Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Head pose estimation using fuzzy approximator augmented by redundant membership functions

Estimating the head pose of a human is a key task for human computer interaction, visual surveillance and face recognition applications hence an important problem in computer vision. Most of the works in this field suffer from lack of continuous estimating of the head pose. Fuzzy systems are known as universal approximator capable of approximating an unknown function by having just few limited information while gaining high accuracy. In this paper, a new approach is proposed for estimating the rotation angle of the head along horizontal axis based on a fuzzy approximator in which the membership functions are constructed in a way that there is no manual tuning needed since for each range in the input variable which is not covered completely, a new membership function is introduced. The proposed method is able to provide a continuous estimate of the head along horizontal axis with high accuracy, low computational cost while avoiding from getting involved into complex mathematical equations. Experiments on images from two standard well-known databases showed less than 7° of average absolute error in estimation which is a significant improvement over the method based on the simple membership functions.
Developing the Next Generation of Global Leaders: Proposing an Iterative Framework for Student Global Leadership Development

A study of community college students enrolled in a for-credit study abroad program in Costa Rica sought to identify the experiences that influence intercultural competency growth during study abroad trips and to learn how the experiences influence the development of global leadership competencies. The results led to a modified global leadership development expertise model for understanding the process of global leadership development in student populations. The study revealed a key link between antecedent characteristics of participants and their transformational ability during the study. The study also revealed that there are types of transformational experiences that, when experienced sequentially, can maximize transformational potential and the development of intercultural competencies.
Electron' drift velocity and diffusivity in germanium

Experimental results for electron drift velocity and diffusivity in germanium, obtained with the time-of-flight technique in hyperpure material. are presented for temperatures between 8 and 240 K and fields between 1 and 104,V/cm oriented along (111) and (100) directions. An anisotropy of the drift velocity and of the diffusion coefficient is found with the electric field applied along (111) and (100) directions, the latter due to the intervalley diffusion. The effect of the electron-electron interaction in the anisotropy properties has also been investigated. Theoretical Monte Carlo calculations have been performed with a model which includes lower. (111). nonparabolic bands as well as upper bands at the center of the Brillouin zone and along the (100) directions. Acoustic scattering with proper energy relaxation, optical scattering, and intervalley scattering between equivalent and nonequivalent valleys has been taken into account. Besides drift velocities and diffusion coefficients, other quantities such as mean electron energy, electron distribution function, and valley repopulation have been obtained from the Monte Carlo simulation.
Cultural Individualism Is Linked to Later Onset of Adult-Role Responsibilities Across Time and Regions

This article explores links between cultural individualism and the age at which adult-role responsibilities are assumed (the speed of maturation to adulthood). Across 43 years (1973-2015) within the United States, yearly indicators of individualism were positively correlated with later onset of work and family responsibilities (a slow life strategy). The same pattern appeared cross-culturally: Across 53 nations, cultural individualism was significantly correlated with slower maturation to adulthood. These links remained over time and cross-culturally when unemployment rate, an indicator of economic strength, was included in the model. Analyses including GDP showed mixed results, suggesting a complex relationship between economic indicators, individualism, and maturation to adulthood. Across nations and time, more individualistic cultures are also those with slower maturation to adulthood (a slow life strategy).
The ontogeny of fin function during routine turns in zebrafish Danio rerio

SUMMARY Zebrafish Danio rerio exhibit spontaneous, routine turns as part of their normal foraging behavior from the early free-swimming stage to adulthood. Given the importance of this behavior and its pervasiveness during zebrafish life history, the functional requirements of routine turning should play an important role in development. Conversely, the ontogeny of turning performance should reflect morphological development. In this paper we analyze the kinematics of routine turning during ontogeny in zebrafish and compare the scaling of turning kinematics to predictions from two existing models. Twenty-nine fish ranging in size from 0.38 to 1.97 cm in fork length (FL) were filmed at 1000 frames s–1 while performing routine turns. Images were analyzed using image cross-correlation to calculate body and fin velocities. We performed piecewise linear regression to identify variables that do not have a constant rate of change across ontogeny and found that two variables, turn angle and angular velocity, have a transition in slope at a body size of approximately 1 cm. Other variables show a constant positive (pectoral and caudal fin velocity, turn duration), negative (body curvature) or zero (head velocity) rate of change across ontogeny. We interpret these trends in light of morphological changes over ontogeny as well as relevant hydrodynamic conditions. We also compare the slope of the log-transformed variables to predictions from two scaling models of change in function with increasing size. We find mixed support for both models with no single model being better at predicting a single type of variable such as linear velocities. We conclude that morphological development of the paired and median fins and of the skeleton, is an important factor in determining the performance of routine turning over ontogeny. Three-dimensional kinematics and ecological behavior information will further elucidate the ontogenetic patterns observed here.
The Perceptions of Anxiety-related School Absenteeism in Youth: A Qualitative Study Involving Youth, Mother, and Father

ABSTRACT School absenteeism is an understudied field, and little is known about youths’ and parents’ perceptions of the problem. We examined the experiences of three youths with anxiety-related school absenteeism and their parents using a qualitative phenomenological approach. Results highlight the overarching domains consisting of the contribution of individual, school, and parental factors. Underlying main themes were also identified. These included: ambivalence towards school attendance, school at the organisational level, school at the student-teacher level, school at the student-peer level, parental responsibility, and limited understanding and knowledge concerning school absenteeism. Furthermore, subthemes were identified. Findings are discussed and practice implications are outlined, including the need for developing a common policy and procedure concerning anxiety-related school absenteeism in Danish schools.
Language Learning Great and Small: Environmental Support Structures and Learning Opportunities in a Sociocognitive Approach to Second Language Acquisition/Teaching

Abstract: Sociocognitive theory views learning, including second language acquisition, as the progressive alignment of individuals vis‐a‐vis their ecosocial environments. In this article we first update sociocognitive theory in light of recent evolutionary/ecological research on learning/teaching: (a) Humans are evolutionarily adapted to adapt to myriad environments, placing a premium on adaptive learning, (b) human adaptation is effected substantially through niche construction—engineering environments to make them more adaptive, and then transmitting the results culturally, placing a premium on adaptive teaching, (c) both human learning and teaching are innate/instinctive, and co‐evolved, and (d) there are many kinds of ‘teachers’ in the world. Second, we briefly review 3 approaches to second language acquisition/teaching (SLA/T) vis‐a‐vis sociocognitive theory: van Lier's ecological‐semiotic approach, Schumann's interactional instinct, and conversation analysis. Third, we apply our theoretical perspective exploratorily to videotaped data of a Japanese learner/user of English as a lingua franca who is baking pastries with a Finnish friend. Our analysis includes 5 widely studied ‘units of participation’: activity types, routines, co‐constructed tellings, repetition, and assessments. Analysis suggests that these constitute powerful environmental support structures yielding rich learning opportunities for SLA/T in moment‐to‐moment interaction. Fourth and finally, we discuss our results vis‐a‐vis our theoretical approach. We conclude by suggesting how our expanded view of teaching/learning might broaden SLA/T's ‘pedagogical imagination. ’ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
The Contribution of Childhood Parental Rejection and Early Androgen Exposure to Impairments in Socio-Cognitive Skills in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators with High Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol consumption, a larger history of childhood parental rejection, and high prenatal androgen exposure have been linked with facilitation and high risk of recidivism in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetrators. Participants were distributed into two groups according to their alcohol consumption scores as high (HA) and low (LA). HA presented a higher history of childhood parental rejection, prenatal masculinization (smaller 2D:4D ratio), and violence-related scores than LA IPV perpetrators. Nonetheless, the former showed poor socio-cognitive skills performance (cognitive flexibility, emotional recognition and cognitive empathy). Particularly in HA IPV perpetrators, the history of childhood parental rejection was associated with high hostile sexism and low cognitive empathy. Moreover, a masculinized 2D:4D ratio was associated with high anger expression and low cognitive empathy. Parental rejection during childhood and early androgen exposure are relevant factors for the development of violence and the lack of adequate empathy in adulthood. Furthermore, alcohol abuse plays a key role in the development of socio-cognitive impairments and in the proneness to violence and its recidivism. These findings contribute to new coadjutant violence intervention programs, focused on the rehabilitation of basic executive functions and emotional decoding processes and on the treatment of alcohol dependence.
Education in the Middle East and North Africa: The Current Situation and Future Challenges

This paper investigates the educational development in the Middle East and North Africa, drawing on data from different international and national institutions. The paper begins with a review of similarities between countries within the region, and continues by investigating the situation of basic education, literacy rates and quality of education. In the third section, issues of inequality between public and private education are discussed. The paper concludes by outlining future educational challenges in the region.
A National Survey of Australian Social Work Field Education Programs: Innovation with Limited Capacity

ABSTRACT Social work field education programs globally are struggling to meet the demands of providing suitable placements for students and need to consider new and innovative placement models to both meet professional accreditation requirements and deliver high quality field education opportunities for social work students. This article reports on the qualitative responses of a national survey of Australian social work field education programs, which explored current challenges, innovative responses, and recommendations for the Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) review, as well as hopes for the future of field education, and their capacity to undertake research into this area. Findings suggested that field education programs have been using incremental innovation in field education, including collaboration, partnerships, and new ways of responding to the changing student body. However, it is argued that radical structural change and additional resources will be needed for innovation to be more than merely incremental. IMPLICATIONS Social work field education as a distinct pedagogy needs to be supported through evidence-based research in order to respond to current pressures. Collaboration in field education practice and research is valuable, but may be challenged by program competition. Structural innovation and accepting diversity in models could offer opportunities for social work education.
High Breakdown ($> \hbox{1500\ V}$) AlGaN/GaN HEMTs by Substrate-Transfer Technology

In this letter, we present a new technology to increase the breakdown voltage of AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) grown on Si substrates. This new technology is based on the removal of the original Si substrate and subsequent transfer of the AlGaN/GaN HEMT structure to an insulating carrier wafer (e.g., glass or polycrystalline AlN). By applying this new technology to standard AlGaN/GaN HEMTs grown on Si substrate, an AlGaN/GaN HEMT with breakdown voltage above 1500 V and specific on resistance of 5.3 mΩ·cm2 has been achieved.
Gamma-ray instrument for polarimetry, spectroscopy, and imaging (GIPSI)

We present an instrument concept called GIPSI that uses germanium strip detectors in an imaging system to provide narrow line sensitivity less than 8.0 multiplied by 10-6 gamma cm-2s-1 at 100 keV in a 2 week exposure (3 sigma), and which has a point spread function (spatial resolution of approximately 20 arc minutes rms. The germanium strip detectors also make an excellent polarimeter by capitalizing on the angular dependence of the Compton scattering cross section. Gamma-ray polarimetry in the energy band around 60 - 300 keV is an interesting area of high energy astrophysics where observations have not been possible with the technologies employed in current and past space missions. We have tested a prototype detector with polarized beams and have measured a modulation factor of approximately 0.8 at 100 keV. A sensitive instrument can be realized on a modest space mission or a long duration balloon flight. Linear polarization can be detected in sources such as the Crab Pulsar, Cen A, Cyg X-1, and solar flares down to less than 5% of the source flux. The proposed instrument would have a collecting area of 400 cm2.
Walk Score® versus residents’ perceptions of walkability in Omaha, NE

ABSTRACT With an easily accessible online interface, Walk Score® has emerged as one of the most popular metrics to assess walkability, both within and outside academia. Based primarily on accessibility to common daily amenities, this quantitative measure is limited to a macro-scale view of urban form that does not consider micro-scale design elements that can significantly impact walking behavior such as building setbacks, sidewalk characteristics, lighting, or traffic volume. This study employed a survey and cognitive mapping exercise to identify neighborhood typologies in which Walk Score and residents’ perceptions of walkability are most likely to align, and, more crucially, where they are most likely to be at odds. Relative to residents’ perceptions, Walk Score tended to overestimate the walkability of suburban strip-mall corridors and underestimate the walkability of recreational areas and small entertainment districts. Potential differences in residents’ perceptions of walkability, and their associations with Walk Score, were also explored.
Do Phonologic and Rapid Automatized Naming Deficits Differentially Affect Dyslexic Children With and Without a History of Language Delay? A Study of Italian Dyslexic Children

ObjectiveThe study aims to verify whether phonologic and rapid automatized naming (RAN) deficits are present and associated in Italian dyslexic children and whether they differentially affect dyslexics with and without a history of previous language delay (LD). BackgroundAccording to the phonologic core deficit hypothesis, dyslexia may stem from impairment of the representation and manipulation of phonemes and may be closely associated with oral language deficits. However, deficits in tasks not requiring fine-grained phonologic representations, such as RAN, have also been described in dyslexic children. MethodsThirty-seven children were selected on the basis of a reading deficit and were assigned to 2 groups according to whether or not they had a history of early LD as determined retrospectively by parental report. A battery of reading and writing, verbal working memory, metaphonologic, RAN, and visual search tests were administered. ResultsRAN deficits were shared by most dyslexics (with and without a history of LD), whereas phonologic deficits were mainly associated with a previous LD. This last condition did not result in a more profound impairment of reading and writing decoding skills. ConclusionIn a shallow orthography such as Italian, RAN, not phonologic deficits, may represent the main cognitive marker of developmental dyslexia.
Pharmacological Characterization of 5-HT1A Autoreceptor-Coupled GIRK Channels in Rat Dorsal Raphe 5-HT Neurons

G protein-activated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels in 5-HT neurons are assumed to be principal effectors of 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A (5-HT1A) autoreceptors, but their pharmacology, subunit composition and the role in regulation of 5-HT neuron activity have not been fully elucidated. We sought for a pharmacological tool for assessing the functional role of GIRK channels in 5-HT neurons by characterizing the effects of drugs known to block GIRK channels in the submicromolar range of concentrations. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recording in brainstem slices were used to determine concentration-response relationships for the selected GIRK channel blockers on 5-HT1A autoreceptor-activated inwardly rectifying K+ conductance in rat dorsal raphe 5-HT neurons. 5-HT1A autoreceptor-activated GIRK conductance was completely blocked by the nonselective inwardly rectifying potassium channels blocker Ba2+ (EC50 = 9.4 μM, full block with 100 μM) and by SCH23390 (EC50 = 1.95 μM, full block with 30 μM). GIRK-specific blocker tertiapin-Q blocked 5-HT1A autoreceptor-activated GIRK conductance with high potency (EC50 = 33.6 nM), but incompletely, i.e. ~16% of total conductance resulted to be tertiapin-Q-resistant. U73343 and SCH28080, reported to block GIRK channels with submicromolar EC50s, were essentially ineffective in 5-HT neurons. Our data show that inwardly rectifying K+ channels coupled to 5-HT1A autoreceptors display pharmacological properties generally expected for neuronal GIRK channels, but different from GIRK1-GIRK2 heteromers, the predominant form of brain GIRK channels. Distinct pharmacological properties of GIRK channels in 5-HT neurons should be explored for the development of new therapeutic agents for mood disorders.
Neural correlates of substance abuse: Reduced functional connectivity between areas underlying reward and cognitive control

Substance use disorders (SUD) have been associated with dysfunction in reward processing, habit formation, and cognitive‐behavioral control. Accordingly, neurocircuitry models of addiction highlight roles for nucleus accumbens, dorsal striatum, and prefrontal/anterior cingulate cortex. However, the precise nature of the disrupted interactions between these brain regions in SUD, and the psychological correlates thereof, remain unclear. Here we used magnetic resonance imaging to measure rest‐state functional connectivity of three key striatal nuclei (nucleus accumbens, dorsal caudate, and dorsal putamen) in a sample of 40 adult male prison inmates (n = 22 diagnosed with SUD; n = 18 without SUD). Relative to the non‐SUD group, the SUD group exhibited significantly lower functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens and a network of frontal cortical regions involved in cognitive control (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and frontal operculum). There were no group differences in functional connectivity for the dorsal caudate or dorsal putamen. Moreover, the SUD group exhibited impairments in laboratory measures of cognitive‐behavioral control, and individual differences in functional connectivity between nucleus accumbens and the frontal cortical regions were related to individual differences in measures of cognitive‐behavioral control across groups. The strength of the relationship between functional connectivity and cognitive control did not differ between groups. These results indicate that SUD is associated with abnormal interactions between subcortical areas that process reward (nucleus accumbens) and cortical areas that govern cognitive‐behavioral control. Hum Brain Mapp 35:4282–4292, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Considering the Mediating Effects of Drug and Alcohol Use, Mental Health, and Their Co-Occurrence on the Adverse Childhood Experiences–Recidivism Relationship

Prior research has demonstrated a relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and recidivism among justice-involved youth. It has also been found that drug and alcohol use, mental health, and their co-occurrence increase recidivism. As there is evidence that ACEs increase the likelihood of both drug and alcohol use and mental health problems, it is surprising that prior research has yet to examine whether these factors mediate the ACE-recidivism relationship. Using data from a large sample of adjudicated juveniles in Florida, the current study examines the mediating effects of drug and alcohol use, mental health problems, and their co-occurrence on the ACEs-recidivism relationship. For the entire sample, the results found that current drug use, current mental health problems, and their co-occurrence served as partial mediators of the ACEs-recidivism relationship. Further, important gender and racial differences in these mediating effects were revealed. Implications for these findings within justice-involved youth are discussed.
Effect of Vehicles on Release of Meloxicam from Various Topical Formulations

This article evaluates the effect of various vehicles (O/W, W/O and two W/O/W emulsions and a hydrogel) on meloxicam release. One of W/O/W emulsions was named W/O/W-C containing Carbopol ® 934 as a gelling agent in its outer aqueous phase. Release of drug through cellulose acetate membrane was studied by using Franz-type diffusion cells. Hydrogel formulation gave the highest release with a significant difference followed by W/O/W, O/W, W/O/W-C and W/O emulsions. Increase in amount of oil phase resulted in slower drug release strictly indicating importance of lipophility of vehicle on release of lipophilic drugs like MX. Incorporation of MX in hydrogel increased the released amount by up to 20 times when compared with the other formulations. Increase in viscosity of the formulations was also followed the same order. Release study was performed by using UV spectroscopy. Furthermore, the determination method of MX was validated through the following performance criteria: linearity, intra-day and inter-day precision, accuracy, specifity and recovery. This method was proved as precise and accurate determination of MX in multi-component pharmaceutical preparations besides colorimetric methods.