Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AN EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF THE CONSISTENCY OF COMPETITIVE ABILITY AND AGONISTIC DOMINANCE IN DIFFERENT SOCIAL CONTEXTS IN CAPTIVE BONOBOS

Bonobos have been described as a relatively egalitarian and female dominant species. The exact nature and quality of their dominance relationships and the existence of female dominance are current topics of dispute. We investigated the consistency across social contexts, the stability in time, and the degree of expression of the competitive feeding ability and agonistic dominance in a captive group of bonobos. First, we examined whether the competitive feeding ranks and agonistic ranks differed in different dyadic contexts, triadic contexts and the whole group context. For some pairs of animals the dominance relationships with respect to competitive feeding altered with different group compositions. The agonistic dominance relationships changed accordingly. The competitive feeding ranks and agonistic ranks in the experiments correlated strongly with each other. The alpha position was occupied by a female, but not all females outranked all males. We suggest that females can profit from each others presence to gain inter-sexual dominance. Second, although the agonistic rank order in the whole group remained the same over at least five years, some dyadic competitive feeding ranks changed over time, resulting in a stronger female intersexual dominance. Third, the degree of expression of the behaviors used to quantify dyadic competitive and agonistic dominance was not high, in line with the popular 'egalitarian' epithet. Notwithstanding its low consistency across contexts, the dominance hierarchy in the whole group has a strong predictive value for other social relationships such as grooming. Given this strong effect of rank on other behaviours and given the strong dependency of rank on social context, the choice of the right party members may be a crucial factor in the fission-fusion processes of free-ranging bonobos.
Optimal transport for variational data assimilation

Abstract. Usually data assimilation methods evaluate observation-model misfits using weighted L2 distances. However, it is not well suited when observed features are present in the model with position error. In this context, the Wasserstein distance stemming from optimal transport theory is more relevant. This paper proposes the adaptation of variational data assimilation for the use of such a measure. It provides a short introduction of optimal transport theory and discusses the importance of a proper choice of scalar product to compute the cost function gradient. It also extends the discussion to the way the descent is performed within the minimization process. These algorithmic changes are tested on a nonlinear shallow-water model, leading to the conclusion that optimal transport-based data assimilation seems to be promising to capture position errors in the model trajectory.
Media multitasking predicts unitary versus splitting visual focal attention

Research evidence now suggests that the deployment of multiple attentional foci in noncontiguous locations (i.e., splitting visual focal attention) is possible under some circumstances. However, the exact circumstances under which focal attention might ‘split’ have not been well understood. Here, we examined the possibility that ecological differences arising from our increasingly media-saturated environment result in individual differences in the capacity to demonstrate splitting focal attention. The Media Multitasking Index (MMI) was used to assess the extent to which participants engaged in media multitasking—the consumption of more than one stream of media content at the same time. Capacity to split attention was assessed with a paradigm previously employed by McCormick, Klein, and Johnston. The present data suggest a significant relationship between the behavioural preference for consuming multiple media forms simultaneously and the capacity to employ a split mode of attention. Specifically, High-MMI participants (who tend to consume multiple visual media forms simultaneously) adopted a splitting mode of visual attention, whereas Low-MMI participants (who tend to consume fewer visual media forms simultaneously) adopted a unitary mode of attention. These data advanced our understanding of the circumstances under which visual focal attention might split. Implications and future directions are discussed.
TR-HGI-2012-002 CXPInspector : Hypervisor-Based , Hardware-Assisted System Monitoring

In the last few years, many different techniques were introduced to analyze a given binary executable. Most of these techniques take advantage of Virtual Machine Introspection (VMI), the process of analyzing the state of a virtual machine from the outside. On the one hand, many approaches are based on system emulators which enable a tight control over the program execution. Unfortunately, such approaches typically induce a huge performance overhead. On the other hand, there are approaches based on hypervisors. Early implementations were hampered by the missing virtualizability of the x86 instruction set architecture: since the memory management unit (MMU) itself was not virtualized, memory separation needed to be enforced in software with the help of so called shadow page tables, an approach that again induced performance overhead. However, processor vendors have recently added hardware support for MMU virtualization and modern CPUs offer so called Two-Dimensional Paging to overcome such performance bottlenecks. In this paper, we study how this processor feature can be utilized to implement a binary analysis framework. More specifically, we introduce an approach to monitor code execution based on the concept of Currently eXecutable Pages (CXP), i.e., we precisely control which memory pages are currently executable to enable the interception of intermodular function calls and their corresponding returns. When an interception occurs, we apply VMI to deduce runtime information such as function parameters. To demonstrate the practical feasibility of the proposed approach, we implemented CXPInspector, a framework for binary analysis on 64-bit machines and Windows 7. In several case studies, we present different application scenarios for CXPInspector: first, we demonstrate how the kernel rootkit TDSS/TDL4 can be analyzed in an automated way. Second, we show how our tool can be used for transparent and efficient performance profiling in a case study with the Apache webserver.
E 7080 , a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor suppresses tumor cell migration and invasion

Background: E7080 is an orally active multi-targeted kinase inhibitor whose targets include vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFR), fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) and platelet derived growth factor receptors (PDGFR). It has been shown to inhibit tumor angiogenesis by targeting endothelial cells. A number of the targets of E7080 are also expressed on tumor cells and here we have looked at the direct effects of E7080 on tumor cell behavior. Methods: Using a panel of human tumor cell lines we determined the effect of E7080 on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Inhibition of FGFR and PDGFR signaling in the cells was measured. Results: E7080 had little effect on tumor cell proliferation. However, it blocked migration and invasion at concentrations that inhibited FGFR and PDGFR signaling. Knock-down of PDGFR-b in U2OS osteosarcoma cells also inhibited cell migration which, could not be further inhibited in the presence of E7080. Furthermore, E7080 could not inhibit the migration of a PDGFR negative cell line. Conclusion: E7080 does not significantly affect tumor cell proliferation but can inhibit their migration and invasion at concentrations that both inhibit its known targets and are achievable clinically.
An experimental and theoretical study of the dynamics of grounding lines

Abstract We present an experimental and theoretical study of a thin, viscous fluid layer that flows radially under gravity from a point source into a denser inviscid fluid layer of uniform depth above a rigid horizontal surface. Near the source, the viscous layer lies in full contact with the surface, forming a vertical-shear-dominated viscous gravity current. At a certain distance from the source, the layer detaches from the surface to form a floating current whose dynamics are controlled by the viscous stresses due to longitudinal extension. We describe the dynamics of the grounded and floating components using distinct thin-layer theories. Separating the grounded and floating regions is the freely moving line of detachment, or grounding line, whose evolution we model by balancing the horizontal forces between the two regions. Using numerical and asymptotic analysis, we calculate the evolution of the system from a self-similar form at early times towards a steady state at late times. We use our solutions to illustrate how three-dimensional stresses within marine ice sheets, such as that of West Antarctica, can lead to stabilization of the grounding line. To assess the validity of the assumptions underlying our model, we compare its predictions with data from a series of laboratory experiments.
THE REACTION FUNCTION OF THREE CENTRAL BANKS OF VISEGRAD GROUP

The aim of our paper is to formulate and empirically verify the simple backward looking econometric model of the monetary policy rule, which would be able to describe the development of monetary policy rate, namely only on the basis of statistically measured and at the given time available information. We focus on the Czech National Bank, the National Bank of Poland and the Magyar Nemzeti Bank in the period of January 1999 to April 2012. In the present paper we discuss some methodological problems associated with the ex-post empirical verifi cation of the central bank’s monetary policy rule. We construct an empirical model of the monetary policy rule, justify the choice and the inclusion of explanatory variables, analyse the statistical properties of time series, and verify the alternative forms of econometric models. Our analysis showed that the development of monetary policy rate in the reporting period can be explained by the past and present development of four explanatory variables: yearly infl ation rate, exchange rate, ECB main refi nancing rate and growth rate of M2. The annualized infl ation rate proved to be statistically insignifi cant in the model. We fi nd interesting that the statistical quality of the estimated model was further increased after a six-month lag of the annual infl ation rate added to the model.
Temporal dynamics of soil and vegetation spectral responses in a semi-arid environment

This paper discusses several difficulties encountered in detecting and monitoring temporal changes in vegetation using multispectral imagery from airborne or spaceborne sensors. These difficulties are due to (1) temporal change in the vegetation state; (2) temporal change in the soil/rock signature; and (3) difficulty in discriminating vegetation from soil or rock background. The seasonal dynamics of soil and vegetation was investigated over two years on permanent sample plots in a natural fenced-off area in the semi-arid region (200 mm annual average rainfall) of the Northern Negev, Israel. Results show that temporal analysis of natural vegetation in semi-arid regions should take into account three ground features--perennials, annuals, and biological soil crusts; all having phenological cycles with the same basic elements--oscillation from null (or low) to full photosynthetic status. However, these cycles occur in successive periods throughout the year. The phenological cycle of perennial plants is related to the adaptation of desert plants to scarcity of water. Annuals are green only for a relatively short period during the wet season and turn into dry organic matter during the summer. The microphytic communities (lower plants) of the biological soil crusts are rapidly affected by moisture and turn green immediately after the first rain, in a timescale of minutes. In arid environments, where the higher plants are sparse, this type of plant has considerable importance in the overall production of the greenness signal. However, crust-covered areas are visually similar to bare soil throughout the dry period. This paper concludes that a priori knowledge of the phenological changes in desert plants (lower and higher) is valuable in the interpretation of remote sensing data of arid environments. It is shown that rainfall amount and regime are the keys for understanding the dynamic processes of the different ground features. Through polynomial fitting, simple functions describing the annual variations in the NDVI of the different cover types have been formulated and validated; showing the feasibility and viability of modelling the processes. Although fluctuations in the rainfall regime between years poses a problem to designing a unique model, it is believed that such a problem can be overcome with long-term observations.
A deep high‐resolution optical log of dust, ash, and stratigraphy in South Pole glacial ice

We describe a new dust logger designed to operate in water‐filled IceCube boreholes in South Pole ice, and we give examples of its performance. We recorded optical effects due to bubbles, dust, and volcanic ash in situ from ∼70 to 2100 meters. Seasonal layering in bubble concentration could also be discerned. Below ∼1300 m over the interval 25 ka to 70 ka, because of the conversion of all air bubbles to invisible hydrate crystals, and the close match between refractive indices of the surrounding ice and the water in the borehole, scattering from dust provided fine‐structure in the depth‐dependence of concentration with a resolution of <1 cm. Thin, highly absorptive horizons in the data set confirm there is significant fallout at South Pole of ash from explosive volcanic events. By locating and dating volcanic ash layers in the South Pole dust record, it may be possible to match them to volcanic layers found across Antarctica and in Greenland.
Evaluation of renal markers of T1D in Sprague‐Dawley exposed to 2‐aminoanthracene

The incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and its associated risks of chronic kidney disease or end‐stage renal disease development are on the rise. T1D is an autoimmune disease in which insulin‐producing beta cells are destroyed. Increased incidence of T1D has been suggested to be a result of environmental factors such as exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). 2‐aminoanthracene (2AA) is a PAH that has been associated with the onset of early diabetic symptoms. This study was conducted to assess if 2AA dietary ingestion would induce T1D renal injuries. To accomplish study goals, Sprague‐Dawley rats were assigned into three 2AA dietary (0, 50, and 100 mg/kg‐2AA) ingestion groups for 12 weeks. Animals were evaluated for various morphometric indices, clinical markers, and gene expression. The rats in the 100 mg/kg group lost 5% less weight than the other treatment groups and converted roughly 3% more of their food intake into body mass. Renal histopathology indicated no significant difference between groups. The kidney weight per bodyweight of the 100 mg/kg treatment group was 30.1% greater than the control group. Creatinine concentration of the 100 mg/kg group was 46.2% greater than the control group. Serum glucose levels were significantly elevated in rats exposed to 2AA. On the contrary, serum albumin concentration was significantly reduced in 2AA‐treated rats. T1D and genetic markers of renal injury such as FABP1, SPP1, IL‐1B, and IL‐7 were elevated in treated groups. These results suggest that 2AA may induce the early diabetic renal injuries.
INFRARED STUDY OF FULLERENE PLANETARY NEBULAE

We present a study of 16 planetary nebulae (PNe) where fullerenes have been detected in their Spitzer Space Telescope spectra. This large sample of objects offers a unique opportunity to test conditions of fullerene formation and survival under different metallicity environments because we are analyzing five sources in our own Galaxy, four in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and seven in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Among the 16 PNe studied, we present the first detection of C60 (and possibly also C70) fullerenes in the PN M 1−60 as well as of the unusual ∼6.6, 9.8, and 20 μm features (attributed to possible planar C24) in the PN K 3−54. Although selection effects in the original samples of PNe observed with Spitzer may play a potentially significant role in the statistics, we find that the detection rate of fullerenes in C-rich PNe increases with decreasing metallicity (∼5% in the Galaxy, ∼20% in the LMC, and ∼44% in the SMC) and we interpret this as a possible consequence of the limited dust processing occurring in Magellanic Cloud (MC) PNe. CLOUDY photoionization modeling matches the observed IR fluxes with central stars that display a rather narrow range in effective temperature (∼30,000–45,000 K), suggesting a common evolutionary status of the objects and similar fullerene formation conditions. Furthermore, the data suggest that fullerene PNe likely evolve from low-mass progenitors and are usually of low excitation. We do not find a metallicity dependence on the estimated fullerene abundances. The observed C60 intensity ratios in the Galactic sources confirm our previous finding in the MCs that the fullerene emission is not excited by the UV radiation from the central star. CLOUDY models also show that line- and wind-blanketed model atmospheres can explain many of the observed [Ne iii]/[Ne ii] ratios using photoionization, suggesting that possibly the UV radiation from the central star, and not shocks, is triggering the decomposition of the circumstellar dust grains. With the data at hand, we suggest that the most likely explanation for the formation of fullerenes and graphene precursors in PNe is that these molecular species are built from the photochemical processing of a carbonaceous compound with a mixture of aromatic and aliphatic structures similar to that of hydrogenated amorphous carbon dust.
Conceptualizations of “results” in Swedish policy for development cooperation from the 1960s to the 2000s

Abstract Over the last few decades there has been an increased focus on results within development cooperation, and there has been an intense debate regarding the possible success or failures of development efforts. However, there is no general agreement on what a development result is, or why and whose development results should be reported. The understanding of what a development result entails has also shifted over time. This article aims to contribute to the current debate on development results by exploring how one donor, Sweden, historically has conceptualized development results in its policies and strategies on development cooperation. A review of all policies and general strategies on Swedish development cooperation published between 1962 and 2013, reveals that there has been a shift in how results are conceptualized: from being a mere instrument for supporting partner countries in pursuing more effective development policies and interventions, reporting of development results has become one of the main strategic tools for pursuing a Swedish development cooperation.
Development of a Possible General Magnitude System for Number and Space

There is strong evidence for a link between numerical and spatial processing. However, whether this association is based on a common general magnitude system is far from conclusive and the impact of development is not yet known. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the association between discrete non-symbolic number processing (comparison of dot arrays) and continuous spatial processing (comparison of angle sizes) in children between the third and sixth grade (N = 367). Present findings suggest that the processing of comparisons of number of dots or angle are related to each other, but with angle processing developing earlier and being more easily comparable than discrete number representations for children of this age range. Accordingly, results favor the existence of a more complex underlying magnitude system consisting of dissociated but closely interacting representations for continuous and discrete magnitudes.
Novel Insights of Effects of Pregabalin on Neural Mechanisms of Intracortical Disinhibition in Physiopathology of Fibromyalgia: An Explanatory, Randomized, Double-Blind Crossover Study

Background: The fibromyalgia (FM) physiopathology involves an intracortical excitability/inhibition imbalance as measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation measures (TMS). TMS measures provide an index that can help to understand how the basal neuronal plasticity state (i.e., levels of the serum neurotrophins brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and S100-B protein) could predict the effect of therapeutic approaches on the cortical circuitries. We used an experimental paradigm to evaluate if pregabalin could be more effective than a placebo, to improve the disinhibition in the cortical circuitries in FM patients, than in healthy subjects (HS). We compared the acute intragroup effect of pregabalin with the placebo in FM patients and healthy subjects (HS) on the current silent period (CSP) and short intracortical inhibition (SICI), which were the primary outcomes. Pain scores and the pain pressure threshold (PPT) were secondary outcomes. Methods: This study included 27 women (17 FM and 10 HS), with ages ranging from 19 to 65 years. In a blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, participants were randomized to receive, in a cross-over manner, oral pregabalin of 150 mg or a placebo. The cortical excitability pain measures were assessed before and 90 min after receiving the medication. Results: A generalized estimating equation (GEE) model revealed that in FM, pregabalin increased the CSP by 14.34% [confidence interval (CI) 95%; 4.02 to 21.63] and the placebo reduced the CSP by 1.58% (CI 95%; −57 to 25.9) (P = 0.00). Pregabalin reduced the SICI by 8.82% (CI 95%, −26 to 46.00) and the placebo increased it by 19.56% (CI 95%; 8.10 to 59.45; P = 0.02). Pregabalin also improved the pain measures. In the treatment group, the BDNF-adjusted index was positively correlated and the serum S100-B negatively correlated with the CSP, respectively. However, in the HS, pregabalin and the placebo did not induce a statistically significant effect in either intracortical excitability or pain measures. Conclusion: These results suggest that pregabalin’s effect on cortical neural networks occurs, particularly under basal neuronal hyperexcitability, because its impact on the cortical excitability and the pain measures was observed only in the FM group. This indicates that pregabalin increased the CSP to induce inhibition in specific neural networks, while it increased the SICI to improve the excitability in other neurobiological systems. Trial registration in clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02639533.
Conditional GANs for Multi-Illuminant Color Constancy: Revolution or yet Another Approach?

Non-uniform and multi-illuminant color constancy are important tasks, the solution of which will allow to discard information about lighting conditions in the image. Non-uniform illumination and shadows distort colors of real-world objects and mostly do not contain valuable information. Thus, many computer vision and image processing techniques would benefit from automatic discarding of this information at the pre-processing step. In this work we propose novel view on this classical problem via generative end-to-end algorithm based on image conditioned Generative Adversarial Network. We also demonstrate the potential of the given approach for joint shadow detection and removal. Forced by the lack of training data, we render the largest existing shadow removal dataset and make it publicly available. It consists of approximately 6,000 pairs of wide field of view synthetic images with and without shadows.