Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Design of a scanning laser meter for monitoring the spatio-temporalevolution of snow depth and its application in the Alps and in Antarctica

Abstract. Although both the temporal and spatial variations of the snow depth are usually of interest for numerous applications, available measurement techniques are either space-oriented (e.g. terrestrial laser scans) or time-oriented (e.g. ultrasonic ranging probe). Because of snow heterogeneity, measuring depth in a single point is insufficient to provide accurate and representative estimates. We present a cost-effective automatic instrument to acquire spatio-temporal variations of snow depth. The device comprises a laser meter mounted on a 2-axis stage and can scan ≈ 200 000 points over an area of 100–200 m2 in 4 h. Two instruments, installed in Antarctica (Dome C) and the French Alps (Col de Porte), have been operating continuously and unattended over 2015 with a success rate of 65 and 90 % respectively. The precision of single point measurements and long-term stability were evaluated to be about 1 cm and the accuracy to be 5 cm or better. The spatial variability in the scanned area reached 7–10 cm (root mean square) at both sites, which means that the number of measurements is sufficient to average out the spatial variability and yield precise mean snow depth. With such high precision, it was possible for the first time at Dome C to (1) observe a 3-month period of regular and slow increase of snow depth without apparent link to snowfalls and (2) highlight that most of the annual accumulation stems from a single event although several snowfall and strong wind events were predicted by the ERA-Interim reanalysis. Finally the paper discusses the benefit of laser scanning compared to multiplying single-point sensors in the context of monitoring snow depth.
Properties of X‐ray‐selected broad absorption‐line quasars★

Broad absorption-line quasars (commonly termed BALQSOs) contain the most dramatic examples of active galactic nucleus (AGN) driven winds. The high absorbing columns in these winds, ~10^24 cm^-2, ensure that BALQSOs are generally X-ray faint. This high X-ray absorption means that almost all BALQSOs have been discovered through optical surveys, and so what little we know about their X-ray properties is derived from very bright optically selected sources. A small number of X-ray-selected BALQSOs (XBALQSOs) have, however, recently been found in deep X-ray survey fields. In this paper we investigate the X-ray and rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) properties of five XBALQSOs for which we have obtained XMM-Newton EPIC X-ray spectra and deep optical imaging and spectroscopy. We find that, although the XBALQSOs have an αox steeper by ~0.5 than normal QSOs, their median αox is nevertheless flatter by 0.30 than that of a comparable sample of optically selected BALQSOs (OBALQSOs). We rule out the possibility that the higher X-ray to optical flux ratio is due to intrinsic optical extinction. We find that the amount of X-ray and UV absorption due to the wind in XBALQSOs is similar, or perhaps greater than, the corresponding wind absorption in OBALQSOs, so the flatter αox cannot be a result of weaker wind absorption. We conclude that these XBALQSOs have intrinsically higher X-ray to optical flux ratios than the OBALQSO sample with which we compare them.
INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LARGE GROUP FORMAT CBT VIA THE APPLICATION OF PRACTICE-BASED EVIDENCE

Within Primary Care, clients presenting with mental health problems are most likely to report the presence of an anxiety disorder. Referrals to mental health services can result in waiting lists due to the prevalence of individual models of intervention. A service delivery innovation to this organizational impasse has been White's group-based “Stresspac” approach. The current project attempted to increase the effectiveness of such service delivery via the application of practice-based evidence (PBE) guidelines. Clients completed a battery of psychometric tests prior to engaging in and on completion of a six-session group cognitive-behavioural intervention. A satisfaction survey was completed on termination of the group. Two groups were completed, the second of which was conducted using a PBE derived selection criterion. The application of the PBE selection criterion appeared to increase the effectiveness of the intervention provided, with clients in both groups being widely satisfied with the group approach. The active employment of PBE in the design and implementation of services appears to offer the opportunity for increasing the range, format and effectiveness of psychological interventions offered.
On the so-called ‘superior conformity of the self’ behavior: Twenty experimental investigations

In comparison processes between the self and others within a given social set, a marked tendency has been frequently observed for each person to present himself as more in conformity with the social norms prevailing in the set under consideration than others participating in this set generally are. This type of behavior has been designated here as ‘superior conformity of the self behavior’ (also called ‘PIP effect’). This article sets out to synthesize twenty experimental investigations in which it was attempted to delimit and explain this behavior. A first set of experiments deals with the observed scope of the superior conformity of the self behavior. For this purpose, variations are systematically introduced in the characteristics of comparative situations: Types of sets of individuals (for instance, real groups or abstract sets — social categories); types of norms under consideration (for instance, norms dealing with the concrete execution of a task, norms relating to forms of behavior — personality characteristics, etc.); manners of comparing oneself with others (for instance, a specifically defined other or generalized others; comparisons on past, present or future behavior, etc.). Having tested the scope of the superior conformity of the self behavior in various ways, we proceed to explain it theoretically and experimentally. Our explanation here is based on the existence of a fundamental conflict between two simultaneous processes that are both complementary and contradictory: The individual's need, on the one hand, for social conformity, which tends toward standardization and de-individualization; on the other hand, his simultaneous search for social differentiation and individualization. This explanation is tested in a second set of experiments. Our final purpose is to show the practical and theoretical importance of the study of the superior conformity of the self behavior in social psychology. In this connection we have shown, in a third set of experiments, how such a behavior can play a role in many phenomena studied by social psychology.
Transfer of sentence processing strategies: A comparison of L2 learners of Chinese and English

A sentence interpretation experiment based on Bates and MacWhinney's Competition Model was administered to L2 learners of English and Chinese at three different stages of learning. The main purposes of the research were (a) to examine how transfer patterns at the sentence processing level change as a function of proficiency and (b) to investigate whether or how transfer patterns found in Chinese EFL learners (i.e., native speakers of a semantics-based language learning a syntax-centered target language) differ from those found in English CFL learners (i.e., native speakers of a syntax-based language acquiring a semantics-centered one). The results show that transfer patterns do vary as a function of proficiency, and that Chinese EFL learners and English CFL learners display somewhat different patterns of developmental change in sentence processing transfer.
Local Currency Sovereign Risk

Do governments default on debt denominated in their own currency? We introduce a new measure of sovereign credit risk, the local currency credit spread, defined as the spread of local currency bonds over the synthetic local currency risk-free rate constructed using cross currency swaps. We find that local currency credit spreads are positive and sizable. Compared with credit spreads on foreign currency denominated debt, local currency credit spreads have lower means, lower cross-country correlations, and are less sensitive to global risk factors. Global risk aversion and liquidity factors can explain more time variation in these credit spread differentials than macroeconomic fundamentals.
Racially socializing biracial youth: A cultural ecological study of maternal influences on racial identity

As our society becomes increasingly multiracial, it is imperative that parents, teachers, counselors, and researchers consider the complex processes associated with crossing racial boundaries and occupying a biracial social location. Few investigations have explored racial socialization within biracial families, and none have empirically examined the relationship between racial socialization and the multidimensional components of racial identity. Using a cultural ecological framework, this study explored the racial socialization messages used by mothers of biracial adolescents and evaluated the relative impact of these messages on the racial identity of biracial adolescents. Data for this study were taken from a public-use subsample of the longitudinal Maryland Adolescent Development in Context Study (MADICS; Eccles, 1997). For this investigation, participants were 104 biracial adolescents and their mothers. Mothers of biracial adolescents engaged in a full range of racial socialization messages, including cultural, minority, mainstream, egalitarian, and no racial socialization messages. Racial socialization varied by maternal race, such that Black mothers were most likely to use mainstream socialization messages while White and other minority mothers were more likely to provide no direct racial socialization. In general, Black mothers provided more socialization than their White and other minority counterparts. Mothers of biracial adolescents reported using a combination of racial socialization messages, which can be conceptually reduced into three racial socialization strategies, namely, proactive, protective, and no racial socialization strategies. Proactive socialization was associated with racial identity salience, such that biracial adolescents who received proactive racial socialization reported less racial salience. In addition, maternal race was associated with racial salience, private regard, and exploration, such that biracial adolescents with a White mother reported lower racial salience, private regard, and racial exploration.
Thoughts on Massively Scalable Gaussian Processes

We introduce a framework and early results for massively scalable Gaussian processes (MSGP), significantly extending the KISS-GP approach of Wilson and Nickisch (2015). The MSGP framework enables the use of Gaussian processes (GPs) on billions of datapoints, without requiring distributed inference, or severe assumptions. In particular, MSGP reduces the standard $O(n^3)$ complexity of GP learning and inference to $O(n)$, and the standard $O(n^2)$ complexity per test point prediction to $O(1)$. MSGP involves 1) decomposing covariance matrices as Kronecker products of Toeplitz matrices approximated by circulant matrices. This multi-level circulant approximation allows one to unify the orthogonal computational benefits of fast Kronecker and Toeplitz approaches, and is significantly faster than either approach in isolation; 2) local kernel interpolation and inducing points to allow for arbitrarily located data inputs, and $O(1)$ test time predictions; 3) exploiting block-Toeplitz Toeplitz-block structure (BTTB), which enables fast inference and learning when multidimensional Kronecker structure is not present; and 4) projections of the input space to flexibly model correlated inputs and high dimensional data. The ability to handle many ($m \approx n$) inducing points allows for near-exact accuracy and large scale kernel learning.
Left Ventricular Geometry in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Coexisting with Treated Systemic Hypertension

Background: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy is a common consequence of systemic hypertension (SH) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, little is known about the degree of LV involvement in patients with OSA coexisting with treated SH. Objectives: Our study was designed in order to assess the prevalence of distinct types of LV geometry in treated hypertensive OSA patients. Methods: Patients: 183 patients with treated SH were enrolled to the study. Group 1 consisted of 38 patients with newly-diagnosed OSA and ineffectively treated SH. The remaining 145 patients with effectively treated SH were divided into three groups: group 2 – 70 patients with newly-diagnosed OSA, group 3 – 31 patients with OSA treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and group 4 – 44 patients without OSA.Overnight sleep studies and M-mode echocardiography were performed. Results: LV mass index did not differ between the study groups. Mean values of LV end-diastolic diameter (LVED) were 55.4 ± 6.8 mm in group 1 and 53.6 ± 6.9 mm in group 2 and were significantly increased in comparison to subjects treated with CPAP and controls (49.8 ± 6.8 mm and 50.1 ± 64.7 mm, respectively; p = 0.001). LVED correlated positively with the apnea-hypopnea index and desaturation index. LV eccentric hypertrophy was the commonest type of LV geometry in newly-diagnosed OSA patients. Conclusions: The major finding of our study is the predominance of LV eccentric hypertrophy in newly-diagnosed OSA patients. We suggest that a relatively moderate degree of LV involvement in hypertensive OSA patients may depend on the cardioprotective effect of concomitant antihypertensive therapy, ameliorating OSA-dependent neurohumoral abnormalities.
Perceptions of Organizational Readiness for Change: Factors Related to Employees' Reactions to the Implementation of Team-Based Selling

Employees' perception of their organization's readiness for large-scale change was examined in two divisions of a national sales organization transitioning to work teams. Results indicated that individual attitudes and preferences, work group and job attitudes, and contextual variables were all important in understanding readiness for change. Study findings are discussed in terms of strategies for implementing the transition to team-based work and large-scale organizational initiatives. Implications for research and theory-building are also discussed.
Contact Homology of Legendrian Knots in Five-Dimensional Circle Bundles

In this paper we compute the Legendrian contact homology of the two-dimensional Legendrian unknot Λ in R4 × S1 equipped with its standard contact structure, by perturbing the contact form by a Morse function. We write down an explicit formula for the differential of the Legendrian contact homology algebra and show that the homology is generated by one Reeb chord in degree 2, which is the same as the homology of this knot in R5. Considering the same knot Λ (with respect to a Darboux chart) in the circle bundle over CP2 with total space S5, we will make Λ describe a perturbation of Λ which gives that the Legendrian contact homology of Λ is the same as in R4 × S1.
Urinary Tract Injury During Hysterectomy Based on Universal Cystoscopy

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence and location of injury to the urinary tract during hysterectomy for benign gynecologic disease. METHODS: This was a prospective clinical study in an academic environment performed at three sites. Diagnostic cystourethroscopy was performed on all patients after hysterectomy for benign disease. RESULTS: Eight hundred thirty-nine patients were enrolled. The incidence of urinary tract injury associated with hysterectomy for benign disease was 4.3% (39 of 839 cases). The rate of bladder injury was 2.9% (24 of 839 cases), and rate of ureteral injury was 1.8% (15 of 839 cases). There were three cases of simultaneous bladder and ureteral injuries, resulting in a cumulative injury rate of 4.3%. The injury detection rate using intraoperative diagnostic cystoscopy was 97.4% (817 of 839 cases). The most common site of injury to the ureter was at the junction of the ureter and the uterine artery in 80% (12 of 15 cases) of ureteral injuries. Transection and kinking injuries were the most frequent type of injury. There were 21 cases of subnormal dye efflux from the ureteral orifices, with no subsequent injury detected on further evaluation. CONCLUSION: Ureteral injury occurred most commonly at the level of the uterine artery, and transection and kinking injuries were most frequent. Diminished dye efflux from ureteral orifices was not associated with injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III
Students' self‐regulation and teachers' influences in science: interplay between ethnicity and gender

The purpose of this study is to explore students' self‐regulation and teachers' influence in science and to examine interplay between ethnicity and gender. Analysis of data from seven Oslo schools (1112 sampled students in the first year of high school) shows that the ethnic minority students reported using learning strategies in science more intensively than ethnic majority students and they had a stronger motivation to learn science. Ethnic majority students are defined here as students who were born in Norway and have at least one parent born in Norway. The study also shows that minority students generally evaluate their science teacher's influence on their learning more positively than the majority. The strongest interplay effects between gender and ethnicity are found in students' perceptions of the relevance of science, as well as their degree of negative responses to the pressure to learn science.
Newspaper Column Readers' Gender Bias: Perceived Interest and Credibility

This article reports results of an experiment designed to test effects of gender on perceived credibility of a newspaper columnist and on subjects' interest in a newspaper columnist's writing. Quantitative methods—factor analysis and analysis of variance—enabled the authors to draw these conclusions: gender does affect the perceived interest level of newspaper columns, with males preferring columns written by men and females preferring columns written by women; gender did not have an effect on columnist credibility.
Hybrid template update system for unimodal biometric systems

Semi-supervised template update systems allow to automatically take into account the intra-class variability of the biometric data over time. Such systems can be inefficient by including too many impostor's samples or skipping too many genuine's samples. In the first case, the biometric reference drifts from the real biometric data and attracts more often impostors. In the second case, the biometric reference does not evolve quickly enough and also progressively drifts from the real biometric data. We propose a hybrid system using several biometric sub-references in order to increase performance of self-update systems by reducing the previously cited errors. The proposition is validated for a keystroke-dynamics authentication system (this modality suffers of high variability over time) on two consequent datasets from the state of the art.
A Comparative Analysis of Preschool Education in Korea and England

This article is a comparative analysis of preschool education in Korea and England. The purpose of this study is to compare and contrast preschool educational systems in Korea and England, including their contextual development and trends, the frameworks of the national preschool curriculum, and early childhood educators' perceptions and practices. This article examines how early childhood education in the two countries has been affected by different historical, philosophical and government policies.
RNASEL Mutation Screening and Association Study in Ashkenazi and Non-Ashkenazi Prostate Cancer Patients

Epidemiologic and genetic studies support the considerable effect of heritable factors on prostate tumorigenesis, although to date, no unequivocal susceptibility gene has been identified. The extensive study of RNASEL in prostate cancer patients worldwide has yielded conflicting results. We reevaluated the role of the RNASEL 471delAAAG Ashkenazi founder mutation in 1,642 Ashkenazi patients with prostate, bladder, breast/ovarian, and colon cancers; Ashkenazi controls; and in non-Ashkenazi prostate cancer patients and controls. The entire RNASEL coding sequence was also screened using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and multiplex ligation–dependent probe amplification for possible sequence variations or copy number changes in a population of prostate cancer patients. The 471delAAAG mutation was detected in 2.4% of the Ashkenazi prostate cancer patients; in 1.9% of patients with bladder, breast/ovarian, and colon cancers; and in 2.0% of the Ashkenazi controls. Seven additional variants were detected in RNASEL, including a novel potentially pathogenic splice site mutation, IVS5+1delG, although none were associated with increased prostate cancer risk. Multiplex ligation–dependent probe amplification analysis showed two RNASEL gene copies in all 300 prostate cancer patients tested. We estimated that the RNASEL 471delAAAG founder mutation, which was detected in 2% of the Ashkenazi Jews, originated between the 2nd and 5th centuries A.D., compared with the less frequent (1%) BRCA1 185delAG founder mutation, which originated hundreds of years earlier. Taken together, our analysis does not support a role for the RNASEL 471delAAAG Ashkenazi mutation nor for the other alterations detected in RNASEL in prostate cancer risk in Jewish men. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(3):474–9)
Replicating Replication? Aspects of the Social Construction of Learning in Planarian Worms

This paper examines some of the social processes involved in the replication of experiments on planarian worms. In conformity with the results of a previous study by Collins, scientists are shown to be conducting negotiations over the characteristics of the expenmental phenomenon in question. Evidence is also presented to show that explanations and arguments that would normally be thought of as part of the philosophy or sociology of science became issues In the scientific debate.
The charms and challenges of antiretroviral therapy in Uganda: the DART experience

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS. However, adherence remains a challenge. A total of eight focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted with participants from a randomised controlled trial that monitored strategies for managing ART in African adults: Development of Antiretroviral Therapy. All FGD participants had received ART for at least one year. Perceived benefits of ART were key motivators for adherence. These benefits included improved physical health, restored self-esteem, acceptance in the community and hope for a longer and healthier life and reduced fear of HIV/AIDS-related death. Barriers to adherence included a high pill burden, ART side effects and socio-economic constraints, including lack of food and safe water for taking the pills. Visible ART side effects and involvement in an exclusively HIV/AIDS clinic could expose their HIV status, thus exacerbating stigma. Gender and socio-economic differences were found in the variety of strategies employed to ensure adherence. ART was perceived as improving the overall quality of life of recipients; however, it is crucial for ART programmes to be gender and socio-economic cognizant in order to enhance adherence to a lifelong therapy.