Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional and Structural Adaptations of Skeletal Muscle to Functional and Structural Adaptations of Skeletal Muscle to Microgravity Microgravity

Our purpose is to summarize the major effects of space travel on skeletal muscle with particular emphasis on factors that alter function. The primary deleterious changes are muscle atrophy and the associated decline in peak force and power. Studies on both rats and humans demonstrate a rapid loss of cell mass with microgravity. In rats, a reduction in muscle mass of up to 37% was observed within 1 week. For both species, the antigravity soleus muscle showed greater atrophy than the fast-twitch gastrocnemius. However, in the rat
The changing carbonate chemistry of coral reefs : ocean acidification, submarine groundwater discharge, and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) sediment dissolution

Dissolved inorganic carbon, dissolved oxygen, H+, and alkalinity fluxes from permeable carbonate sediments at Heron Island (Great Barrier Reef) were measured over one diel cycle using benthic chambers designed to induce advective pore-water exchange. A complex hysteretic pattern between carbonate precipitation and dissolution in sands and the aragonite saturation state (VAr) of the overlying chamber water was observed throughout the incubations. During the day, precipitation followed a hysteretic pattern based on the incidence of photosynthetically active radiation with lower precipitation rates in the morning than in the afternoon. The observed diel hysteresis seems to reflect a complex interaction between photosynthesis and respiration rather than VAr of the overlying water as the main driver of carbonate precipitation and dissolution within these permeable sediments. Changes in flux rates over a diel cycle demonstrate the importance of taking into account the shortterm variability of benthic metabolism when calculating net daily flux rates. Based on one diel cycle, the sediments were a net daily source of alkalinity to the water column (5.13 to 8.84 mmol m22 d21, depending on advection rates), and advection had a net stimulatory effect on carbonate dissolution. The enhanced alkalinity release associated with benthic metabolism and pore-water advection may partially buffer shallow coral reef ecosystems against ocean acidification on a local scale. Limnol. Oceanogr. , 58(1), 2013, 131–143 E 2013, by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, Inc. doi:10.4319/lo.2013. 58.1. 0131 131 Published article removed due to copyright restrictions. Published article is available at doi:10.4319/lo.2013. 58.1. 0131 or SCU Login
Estimation Bayésienne de l’abondance par "removal sampling" en présence de variabilité du taux d’échantillonnage : application aux tiques Ixodes ricinus en quête d’hôtes

L'estimation des abondances de population est essentielle pour comprendre les dynamiques de population, les interactions entre especes et estimer les risques de transmission d'agents pathogenes dans les populations. Plusieurs methodes d'echantillonnages, basees sur des hypotheses specifiques permettent d'estimer ces abondances : les methodes par comptages uniques, par « distance sampling », par echantillonnages successifs ou par capture marquage recapture. Nous nous sommes interesses a l'abondance des tiques Ixodes ricinus, vecteurs de nombreux agents pathogenes. Cette abondance est classiquement estimee par le nombre de tiques capturees lors d'echantillonnages uniques realises sur differentes unites d'observation. Cependant, de nombreuses etudes remettent en cause cette hypothese forte et suggerent que le taux d'echantillonnage est variable selon les conditions d'echantillonnage (type de vegetation,…) mais ne prennent pas en compte ce taux d'echantillonnage pour autant. A partir d'une methode d'echantillonnage par « removal sampling » (RS), (i) nous avons montre que les conditions environnementales influencaient le taux d'echantillonnage et l'indicateur d'abondance usuel i.e. le nombre de tiques capturees lors d'un seul echantillonnage (ii) nous avons propose une methode pour detecter l'indicateur d'abondance, bases sur le nombre cumule de capture, le moins soumis aux variations du taux ; (iii) par une approche Bayesienne hierarchique, nous avons estime simultanement l'abondance de tiques des unites d'observation et la valeur du taux d'echantillonnage en fonction du type de vegetation et de l'heure d'echantillonnage. Nous avons montre que le taux d'echantillonnage sur des arbustes (entre 33,9 % et 47,4%) etait significativement inferieur au taux d'echantillonnage sur des feuilles mortes (entre 53,6 % et 66,7%). De plus, nous avons montre que le modele RS tend vers un modele de Poisson iid lorsque la taille de la population N0 tend vers l'infini ce qui pose des problemes d'indetermination pour estimer les parametres N0 et τ, le taux d'echantillonnage. Nous avons egalement montre que (i) les estimateurs Bayesiens divergent lorsque les lois a priori sont des lois vagues ; (ii) les lois a priori β(a, b) avec a > 2 sur τ conduisaient a des estimateurs Bayesien convergents. Enfin, nous avons propose des recommandations quant au choix des lois a priori pour τ afin d'obtenir de bonnes estimations pour N0 ou pour τ. Nous discutons de la pertinence des methodes RS pour les tiques et des perspectives envisageables pour (i) estimer le risque acarologique represente par la population de tiques potentiellement actives sur une unite d'observation, (ii) estimer un risque a l'echelle d'une parcelle, a savoir comment repartir l'effort d'echantillonnage entre le nombre d'unites d'observation et le nombre d'echantillonnages successifs par unites d'observation.
On the Robustness of Multimodal Large Language Models

Visual Large Language Models (VLLMs) have shown promising capabilities in understanding visual context. In this study, we investigate the performance of a VLLM, LLaVA in a visual question answering task after augmenting the input image with noise, a rotation, crop, etc. We further probe the resilience of VLLMs under adversarial conditions, specifically when the vision encoder is subjected to adversarial attacks. Our findings reveal that our VLLM’s ability to understanding visual context is minimally impacted by augmenting the input image. We discover that our VLLM exhibits reduced susceptibility to adversarial attacks. This crucial insight suggests that the integration of a Large Language Model (LLM) as a language decoder, coupled with a vision encoder, could potentially serve as a countermeasure against adversarial attacks.
Deep Learning-Based Approaches for Depth and 6-DoF Pose Estimation

In this thesis, we investigated two important geometric vision problems, namely, depth estimation from a single RGB image, and 6-DoF object pose estimation from a partial point cloud. Geometric vision problems are concerned with extracting information (e.g. depth, agent trajectory, 3D structure, 6-DoF pose of objects) of the scene from noisy sensor data (e.g. RGB images, LiDAR) by exploiting geometric constraints (e.g. epipolar constraint, rigid motion of objects). Deep learning framework has achieved impressive progress in many computer vision tasks such as image recognition and segmentation. However, applying deep learning-based approaches to geometric vision problems, which are particularly important in safety-critical robotics applications, remains an open problem. The main challenge lies in the fact that it is not straightforward to incorporate geometric constraints, arising from image formation process and physical properties, to optimization problems. To this end, we explore possibilities of enforcing such constraints either by decomposing a problem into two sub-problems each respecting desired constraints, or designing an estimator establishing relationship between intermediate representations and predicted outputs. We propose a deep learning-based approach for -each problem. Through extensive experiments, we show that our proposed approaches produce results comparable with state of the art on public datasets. Thesis Supervisor: Sertac Karaman Title: Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics Thesis Reader: Nicholas M. Patrikalakis Title: Kawasaki Professor of Engineering Professor of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering
(Digital Moving in concert: Social and migratory behaviour of dolphins and whales in the North Atlantic Ocean

Behavioral responses of Risso’s dolphins ( Grampus griseus ) to whale watching vessels were studied off Pico Island, Azores. Dolphin behavior was studied from a land-based lookout, enabling observations of groups in the absence and presence of vessels. The number of whale watching vessels showed a clear seasonal pattern, dividing the whale watching period into a low season and a high season. During the low season, Risso’s dolphins rested mainly in the morning and afternoon. During the high season, Risso’s dolphins rested less and did so mainly at noon, when the number of active vessels was lowest. Data analysis using a generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) indicated that this change in resting behavior was associated with vessel abundance. When more than five vessels were present, Risso’s dolphins spent significantly less time resting and socializing. During the high season, this vessel abundance was exceeded during 20% of observation days. While we cannot be sure that the observed changes in behavior have fitness consequences for Risso’s dolphins, reduced resting and socializing rates can have negative impacts on the build-up of energy reserves and on reproductive success. We suggest the adoption of precautionary management measures to regulate the timing and intensity of whale watching activities.
Scenario Planning: Managing for the Future

Acknowledgements. Contributors to the Second Edition. Foreword. PART I Introduction. Chapter 1: The Development of Scenario Planning. Chapter 2: Where Are We Now? Chapter 3: ICL's Experience of Building Scenarios for Strategic Planning. Chapter 4: Linking Scenarios to Strategic Planning. Chapter 5: Scenarios to Influence Public Attitudes. Chapter 6: Scenarios for Learning. Chapter 7: Summary and Conclusions. PART II METHODS AND EXAMPLES. Computer-Driven Simulations, e.g. Stratx. The European Commission's Methodology. The French School. Generon Consulting. GBN Global Business Network. International Futures and the Terra Project. SAMI Consulting. SCMl. SRI Consulting Business Intelligence. The Amington Institute. The Millennium Project. Futures Data. PART III CASE STUDIES. AMA: Roadmap to Utopia. British Airways. Cable & Wireless Experience. Diabetes 2020: Designing New Business Models for Prevention and Treatment. Electrolux: Developing New Business Streams. European Commission: Using Scenarios to Great Common Understanding across Different Cultures. Finland: A Long-term View. KRONE: Scanning the Horizon. Morgan Stanley in Japan, 2002. Pharma Futures: Multistakeholder Scenario Planning for the Global Pharmaceutical Industry through 2015. Shell's Planning System in the 1990s. Surrey Vision 2020. The UK National Health Service. United Distillers' Experience: Investigating Market Potential. PART IV EXAMPLES OF SCENARIOS. Scenarios Developed by ICL - Mark I. Scenarios Developed by ICL - Mark II. Scenarios for the Telecom Supply Industry. The Hemingford Scenarios. Scenarios for the Future of Biosciences in 2020 and Beyond. Scenarios for Organisations in the Twenty-first Century. Scenarios for Scotland. Shell Global Scenarios to 2025. The Challenge Forum Global Scenarios for 2025. Z/Yen Scenarios for Voluntary-Sector Organisations. Bibliography. Index.
‘ Poverty , Equity and Growth in Developing and Transition Countries : Statistical Methods and Empirical Analysis

In this paper we construct simultaneous confidence bands for a smooth curve using penalized spline estimators. We consider three types of estimation methods: (i) as a standard (fixed effect) nonparametric model, (ii) using the mixed model framework with the spline coefficients as random effects and (iii) a Bayesian approach. The volume-of-tube formula is applied for the first two methods and compared from a frequentist perspective to Bayesian simultaneous confidence bands. It is shown that the mixed model formulation of penalized splines can help to obtain, at least approximately, confidence bands with either Bayesian or frequentist properties. Simulations and data analysis support the methods proposed. The R package ConfBands accompanies the paper.
‘Poverty, Equity and Growth in Developing and Transition Countries: Statistical Methods and Empirical Analysis’

Lack of information about health risks may limit the adoption of improved nutritional and healthy behavior. This paper studies the effect of a nutrition information intervention on household dietary behavior, hemoglobin levels, and cognitive outcomes of children in rural India. Using experimental data and regression discontinuity design that exploits the exogenous cutoff of hemoglobin level for anemia, we find statistically insignificant treatment effects on dietary improvements, child health, and cognitive outcomes of children. Our findings suggest that light-touch nutrition information alone, even when parents are informed about the health risk of their children, may not promote healthy behavior and factors other than information might constrain households in making nutritional investments for their children. JEL codes: I12, I15, I18, O12
Adobe Reader version 9 Adobe Reader version X and XI Review To review your changes , click on the ‘ Show ’ button on the Commenting tool bar

When you open the PDF file using Adobe Reader, the Commenting tool bar should be displayed automatically; if not, click on ‘Tools’, select ‘Comment & Markup’, then click on ‘Show Comment & Markup tool bar’ (or ‘Show Commenting bar’ on the Mac). If these options are not available in your Adobe Reader menus then it is possible that your Adobe Acrobat version is lower than 9 or the PDF has not been prepared properly.
Human Factors Issues in Virtual Environments : A Review of the Literature

Virtual environments are envisioned as being systems that will enhance the communication between humans and computers. If virtual systems are to be effective and well received by their users, considerable human-factors research needs to be accomplished. This paper provides an overview of many of these human-factors issues, including human performance efficiency in virtual worlds (which is likely influenced by task characteristics, user characteristics, human sensory and motor physiology, multimodal interaction, and the potential need for new design metaphors); health and safety issues (of which cybersickness and deleterious physiological aftereffects may pose the most concern); and the social impact of the technology. The challenges each of these factors present to the effective design of virtual environments and systematic approaches to the resolution of each of these issues are discussed.
Acoustic Travel-Time Tomography of the Atmosphere at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory

Abstract : Acoustic tomography of the atmospheric surface layer (ASL) is based on measurements of travel times of sound propagation between speakers and microphones, which constitute a tomography array. The temperature and wind velocity fields inside the tomographic region affect the travel times and can be reconstructed using different inverse algorithms. An array for acoustic tomography of the ASL has recently been built at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO), CO, USA. The array consists of three speaker and five microphone towers located along the perimeter of a square with side length of 80 m. Speakers and microphones are connected via underground cables to the central command and data acquisition computer and other equipment located in a small modular building at the BAO. Using the BAO tomography array, the travel times of sound impulses between the speakers and microphones have been measured and analyzed. Subsequent reconstruction of the temperature and wind velocity fields is done with a recently developed time-dependent stochastic inversion. Examples of the reconstructed turbulence fields are presented and analyzed. Other developments in acoustic tomography are briefly discussed.
The influence of learning styles and academic success motivations on prospective students taking a physical education special skill exam based on a few parameters

Background and Study Aim Learning styles are the foundation of how students learn and the unique paths to individual development. So they must be considered when assessing academic progress. The primary objective of this research endeavor is to investigate the learning styles and academic motivation exhibited by individuals aspiring to enroll in the faculty of sports sciences. Material and Methods The study’s population comprises 4104 candidates who applied to the special talent entrance examination at the Faculty of Sport Sciences in the Selcuk University. The survey was administered to a sample of 378 individuals, consisting of 215 male and 163 female students, who are planning to take the special skill entrance exam for the faculty of sport science. Selcuk and Necmettin Erbakan Universities in Konya used random sampling to select participants from prospective students for the study. The questionnaire served as the primary instrument for conducting descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses. To fulfill the research objectives, the Academic Motivation Scale and Kolb Learning Styles Inventory were employed. The reliability and validity of these scales were rigorously examined by the researchers. Results The study provides evidence that students who utilized multiple learning styles had significantly higher academic motivation. Conclusions In conclusion, this study emphasizes the significance of learning styles in evaluating academic progress in sports sciences. Individuals utilizing converging, accommodating, and multiple learning styles show higher academic motivation, emphasizing the need to foster diverse learning approaches for student engagement and success.
The Final Victims: Foreign Slave Trade to North America, 1783-1810

With this detailed study of the importation of slaves to North America in the decades following the American Revolution, James A. McMillin tests long-standing assumptions about an enterprise thought to have waned in the wake of the United States' successful revolution against Great Britain. Combing through previously untapped public and private sources, McMillin uncovers data that challenges entrenched beliefs about the slave trade and, as a result, has far-reaching implications for our understanding of American life in the early republic. McMillin examines the volume and business of importing slaves from 1783 to 1810, the African origins of those captives, and their treatment by shippers and North American merchants. Tracing a shift in North American slaving commerce from New England to the lower South, McMillin tracks the vessels that imported slaves to America, particularly into Charleston, Savannah, and New Orleans. McMillin suggests that previous scholars have underestimated the number of slave voyages and consequently the magnitude of American overseas slave trading during this era. He maintains the founding fathers did little to discourage the importation of slaves and asserts that--with the lengthening duration and distance of the notorious ""middle passage""--conditions for African captives most likely worsened after the Revolution. To his revisionist narrative McMillin appends, on a searchable CD-ROM accompanying the volume, the massive data that led him to these conclusions. The information includes places of origin for the captives; names of vessels, captains, and owners; size of slave cargoes; ports of arrival; and other data pertinent to his investigation.
Climate Change Salience and Electricity Consumption: Evidence from Twitter Activity

We employ electricity-use data covering 1,500,000 Italian households for 2015–2019 and a granular measure of social media attention to climate change derived from universal-coverage Twitter data to show that increases in climate change salience induced by exogenous sociopolitical and climatic events cause a significant reduction in energy consumption. Sentiment analysis suggests that natural disasters and climate strikes are associated with emotions that are strong motivators for action. These results imply that episodes that draw attention to climate change may lead to actual behavioral change, but their effect is short lived.
International Journal of Education Humanities and Social Science

Stress is an embedded component in the lives of teachers in the Philippines that affects their job performance. This study was conducted to assess and evaluate the sources and level of occupational stress and coping styles in relation to the teachers’ job performance. Descriptive and Correlational design of the research was employed to examine these variables. A population (N=226) of Elementary Teachers from Zone III, Division of Zambales were examined. A selfdeveloped questionnaire was used to know the sources and level of occupational stress, coping styles, and teachers’ job performance. Results showed that teachers were occupationally stressed. Teachers used both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping styles. However, there is little or weak relationship between job performance and occupational stress; job performance and coping style mechanism and occupational stress and coping style mechanism. Seminars and workshops for stress management among teachers should be conducted to avoid and lessen their stress levels.
Traditional Neighborhoods and Auto Ownership

Author(s): Hess, Daniel Baldwin; Ong, Paul M. | Abstract: Many cities have traditional neighborhoods, or established, inner-city districts comprised of diverse housing, mixed-land uses, pedestrian connectivity and convenient transit access. This study quantifies the likely effects of land use patterns on auto ownership for such neighborhoods. Using Portland, Oregon, we test a model that explains auto ownership based on household, neighborhood, and urban design characteristics. The index of mixed-land use is statistically significant, ceteris paribus. We find compelling evidence of the impact of mixed-land use on auto ownership: as land use mix changes from diverse to homogeneous, the probability of owning an auto decreases by 31 percentage points. The findings imply that traditional neighborhoods are more conducive to alternatives to private vehicle use, such as walking and public transit, and to higher motor vehicle costs.
${\sf MARS}$: Enabling Verifiable Range-Aggregate Queries in Multi-Source Environments

—The huge values created by big data and the recent advances in cloud computing have been driving data from different sources into cloud repositories for comprehensive query services. However, cloud-based data fusion makes it challenging to verify if an untrusted server faithfully integrates data and executes queries or not. This is even harder for range-aggregate queries that apply aggregate operations on data within given ranges. In this paper, we propose a query authentication scheme, named MARS, enabling a user to efﬁciently authenticate range-aggregate queries on multi-source data. Speciﬁcally, MARS creates a VG-tree by subtly integrating Expressive Set Accumulator into a multi-dimensional G-tree while signing the root digest with a multi-source aggregate signature scheme. Compared with previous solutions, MARS has the following merits: (1) Practicality. Instead of treating range and aggregate queries separately, the user can directly verify the statistical result of selected data. (2) Scalability. Instead of authenticating the individual result from each source, the user can perform an aggregative validation on the integrated result from multiple sources. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of MARS. For large-scale data fusion, the user-side veriﬁcation time increases by only 103ms as the amount of data sources increases by ﬁve times.