Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the performance of ConvNet features for place recognition

After the incredible success of deep learning in the computer vision domain, there has been much interest in applying Convolutional Network (ConvNet) features in robotic fields such as visual navigation and SLAM. Unfortunately, there are fundamental differences and challenges involved. Computer vision datasets are very different in character to robotic camera data, real-time performance is essential, and performance priorities can be different. This paper comprehensively evaluates and compares the utility of three state-of-the-art ConvNets on the problems of particular relevance to navigation for robots; viewpoint-invariance and condition-invariance, and for the first time enables real-time place recognition performance using ConvNets with large maps by integrating a variety of existing (locality-sensitive hashing) and novel (semantic search space partitioning) optimization techniques. We present extensive experiments on four real world datasets cultivated to evaluate each of the specific challenges in place recognition. The results demonstrate that speed-ups of two orders of magnitude can be achieved with minimal accuracy degradation, enabling real-time performance. We confirm that networks trained for semantic place categorization also perform better at (specific) place recognition when faced with severe appearance changes and provide a reference for which networks and layers are optimal for different aspects of the place recognition problem.
Effects of glucose and gibberellic acid on glucosinolate content and antioxidant properties of Chinese kale sprouts

Glucosinolates, anthocyanins, total phenols, and vitamin C, as well as antioxidant capacity, were investigated in Chinese kale sprouts treated with both glucose and gibberellic acid (GA3). The combination of 3% (0.03 g/ml) glucose and 5 μol/L GA3 treatment was effective in increasing glucosinolate content while glucose or GA3 treatment alone did not influence significantly almost all individual glucosinolates or total glucosinolates. The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Chinese kale sprouts were enhanced by combined treatment with glucose and GA3, which could be useful in improving the main health-promoting compounds and antioxidant activity in Chinese kale sprouts. 中文概要目的探究外源施加葡萄糖和赤霉酸对芥蓝芽菜中芥子油苷的积累,花青素、多酚和维生素C 等抗氧化物的含量,以及总抗氧化活性的影响。 创新点首次发现葡萄糖和赤霉酸可以协同促进芥蓝芽菜中几乎所有种类芥子油苷以及总芥子油苷的积累,并且可以大幅度提升总多酚的含量以及抗氧化能力。 方法以芥蓝芽菜为材料,使用3%(0.03 g/ml)葡萄糖和5 μmo/L 赤霉酸进行外源处理,以水处理作为对照组。 用高效液相色谱法分析芥子油苷和维生素C的含量;采用分光光度法检测花青素的含量;用Folin-Ciocalteu 试剂法测定总多酚的含量;利用亚铁还原能力实验(FRAP)法进行总抗氧化能力的评估。 结论葡萄糖和赤霉酸共同处理可以有效提升芥蓝芽菜中有益健康的植物化学物质含量以及抗氧化能力。
Long-Term Follow-Up of Spontaneous Development in a Boy with Familial Male Precocious Puberty

Background/Aims: Limited data are available about spontaneous growth, pubertal growth spurt and the long-term outcome of patients suffering from familial male precocious puberty (FMPP). We report on a boy with FMPP whose growth pattern and pubertal development was studied longitudinally without treatment. Methods: Long-term prospective follow-up without treatment of a 6.2-year-old boy with FMPP having inherited a mutation of the LH receptor gene (A568V) from his father. Results: The pubertal growth spurt was of unusual maximal amplitude (growth rate 12.4 cm/year at the age of 5–6 years) and of extraordinary duration lasting for 5.2 years from age 3.8 to 9.0 years. No deterioration of height potential was observed. Height (174 cm) was within target height range (171.5–188.5 cm) at age 13 years. No central precocious puberty occurred. Conclusion: FMPP is an experiment of nature demonstrating that the amplitude and duration of the pubertal growth spurt are much more variable than previously described. Furthermore, this case emphasizes that the indication for treatment is highly dependent on intrafamilial and individual factors.
Are Judicial Performance Evaluations Fair to Women and Minorities?: A Cautionary Tale from Clark County, Nevada

Because voters rely on judicial performance evaluations when casting their ballots, policymakers should work diligently to compile valid, reliable, and unbiased information about our sitting judges. Although some claim that judicial performance evaluations are fair, the systematic research needed to establish such a proposition has not been done. By the use of attorney judicial performance survey data from Clark County, Nevada, this analysis shows that objective measures of judicial performance cannot explain away differences in scores based on race and sex. Minority judges and female judges score consistently and significantly lower than do their white and male counterparts, all other things being equal. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that judicial performance evaluation surveys may carry with them unexamined and unconscious gender/race biases. Future research must compare judicial performance evaluation structure, content, and execution across states in order to identify those evaluation mechanisms least susceptible to unconscious gender and race bias.
The Psychophysiology of Social Action: Facial Electromyographic Responses to Stigmatized Groups Predict Antidiscrimination Action

We introduced facial electromyography as a tool for predicting advantaged group members' engagement in antidiscrimination action on behalf of a disadvantaged outgroup. Heterosexual men's corrugator supercilii (brow “frowning” muscles) activity while viewing videos of male–male and male–female couples interacting was measured. Corrugator (negative affect) response to male–male versus male–female targets, but not self-reported attitudes toward gay men, predicted number of flyers calling for action to reduce antigay violence and discrimination that participants privately took to distribute. Our discreet behavioral measure mirrored real-life collective action possibilities such as voting against laws prohibiting same-sex marriage in the privacy of one's voting booth.
A critical discourse analysis on newspapers: The case study of nuclear program of Iran

This study tried to make a comparative study between two daily English newspapers of Los Angeles Times and Tehran Times in terms of representing negotiations of nuclear program of Iran. To this end, 8 reports in relation to the negotiations of nuclear program of Iran were gathered from the websites of two newspapers which were grouped and analyzed in terms of the utilized discursive strategies resorting to the discursive micro and macro-strategies suggested by Van Dijk (2000). In order to have more dependable results, the gathered data was numerated and tabulated. The results of the study showed that the Los Angeles Times tended to utilize the Authoritative, Explanation, Evidentiality and Counterfactual discursive strategies; whereas, the Tehran Times utilized the Actor Description, Hyperbole, Lexicalization, Repetition and Situation Description discursive strategies.
Mothers- and Fathers-to-Be: The Next Generation of Planning and Career-Family Conflict

Newspaper reports of female college seniors modifying their career plans to opt out of work before they enter the workforce challenge the assumption that because many recent college graduates were raised in dual-income families, they would expect to have a substantial workforce role. Using a questionnaire format, this study examines postgraduation plans of 131 seniors at a West Coast Christian university to identify development of career, marriage, and family plans and the degree to which they have prepared strategies for potential conflicting responsibilities. The potential effects of educational background are explored through a comparison to seniors at a highly selective East Coast university. The results validated the hypothesis that female students think more about the need for flexibility and possible time away from career than male counterparts. The women in this study did not opt out of the workforce but were considering other lifestyle modifications such as not getting married and not having children.
Minireview: Aromatase and the Regulation of Estrogen Biosynthesis-Some New Perspectives.

There is a growing awareness that androgens and estrogens have general metabolic roles that are not directly involved in reproductive processes. These include actions on vascular function, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as bone mineralization and epiphyseal closure, in both sexes. In postmenopausal women, as in men, estrogen is no longer solely an endocrine factor, but instead is produced in a number of extragonadal sites and acts locally at these sites in a paracrine and intracrine fashion. These sites include breast, bone, vasculature, and brain. Within these sites, aromatase action can generate high levels of E2 locally without significantly affecting circulating levels. Circulating C19 steroid precursors are essential substrates for extragonadal estrogen synthesis. The levels of these androgenic precursors decline markedly with advancing age in women, possibly from the mid to late reproductive years. This may be a fundamental reason why women are at increased risk for bone mineral loss and.
Canonical-Systematic Form of Hierarchical Codes

In this work we present a canonical-systematic form of a code when considering in the ambient space F n a metric determined by a hierarchical poset, showing that up to a linear isometry of the ambient space any code is equivalent to the direct sum of codes with smaller dimensions. The canonical-systematic form enables to exhibit simple expressions for the generalized minimal weigths (in the sense dened by Wei), the packing radius of the code and also syndrome decoding algorithm that has (in general) exponential gain when compared to usual syndrome decoding.
Modesty in self-presentation: A comparison between the USA and Japan

Japanese participants in Study 1 exhibited a self-effacing tendency when no reason for their self-evaluation was provided. However, they exhibited a self-enhancing tendency when they were offered a monetary reward for the correct evaluation. In Study 2, Americans, especially American men, exhibited a self-enhancing tendency whereas Japanese exhibited a self-effacing tendency when no reason for making the evaluation was presented. This cultural difference disappeared when participants were provided with a monetary reward for correctly evaluating their performance level. These results support the view that the modesty observed in self-evaluation among Japanese participants is a ‘default strategy’ to avoid offending others.
Protamine increases the permeability of cultured epithelial monolayers.

Polycations, including protamine, have been reported to decrease the barrier integrity of cultured rat pulmonary type II epithelial monolayers. In contrast, protamine has been reported to increase the transepithelial electrical resistance of gallbladder epithelium. The present study was done using Madin Darby canine kidney epithelial cells (MDCK) to determine whether the effect of protamine on type II epithelial monolayers was species or organ specific or was dependent on the presence of nonepithelial cells and to investigate the effect of protamine on the actin cytoskeleton. Exposure of MDCK monolayers to protamine resulted in decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (Rt), increased short-circuit current (Isc) across the monolayers, and increased mannitol permeability (Pmann) of the monolayers. The decrease in Rt and increase in Isc was seen only after the addition of protamine to the apical surface of the cells. The importance of charge in this action was supported by the fact that exposure of the monolayer to the polycation poly-L-lysine also resulted in increased Pmann, and both the decreased Rt and increased Pmann seen after the addition of protamine were prevented if the monolayers were exposed in the presence of the polyanions heparin or sulfated dextran. The increase in Pmann appeared to be the result of increased permeability in the paracellular pathway, because increased mannitol uptake by the cells represented only a fraction of the increase in Pmann. Subtle changes in the actin cytoskeleton were seen after exposure of the monolayers to protamine. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Conceptualising homework in an Essex primary school: learning from our community

The aim of this research is to explore the views of pupils, parents and teachers about homework at Maylandsea Community Primary School. Specifically it is designed to investigate their opinions about the value and purpose of homework, about what sort of homework they think may be most suitable for primary aged children, about the different roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in the homework process and about ways in which homework activities might promote children’s involvement and their enjoyment of learning. These collected views were then used to prepare a framework to provide guidance, clarification and exposition in order to assist members of the school community. This research is designed to address the paucity of understanding about homework in a primary school and to discover if and why parents, pupils and teachers think that homework is valuable and worthwhile. This study is located within a qualitative, epistemological paradigm and it employs a social constructivist research methodology. The researcher adopts the stance that homework is a socially constructed, socially described and socially conceptualised activity. This is insider research and the researcher is also the school’s headteacher. There is an acknowledgement that action research models and participatory enquiry approaches have influenced the research design but have not defined it. This research is a single case study located within one semi-rural primary school in Essex. This study finds that parents, pupils and teachers recognise that homework has an important role to play in helping primary age children to learn, in developing positive learning habits and in promoting good personal and social skills. It discovers that there is confusion about parents’ roles in supporting homework. It demonstrates that homework should be made meaningful for families and engaging for pupils and that the foundation for successful homework lies within the quality of the tripartite relationships between teachers, children and parents. This thesis offers a new framework to support teachers and families and it concludes that, whilst existing literature is ambivalent in terms of the value, purpose and effectiveness of homework, stakeholders at this primary school consider it to have positive benefits both for learning and for the personal development of young children. However, these benefits are most evident when the homework tasks are interesting, varied, personalised and relevant to learners’ needs. Families are supportive of homework when they can appreciate that it is meaningful to them and their children.
Bauxite manufacturing residues from Gardanne (France) and Portovesme (Italy) exert different patterns of pollution and toxicity to sea urchin embryos

This study was designed to investigate the composition and toxicity of solid residues from bauxite manufacturing plants. Soil and dust samples were collected in the proximity of two bauxite plants (Gardanne, France, and Portovesme, Italy). Samples were analyzed for their content of some selected inorganic contaminants by means of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES) either following acid digestion procedures or by seawater release of soluble components. Toxicity was tested by sea urchin bioassays to evaluate a set of toxicity endpoints including acute embryotoxicity, developmental defects, changes in sperm fertilization success, transmissible damage from sperm to the offspring, and cytogenetic abnormalities. Inorganic analysis showed two distinct sets of inorganic contaminants in Gardanne versus Portovesme, including Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Ti, and Zn; sample composition (seawater‐soluble cotaminants) and toxicity showed a noteworthy association. The most severe toxicity to embryogenesis and to sperm fertilization success was exerted by some Portovesme samples (0.03–0.5% w/v), with a significant association between toxicity and dose‐related seawater release of Zn, Pb, and Mn. Seawater extraction of a toxic dust sample (G20) from the Gardanne factory showed increasing seawater release of Al, Fe, and Mn; the G20 sample, at the level of 0.5%, affected both developing sea urchin embryos and sperm (offspring quality). Soil samples around the Gardanne factory showed the highest frequency of toxic soil sites eastward from the factory. The present data point to solid deposition from bauxite plants as a potential subject of environmental health concern. The results suggest that extraction methods for evaluating the toxicity of complex mixtures should be based on the environmental availability of mixture components. The differences in sample toxicity among the tested sites, however, suggest possible site‐to‐site variability in geochemical and/or technological parameters.
The sensor selection problem for bounded uncertainty sensing models

We address the problem of selecting sensors so as to minimize the error in estimating the position of a target. We consider a generic sensor model where the measurements can be interpreted as polygonal, convex subsets of the plane. This model applies to a large class of sensors including cameras. We present an approximation algorithm which guarantees that the resulting error in estimation is within a factor 2 of the least possible error. In establishing this result, we formally prove that a constant number of sensors suffice for a good estimate-an observation made by many researchers. In the second part of the paper, we study the scenario where the target's position is given by an uncertainty region and present algorithms for both probabilistic and online versions of this problem.
No effect of donepezil on neurocognition and social cognition in young persons with stable schizophrenia

Introduction Cognitive dysfunction is common in schizophrenia and linked with psychosocial dysfunction. We examined the possible effect of a 16-week trial of donepezil on cognition in young persons with stable schizophrenia. Method Twenty-six outpatients who met criteria for age, duration of illness, clinical stability, and medications were randomly assigned to 16-week treatment with donepezil or placebo using a double blind design. At beginning and conclusion of the trial, participants completed standardised computerised assessment of neurocognition and social cognition. Symptomatology and functioning were assessed using standard rating scales for negative and positive symptoms, depression and mania, and quality of life. Results No treatment effects were found on any cognitive functions or clinical symptoms in placebo or donepezil groups. Conclusion Similar to other studies using acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in more heterogeneous and symptomatic groups of patients with schizophrenia, donepezil does not appear to enhance cognitive abilities. Persistent cognitive impairment in schizophrenia with pervasive effects on psychosocial functioning and outcome, urge the search for agents that may offer improvement.
The Chemistry of Fresh Tomato Flavor

Tomato flavor results from taste components, aromatic volatiles and a complex interaction between them. Lack of characteristic flavor in supermarket tomatoes is a common consumer complaint. Sugars, organic acids, free amino acids, and salts are the main taste components. With over 400 volatile compounds identified, only thirty are present in concentrations over one ppb and of these, only 16 contribute significantly to the perceptible flavor. Radiolabeled substrate and enzyme denaturation studies have indicated involvement of some pathway enzymes in the biosynthesis of tomato aroma compounds. Studies of fresh tomato flavor are important for the efforts at improving fruit quality through genetic modifications by molecular techniques.
Abuse and dysfunctional affiliations in childhood: an exploration of their impact on voice-hearers’ appraisals of power and expressed emotion

Objective: To examine whether abuse and dysfunctional parental affiliation in childhood are associated with voice appraisals of power and perceived expressed emotion, present-day shame cognitions, and depression and suicidal ideation. Method: Seventy-four voice-hearers participated. Depressive and suicidal status, childhood abuse and parental affiliation, shame cognitions and appraisals of voice power and perceived expressed emotion were assessed. Results: Overall, childhood emotional abuse was linked to greater voice power and lack of emotional support from parents was linked to lower support and affiliation with voices. Rejection from father and emotional abuse were the strongest and consistent predictors of internal and external shame cognitions. Depression was strongly correlated with parental emotional abuse. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the voice/voice-hearer relationship operates as an emotional mirror reflecting elements of traumatic childhood affiliations, and that these affiliations are associated with present-day shame cognitions and depression.
Contextualized Personality, beyond Traits

Personality psychologists have become increasingly interested in how personality varies across social roles. Within this ‘contextualized’ approach, researchers almost invariably focus on assessing personality traits. Although these characteristics are no doubt important components of personality, there are many aspects of the person that are not adequately represented by traits. This article fleshes out the nature of these additional personality characteristics relevant to contextualized personality. I argue that, just as the study of personality in its generalized form has benefitted from recognition of three conceptual levels (viz. traits, goals and life narratives), so too would contextualized approaches to personality. Evidence of the predictive ability of context–specific goals and narratives is provided, as is discussion of the functional relations among variables at personality's three conceptual levels, and the interplay between contextualized and generalized self–representations. During this discussion, I argue for adoption of a relational meta–theory in the study of personality. Considerable gains can be made in understanding personhood by uniting appreciation of context with a multilevel conception of personality. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology