Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Developing a Flexible Framework for Spatiotemporal Population Modeling

This article proposes a general framework for modeling population distributions in space and time. This is particularly pertinent to a growing range of applications that require spatiotemporal specificity; for example, to inform planning of emergency response to hazards. Following a review of attempts to construct time-specific representations of population, we identify the importance of assembling an underlying data model at the highest resolution in each of the spatial, temporal, and attribute domains. This model can then be interrogated at any required intersection of these domains. We argue that such an approach is necessary to moderate the effects of what we term the modifiable spatiotemporal unit problem in which even detailed spatial data might be inadequate to support time-sensitive analyses. We present an initial implementation of the framework for a case study of Southampton, United Kingdom, using bespoke software (SurfaceBuilder247). We demonstrate the generation of spatial population distributions for multiple reference times using currently available data sources. The article concludes by setting out key research areas including the enhancement and validation of spatiotemporal population methods and models.
Contraction type influences the human ability to use the available torque capacity of skeletal muscle during explosive efforts

The influence of contraction type on the human ability to use the torque capacity of skeletal muscle during explosive efforts has not been documented. Fourteen male participants completed explosive voluntary contractions of the knee extensors in four separate conditions: concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC); and isometric at two knee angles (101°, ISO101 and 155°, ISO155). In each condition, torque was measured at 25 ms intervals up to 150 ms from torque onset, and then normalized to the maximum voluntary torque (MVT) specific to that joint angle and angular velocity. Explosive voluntary torque after 50 ms in each condition was also expressed as a percentage of torque generated after 50 ms during a supramaximal 300 Hz electrically evoked octet in the same condition. Explosive voluntary torque normalized to MVT was more than 60 per cent larger in CON than any other condition after the initial 25 ms. The percentage of evoked torque expressed after 50 ms of the explosive voluntary contractions was also greatest in CON (ANOVA; p < 0.001), suggesting higher concentric volitional activation. This was confirmed by greater agonist electromyography normalized to Mmax (recorded during the explosive voluntary contractions) in CON. These results provide novel evidence that the ability to use the muscle's torque capacity explosively is influenced by contraction type, with concentric contractions being more conducive to explosive performance due to a more effective neural strategy.
Reconstructing faces from their signatures using RBF regression

The increasing popularity of social networks raises critical issues regarding privacy and protection of personal information. One typical example - which is the motivation of the paper - is face images and face recognition, face recognition being ubiquitous on the web now. Assuming someone with bad intentions steals a database containing face signatures, would it be possible to reconstruct the corresponding face images, revealing who was in the database? Would these reconstructed images be good enough to allow them to gain access via a face recognition system? This paper brings a contribution to this topic by proposing a face reconstruction algorithm, based on RBF-regression in eigenspace, which is able to reconstruct face images from their signatures (i.e. neither knowing the identity of the persons nor their true facial appearance). We show that in addition to being visually realistic, the images generated by the proposed method can fool a state-of-the-art face recognition algorithm.
Cosmological Density and Power Spectrum from Peculiar Velocities: Nonlinear Corrections and Principal Component Analysis

We allow for nonlinear effects in the likelihood analysis of galaxy peculiar velocities and obtain ~35% lower values for the cosmological density parameter Ωm and for the amplitude of mass density fluctuations σ8Ω. This result is obtained under the assumption that the power spectrum in the linear regime is of the flat ΛCDM model (h = 0.65, n = 1, COBE normalized) with only Ωm as a free parameter. Since the likelihood is driven by the nonlinear regime, we "break" the power spectrum at kb ~ 0.2 (h-1 Mpc)-1 and fit a power law at k > kb. This allows for independent matching of the nonlinear behavior and an unbiased fit in the linear regime. The analysis assumes Gaussian fluctuations and errors and a linear relation between velocity and density. Tests using mock catalogs that properly simulate nonlinear effects demonstrate that this procedure results in a reduced bias and a better fit. We find for the Mark III and SFI data Ωm = 0.32 ± 0.06 and 0.37 ± 0.09, respectively, with σ8Ω = 0.49 ± 0.06 and 0.63 ± 0.08, in agreement with constraints from other data. The quoted 90% errors include distance errors and cosmic variance, for fixed values of the other parameters. The improvement in the likelihood due to the nonlinear correction is very significant for Mark III and moderately significant for SFI. When allowing deviations from ΛCDM, we find an indication for a wiggle in the power spectrum: an excess near k ~ 0.05 (h-1 Mpc)-1 and a deficiency at k ~ 0.1 (h-1 Mpc)-1, or a "cold flow. " This may be related to the wiggle seen in the power spectrum from redshift surveys and the second peak in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy. A χ2 test applied to modes of a principal component analysis (PCA) shows that the nonlinear procedure improves the goodness of fit and reduces a spatial gradient that was of concern in the purely linear analysis. The PCA allows us to address spatial features of the data and to evaluate and fine-tune the theoretical and error models. It demonstrates in particular that the models used are appropriate for the cosmological parameter estimation performed. We address the potential for optimal data compression using PCA.
On hardness of learning intersection of two halfspaces

We show that unless NP = RP, it is hard to (even) weakly PAC-learn intersection of two halfspaces in Rn using a hypothesis which is a function of up to l linear threshold functions for any integer l. Specifically, we show that for every integer l and an arbitrarily small constant ε > 0, unless NP = RP, no polynomial time algorithm can distinguish whether there is an intersection of two halfspaces that correctly classifies a given set of labeled points in Rn, or whether any function of l linear threshold functions can correctly classify at most 1/2+ε fraction of the points.
Relationships between body image, motivation and physical education (PE) experiences in 13-14 year old boys and girls

Research has established that body image disturbance is associated with a number of negative physical and psychological health outcomes. It is recognised that body image is subject to situational variability, yet to date, research seems to have overlooked the explicit exploration of the stability of the construct within physical education. With this in mind the overarching aim of this thesis was to explore relationships between body image, perceptions of competence and motivation, with specific attention paid to the influence of the physical education environment upon year nine boys and girls situational body satisfaction. Secondly, the thesis explores the role that these three psycho-social constructs play in transfer of learning. The design of the research was a correlational, repeated measures study conducted across two time points, combined with focus group sessions. Quantitative data collection at time point one consisted of 620 pupils from 37 year 9 physical education classes. Time point two consisted of 461 pupils from 38 physical education classes. At both quantitative time points students responded to a questionnaire package which explored perceptions of competence towards physical education, motivation for physical education and aspects of trait and state body image. Participants at time point one also provided demographic information. Additionally, 159 pupils at time point one underwent anthropometric assessments of body fat and BMI. The findings from the thesis identify that 71%-80% of year 9 boys and girls are dissatisfied with their current body size. It was identified that the majority of
Monitoring Cell Death in Regorafenib-Treated Experimental Colon Carcinomas Using Annexin-Based Optical Fluorescence Imaging Validated by Perfusion MRI

Objective To investigate annexin-based optical fluorescence imaging (OI) for monitoring regorafenib-induced early cell death in experimental colon carcinomas in rats, validated by perfusion MRI and multiparametric immunohistochemistry. Materials and Methods Subcutaneous human colon carcinomas (HT-29) in athymic rats (n = 16) were imaged before and after a one-week therapy with regorafenib (n = 8) or placebo (n = 8) using annexin-based OI and perfusion MRI at 3 Tesla. Optical signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and MRI tumor perfusion parameters (plasma flow PF, mL/100mL/min; plasma volume PV, %) were assessed. On day 7, tumors underwent immunohistochemical analysis for tumor cell apoptosis (TUNEL), proliferation (Ki-67), and microvascular density (CD31). Results Apoptosis-targeted OI demonstrated a tumor-specific probe accumulation with a significant increase of tumor SNR under therapy (mean Δ +7.78±2.95, control: -0.80±2.48, p = 0.021). MRI detected a significant reduction of tumor perfusion in the therapy group (mean ΔPF -8.17±2.32 mL/100 mL/min, control -0.11±3.36 mL/100 mL/min, p = 0.036). Immunohistochemistry showed significantly more apoptosis (TUNEL; 11392±1486 vs. 2921±334, p = 0.001), significantly less proliferation (Ki-67; 1754±184 vs. 2883±323, p = 0.012), and significantly lower microvascular density (CD31; 107±10 vs. 182±22, p = 0.006) in the therapy group. Conclusions Annexin-based OI allowed for the non-invasive monitoring of regorafenib-induced early cell death in experimental colon carcinomas, validated by perfusion MRI and multiparametric immunohistochemistry.
Age‐ and Sex‐Related Changes in Bone Microarchitecture and Estimated Strength: A Three‐Year Prospective Study Using HRpQCT

Although projections from cross‐sectional studies have shown that bone loss leading to osteoporosis begins around menopause in women and later in life in men, this has not been examined longitudinally in population‐based studies using high‐resolution technology capable of distinguishing cortical (Ct) and trabecular (Tb) bone microarchitecture. The aim of this 3‐year prospective study was to investigate age‐ and sex‐related changes in bone compartment–specific geometry, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), microarchitecture, and estimated strength. The distal radius and tibia were imaged at baseline and after 3 years (median 3.0; range, 2.7 to 3.9 years) using high‐resolution peripheral computed tomography (HRpCT) in an age‐ and sex‐stratified, population‐based, random sample of white men and women (n = 260) aged 21 to 82 years. In general, at the radius and tibia there was a moderate annual increase in cortical thickness (Ct.Th) that seemed to offset the increase in cortical porosity (Ct.Po), resulting in net annual increase in cortical vBMD (Ct.vBMD) in premenopausal women and young men. With advancing age, postmenopausal women displayed significant bone loss with decreased trabecular vBMD (Tb.vBMD) (due to loss of entire trabeculae) and Ct.vBMD (manifested as increase in Ct.Po and decrease in Ct.Th) at the radius, and a decline in Ct.vBMD (with increasing Ct.Po) at the tibia, resulting in loss of estimated bone strength. In contrast, men had a lower rate of bone loss with advancing age with smaller increases in Ct.Po at both the skeletal sites. In summary, the pattern of bone loss in men and women was discrepant, with women losing more bone than men with aging, although with a dominance of cortical over trabecular bone loss at the peripheral sites in both sexes. This conforms to epidemiological evidence that most fractures occurring in old age are predominantly at cortical peripheral sites, with women having a higher incidence of fractures than men at any given age. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Environmental Movements: Local, National and Global

Environmental movements from the local to the global, Christopher Rootes organizational change in western European environmental groups - a framework for analysis, Mario Dinai, Paolo Donati dialectics of institutionalization - the transformation of the environmental movement in Germany, Karl-Werner Brand the German Environmental Movement at a crossroads, Dieter Rucht, Jochen Roose mobilizing Earth first! in Britain, Derek Wall local activism, national organizations and the environmental movement in the United States, JoAnn Carmin networks and mobile arrangements - organizational innovation in the US Environmental Justice Movement, David Schlosberg consolidation through institutionalization? dilemmas of the Spanish Environmental Movement in the 1990s, Manuel Jimenez sustaining local environmental mobilizations - groups, actions and claims in southern Europe, Maria Kousis environmental movements, ecological modernization and political opportunity structures, Hein-Anton van der Heijden power, politics and environmental movements in the Third World, Jeff Haynes NGOs and the global environment facility, Zoe Young The World Trade Organization, social movements and global environmental management, Marc Williams, Lucy Ford acting globally, thinking locally? prospects for a global environmental movement, Christopher Rootes.
Conflicto interparental, relaciones padres-hijos e impacto emocional en los hijos

Resumen Se analiza la relación entre el conflicto interparental, las relaciones entre padres-hijos y el impacto emocional en estos últimos. A través de un diseño transversal se ha encuestado a 655 adolescentes (374 chicas y 281 chicos). Para la valoración de las variables de interés se ha utilizado una batería de cuestionarios que comprende los siguientes: la Escala de Percepción de los Hijos del Conflicto Interparental (CPIC), el inventario para los Hijos del Comportamiento Parental (CRPBI), y la Escala de Psicopatología Infanto-juvenil (YSR). Se han utilizado correlaciones de Pearson para explorar las asociaciones entre las variables y utilizado un modelo de regresión jerárquica para determinar las variables predictivas del impacto emocional en los hijos. Se encontraron asociaciones estadísticamente significativas (p <.01) entre las variables implicadas con efectos entre valores de 0.30 y 0.46. El modelo de regresión jerárquica explicó el 33% de la varianza y comopredictores principales del estado emocional de los hijos la percepción del conflicto (correlación semiparcial rs-p = 0.33) y la hostilidad de la madre (rs-p =.19). Los resultados obtenidos permiten corroborar la hipótesis planteada en este estudio, dado que la percepción por parte de los hijos de un mayor grado de conflicto interparental y un estilo de comportamiento hostil por parte de la madre para con el hijo muestran asociación estadísticamente significativa con el malestar emocional de este último.
Recovering design patterns to support program comprehension

This paper presents a design pattern directed software clustering approach to support program comprehension. First, the code is parsed to recover the design pattern information. Second, the code is clustered considering design patterns. Classes/interfaces are grouped into clusters based on their inter-role relationship of design patterns. Finally, a cluster-level view of the original code is constructed to support understanding the code. A prototype tool TasteJ was implemented to support the automation of proposed approach. Experiments are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach. The experimental results show that the approach is encouraging and promising.
Practical Lattice-Based Digital Signature Schemes

Digital signatures are an important primitive for building secure systems and are used in most real-world security protocols. However, almost all popular signature schemes are either based on the factoring assumption (RSA) or the hardness of the discrete logarithm problem (DSA/ECDSA). In the case of classical cryptanalytic advances or progress on the development of quantum computers, the hardness of these closely related problems might be seriously weakened. A potential alternative approach is the construction of signature schemes based on the hardness of certain lattice problems that are assumed to be intractable by quantum computers. Due to significant research advancements in recent years, lattice-based schemes have now become practical and appear to be a very viable alternative to number-theoretic cryptography. In this article, we focus on recent developments and the current state of the art in lattice-based digital signatures and provide a comprehensive survey discussing signature schemes with respect to practicality. Additionally, we discuss future research areas that are essential for the continued development of lattice-based cryptography.
The properties, distribution and function of Na+–Ca2+ exchanger isoforms in rat cutaneous sensory neurons

There has been little if any systematic analysis of the Na+–Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) in sensory neurons despite conflicting results in the literature regarding the extent to which it contributes to the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ in these neurons. While the differential distribution and/or biophysical properties of NCX isoforms may contribute to these conflicting results, only indirect evidence points to the consequences of NCX activity on afferent function. NCX activity is restricted to a subpopulation of putative nociceptive neurons. All three NCX isoforms are expressed in putative nociceptive afferents and appear to be differentially distributed along major neuron compartments: central axon, cell body and peripheral axon. NCX 3 plays a dominant role in the regulation of the duration of the evoked Ca2+ transient in the cell body, regulation of the action potential conduction velocity, and establishment of nociceptive threshold.
Leaves of the Arabidopsis maltose exporter1 Mutant Exhibit a Metabolic Profile with Features of Cold Acclimation in the Warm

Background Arabidopsis plants accumulate maltose from starch breakdown during cold acclimation. The Arabidopsis mutant, maltose excess1-1, accumulates large amounts of maltose in the plastid even in the warm, due to a deficient plastid envelope maltose transporter. We therefore investigated whether the elevated maltose level in mex1-1 in the warm could result in changes in metabolism and physiology typical of WT plants grown in the cold. Principal Findings Grown at 21 °C, mex1-1 plants were much smaller, with fewer leaves, and elevated carbohydrates and amino acids compared to WT. However, after transfer to 4 °C the total soluble sugar pool and amino acid concentration was in equal abundance in both genotypes, although the most abundant sugar in mex1-1 was still maltose whereas sucrose was in greatest abundance in WT. The chlorophyll a/b ratio in WT was much lower in the cold than in the warm, but in mex1-1 it was low in both warm and cold. After prolonged growth at 4 °C, the shoot biomass, rosette diameter and number of leaves at bolting were similar in mex1-1 and WT. Conclusions The mex1-1 mutation in warm-grown plants confers aspects of cold acclimation, including elevated levels of sugars and amino acids and low chlorophyll a/b ratio. This may in turn compromise growth of mex1-1 in the warm relative to WT. We suggest that elevated maltose in the plastid could be responsible for key aspects of cold acclimation.
Human-inspired selection of grasp hypotheses for execution on a humanoid robot

Future humanoid robots will need the capability to grasp and manipulate arbitrary objects in order to assist people in their homes, to interact with them and with the environment. In this work, we present an approach to grasp known objects. Our approach consists of an offline step for grasp planning, a rating step which determines the human likeness of the grasps and an execution step, where the most suitable grasp is performed on a humanoid robot. We especially focus on the rating step where we use human grasping data to rate pre-computed grasp hypotheses from our grasp planner in order to select the most human-like feasible grasp for execution on the real robot. We present the details of our method together with experiments on our ARMAR-III humanoid robot.
Simple determination of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 syncytium-inducing V3 genotype by PCR

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) phenotype variability plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AIDS. The presence of syncytium-inducing (SI) HIV-1 isolates in infected individuals is associated with a rapid decline of CD4+ T cells, rapid disease progression, and reduced survival time after AIDS diagnosis. The strong association between the SI capacity of HIV-1 and the presence of positively charged amino acid residues at positions 306 and/or 320 in the third variable domain (V3) of gp120 could here be confirmed in 97% of 402 primary HIV-1 isolates, indicating that the V3 genotype may be useful for prediction of the viral phenotype. The V3 DNA sequences revealed a remarkably limited codon usage for the amino acid residues that are responsible for virus phenotype. On the basis of this limited SI-specific DNA sequence variation, four SI-specific oligonucleotides were designed for selective amplification of V3 from SI but not non-SI HIV-1 isolates. This PCR analysis allowed the prediction of the biological phenotype of HIV-1 isolates on the basis of the V3 genotype and may prove to be useful for monitoring SI capacity of HIV-1 isolates in infected individuals.
Continuous Glucose Profiles in Obese and Normal-Weight Pregnant Women on a Controlled Diet: Metabolic Determinants of Fetal Growth

RESULTS—The 24-h glucose area under the curve was higher in obese women than in normalweight women both early and late in pregnancy despite controlled diets. Nearly all fasting and postprandial glycemic parameters were higher in the obese women later in pregnancy, as were fasting insulin, triglycerides, and FFAs. Infants born to obese mothers had greater adiposity. Maternal BMI (r = 0.54, P = 0.01), late average daytime glucose (r = 0.48, P , 0.05), and late fasting insulin (r = 0.49, P , 0.05) correlated with infant percentage body fat. However, early fasting triglycerides (r = 0.67, P , 0.001) and late fasting FFAs (r = 0.54, P , 0.01) were even stronger correlates.
Band 3 is a host receptor binding merozoite surface protein 1 during the Plasmodium falciparum invasion of erythrocytes

We report the molecular identification of a sialic acid-independent host–parasite interaction in the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite invasion of RBCs. Two nonglycosylated exofacial regions of human band 3 in the RBC membrane were identified as a crucial host receptor binding the C-terminal processing products of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1). Peptides derived from the receptor region of band 3 inhibited the invasion of RBCs by P. falciparum. A major segment of the band 3 receptor (5ABC) bound to native MSP142 and blocked the interaction of native MSP142 with intact RBCs in vitro. Recombinant MSP119 (the C-terminal domain of MSP142) bound to 5ABC as well as RBCs. The binding of both native MSP142 and recombinant MSP119 was not affected by the neuraminidase treatment of RBCs, but sensitive to chymotrypsin treatment. In addition, recombinant MSP138 showed similar interactions with the band 3 receptor and RBCs, although the interaction was relatively weak. These findings suggest that the chymotrypsin-sensitive MSP1–band 3 interaction plays a role in a sialic acid-independent invasion pathway and reveal the function of MSP1 in the Plasmodium invasion of RBCs.