Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Scale-Aware YOLO Model for Pedestrian Detection

Pedestrian detection is considered one of the most challenging problems in computer vision, as it involves the combination of classification and localization within a scene. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been demonstrated to achieve superior detection results compared to traditional approaches. Although YOLOv3 (an improved You Only Look Once model) is proposed as one of state-of-the-art methods in CNN-based object detection, it remains very challenging to leverage this method for real-time pedestrian detection. In this paper, we propose a new framework called SA YOLOv3, a scale-aware You Only Look Once framework which improves YOLOv3 in improving pedestrian detection of small scale pedestrian instances in a real-time manner.Our network introduces two sub-networks which detect pedestrians of different scales. Outputs from the sub-networks are then combined to generate robust detection results.Experimental results show that the proposed SA YOLOv3 framework outperforms the results of YOLOv3 on public datasets and run at an average of 11 fps on a GPU.
Yeast-mediated Green Synthesis of Nanoparticles for Biological Applications

Green synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) using microorganisms and green plants is one of the latest trends in research that has gained momentum, since it is an ecofriendly approach, with lesser toxicity to the environment. Microbial synthesis of metal NPs is a function of the ability of resistance against heavy metal toxicity, carried out by redox enzymes that participate in converting toxic metal ions to inert forms, or by structural proteins that bind metals. Yeasts are non-pathogenic, eukaryotic microorganisms, and available in different strains which have economic importance in breweries and bakeries as well as in food industry as nutrient supplements and their ability to ferment sugar. A novel use of yeasts, explored in recent times, is their potentiality to produce metal (gold, silver, titanium, palladium, and selenium)-NPs, of specific dimensions, either extracellularly or intracellularly, through their reducing enzymes involving different mechanisms. Such synthesized NPs also have tremendous importance as antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anticancer agents. This review focuses on yeast as a major scaffold for synthesis of different metal NPs and their several biological applications including nanomedicines.Keywords: Biological application, Green synthesis, Nanomedicine, Nanoparticles, Yeast.
Spanish adaptation of a film music stimulus set (FMSS): Cultural and gender differences in the perception of emotions prompted by music excerpts

The literature review reveals different conceptual and methodological challenges in the field of music and emotion, such as the lack of agreement in terms of standardized datasets, and the need for replication of prior findings. Our study aimed at validating for Spanish population a set of film music stimuli previously standardized in Finnish samples. In addition, we explored the role of gender and culture in the perception of emotions through music using 102 excerpts selected from Eerola and Vuoskoski’s dataset. A total of 129 voluntary undergraduate students (71.32% females) from different degrees participated voluntarily in this study, where they were instructed to rate both discrete emotions (Happiness, Sadness, Tenderness, Fear, Anger) and affective dimensions (Valence, Energy Arousal, Tension Arousal) using a 9-point scale after presentation of each excerpt. Strong similarities between Finnish and Spanish ratings were found, with only minor discrepancies across samples in the evaluation of basic emotions. Taken together, our findings suggest that the current database is suitable for future research on music and emotions. Additional theoretical and practical implications of this validation are discussed.
To see or not to see: The roles of item properties and language knowledge in Chinese missing logographeme effect

Abstract This study examined how language knowledge and item properties (i.e., semantic relatedness and position) influenced Chinese missing logographeme effects. Eighty-four Chinese readers and 53 English readers were asked to search for the Chinese logographeme 口 while reading a Chinese prose passage. The target 口 appeared in five different positions (i.e., left, right, top, bottom, or inside), varying its degree of semantic relatedness to its embedded characters. The generalized linear mixed-effect model revealed a significant interaction between semantic relatedness and position in Chinese, but not in English, readers when visual complexity and frequency were controlled. For Chinese readers, a higher omission rate occurred when 口 appeared in the top and inside positions and exhibited low semantic relatedness with its embedded characters, whereas 口 was omitted more when it was positioned on the right and exhibited high semantic relatedness to its embedded characters. English readers exhibited a different omission pattern: 口 was omitted more when it appeared in the left or right position irrespective of semantic relatedness. In addition, 口 was omitted more in the inside, rather than the bottom, position. These findings suggest that the omission rate of the logographeme is determined by item properties at the sublexical level and the reader’s language knowledge.
The Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Strategy Training on Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies and Salivary Cortisol Levels in Endurance Runners: A Three-Month Follow-up

Background: Exposure of the athlete to stressful situations in addition to physiological effects will cause the person to feel excited in response to those situations and these changes may have dangerous consequences. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the mindfulness-based intervention on cognitive-emotional regulation strategies and salivary cortisol levels in endurance runners with a three-month follow-up. Methods: The research method was experimental with a pretest-posttest follow up design with a control group. The study population consisted of all beginner endurance runners with age range 16-18 who were voluntarily invited to participate in this research. Twenty-four male beginner runners (mean aged 17.08 ± 0.64 years and athletic background 7.7 ± 1.6 month) were divided into two groups of Mindfulness-Based Intervention (MBI) and control. The intervention protocol of the experimental group consisted of six sessions of mindfulness training and daily homework assignments that were performed under the researcher's supervision and with the help of a qualified clinical psychologist. Salivary Cortisol Kit (SCK) with sensitivity 0.05 μg/dl was used to measure stress and the Gross and John Emotion Regulation Questionnaire was used to assess cognitive-emotional regulation strategies. Results: The results showed a significant difference in cortisol levels, suppression, and reappraisal, between the MBI and control groups in posttest and follow-up steps. The findings showed that salivary cortisol concentration in the MBI group was reduced from pretest (1.09 ± 0.16) to posttest (0.76 ± 0.15) and follow-up (0.72 ± 0.07). Also, the suppression component in the MBI group was reduced from pretest (21.40 ± 1.64) to posttest (15.10 ± 1) and follow-up (16 ± 1.15) and increased the reappraisal component from pretest (22.40 ± 1.17) to posttest (29.10 ± 2.37) and follow up (27.70 ± 2.21) (P value = 0.0001). Conclusions: The findings showed that MBI reduced salivary cortisol concentration and suppression component, while increased the reappraisal component of emotion regulation. The findings suggest that MBI can be used as a new promising method on cognitive emotion regulation strategies and salivary cortisol levels in endurance runners.
Enhancing biocompatibility of PCL/PU nano-structures to control the water wettability by NaOH hydrolysis treatment for tissue engineering applications

Nano-structures due to their unique properties can provide a biomimetic structure for cell attachment and proliferation in tissue engineering (TE) applications. But sometimes, their surface properties are not particularly suitable for directed tissue growth. In this regard, present study has focused on fabrication and hydrolysis of Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL)/Polyurethane (PU) by aqueous sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with a view to modify the surface and hydrophilicity of the structures. The characterizations and mechanical properties of non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed nano-structures were evaluated by SEM, FESEM, FTIR, water contact angle and tensile stress. The all hydrolyzed nano-structures showed improvement in contact angle after 2h at all concentrations of NaOH. The PCL, PU, PCL75%:PU25%, and PCL25%:PU75% structures have shown 3.8%, 12.5%, 4.1% and 7%, respectively, of shrinkage at hydrolysis at 3 M NaOH and 3 h. The PCL25%:PU75% structure indicated the greatest reduction in stress and strain at 3 M NaOH and 3 h (1.1 ± 0.06 MPa with 52% decreases) and (156 ± 5% with 49% decreases), respectively. Also, the structure with 75% of PCL showed 28% reduction in Young's Modulus (4.33 ± 0.45 MPa) at 3 M NaOH after 2 h. It is noted that the hydrolysis treatment with 3 M of NaOH concentration at 2 h is optimum condition for hydrolysis hybrid nan-structures for TE applications. Also, the results of this study proposed that hydrolyzed PCL75%:PU25% hybrid nano-structures due to its unique mechanical properties and optimum surface modification could be promising candidate for TE applications.
Age and growth of the Mesopotamian barb, Capoeta damascina, in central Iran

Age and growth of Mesopotamian barb, Capoeta damascina, were studied in the Zayandehrud River, in central Iran, from March 2007 to April 2008. Among the 689 specimens studied, age groups in males ranged from 1+ to 9+ and that in females ranged from 1+ to 10+. The sex ratio (1M:1.6F) was not significantly different from 1:1 ratio. Maximum fork length and weight was 39 cm and 1,115 g for males and 54.2 cm and 2,340 g for females. In all age classes, females were larger than males. The most frequent age groups were 3+ in males and 4+ in females. The highest value for condition factor was observed in June. The growth of C. damascina was described by von Bertalanffy growth curve as k=0.01, L∞=56.2 cm, to=-0.63 for males and k = 0.05, L∞=117.1 cm and to =-0.43 years for females. The length-weigh relationship was described as W=0.0169L2. 95 (r2=0.98) for males and as W=0.0155L2. 99 (r2=0.99) for females, indicating an isometric growth pattern in both sexes. Growth performance index φ` was estimated as 5.73 for males and 6.53 for females, indicating a faster growth rate in females.
Cornea Procurement and Processing up to 72 Hours: No Risk for Cornea Transplant Quality

Background: The realization of tissue donations is bound to a tight timeframe. Depending on the type of tissue, time limits are specified within which the donation must be procured and processed. Otherwise, there is a risk of tissue quality loss with increasing time intervals from cardiovascular arrest. According to the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM) guide, cornea must be procured and processed within 72 h after death. The question arises whether this time interval has an influence on the quality of transplanted tissues and how it affects the accomplishment of tissue donations. Methods: In order to obtain information on this, the numbers of tissue donations in the network of the German Society for Tissue Transplantation (DGFG) were evaluated as a function of the death to retrieval time (DRT) as well as the death to preservation time (DPT). For this purpose, 21,454 database entries of cornea donations made in the period from 2014 to 2018 were included. Results: The results show that nearly 50% of donations realized in the DGFG network could be processed only 48 h or later after cardiovascular death due to the opt-in regulation in Germany. For these donations, there seems to be a higher discard rate compared to donations taken earlier. Nevertheless, there is a transplantation rate for these grafts of more than 65%, which is comparable to average transplantation rates stated in the literature. Conclusion: All corneas finally selected for transplantation must meet the specified quality parameters. Since this naturally also applies to transplants that could only be procured at later time points, it can be concluded that DPT up to 72 h for corneal tissue is adequate and has no influence on the quality of corneas that are ultimately transplanted.
Neuromagnetic signatures of the spatiotemporal transformation for manual pointing

Movement planning involves transforming the sensory goal representation into a command in motor coordinates. Surprisingly, the real-time dynamics of sensorimotor transformations at the whole brain level remain unknown, in part due to the spatiotemporal limitations of fMRI and neurophysiological recordings. Here, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) during pro-/anti-wrist pointing to determine (1) the cortical areas involved in transforming visual signals into appropriate hand motor commands, and (2) how this transformation occurs in real time, both within and across the regions involved. We computed sensory, motor, and sensorimotor indices in 16 bilateral brain regions for direction coding based on hemispherically lateralized de/synchronization in the α (7-15Hz) and β (15-35Hz) bands. We found a visuomotor progression, from pure sensory codes in ‘early’ occipital-parietal areas, to a temporal transition from sensory to motor coding in the majority of parietal-frontal sensorimotor areas, to a pure motor code, in both the α and β bands. Further, the timing of these transformations revealed a top-down pro/anti cue influence that propagated ‘backwards’ from frontal through posterior cortical areas. These data directly demonstrate a progressive, real-time transformation both within and across the entire occipital-parietal-frontal network that follows specific rules of spatial distribution and temporal order.
Investigation of zirconium nanowire by elastic, thermal and ultrasonic analysis

Abstract The elastic, thermal and ultrasonic properties of zirconium nanowire (Zr-NW) have been investigated at room temperature. The second and third order elastic constants (SOECs and TOECs) of Zr-NW have been figured out using the Lennard–Jones Potential model. SOECs have been used to find out the Young’s modulus, bulk modulus, shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio, Pugh’s ratio, Zener anisotropic factor and ultrasonic velocities. Further these associated parameters of Zr-NW have been utilized for the evaluation of the Grüneisen parameters, thermal conductivity, thermal relaxation time, acoustic coupling constants and ultrasonic attenuation. On the basis of the above analyzed properties of Zr-NW, some characteristics features of the chosen nanowire connected with ultrasonic and thermo-physical parameters have been discussed.
Modeling of Forest Communities’ Spatial Structure at the Regional Level through Remote Sensing and Field Sampling: Constraints and Solutions

This study tests modern approaches to spatial modeling of forest communities at the regional level based on a supervised classification. The study is conducted by the example of mapping the composition of forest communities in a large urbanized region (the Moscow Region, area 4.69 million hectares). A database of 1684 field descriptions is used as sample plots. As environmental variables, Landsat spectral reflectances, vegetation indices (5 images), digital elevation model and morphometric parameters of the relief, 54 layers in total, are used. Additionally, the Palsar-2 radar dataset is included. The main mapped units are formations and groups of associations identified on the basis of the ecological-phytocoenotic classification. Formations and groups of associations are similar in semantics and principles of allocation to units of forest typology. It is shown that the maximum entropy method has a wide range of applications, in particular, for mapping the typological diversity of forest cover. The method is used in combination with geographically structured spatial jack-knifing, spatial rarefication of occurrence data and independent testing of model feature classes and regularization parameters. Spatial rarefication is a critical technique when points are not evenly distributed in space. The resulting model of the spatial structure of forest cover is based on the integration of the best models of each thematic class of different types of forest cover into a single cartographic layer. It is shown that under conditions of uneven and sparse distribution of points, it is possible to provide an average point matching level of 0.45 for formations and 0.29 for association groups. Herewith, the spatial structure and the ratio of the formation’s composition correspond to the official data of the forest inventory. An attempt is made to identify and evaluate the distribution of more detailed syntaxonomic units: association groups. The necessary requirements for improving the quality of the forest cover model of the study area for 2 hierarchical typological units of forest cover are formulated. These include the additional sampling in order to equalize their spatial density, as well as to achieve equality of samples based on stratification according to the resulting map.
School as ideal setting to promote health and wellbeing among young people

Background: Nowadays, young people face several health challenges. As children and teenagers spend most of their time in the classroom, schools may have the opportunity to positively influence students’ quality of life, playing a crucial role in fostering their health. The aim of this review was to analyze evidence that demonstrated why school is the ideal setting for thepromotion of young generations’ wellbeing. Methods: We have reviewed the available literature about health promotion in school setting, searching for articles and books published from 1977 to 2020. A total of 74 articles and 17books were selected and assessed. Results: The promotion of students’ wellbeing could reduce the prevalence of measurable unhealthy outcomes and improve their academic achievements. At least 80% of all cases of heart diseases, strokes, type 2 diabetes and one third of all cancers can be prevented through health education. In this perspective, primary prevention and health promotion should start as early as possible, finding in the school the ideal setting of action. Effective school-based preventive approaches should raise students’ motivation towards a personal interiorization of health knowledge and develop in young people a critical thinking about harmful consequences of the most common risky behaviours. Educators should receive adequate training concerning health topics and become expert in the most innovative approaches to effectively engage students in adopting healthy lifestyles. Conclusion: As primary educational institution, school should integrate students’ health promotion in its ordinary teaching and learning practices in the perspective of "better health through better schools".
Observed Interactions Among Haze, Fog and Atmospheric Boundary Layer during a Haze-fog Episode in the Yangtze River Delta Region, Eastern China

ABSTRACT A severe haze-fog episode occurred in the Yangtze River Delta region of eastern China during 22-30 November, 2018. In this period, the PM2.5 mass concentration and meteorological parameters at the surface were collected at the Station for Observing Regional Processes of the Earth System site in Nanjing. The vertical distributions of PM2.5, humidity and potential temperature below 500 m were observed simultaneously by an unmanned aerial vehicle, and the profile of potential temperature at 1400 local standard time on each day was also observed by radiosonde at the same site. During the first four days, the PM2.5 mass concentration increased, the maximum convective planetary boundary layer height (CBLH) decreased, and the air humidity increased. These are favorable conditions for fog formation. In the latter five days, fog formed on four days, with a lowering of the CBLH and a further increase in PM2.5 mass concentration. We found that the fog top cooling induced a potential temperature jump (i.e., sharp increase of potential temperature) with much warmer temperatures above the cloud top cooling and that this particular thermal structure was maintained until the end of the fog period, which significantly suppressed the daytime development of the planetary boundary layer after fog dissipation. The fog-induced reduction of the CBLH further increased the PM2.5 mass concentration. We also found that the wet deposition of fog on PM2.5 was negligible. The scavenging effect of fog on aerosols only acts during a fog period. When the fog dissipates, the aerosols are liberated from the fog droplets to the atmosphere.
Consumer sentiment and time-varying betas: Testing the validity of the consumption CAPM on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange

ABSTRACT We test both the conditional and unconditional versions of the consumption capital asset pricing model (CCAPM) on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, for the period 1988–2018, and compare its performance with that of the CAPM and the Fama-French three- and five-factor models. We use the consumer confidence index as an instrument to parameterise shifts in betas over time in conditional models. In order to study the robustness of the results at a higher frequency than that of consumption data, we use the mimicking portfolio of the stochastic discount factor tied to the model. Our results show that in all cases the conditional CCAPM performs satisfactorily, outperforming both the CAPM and the Fama-French three-factor model. These results suggest that South African consumption growth and consumer sentiment help explain a large fraction of the expected returns in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Chemoprevention of Barley and Sage against acrylamide-Induced genotoxic, biochemical and histopathological alterations in rats

Acrylamide (ACR) has recently been found in fried and backed foods, suggesting widespread public exposure. ACR is an industrial chemical material that causes neurotoxicity in humans and was designated as a probable human carcinogen by IARC and USEPA. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects of barley and sage against ACR mutagenicity and biochemical and histopathological changes in rats. Forty mature male rats were divided into eight groups and were fed barley and/or sage-supplemented diet (5%) with or without ACR (50 mg/kg b.w). The biochemical results revealed that ACR increased Alanine amino transferase (ALT), Aspartate amino transferase (AST), triglycerides (TG), cholesterol and uric acid. Micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes and chromosomal aberrations in somatic and germ cells were significantly increased in ACR-treated animals. Severe pathological lesions included testicular degeneration, oedema, spermatid giant cells formation and necrosis of spermatid cells were found in the testis of ACR-treated group. The kidney of this group showed degenerative changes. Cotreatment with barley and/or Sage and ACR resulted in a significant improvement in all the parameters tested. It could be concluded that these plants contain antioxidant compounds and may be useful when add as food additive to the food cooked on a higher temperature.