Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Action Recognition Based on Efficient Deep Feature Learning in the Spatio-Temporal Domain

Hand-crafted feature functions are usually designed based on the domain knowledge of a presumably controlled environment and often fail to generalize, as the statistics of real-world data cannot always be modeled correctly. Data-driven feature learning methods, on the other hand, have emerged as an alternative that often generalize better in uncontrolled environments. We present a simple, yet robust, 2-D convolutional neural network extended to a concatenated 3-D network that learns to extract features from the spatio-temporal domain of raw video data. The resulting network model is used for content-based recognition of videos. Relying on a 2-D convolutional neural network allows us to exploit a pretrained network as a descriptor that yielded the best results on the largest and challenging ILSVRC-2014 dataset. Experimental results on commonly used benchmarking video datasets demonstrate that our results are state-of-the-art in terms of accuracy and computational time without requiring any preprocessing (e.g., optic flow) or a priori knowledge on data capture (e.g., camera motion estimation), which makes it more general and flexible than other approaches. Our implementation is made available.
The Economics of Labor Coercion

The majority of labor transactions throughout much of history and a significant fraction of such transactions in many developing countries today are "coercive", in the sense that force or the threat of force plays a central role in convincing workers to accept employment or its terms. We propose a tractable principal-agent model of coercion, based on the idea that coercive activities by employers, or "guns", affect the participation constraint of workers. We show that coercion and effort are complements, so that coercion increases effort. Nevertheless, coercion is always "inefficient", in the sense of reducing utilitarian social welfare. Better outside options for workers reduce coercion, because of the complementarity between coercion and effort: workers with better outside option exert lower effort in equilibrium and thus are coerced less. Greater demand for labor increases coercion because it increases equilibrium effort. We investigate the interaction between outside options, market prices, and other economic variables by embedding the (coercive) principal-agent relationship in a general equilibrium setup, and study when and how labor scarcity encourages coercion. We show that general (market) equilibrium interactions working through prices lead to a positive relationship between labor scarcity and coercion along the lines of ideas suggested by Domar, while those working through outside options lead to a negative relationship similar to ideas advanced in neo-Malthusian historical analyses of the decline of feudalism. A third effect, which is present when investment in guns must be made before the realization of contracting opportunities, also leads to a negative relationship between labor scarcity and coercion. Our model also predicts that coercion is more viable in industries that do not require relationship-specific investment by workers.
Hole-Injection-Type and Electron-Injection-Type Silicon Avalanche Photodiodes Fabricated by Standard 0.18- $\mu$m CMOS Process

A hole-injection-type and an electron-injection-type Si avalanche photodiode (APD) were fabricated by a standard 0.18-μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process. The avalanche amplifications are observed below 10 V of the bias voltage, and the maximum avalanche gains were 493 and 417 for the hole-injection-type and the electron-injection-type APDs, respectively. The maximum bandwidth is 3.4 GHz, and the gain-bandwidth products were 90 and 180 GHz for the hole-injection-type and the electron-injection-type APDs, respectively.
Women's bike seats: a pressing matter for competitive female cyclists.

INTRODUCTION There are numerous genital complaints in women cyclists, including pain, numbness, and edema of pelvic floor structures. Debate ensues about the best saddle design for protection of the pelvic floor. AIM To investigate the relationships between saddle design, seat pressures, and genital nerve function in female, competitive cyclists. METHODS We previously compared genital sensation in healthy, premenopausal, competitive women bicyclists and runners. The 48 cyclists from our original study comprise the study group in this subanalysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Main outcome measures were: (i) genital vibratory thresholds (VTs) determined using the Medoc Vibratory Sensation Analyzer 3000 and (ii) saddle pressures as determined using a specially designed map sensor. RESULTS More than half of the participants (54.8%) used traditional saddles, and the remainder (45.2%) rode with cut-out saddles. On bivariate analysis, use of traditional saddles was associated with lower mean perineal saddle pressures (MPSP) than riding on cut-out saddles. Peak perineal saddle pressures (PPSP) were also lower; however, the difference did not reach statistical significance. Saddle design did not affect mean or peak total saddle pressures (MTSP, PTSP). Saddle width was significantly associated with PPSP, MTSP, and PTSP but not with MPSP. Women riding cut-out saddles had, on average, a 4 and 11 kPa increase in MPSP and PPSP, respectively, compared with women using traditional saddles (P = 0.008 and P = 0.010), after adjustment for other variables. Use of wider saddles was associated with lower PPSP and MTSP after adjustment. Although an inverse correlation was seen between saddle pressures and VTs on bivariate analysis, these differences were not significant after adjusting for age. CONCLUSION Cut-out and narrower saddles negatively affect saddle pressures in female cyclists. Effects of saddle design on pudendal nerve sensory function were not apparent in this cross-sectional analysis. Longitudinal studies evaluating the long-term effects of saddle pressure on the integrity of the pudendal nerve, pelvic floor, and sexual function are warranted.
A comparison study of the surface scattering models and numerical model

This paper describes a comparison study of surface scattering models and a numerical model for dielectric surfaces. Two surface scattering models namely the integral equation model (IEM) and the small slope approximation (SSA) model are used to calculate the backscattering coefficients of rough surfaces and the results are compared with numerical simulations based on the moment method (MoM). Analysis of the results obtained is also presented.
A FURTHER STUDY IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRIGHTNESS CONSTANCY AND CONTRAST

In the problem of brightness constancy the importance of such factors as the configuration and the articulation in the visual field were emphasized on the basis of many experimental findings by Gelb (1930) and other investigators (Kardos, 1934; Katona, 1929; Koffka, 1932: Mintz, 1928; Wallach, 1948). Especially by the recent studies (Hano, 1959; Helson, 1938 and 1943; Leibowitz, 1955) it has been suggested that, among a number of variables considered as factors relevant to the elicitation of constancy, the factor of a background brightness is most important. That is, the degree of brightness constancy of a given field depends upon the brightness of the background surrounding it. The degree of constancy is greater under the condition that the field has a lighter background than itself, while the degree of constancy is smaller, in case the field has the background of the darker or the same brightness. On the basis of these findings, Helson has reached the conclusion that these results may indicate that the factor of the brightness of a background is the most important factor providing a basis for the interpretation of brightness constancy. Leibowitz investigated such factors as the inducing field luminance, the separation between the inducing and test fields, and the duration of exposure of both fields (Leibowitz, 1955, 1957 and 1961), and then assumed that there was a covariant relationship between brightness constancy and simultaneous contrast; the degree of brightness constancy depends upon the degree of the contrast between a given field and its background. Our results (Hano, 1959) have certainly led to the conclusion that the existence of a lighter background is the most important factor in brightness constancy. It seems, however, that there are not enough data to support satisfactorily the assumption that there is a covariant relationship between brightness constancy and contrast. So far as our problem is concerned with the relationship between brightness constancy and contrast, a further quantitative analysis should be required for the various factors. In the present study this relationship was thus investigated by simultaneous measurement of the degree of constancy and of contrast with reference to the following variables considered as the common parameter of both phenomena 1 The initial stages of this study were carried out
Clinical Myocardial Perfusion PET/CT*

The field of nuclear cardiology is witnessing growing interest in the use of cardiac PET for the evaluation of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The available evidence suggests that myocardial perfusion PET provides an accurate means for diagnosing obstructive CAD, which appears superior to SPECT especially in the obese and in those undergoing pharmacologic stress. The ability to record changes in left ventricular function from rest to peak stress and to quantify myocardial perfusion (in mL/min/g of tissue) provides an added advantage over SPECT for evaluating multivessel CAD. There is growing and consistent evidence that gated myocardial perfusion PET also provides clinically useful risk stratification. Although the introduction of hybrid PET/CT technology offers the exciting possibility of assessing the extent of anatomic CAD (CT coronary angiography) and its functional consequences (ischemic burden) in the same setting, there are technical challenges in the implementation of CT-based transmission imaging for attenuation correction. Nonetheless, this integrated platform for assessing anatomy and biology offers a great potential for translating advances in molecularly targeted imaging into humans.
Eddy-zonal flow interactions and the persistence of the zonal index

Abstract An idealized atmospheric general circulation model is used to investigate the factors controlling the time scale of intraseasonal (10–100 day) variability of the extratropical atmosphere. Persistence on these time scales is found in patterns of variability that characterize meridional vacillations of the extratropical jet. Depending on the degree of asymmetry in the model forcing, patterns take on similar properties to the zonal index, annular modes, and North Atlantic Oscillation. It is found that the time scale of jet meandering is distinct from the obvious internal model time scales, suggesting that interaction between synoptic eddies and the large-scale flow establish a separate, intraseasonal time scale. A mechanism is presented by which eddy heat and momentum transport couple to retard motion of the jet, slowing its meridional variation and thereby extending the persistence of zonal index and annular mode anomalies. The feedback is strong and quite sensitive to model parameters when the mod.
Survival of Political Leadership

We focus on political violence as a mechanism that allows the political leader to fight off opposition and increase his chances of re-election. In a collusive equilibrium, the leader allocates a bribe to the army, and the latter responds by producing political violence. Such an equilibrium is more likely, the larger are the public resources available to the leader; the lower is army’s potential punishment and salary offered by the opposition regime; the more severe is the incumbent’s potential punishment; and when the political leader is sufficiently patient, but the army is short-sighted enough.
In vitro effect of Levamisole on Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Se estudio el efecto in vitro del levamisol (1, 10 y 100 μg/ml) sobre celulas de la respuesta inmune innata de trucha arcoiris (Oncorhynchus mykiss), particularmente la actividad de las celulas citotoxicas naturales y de los macrofagos presentes en sangre periferica. El efecto del levamisol sobre las celulas citotoxicas naturales fue evaluado mediante su capacidad para lisar celulas tumorales HL-60, mientras que la actividad de los macrofagos fue evaluado mediante la produccion de especies reactivas del oxigeno y de oxido nitrico. Los resultados indican que la actividad de las celulas citotoxicas naturales fue incrementada significativamente por 1 μg/ml levamisol mientras que dosis mayores no produjeron este efecto. Por otro lado, la produccion de especies reactivas del oxigeno y de oxido nitrico por los macrofagos no fue incrementada por ninguna de las dosis usadas, sin embargo dosis de 100 μg/ml indujeron una disminucion significativa en los niveles de oxido nitrico, lo cual podria ser deletereo para la respuesta defensiva de estos peces.
Picturing success: young femininities and the (im)possibilities of academic achievement in selective, single‐sex education

Over the last decade it is young women who have come to be widely understood as the bearers of educational qualifications. It is girls who are now seen to have ‘the world at their feet’ and to be able to attain the glittering prizes of academic success associated with elite universities and top occupations. And it is upper‐middle‐class girls, in particular, who appear to be achieving the most; a ‘super class’ of pupils who are supposedly able to effortlessly succeed in everything that they do. Drawing on ethnographic data generated during a research project in a single‐sex, selective girls' school this paper will explore what it meant for one group of elite girls to achieve and succeed in school. The paper will examine the different versions of success made available to the girls in this school, the girls' differing relations to these discourses and their intersection with other relations of power. The paper will question the popular post‐feminist picture of the smart, sassy and successful ‘top girl’ who is able to ‘have it all’ and in the conditions of her own choosing. The paper will suggest that, even for the girls in this school, success was not easy to perform or ‘own’ for oneself. Despite attending a school where success was openly celebrated, the paper will demonstrate the ways in which many girls still felt restricted to perform success in narrow and competitive ways that clashed with dominant discourses of femininity.
Shaping indirect field oriented control for induction motor with luenberger observer

This paper proposes a technique of robust control for an induction motor. The control algorithm uses robust regulators calculated by the H∞ loop shaping approach associated with indirect field oriented control. The Luenberger observer was used to observe the flow in the induction motor. The results of simulations show that the controllers stabilize the system and reject the disturbances when the system is subjected to uncertainties of a norm lower than the maximum stability margin.
ETD: An extended time delay algorithm for ventricular fibrillation detection

Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most serious type of heart attack which requires quick detection and first aid to improve patients' survival rates. To be most effective in using wearable devices for VF detection, it is vital that the detection algorithms be accurate, robust, reliable and computationally efficient. Previous studies and our experiments both indicate that the time-delay (TD) algorithm has a high reliability for separating sinus rhythm (SR) from VF and is resistant to variable factors, such as window size and filtering method. However, it fails to detect some VF cases. In this paper, we propose an extended time-delay (ETD) algorithm for VF detection and conduct experiments comparing the performance of ETD against five good VF detection algorithms, including TD, using the popular Creighton University (CU) database. Our study shows that (1) TD and ETD outperform the other four algorithms considered and (2) with the same sensitivity setting, ETD improves upon TD in three other quality measures for up to 7.64% and in terms of aggregate accuracy, the ETD algorithm shows an improvement of 2.6% of the area under curve (AUC) compared to TD.
Vision and visual acuity in an elderly population

The data for this paper were collected during a two‐year study of the elderly in the market town of Melton Mowbray. The data show that typically, persons aged 75 years and older have poor uncorrected vision (6/36 Snellen acuity), but good corrected acuity, 73.8 per cent gaining 6/12 binocular Snellen acuity or better. Over 88 per cent were able to read N8 typesize or better, under test conditions. Those with low uncorrected vision were the most likely to possess spectacles.
The Effectiveness of Multiple Intelligence Applications on Academic Achievement: A Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of multiple intelligence applications on academic achievement in Turkey. Accordingly, findings of independent research studies aimed to find out effectiveness of multiple intelligence applications are gathered in a meta-analysis. Total of 71 studies, 66 dissertations and 7 articles were included in the meta-analysis meeting the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis calculations resulted that the multiple intelligence applications have a large and positive effect on academic achievement. It was also revealed that the effect of multiple intelligence applications vary by application period. Thus, as the application period increases, the effect of multiple intelligence application also increases. On the other side, effectiveness of the applications does not vary by; the type of the course, level of the class and the type of the research. Some suggestions made according to the research findings.
The relationship between the TeacherInsight score and student performance as measured by the Texas Growth Index

In their efforts to make the selection and hiring process more efficient, school administrators utilize teacher selection instruments such as the Web-based TeacherInsight assessment tool (The Gallup Organization, Princeton, NJ). Tools such as these instruments are now used regularly by school systems across the nation to assess teachers regarding their knowledge, talents, skills, attitudes, and values. According to Gallup, the TeacherInsight is a predictor of teacher talent and is based on 12 themes. This study utilized 132 elementary and secondary teachers and approximately 4,500 students currently enrolled in Grades 3 through 11 to determine if the TeacherInsight is a predictor of student achievement. This study considered: (1) the relationship between the TeacherInsight and student achievement as measured by the Texas Growth Index (TGI); (2) the relationship between teacher characteristics (years of experience, level [primary or secondary], gender, age, degree) and the TeacherInsight instrument; (3) the relationship between teacher characteristics (years of experience, level [primary or secondary], gender, age, degree) and student achievement as measured by the TGI; and (4) the relationship between student classifications (limited English proficient, economically disadvantaged, at-risk) and student achievement as measured by the TGI. The analyses found a very weak positive relationship between the TeacherInsight and student achievement using the TGI in the subjects of English/ reading and math. Additional analysis based on levels (primary and secondary) between TeacherInsight scores and TGI values were not significant. Teacher characteristics were poor predictors of scores on the TeacherInsight. Of the characteristics, years of teaching experience was the strongest predictor of scores on the TeacherInsight. Although the overall analyses indicated significant relationships, they were very weak for both English/reading and math. Teacher characteristics were also poor predictors of student achievement. Again, the overall analysis indicated a significant but weak relationship for both English/reading and math. When considering the relationship between student classifications of LEP, economically disadvantaged, and at-risk, only at-risk had a weak relationship to student achievement. The findings provide little support to the validity of TeacherInsight in terms of its ability to predict student achievement scores and its usefulness as a tool for the selection of teachers by school systems. Until more extensive research is completed on the TeacherInsight and its impact on student achievement, no definitive answers for school systems can be made. Suggestions and recommendations for future studies are provided in the discussion section.
The effect of cultural adaptation on perceived trustworthiness: Americans adapting to Chinese Indonesians

This experiment investigates the effect of cultural adaptation by American business people on their trustworthiness as perceived by Chinese Indonesians. The sample consists of 140 Indonesian professionals born and raised in Indonesia, who read one of the four stories that differ in degrees of Americans’ cultural adaptation: none, moderate, high using English, and high using the native (i.e., Indonesian) language. The results show that there is no difference among the four adaptation levels on disconfirmation of the adaptor’s stereo types. The high adaptation using English condition is perceived to be more situationally caused than is the high adaptation using the native language condition, which in turn is perceived to be more situationally caused than is the moderate adaptation condition, and the high adaptation using English condition is perceived to be more situationally caused than is the no adaptation condition. The high adaptation using the native language and the high adaptation using English conditions are perceived to be trustworthier than is the moderate adaptation condition, which in turn is perceived to be trustworthier than is the no adaptation condition; these results contradict the findings of some earlier studies but are consistent with those in the cases of Americans adapting to Thais and Japanese in Pornpitakpan (1998), to People’s Republic of China Chinese in Pornpitakpan (2002b), and to Malaysians in Pornpitakpan (2004). Marketing implications are discussed.
Aerobic Exercise Training Improves Right- and Left Ventricular Systolic Function in Patients with COPD

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of moderate continuous training (MCT) and high intensity aerobic interval training (AIT) on systolic ventricular function and aerobic capacity in COPD patients. Methods: Seventeen patients with COPD (64 ± 8 years, 12 men) with FEV1 of 52.8 ± 11% of predicted, were randomly assigned to isocaloric programs of MCT at 70% of max heart rate (HR) for 47 minutes) or AIT (∼90% of max HR for 4×4 minutes) three times per week for 10 weeks. Baseline cardiac function was compared with 17 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2-peak) and left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function examined by echocardiography, were measured at baseline and after 10 weeks of training. Results: At baseline, the COPD patients had reduced systolic function compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). After the training, AIT and MCT increased VO2-peak by 8% and 9% and work economy by 7% and 10%, respectively (all p < 0.05). LV and RV systolic function both improved (p < 0.05), with no difference between the groups after the two modes of exercise training. Stroke volume increased by 17% and 20%, LV systolic tissue Doppler velocity (S’) by 18% and 17% and RV S’ by 15% after AIT and MCT, respectively (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Systolic cardiac function is reduced in COPD. Both AIT and MCT improved systolic cardiac function. In contrast to other patient groups studied, higher exercise intensity does not seem to have additional effects on cardiac function or aerobic capacity in COPD patients.