Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Power, Ethnic Origin, and Sexual Objectification

In this study, we investigated the effects of primed power on sexual objectification of Caucasian and Asian men and women. As in previous studies, sexual objectification was assessed using an inversion paradigm with face–body compound stimuli. Previous work has shown that participants primed to power do not show the typical drop in recognition performance for inverted face–body compound stimuli, suggesting that they process these stimuli in terms of their individual features, in a manner akin to objects, and quite different from the way in which faces and bodies are normally processed (i.e., configurally). Caucasian male and female participants were primed to high or neutral-power before engaging in an old/new recognition task involving sexualized face–body compound images of Caucasian and Asian men and women. Participants primed to high-power showed a decreased inversion effect for Caucasian models of the opposite gender, but not for Asian models. Thus, power exerts different effects on this specific type of social perception, depending on the ethnic origin of the target. We discuss our results in the context of the extant literature on power and with reference to media stereotyping of Caucasians and Asians.
Segregation-induced fingering instabilities in granular free-surface flows

Abstract Particle-size segregation can have a significant feedback on the bulk motion of granular avalanches when the larger grains experience greater resistance to motion than the fine grains. When such segregation-mobility feedback effects occur the flow may form digitate lobate fingers or spontaneously self-channelize to form lateral levees that enhance run-out distance. This is particularly important in geophysical mass flows, such as pyroclastic currents, snow avalanches and debris flows, where run-out distance is of crucial importance in hazards assessment. A model for finger formation in a bidisperse granular avalanche is developed by coupling a depth-averaged description of the preferential transport of large particles towards the front with an established avalanche model. The coupling is achieved through a concentration-dependent friction coefficient, which results in a system of non-strictly hyperbolic equations. We compute numerical solutions to the flow of a bidisperse mixture of small mobile particles and larger more resistive grains down an inclined chute. The numerical results demonstrate that our model is able to describe the formation of a front rich in large particles, the instability of this front and the subsequent evolution of elongated fingers bounded by large-rich lateral levees, as observed in small-scale laboratory experiments. However, our numerical results are grid dependent, with the number of fingers increasing as the numerical resolution is increased. We investigate this pathology by examining the linear stability of a steady uniform flow, which shows that arbitrarily small wavelength perturbations grow exponentially quickly. Furthermore, we find that on a curve in parameter space the growth rate is unbounded above as the wavelength of perturbations is decreased and so the system of equations on this curve is ill-posed. This indicates that the model captures the physical mechanisms that drive the instability, but additional dissipation mechanisms, such as those considered in the realm of flow rheology, are required to set the length scale of the fingers that develop.
Risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis due to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A multicenter, case-control study

AIM To identify risk factors associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), describe tumor characteristics and treatments pursed for a cohort of individuals with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cirrhosis. METHODS We conducted a retrospective case-control study of a well-characterized cohort of patients among five liver transplant centers with NASH cirrhosis with (cases) and without HCC (controls). RESULTS Ninety-four cases and 150 controls were included. Cases were significantly more likely to be male than controls (67% vs 45%, P < 0.001) and of older age (61.9 years vs 58 years, P = 0.002). In addition, cases were more likely to have had complications of end stage liver disease (83% vs 71%, P = 0.032). On multivariate analysis, the strongest association with the presence of HCC were male gender (OR 4.3, 95%CI: 1.83-10.3, P = 0.001) and age (OR = 1.082, 95%CI: 1.03-1.13, P = 0.001). Hispanic ethnicity was associated with a decreased prevalence of HCC (OR = 0.3, 95%CI: 0.09-0.994, P = 0.048). HCC was predominantly in the form of a single lesion with regional lymph node(s) and distant metastasis in only 2.6% and 6.3%, respectively. Fifty-nine point three percent of individuals with HCC underwent locoregional therapy and 61.5% underwent liver transplantation for HCC. CONCLUSION Male gender, increased age and non-Hispanic ethnicity are associated with HCC in NASH cirrhosis. NASH cirrhosis associated HCC in this cohort was characterized by early stage disease at diagnosis and treatment with locoregional therapy and transplant.
International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems Cooperative Tasks between Humans and Robots in Industrial Environments Regular Paper

Collaborative tasks between human operators and robotic manipulators can improve the performance and flexibility of industrial environments. Nevertheless, the safety of humans should always be guaranteed and the behaviour of the robots should be modified when a risk of collision may happen. This paper presents the research that the authors have performed in recent years in order to develop a human‐robot interaction system which guarantees human safety by precisely tracking the complete body of the human and by activating safety strategies when the distance between them is too small. This paper not only summarizes the techniques which have been implemented in order to develop this system, but it also shows its application in three real human‐robot interaction tasks.
Control of the Immune Response by Pro-Angiogenic Factors

The progressive conversion of normal cells into cancer cells is characterized by the acquisition of eight hallmarks. Among these criteria, the capability of the cancer cell to avoid the immune destruction has been noted. Thus, tumors develop mechanisms to become invisible to the immune system, such as the induction of immunosuppressive cells, which are able to inhibit the development of an efficient immune response. Molecules produced in the tumor microenvironment are involved in the occurrence of an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Recently, it has been shown that vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) exhibits immunosuppressive properties in addition to its pro-angiogenic activities. VEGF-A can induce the accumulation of immature dendritic cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, regulatory T cells, and inhibit the migration of T lymphocytes to the tumor. Other pro-angiogenic factors such as placental growth factor (PlGF) could also participate in tumor-induced immunosuppression, but only few works have been performed on this point. Here, we review the impact of pro-angiogenic factors (especially VEGF-A) on immune cells. Anti-angiogenic molecules, which target VEGF-A/VEGFR axis, have been developed in the last decades and are commonly used to treat cancer patients. These drugs have anti-angiogenic properties but can also counteract the tumor-induced immunosuppression. Based on these immunomodulatory properties, anti-angiogenic molecules could be efficiently associated with immunotherapeutic strategies in preclinical models. These combinations are currently under investigation in cancer patients.
One-to-one mobile technology in high school physics classrooms: Understanding its use and outcome

Abstract: This study examined ways in which high school students used mobile devices in physics classrooms and after school, and the impact of in‐class and after‐school mobile technology use on their physics learning performance and interest. We collected data from 803 high school freshmen in China after they had used mobile devices for over five months. A fixed‐effects model was employed to control the undetected variances. Results indicated that the students frequently used their mobile devices for physics learning in class and after school. Students also perceived the mobile devices as very useful for their physics learning, and their perception of usefulness was positively correlated with their frequency of use. Both the in‐class and after‐school duration and frequency of mobile technology use positively influenced students' physics learning achievement and interest. However, we also found that mobile technology was mainly used to augment rather than to transform instructional practices in physics classrooms. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications and limitations of these results for research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Government-Industry ICT Partnering in Regional Australia : issues surrounding top down initiatives

This paper discusses a federally funded portal development and concurrent action research study with a regional tourism marketing body operating under state government auspices. The paper examines the communication flows within and between the agency and its ‘constituents’; agency communication practices; and the impact of the project on regional industry relations. The action research study revealed that regional connectivity was unevenly spread between the public and the private sector, with the public sector showing considerably more capacity towards connectivity than the private sector. The study analysis further suggests major impediments to adopting portal technologies for e-marketing and government-industry communication purposes related to the culture of the agency and their understanding of ICT. The study identified silo politics, lack of leadership, lack of expertise and lack of learning among the most significant barriers to government-industry ICT partnering. A lack of complex and collaborative strategic thinking across horizontal and vertical government tiers also contributed to the relational capital embedded within the region remaining largely untapped. The study suggests that regional governance bodies are ideally placed to play a facilitating role in government-industry ICT partnering provided they are able to generate stakeholder trust and product region knowledge through active learning processes, regional relationship building and the offering of appealing participation opportunities. When adequately resourced, agency members 1 Research Fellow, Centre for Regional Innovation & Competitiveness (CRIC), University of Ballarat. Email: p.braun@ballarat.edu. au Government-Industry ICT Partnering in Regional Australia: issues surrounding top down initiatives 2 / 18 could not only take a hands-on interest in their own ICT solutions, but also use upstream and downstream channels to disseminate a better understanding of top-down initiatives. A paper prepared for the Australian Electronic Governance Conference. Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Victoria, 14 and 15 April, 2004. Government-Industry ICT Partnering in Regional Australia: issues surrounding top down initiatives
Double indexing overcomes inaccuracies in multiplex sequencing on the Illumina platform

Due to the increasing throughput of current DNA sequencing instruments, sample multiplexing is necessary for making economical use of available sequencing capacities. A widely used multiplexing strategy for the Illumina Genome Analyzer utilizes sample-specific indexes, which are embedded in one of the library adapters. However, this and similar multiplex approaches come with a risk of sample misidentification. By introducing indexes into both library adapters (double indexing), we have developed a method that reveals the rate of sample misidentification within current multiplex sequencing experiments. With ~0.3% these rates are orders of magnitude higher than expected and may severely confound applications in cancer genomics and other fields requiring accurate detection of rare variants. We identified the occurrence of mixed clusters on the flow as the predominant source of error. The accuracy of sample identification is further impaired if indexed oligonucleotides are cross-contaminated or if indexed libraries are amplified in bulk. Double-indexing eliminates these problems and increases both the scope and accuracy of multiplex sequencing on the Illumina platform.
An Iterative Convolutional Neural Network Algorithm Improves Electron Microscopy Image Segmentation

To build the connectomics map of the brain, we developed a new algorithm that can automatically refine the Membrane Detection Probability Maps (MDPM) generated to perform automatic segmentation of electron microscopy (EM) images. To achieve this, we executed supervised training of a convolutional neural network to recover the removed center pixel label of patches sampled from a MDPM. MDPM can be generated from other machine learning based algorithms recognizing whether a pixel in an image corresponds to the cell membrane. By iteratively applying this network over MDPM for multiple rounds, we were able to significantly improve membrane segmentation results.
Texas Voices Speak out about High-Stakes Testing: Preservice Teachers, Teachers, and Students

Although teachers and students are directly impacted by high-stakes testing policy mandates, their opinion is often left out during the decision-making process. As future educators, preservice teachers are also affected by these mandates; thus far, their perspectives have also been ignored. Providing these stakeholders a forum in which they can speak about accountability testing allows others to hear their voices in this controversial issue. To achieve this goal, we employed a qualitative design. Data gathered consisted of observational journals and threaded e-journals. Data were critically analyzed and triangulated. Trustworthiness was further established using peer-review and member checking. Emerging patterns revealed that, across grade levels, preservice and inservice teachers see the overemphasis on high-stakes testing as being intrusive on their curricular and instructional decision-making. They note that instructional decisions are not being made in the students' best interests. Across grade levels, students' perceptions and their approach to tests differ. These voices challenge notions of whether high-stakes tests are valid measures of students' learning, ability, or potential, and whether test results should be used as an accountability measure.
The exploration of factors relevant to enhancing mental health service provision and psychological therapies for persons of South Asian origin

Background: Community participation is one element of the recovery process for people with schizophrenia, however little is known about how this occurs for persons of South Asian origin. Aims/objectives: This study explores the concept and experience of community participation and recovery amongst South Asians with schizophrenia living in Toronto, Canada. Methods: This longitudinal study took place over the course of eight months. Seven people of South Asian origin with schizophrenia were recruited through purposeful sampling strategy and interviewed at three time points. A theoretical sampling approach was employed to recruit 19 key supports and community members who were interviewed at least once during the course of the study in an effort to capture multi-level perspectives of persons of South Asian origin. Qualitative data was analysed using social constructionist Grounded Theory informed by Charmaz. Results: A rigorous grounded theory approach revealed five themes; i) cultivating an autonomous self within the collectivist family-based culture, ii) cultural conceptualizations of self and mental illness, iii) developing individual ethnic identity and sense of belonging in a community context, iv) points of exclusion in the community, v) points of inclusion in the community. These five themes interlinked, creating a complex dynamic between individuals, families, various communities’ people belonged to and, in turn, experience of mental health. The multi-level approach to data collection provided insight into the many systems and structures that impact on this community. These experiences shaped identity, self-concept, perceptions of self as well as other racial/ethnic groups, and in turn the spaces, places and people interacted with. Spaces that provided acceptance and inclusion also facilitated the cultivation of an empowered sense of self. Conclusions: Provider efforts to encourage community participation and recovery for persons of South Asian origin with schizophrenia should take into account the multiple and intersecting aspects of individual identity as well as those at a community level. A multi-level approach informed by social capital theory could lead to the promotion of social inclusion and integration of persons with schizophrenia. It is recommended that this strategy focus on three areas; i) advancing mental health service provision and psychological therapies, ii) education and training of health professionals and community members for example faith leaders, iii) local and national policy that addresses poverty and mandates services to address the specific needs of mental health in South Asian communities.
Evolution and evaluation of biometric systems

Biometric systems have evolved significantly over the past years: from single-sample fully-controlled verification matchers to a wide range of multi-sample multi-modal fully-automated person recognition systems working in a diverse range of unconstrained environments and behaviors. The methodology for biometric system evaluation however has remained practically unchanged, still being largely limited to reporting false match and non-match rates only and the tradeoff curves based thereon. Such methodology may no longer be sufficient and appropriate for investigating the performance of state-of-the-art systems. This paper addresses this gap by establishing taxonomy of biometric systems and proposing a baseline methodology that can be applied to the majority of contemporary biometric systems to obtain an all-inclusive description of their performance. In doing that, a novel concept of multi-order performance analysis is introduced and the results obtained from a large-scale iris biometric system examination are presented.
Prevalence of Chronic Sputum and Associated Factors in Korean Adults

Chronic sputum is a troublesome symptom in many respiratory diseases. The prevalence of chronic sputum varies from 1.2% to 13% according to the country. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of chronic sputum and to find its associated factors in a general Korean population. We analyzed the data of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010 and 2011. A total number of 6,783 subjects aged 40 yr or more were enrolled in this study with 3,002 men and 3,781 women. As a result, the prevalence of chronic sputum was 6.3% (n=430). Significant risk factors for chronic sputum by multivariate analysis were: age (≥70 yr) (odds ratio [OR], 1.954; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.308-2.917), current smoking (OR, 4.496; 95% CI, 3.001-6.734), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (OR, 1.483; 95% CI, 1.090-2.018), and tuberculosis (OR, 1.959; 95% CI, 1.307-2.938). In conclusion, the prevalence of chronic sputum in Korea was in the intermediate range compared with other countries. Smoking is a preventable risk factor identified in this study, and major respiratory diseases, such as COPD and tuberculosis, should be considered in subjects with chronic sputum. Graphical Abstract
The secrets of T Pyxidis - II. A recurrent nova that will not become a SN Ia

Aims. We compare the observed and theoretical parameters for the quiescent and outburst phases of the recurring nova T Pyx. Methods. IUE data were used to derive the disk luminosity and the mass accretion rate, and to exclude the presence of quasi-steady burning at the WD surface. XMM-NEWTON data were used to verify this conclusion. Results. By various methods, we obtained L disk ~ 70 $L_{\odot}$ and $\dot{M}$ ~ 1.1 $\times$ 10$^{-8}~M_{\odot}$ yr -1 . These values were about twice as high in the pre-1966-outburst epoch. This allowed the first direct estimate of the total mass accreted before outburst, M accr = $\dot{M}_{\rm pre-OB}$ $\cdot \Delta t$, and its comparison with the critical ignition mass M ign . We found M accr and M ign to be in perfect agreement (with a value close to 5 $\times$ 10$^{-7}~M_{\odot}$) for M 1 ~ 1.37 $M_{\odot}$, which provides a confirmation of the thermonuclear runaway theory. The comparison of the observed parameters of the eruption phase, with the corresponding values in the grid of models by Yaron and collaborators, provides satisfactory agreement for values of M 1 close to 1.35 $M_{\odot}$ and log $\dot{M}$ between -8.0 and -7.0, but the observed value of the decay time t 3 is higher than expected. The long duration of the optically thick phase during the recorded outbursts of T Pyx, a spectroscopic behavior typical of classical novae, and the persistence of P Cyg profiles, constrains the ejected mass M ign to within 10 -5 -10$^{-4}~M_{\odot}$. Therefore, T Pyx ejects far more material than it has accreted, and the mass of the white dwarf will not increase to the Chandrasekhar limit as generally believed in recurrent novae. A detailed study based on the UV data excludes the possibility that T Pyx belongs to the class of the supersoft X-ray sources, as has been postulated. XMM-NEWTON observations have revealed a weak, hard source and confirmed this interpretation.
Distance learning – Social software’s killer ap?

This paper discusses the challenges of developing modes of distance education that afford maximum freedom for learners—including the ability to enroll continuously and to pace one’s own learning—and yet still create opportunities to work cooperatively in learning communities with other students. To resolve these often conflicting priorities, a new genre of networked-based learning tools known as educational social software is defined, described and its attributes discussed. The paper concludes with a description of the design-based research work begun at Athabasca University using an instance of the ELGG open source, social software tool set.