptual metonymies (i.e., EXCITEMENT FOR ORGASM, SWELLING FOR ORGASM, and HEAT FOR ORGASM); and related concepts (i.e., (FEELING OF) SATISFACTION and (FEELING OF) PLEASURE). In proposing the ideal cognitive model for sexual desire, the study also suggests that sexual desire is an emotion closely related to love and happiness. The intertwining relationship between the three emotions implies that the experience and satisfaction of sexual desire may be important for maintaining the physiological and psychological wellbeing of an individual as well as the development of healthy and loving sexual/romantic relationships.
What You See is All There is

In the contexts of social networks and the news media alike, people often select into environments in which they are predominantly exposed to information that confirms their prior beliefs, hence introducing a selection problem into the belief formation process. This paper shows experimentally that many people do not take into account how their own prior decisions shape their informational environment, but rather largely base their views on their local information sample. In consequence, beliefs excessively depend on people’s priors and tend to be too extreme, akin to popular concerns about "echo chambers" driving irrational belief polarization across social groups. The distribution of individuals’ naivete follows a pronounced bimodal structure – people either fully account for the selection problem or do not adjust for it at all. Allowing for interaction between these heterogeneous updating types induces little learning: neither the endogenous acquisition of advice nor exogenously induced dissent lead to a convergence of beliefs across types, suggesting that the belief heterogeneity induced by selected information may persist over time. Finally, the paper also sheds light on the cognitive mechanisms underlying selection neglect as well as its relationship to neglecting double-counting problems.
Magnetism of frustrated regular networks

We consider a regular random network where each node has exactly three neighbours. Ising spins at the network nodes interact antiferromagnetically along the links. The clustering coefficient $C$ is tuned from zero to 1/3 by adding new links. At the same time, the density of geometrically frustrated links increases. We calculate the magnetic specific heat, the spin susceptibility and the Edwards-Anderson order parameter $q$ by means of the heat-bath Monte Carlo simulations. The aim is the transition temperature $T_x$ dependence on the clustering coefficient $C$. The results are compared with the predictions of the Bethe approximation. At C=0, the network is bipartite and the low temperature phase is antiferromagnetic. When $C$ increases, the critical temperature falls down towards the values which are close to the theoretical predictions for the spin-glass phase.
The adaptor molecule CARD9 is essential for tuberculosis control

The cross talk between host and pathogen starts with recognition of bacterial signatures through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which mobilize downstream signaling cascades. We investigated the role of the cytosolic adaptor caspase recruitment domain family, member 9 (CARD9) in tuberculosis. This adaptor was critical for full activation of innate immunity by converging signals downstream of multiple PRRs. Card9−/− mice succumbed early after aerosol infection, with higher mycobacterial burden, pyogranulomatous pneumonia, accelerated granulocyte recruitment, and higher abundance of proinflammatory cytokines and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in serum and lung. Neutralization of G-CSF and neutrophil depletion significantly prolonged survival, indicating that an exacerbated systemic inflammatory disease triggered lethality of Card9−/− mice. CARD9 deficiency had no apparent effect on T cell responses, but a marked impact on the hematopoietic compartment. Card9−/− granulocytes failed to produce IL-10 after Mycobaterium tuberculosis infection, suggesting that an absent antiinflammatory feedback loop accounted for granulocyte-dominated pathology, uncontrolled bacterial replication, and, ultimately, death of infected Card9−/− mice. Our data provide evidence that deregulated innate responses trigger excessive lung inflammation and demonstrate a pivotal role of CARD9 signaling in autonomous innate host defense against tuberculosis.
Empirical Evaluation of Rectified Activations in Convolutional Network

In this paper we investigate the performance of different types of rectified activation functions in convolutional neural network: standard rectified linear unit (ReLU), leaky rectified linear unit (Leaky ReLU), parametric rectified linear unit (PReLU) and a new randomized leaky rectified linear units (RReLU). We evaluate these activation function on standard image classification task. Our experiments suggest that incorporating a non-zero slope for negative part in rectified activation units could consistently improve the results. Thus our findings are negative on the common belief that sparsity is the key of good performance in ReLU. Moreover, on small scale dataset, using deterministic negative slope or learning it are both prone to overfitting. They are not as effective as using their randomized counterpart. By using RReLU, we achieved 75.68\% accuracy on CIFAR-100 test set without multiple test or ensemble.
The Minimum Average Code for Finite Memoryless Monotone Sources

The problem of selecting a code for finite monotone sources with N symbols is considered. The selection criterion is based on minimizing the average redundancy (called Minave criterion) instead of its maximum (i.e., Minimax criterion). The average probability distribution PNmacr, whose associated Huffman code has the minimum average redundancy, is derived. The entropy of the average distribution (i.e., H(PNmacr)) and the average entropy of the monotone distributions (i.e., H(PNmacr)) are studied. It is shown that both logN-H(PNmacr) and logN-H(PNmacr) are asymptotically equal to a constant (sime0.61). Therefore, there is only a negligible penalty (at most 1.61 bits/symbol) in using a simple fixed-length code with respect to the optimal code. An efficient near-optimal encoding technique is also proposed. The consequences of the two approaches, i.e., Minave and Minimax, are compared in terms of their associated distributions and associated codes. In order to evaluate the average performance of the Minimax code, we prove that the informational divergence of the average distribution and Minimax distribution asymptotically grows as -2.275+loglogN
Sum Rate maximization in the noisy MIMO interfering broadcast channel with partial CSIT via the expected weighted MSE

We consider the maximization of Weighted Sum Rate (WSR) for a Noisy Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) K cell Interfering Broadcast Channel (IBC) when only partial channel state information is available at the transmit side (CSIT) while assuming perfect CSI at the receiver (CSIR). In this work, CSIT is modeled by means of a Gaussian prior representing the mean and the covariance of the channel. The expected WSR is then maximized exploiting the relationship between WSR and the Weighted Mean Square Error (WMSE). This leads to an approximate solution but allows to capitalize on a convenient iterative algorithm for the optimization of the transmit beamforming (BF) matrices. The algorithm uses alternating minimization between BF, receiver (RX) filters and WMSE weights by exploiting convexity properties of each sub problem.
Crowdpinion: Motivating People to Share their Momentary Opinion

Many interesting social studies can be done by asking people about what they think, feel or experience at the moment when certain events occur in their daily lives. These studies can be conducted based on the event-contingent protocol of the Experience Sampling Method. We have implemented this protocol in Crowdpinion – our software tool consisting of a web panel where the researchers can set up and control their studies and a mobile app for the responders. In order to extend the users’ motivation beyond the will to contribute to research, we have applied some gamification elements based on fostering curiosity by gradually revealing the big picture from the overall study. In this paper we describe the concepts of Crowdpinion as a research tool, our approach to gamification, how we tested it in the beta version and present plans for future improvements
The effects of stressors and stress hormones on behavior, physiology, and disease susceptibility in terrestrial salamanders

13 INTRODUCTION . 14 METHODS . 17 RESULTS . 25 DISCUSSION. 26 REFERENCES . 40 Chapter 3: Too hot to handle: how elevated temperature affects behavioral, hormonal, and immunological responses in Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders . 47 ABSTRACT . 47. 47 INTRODUCTION . 48
The Scarcity of Effective Monitors and Its Implications For Corporate Takeovers and Ownership Structures

Agency problems in firms are prevalent because effective corporate monitors are scarce. This paper presents a model that formalizes the scarcity of effective monitors and explores its implications for corporate monitoring mechanisms and ownership structures. We call the most effective monitors - wealthy investors with corporate governance ability – “restructuring specialists”. Their special monitoring ability is a scarce resource in the economy. These restructuring specialists are more effective monitors than coalitions of many small investors run by managers, which face their own agency problems that make them less effective at monitoring. The restructuring specialists have an incentive to acquire blocks for restructuring purposes only in those states of the world in which a restructuring increases firm value the most. This corresponds to a takeover. The restructuring specialists’ investment strategy is an important determinant of corporate ownership structures. Initially dispersed ownership can be optimal only if sufficient liquidity trading allows these special monitors to benefit from state-contingent block acquisitions. The extent of dispersed ownership also depends on the degree of monitoring superiority of the restructuring specialists and the capital available to them, as well as the likelihood that a restructuring may be needed. Firms with initially dispersed ownership and with a financial intermediary as a blockholder can coexist although they are otherwise identical. The model can explain several observations concerning ownership structures and monitoring mechanisms in different developed economies.