Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is Seeing Believing? A Survey of Magazine Professionals’ Practices and Attitudes Toward Ethical Standards for Photographs

Abstract:A survey of magazine professionals found fewer than four in 10 respondents would alter or enhance an image to improve its readability. Circulation, size and magazine type predicted whether respondents would enhance photographs. However, despite the declines in media credibility and the expectation among readers that publications would indicate when a photograph has been doctored, few supported the use of photation marks, marks similar to quotation marks, to indicate that a photograph has not been doctored beyond minimal standards. Most of the respondents preferred either to use the term “photo-illustration” or to give no indication of any kind.
Syntaxin 7 Mediates Endocytic Trafficking to Late Endosomes*

The lysosome functions are ensured by accurate membrane trafficking in the cell. We found that mouse syntaxin 7 could complement yeast vam3 and pep12 mutants defective in docking/fusion to vacuolar and prevacuolar membranes, respectively. Immunohistochemical studies showed that syntaxin 7 is localized to late endosomes, but not to early endosomes. Induced expression of mutant syntaxin 7 blocked endocytic transport from early to late endosomes but did not block the transport of cathepsin D and lamp-2 from the trans-Golgi network to lysosomes. Thus, syntaxin 7 mediates the endocytic trafficking from early endosomes to late endosomes and lysosomes. These results also suggest that the biosynthetic pathway utilizes a different machinery from that of the endocytic pathway in the docking/fusion to late endosomes.
Average consensus algorithms robust against channel noise

Average consensus algorithms have attracted popularity in the wireless sensor network scenario as a simple way to compute linear combinations of the observations gathered by the sensors, in a totally decentralized fashion, i.e., without a fusion center. However, average consensus techniques involve the iterated exchange of data among sensors. In a practical implementation, this interaction is affected by noise. The goal of this paper is to bring some common adaptive signal processing techniques into the sensor network context in order to robustify the iterative exchange of data against communication noise. In particular, we will compare the performance of two algorithms: (a) a method, reminiscent of stochastic approximation algorithms, using a decreasing step size, with proper decaying law, and (b) a leakage method imposing that the consensus cannot be too distant from the initial measurements. We provide a theoretical analysis, validated by simulation results, of both methods to show how to derive the best tradeoff between the system parameters in order to get the minimum estimation variance, taking into account both observation and interaction noise.
Cortical and subcortical predictive dynamics and learning during perception, cognition, emotion and action

An intimate link exists between the predictive and learning processes in the brain. Perceptual/cognitive and spatial/motor processes use complementary predictive mechanisms to learn, recognize, attend and plan about objects in the world, determine their current value, and act upon them. Recent neural models clarify these mechanisms and how they interact in cortical and subcortical brain regions. The present paper reviews and synthesizes data and models of these processes, and outlines a unified theory of predictive brain processing.
VALIDITY TEACHING MATERIALS OF INDONESIAN EDUCATION IN BEGINNING CLASS OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COURSE BASED INTEGRATED SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES

The aim of the research is to develop teaching materials of Indonesian education in beginning class of elementary school course based integrated science and social studies based Scientific Approach to optimize students competence in Elementary School Teacher Education Department. The specific objective of the first study to explain the validity of teaching materials of Indonesian education in beginning class of elementary school course based integrated science and social studies based Scientific Approach to optimize students competence in Elementary School Teacher Education Department. This study consists of two main steps: Firstly, to design teaching materials refers to the 4-D model of development; Secondly, to explain validity the teaching materials. Data collection techniques is questionaire. The research instrument consisted of Questionaire respon. Data from this study were analyzed by descriptive statistics, such as score of quesionaire Response students and lecturer. The results showed that the teaching materials of Indonesian education in beginning class of elementary school course based integrated science and social studies based Scientific Approach to optimize students competence in Elementary School Teacher Education Department was valid.
Modifying the uniform-price auction to eliminate ‘collusive-seeming equilibria’

The uniform-price auction is used in many regional electricity procurement auctions and its “collusive-seeming equilibria” have been linked to potential exercise of market power. Such equilibria do not exist, however, if a small amount of cash is split among rationed bidders. To shed light on what drives this result, I also examine variations in which the auctioneer is able to increase and/or decrease quantity after receiving the bids. “Increasable demand” also eliminates all collusive-seeming equilibria. These results suggest ways to modify the uniform-price auction in order to reduce the potential exercise of market power.
Low-fat pointers: compact encoding and efficient gate-level implementation of fat pointers for spatial safety and capability-based security

Referencing outside the bounds of an array or buffer is a common source of bugs and security vulnerabilities in today's software. We can enforce spatial safety and eliminate these violations by inseparably associating bounds with every pointer (fat pointer) and checking these bounds on every memory access. By further adding hardware-managed tags to the pointer, we make them unforgeable. This, in turn, allows the pointers to be used as capabilities to facilitate fine-grained access control and fast security domain crossing. Dedicated checking hardware runs in parallel with the processor's normal datapath so that the checks do not slow down processor operation (0% runtime overhead). To achieve the safety of fat pointers without increasing program state, we compactly encode approximate base and bound pointers along with exact address pointers for a 46b address space into one 64-bit word with a worst-case memory overhead of 3%. We develop gate-level implementations of the logic for updating and validating these compact fat pointers and show that the hardware requirements are low and the critical paths for common operations are smaller than processor ALU operations. Specifically, we show that the fat-pointer check and update operations can run in a 4 ns clock cycle on a Virtex 6 (40nm) implementation while only using 1100 6-LUTs or about the area of a double-precision, floating-point adder.
The applicability of probabilistic methods to the online recognition of fixations and saccades in dynamic scenes

In many applications involving scanpath analysis, especially when dynamic scenes are viewed, consecutive fixations and saccades, have to be identified and extracted from raw eye-tracking data in an online fashion. Since probabilistic methods can adapt not only to the individual viewing behavior, but also to changes in the scene, they are best suited for such tasks. In this paper we analyze the applicability of two types of main-stream probabilistic models to the identification of fixations and saccades in dynamic scenes: (1) Hidden Markov Models and (2) Bayesian Online Mixture Models. We analyze and compare the classification performance of the models on eye-tracking data collected during real-world driving experiments.
Disturbances of Wnt/β-catenin pathway and energy metabolism in early CKD: effect of phosphate binders.

BACKGROUND Mineral bone disorder (MBD) is an early complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), with complex interactions in the bone-kidney-energy axis. These events lead to impaired bone remodelling, which in turn is associated with cardiovascular disease. Recently, we reported on a positive effect of phosphate binder treatment on bone remodelling markers and a reduction in serum FGF-23 levels in predialysis-CKD patients. The goal of the present study of this trial was to examine the effects of phosphate binders on energy-regulating hormones and Wnt pathway. METHODS In this present post hoc analysis of the above randomized, open-label, 8-week trial, which compared the effects of increasing doses of sevelamer-HCl or calcium acetate on various CKD-MBD parameters in 40 normophosphatemic CKD Stage 3-4 patients, we measured serum sclerostin, Dickkopf-1, leptin, adiponectin and serotonin concentrations. RESULTS Serum sclerostin, Dickkopf-1 and leptin were elevated at baseline despite normal calcium, phosphorus levels and daily urinary phosphorus excretion. There were significant and positive correlations between sclerostin and FGF-23, as well between leptin and Dickkopf-1. Treatment with both phosphate binders led to a significant decrease in phosphate overload. However, sevelamer-HCl, but not with calcium acetate, led to a significant decrease in serum FGF-23, sclerostin and leptin, and to a significant increase in bone alkaline phosphatase levels. CONCLUSIONS Early stages of CKD are associated with an impairment of the Wnt pathway, as reflected by elevated sclerostin, and a dysregulation of energy-regulating hormones. Many of these disturbances can be ameliorated by phosphate binder treatment, more with sevelamer-HCl than with calcium acetate.
The Complete Chloroplast Genomes of Three Cardiocrinum (Liliaceae) Species: Comparative Genomic and Phylogenetic Analyses

The genus Cardiocrinum (Endlicher) Lindley (Liliaceae) comprises three herbaceous perennial species that are distributed in East Asian temperate-deciduous forests. Although all three Cardiocrinum species have horticultural and medical uses, studies related to species identification and molecular phylogenetic analysis of this genus have not been reported. Here, we report the complete chloroplast (cp) sequences of each Cardiocrinum species using Illumina paired-end sequencing technology. The cp genomes of C. giganteum, C. cathayanum, and C. cordatum were found to be 152,653, 152,415, and 152,410 bp in length, respectively, including a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions (26,364–26,500 bp) separated by a large single-copy (LSC) region (82,186–82,368 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC) region (17,309–17,344 bp). Each cp genome contained the same 112 unique genes consisting of 30 transfer RNA genes, 4 ribosomal RNA genes, and 78 protein-coding genes. Gene content, gene order, AT content, and IR/SC boundary structures were almost the same among the three Cardiocrinum cp genomes, yet their lengths varied due to contraction/expansion of the IR/SC borders. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis further indicated the richest SSRs in these cp genomes to be A/T mononucleotides. A total of 45, 57, and 45 repeats were identified in C. giganteum, C. cathayanum, and C. cordatum, respectively. Six cpDNA markers (rps19, rpoC2-rpoC1, trnS-psbZ, trnM-atpE, psaC-ndhE, ycf15-ycf1) with the percentage of variable sites higher than 0.95% were identified. Phylogenomic analyses of the complete cp genomes and 74 protein-coding genes strongly supported the monophyly of Cardiocrinum and a sister relationship between C. cathayanum and C. cordatum. The availability of these cp genomes provides valuable genetic information for further population genetics and phylogeography studies on Cardiocrinum.
Gemini GMOS/IFU spectroscopy of NGC 1569 - II: Mapping the roots of the galactic outflow

We present a set of four Gemini-North GMOS/IFU observations of the central disturbed regions of the dwarf irregular starburst galaxy NGC 1569, surrounding the well-known super star clusters A and B. This continues on directly from a companion paper, in which we describe the data reduction and analysis techniques employed and present the analysis of one of the IFU pointings. By decomposing the emission line profiles across the IFU fields, we map out the properties of each individual component identified and identify a number of relationships and correlations that allow us to investigate in detail the state of the ionized ISM. Our observations support and expand on the main findings from the analysis of the first IFU position, where we conclude that a broad (< 400 km/s) component underlying the bright nebular emission lines is produced in a turbulent mixing layer on the surface of cool gas knots, set up by the impact of the fast-flowing cluster winds. We discuss the kinematic, electron density and excitation maps of each region in detail and compare our results to previous studies. Our analysis reveals a very complex environment with many overlapping and superimposed components, including dissolving gas knots, rapidly expanding shocked shells and embedded ionizing sources, but no evidence for organised bulk motions. We conclude that the four IFU positions presented here lie well within the starburst region where energy is injected, and, from the lack of substantial ordered gas flows, within the quasi-hydrostatic zone of the wind interior to the sonic point. The net outflow occurs at radii beyond 100-200 pc, but our data imply that mass-loading of the hot ISM is active even at the roots of the wind.
Misinformation : A Negative Consequence of Multiple-choice Testing

Taking a test tends to improve the retention of the tested information. Additionally, taking a test often influences the later retention of non-tested information, provided such information is related to the tested information in a specific manner. To illustrate, recent research has demonstrated that multiple-choice tests containing competitive alternatives can improve retention of both tested and non-tested information pertaining to such incorrect alternatives at least over a short delay. The present research investigated whether such improvements in retention would persist with a delay more likely to occur in educational contexts (i.e., 48 hr). Taking an initial multiple-choice test improved retention more than a comparable cued-recall test—for both previously tested and related information—and over both short and long delays. Moreover, misinformation effects seen for the multiple-choice test at the short delay were reduced. These results thus have important implications for the use of multiple-choice tests as learning opportunities.
Value -Relevance of Accounting Information and the Predictability of IPO Underpricing

A safety sensor and warning system, for use in combination with a motor vehicle, has sensors for determining if personnel are present in one or more predetermined danger zones proximate to the vehicle, during times when the vehicle is undergoing the loading and/or unloading of personnel; if the presence of such personnel is determined within any one or more of such danger zones related warning apparatus creates a sensory warning signal whereby the driver of the vehicle is made aware of such presence by the personnel; Microwave Doppler Shift Radar detects objects by reacting to a reflected radio signal of controlled strength and frequency which shifts off its original frequency when reflected off of an object of adequate density moving into, or changing position, within the range of the radiated radio signal and its consequent reflection; the sensors for determining if personnel are present in one or more predetermined danger zones utilize this known Microwave Doppler Shift Radar Technology and are electronically and physically designed to detect objects of only predetermined density or mass which translates to an animate object, as a person, and to not detect small debris-type objects such as, for example, leaves, snowflakes, light rainfall, fog, blowing dust, small tree limbs, rocks and birds; digitized speech producing apparatus is provided as to, in speech form, warn personnel that they are within one or more danger zones.
The learning styles of first year university students

Conceptualization In the transformation dimension (horizontal axis), an orientation towards Active Experimentation (AE, intention) is the opposite of a Reflective Observation (RO, extension) orientation (Dos Santos & Vendramini, 2002). The transformation dimension is best described by Carl Jung’s concepts of introversion (intention) and extroversion (extension) (Kolb, 1984). These dimensions are theoretically unitary so that high punctuation in one orientation would automatically imply a punctuation in its opposite, but that they are dialectically opposite (Dos Santos & Vendramini, 2002).
Sign subband adaptive filter with ℓ1-norm minimisation-based variable step-size

A new variable step-size sign subband adaptive filter (VSS-SSAF), not requiring any a priori information, is proposed by minimising the l1-norm of the subband a posteriori error under a box-constraint on the step-size. In addition, an efficient numerical procedure for updating its VSS is introduced to solve the non-differentiable convex problem. The proposed algorithm provides comparable or better convergence performance, when compared with the recent VSS-SSAF (minimising the mean-squares deviation with a priori knowledge of noise variance) or other conventional algorithms aimed at robustness against impulsive interferences.
Methylene Tetrahydrofolate Reductase and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Gene Polymorphisms Related to Overweight/Obesity among Saudi Subjects from Qassim Region

Background: This work was planned to check for the association of polymorphisms related to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) genes with overweight/obesity among Saudi subjects from Qassim region. Methods: This work included 130 subjects having overweight or obesity and 111 normal controls. Their age mean ± SD was 27 ± 9.8 and 24 ± 8.8 years respectively. Their DNA was analyzed for polymorphisms of MTHFR; 677C/T and 1298 A/C and ACE; I/D genes using real-time PCR. Results: Genotype and allele frequencies of studied polymorphisms in cases of overweight/obesity showed no significant statistical difference compared to that of controls. However, on analysis of body mass index (BMI), cases showed slightly higher but statistically nonsignificant mean ± SD values among those carrying the mutant MTHFR 677 T allele (CT + TT vs. CC, 30.7 ± 4.5 vs. 29.9 ± 4.9), 1298 C allele (AC + CC vs. AA, 29.9 ± 4.1 vs. 29.7 ± 5.5) and ACE D allele (ID + DD vs. II, 30.0 ± 5.1 vs. 29.1 ± 2.8). In addition controls having the DD and ID genotypes showed higher statistically significant values of BMI than those of the II genotype (22.0 ± 1.9, 21.7 ± 2.6 and 19.5 ± 2.3 respectively, p < 0.05). Conclusion: There is no solid association of polymorphisms related to MTHFR and ACE genes with non-complicated overweight or obesity among Saudi subjects from Qassim Region.
Goal-Based Action Priors

Robots that interact with people must flexibly respond to requests by planning in stochastic state spaces that are often too large to solve for optimal behavior. In this work, we develop a framework for goal and state dependent action priors that can be used to prune away irrelevant actions based on the robot’s current goal, thereby greatly accelerating planning in a variety of complex stochastic environments. Our framework allows these goal-based action priors to be specified by an expert or to be learned from prior experience in related problems. We evaluate our approach in the video game Minecraft, whose complexity makes it an effective robot simulator. We also evaluate our approach in a robot cooking domain that is executed on a two-handed manipulator robot. In both cases, goal-based action priors enhance baseline planners by dramatically reducing the time taken to find a near-optimal plan.
ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS On the absence of wind bow-shocks around OB-runaway stars: probing the physical conditions of the interstellar medium

High-resolution IRAS maps are used to search for the presence of stellar-wind bow-shocks around high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). Their high space velocities, recently confirmed with Hipparcos observations, combined with their strong stellar winds should result in the formation of wind bow-shocks. Except for the already known bow-shock around Vela X-1 (Kaper et al. 1997), we do not find convincing evidence for a bow-shock around any of the other HMXBs. Also in the case of (supposedly single) OB-runaway stars, only a minority appears to be associated with a bow-shock (Van Buren et al. 1995). We investigate why wind bow-shocks are not detected for the majority of these OB-runaway systems: is this due to the IRAS sensitivity, the system's space velocity, the stellar-wind properties, or the height above the galactic plane? It turns out that none of these suggested causes can explain the low detection rate (∼40%). We propose that the conditions of the interstellar medium mainly determine whether a wind bow-shock is formed or not. In hot, tenuous media (like inside galactic superbubbles) the sound speed is high (∼100 km s - 1 ), such that many runaways move at subsonic velocity through a low-density medium, thus preventing the formation of an observable bow-shock. Superbubbles are expected (and observed) around OB associations, where the OB-runaway stars were once born. Turning the argument around, we use the absence (or presence) of wind bow-shocks around OB runaways to probe the physical conditions of the interstellar medium in the solar neighbourhood.
Toxin-Antitoxin Systems as Multilevel Interaction Systems

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are small genetic modules usually composed of a toxin and an antitoxin counteracting the activity of the toxic protein. These systems are widely spread in bacterial and archaeal genomes. TA systems have been assigned many functions, ranging from persistence to DNA stabilization or protection against mobile genetic elements. They are classified in five types, depending on the nature and mode of action of the antitoxin. In type I and III, antitoxins are RNAs that either inhibit the synthesis of the toxin or sequester it. In type II, IV and V, antitoxins are proteins that either sequester, counterbalance toxin activity or inhibit toxin synthesis. In addition to these interactions between the antitoxin and toxin components (RNA-RNA, protein-protein, RNA-protein), TA systems interact with a variety of cellular factors, e.g., toxins target essential cellular components, antitoxins are degraded by RNAses or ATP-dependent proteases. Hence, TA systems have the capacity to interact with each other at different levels. In this review, we will discuss the different interactions in which TA systems are involved and their implications in TA system functions and evolution.