Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intentions Into Actions

This article addresses the emergence of “lowest-low” fertility in some countries, primarily in Southern Europe and East Asia, and poses the question of why we find such large differences in birth rates across postindustrial societies. A set of macro–micro mechanisms are identified, which are examined empirically using comparative data for seven countries from the Gender and Generations Survey. Social norms, and in particular social norms related to gender roles, are at the center of the analysis as a mechanism that conditions the translation of intentions into behavior. Societies that discourage gender equity in the private sphere of the household tend to be characterized by a strong breadwinner ideology. In these societies, the valorization of women’s role as household manager and mother is mirrored by the valorization of men’s role as breadwinner for the household. In these societies, there is a strong norm that a young man should be able to support a family prior to getting married and becoming a parent, that is, that males should prove themselves to be adequate breadwinners. When combined with changing structural conditions, such as high unemployment rates, prolonged periods of education, and increasingly insecure terms of employment in flexible labor markets, this norm will lead to declining birth rates. Hence, norms work as a mechanism that filters the effect of structural conditions so that structural constraints on fertility, such as limited labor market opportunities for young men, will affect fertility outcomes via the mechanism of gender-role norms.
Personal Experiences and Emotionality in Health-Related Knowledge Exchange in Internet Forums: A Randomized Controlled Field Experiment Comparing Responses to Facts Vs Personal Experiences

Background On the Internet, people share personal experiences as well as facts and objective information. This also holds true for the exchange of health-related information in a variety of Internet forums. In online discussions about health topics, both fact-oriented and strongly personal contributions occur on a regular basis. Objective In this field experiment, we examined in what way the particular type of contribution (ie, factual information vs personal experiences) has an impact on the subsequent communication in health-related Internet forums. Methods For this purpose, we posted parallelized queries to 28 comparable Internet forums; queries were identical with regard to the information contained but included either fact-oriented descriptions or personal experiences related to measles vaccination. In the factual information condition, we posted queries to the forums that contained the neutral summary of a scientific article. In the personal experiences condition, we posted queries to the forums that contained the same information as in the first condition, but were framed as personal experiences Results We found no evidence that personal experiences evoked more responses (mean 3.79, SD 3.91) from other members of the Internet forums than fact-oriented contributions (mean 2.14, SD 2.93, t 26=0.126, P=.219). But personal experiences elicited emotional replies (mean 3.17, SD 1.29) from other users to a greater extent than fact-oriented contributions (mean 2.13, SD 1.29, t 81=3.659, P<.001). Conclusions We suggest that personal experiences elicited more emotional replies due to the process of emotional anchoring of people’s own style of communication. We recommend future studies should aim at testing the hypotheses with more general and with less emotionally charged topics, constructing different fact-oriented posts, and examining additional potential factors of influence such as personality factors or particular communication situations.
Entrepreneurial Resilience: Real & Perceived Barriers to Implementing Entrepreneurial Intentions

Researchers have vigorously pursued study of entrepreneurial intentions. Such study has proven useful, both conceptually and practically. Formal models of behavioral intentions offer sound theory and empirical robustness plus well-defined critical antecedents. Intentions still remain the best single predictor of human behavior. However, researchers have also long noted that we need a much better understanding of the linkages between intention and action Krueger 2000; Shepherd & Krueger 2002). Does the failure of an intent to be realized as action (a) reflect a change in one or more of the critical antecedents or (b) reflect a barrier to action that could not be surmounted? This study explores the latter explanation in some depth.
Venous thromboembolism: Past, present and future

Summary Venous thromboembolism (VTE), the third most frequent acute cardiovascular syndrome, is associated with a considerable disease burden which continues to grow along with the longer life expectancy of the population worldwide. In the past century, parenteral heparin prophylaxis was established for hospitalised patients at elevated risk of VTE. More recently, non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) with a direct inhibiting effect on factor Xa or thrombin, underwent extensive testing in clinical trials and have been approved for patients undergoing hip or knee replacement. Clinical investigation is ongoing in further areas of thromboprophylaxis, including medical prophylaxis in patients and high-risk situations in the outpatient setting. The diagnostic approach to suspected VTE is now based on advanced imaging techniques and robust diagnostic algorithms which ensure high sensitivity and specificity. Nevertheless, the role of clinical, or pre-test, probability assessment remains crucial to avoid overdiagnosis and treatment errors. Advances in reperfusion strategies, along progressive establishment of the NOACs as the new standard of anticoagulation treatment, have simplified the management of VTE, improving outcomes and particularly safety. While new molecular targets for anticoagulation are being investigated in the quest to further reduce bleeding risk, adjusting the initial regimen to the patient’s risk and finding the optimal duration of anticoagulation after an index VTE event will be some of the top priorities in the years to come. Importantly, and in parallel to new drugs and technical advances in imaging, incentives such as hospital accreditation and funding based on evidence-based practice need to be implemented to increase guideline adherence.
The Effects of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome on the Dentate Gyrus and Learning and Memory in Children

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with intermittent hypoxia and sleep loss. In children, impairments of cognitive function are important manifestations, but the underlying pathology is unknown. We hypothesized that OSAS would affect the dentate gyrus, a hippocampal subdivision essential to neurogenesis and cognition, and that this impact would further affect cognitive function in children. In children with OSAS (n = 11) and control subjects (n = 12; age and sex matched), we performed diffusion tensor imaging and structural MRI, polysomnography, and neuropsychological assessments. We found that OSAS was associated with decreased mean diffusivity of the left dentate gyrus (p = 0.002; false discovery rate corrected; adjusting for sex, age, and body mass index), showing a large effect size (partial η2 = 0.491), but not with any other structural measures across the brain. Decreased dentate gyrus mean diffusivity correlated with a higher apnea hypopnea index (Spearman's r = −0.50, p = 0.008) and a greater arousal index (r = −0.44, p = 0.017). OSAS did not significantly affect neuropsychological measures (p values >0.5); however, a lower verbal learning score correlated with lower dentate gyrus mean diffusivity (r = 0.54, p = 0.004). Path analysis demonstrated that dentate gyrus mean diffusivity mediates the impact of OSAS on verbal learning capacity. Finally, the diagnostic accuracy of a regression model based on dentate gyrus mean diffusivity reached 85.8% (cross validated). This study demonstrates a likely pathway of effects of OSAS on neurocognitive function in children, as well as potential utility of the dentate gyrus mean diffusivity as an early marker of brain pathology in children with OSAS. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study we investigate the relationships between dentate gyrus structure, hippocampus-dependent cognition, and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). We demonstrate lower mean diffusivity of the dentate gyrus in children with OSAS, which correlates with a lower verbal learning and memory score. This study provides new evidence of disrupted microstructure of the dentate gyrus in children with OSAS that may help explain some of the neurocognitive deficits described in these children.
Niche adaptation and genome expansion in the chlorophyll d-producing cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina

Acaryochloris marina is a unique cyanobacterium that is able to produce chlorophyll d as its primary photosynthetic pigment and thus efficiently use far-red light for photosynthesis. Acaryochloris species have been isolated from marine environments in association with other oxygenic phototrophs, which may have driven the niche-filling introduction of chlorophyll d. To investigate these unique adaptations, we have sequenced the complete genome of A. marina. The DNA content of A. marina is composed of 8.3 million base pairs, which is among the largest bacterial genomes sequenced thus far. This large array of genomic data is distributed into nine single-copy plasmids that code for >25% of the putative ORFs. Heavy duplication of genes related to DNA repair and recombination (primarily recA) and transposable elements could account for genetic mobility and genome expansion. We discuss points of interest for the biosynthesis of the unusual pigments chlorophyll d and α-carotene and genes responsible for previously studied phycobilin aggregates. Our analysis also reveals that A. marina carries a unique complement of genes for these phycobiliproteins in relation to those coding for antenna proteins related to those in Prochlorococcus species. The global replacement of major photosynthetic pigments appears to have incurred only minimal specializations in reaction center proteins to accommodate these alternate pigments. These features clearly show that the genus Acaryochloris is a fitting candidate for understanding genome expansion, gene acquisition, ecological adaptation, and photosystem modification in the cyanobacteria.
A time-sensitive user-specific recommendation system for Twitter

Most modern analysis of social networks and social media assume a static network. The primary reasons for this are better parameter estimation and simpler inference. However, this assumption often results in very erroneous deductions, especially for local (e.g. user-level analysis). The aim of this project is to explore efficient ways to model the temporal variation of influence on social links in Twitter. Using this temporally sensitive model, we hope to perform better at predicting a user’s interest in a currently trending topic.
An Adaptive Motion Model for Person Tracking with Instantaneous Head-Pose Features

This letter presents novel behaviour-based tracking of people in low-resolution using instantaneous priors mediated by head-pose. We extend the Kalman Filter to adaptively combine motion information with an instantaneous prior belief about where the person will go based on where they are currently looking. We apply this new method to pedestrian surveillance, using automatically-derived head pose estimates, although the theory is not limited to head-pose priors. We perform a statistical analysis of pedestrian gazing behaviour and demonstrate tracking performance on a set of simulated and real pedestrian observations. We show that by using instantaneous `intentional' priors our algorithm significantly outperforms a standard Kalman Filter on comprehensive test data.
Reversible Inhibition of Human Carboxylesterases by Acyl Glucuronides

Carboxylesterases hydrolyze esters, amides, and thioesters to produce carboxylic acids and resulting alcohols, amines, and thiols, respectively. Uridine 5′-diphosphate- glucuronosyltransferases are colocalized with carboxylesterases and have the potential to further metabolize carboxylic acids to acyl glucuronides, but it is currently unknown if acyl glucuronides, being esters, also interact with carboxylesterases. Objective: This study explores the ability of acyl glucuronides to act as substrates or inhibitors of human carboxylesterases 1 (hCES1) and 2 (hCES2). Methods: The stability of six acyl glucuronides in the presence of hCES1, hCES2, and buffer alone (100 mM potassium phosphate, pH 7.4, 37°C) were investigated. Reversible inhibition of 4-nitrophenyl acetate hydrolysis by the acyl glucuronides was also studied. Diclofenac-β-d-glucuronide was used to explore potential time-dependent inactivation. Results: The chemical stability half-life values for CGP 47292-β-d-glucuronide, diclofenac-β-d-glucuronide, (R)-naproxen-β-d-glucuronide, (S)-naproxen-β-d-glucuronide, ibuprofen-β–d-glucuronide (racemic), clopidogrel-β-d-glucuronide, and valproate-β-d-glucuronide were found to be 0.252, 0.537, 0.996, 1.77, 3.67, 5.02, and 15.2 hours, respectively. Diclofenac-β-d-glucuronide, clopidogrel-β-d-glucuronide, ibuprofen-β-d-glucuronide, (R)-naproxen-β-d-glucuronide, and (S)-naproxen-β-d-glucuronide selectively inhibited hCES1, with Ki values of 4.32 ± 0.47, 24.8 ± 4.2, 355 ± 38, 468 ± 21, 707 ± 64 µM, respectively, but did not significantly inhibit hCES2. Valproate-β-d-glucuronide and CGP 47292-β-d-glucuronide did not inhibit either hCES. Time-dependent inactivation of hCES1 by diclofenac-β-d-glucuronide was not observed. Lastly, both hCES1 and hCES2 were shown not to catalyze the hydrolysis of the acyl glucuronides studied. Conclusion: Drug-drug interaction studies may be warranted for drugs that metabolize to acyl glucuronides due to the potential inhibition of hCESs.
A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Lift Generation in Flapping MAVs: Experimental Results

We proposed an RL framework for control of flapping-wing MAVs (2006). The algorithm has been discussed and simulation results using a quasi-steady model showed initial promise. In this paper, the results from an experiment on a Drosophila-based dynamically scaled model are presented and are used to verify the control framework. Moreover, a comparison between a biological Drosophila melanogaster and the experimental results shows the actual possibility of employing the proposed approach to MAV control problem
Parental modelling of eating behaviours

At present, the process of parental modelling of eating behaviours and attitudes has received limited research interest. While often mentioned as a possible factor in relation to child feeding and the development of eating behaviours, only a few studies have explicitly researched parental modelling. The main aims of this thesis were to develop a new measure to assess modelling multidimensionally and to explore the relationships between parental modelling of eating behaviours with a variety of parent and child factors. Initially, a parental self-report measure (the Parental Modelling of Eating Behaviours Scale; PARM) was developed, validated and piloted as part of a series of studies exploring the associations between modelling and a range of self-reported parental and child factors. To provide further validation for the PARM, an observational coding scheme was developed, based on the newly developed modelling measure, and this was utilised in two further studies which looked at self-reported and observed parent and child factors. The key findings from this thesis suggest a number of beneficial relationships. For example, maternal modelling was positively correlated with healthy food intake in both mothers and their children. In addition, both maternal and paternal modelling were associated with children s increased enjoyment of food and lower levels of food fussiness. Observations of maternal modelling were also found to be positively related to other observed adaptive, non-directive feeding practices, such as encouragement to eat. However, less positive relationships were also identified, with modelling being related to parents mental health symptoms and to unhealthy food intake in both mothers and their children. In conclusion, this thesis has identified three distinct facets of modelling and highlighted factors which might be linked to parental role modelling around eating behaviours. While much of the research within this thesis is exploratory, and the findings require replication, they would suggest that parental modelling has the potential to positively influence children s eating behaviours. However, parents should also be made aware of the potential detrimental effect that modelling less adaptive eating behaviours may have on their children s food intake, particularly those eating behaviours that parents may be unaware of modelling.
Automatic and Robust Semantic Registration of 3D Head Scans

A robust and fully automatic algorithm for semantic registration of laser scans of human faces is introduced. The scans are converted into a new semantically annotated topology such that topologically equivalent vertices have the same meaning. The algorithm works in three steps. First, landmark points are placed using a multi-stage variant of the iterative closest points scheme and an annotated reference mesh. Second, the scan is matched to the reference mesh globally by a nonlinear transformation. Finally, the transformed mesh is resampled in the reference mesh topology and the vertex locations are tracked back to the original scan. The use of the algorithm for the construction of a morphable head model is described. Moreover, a method for repairing defective head scans (i.e. scans with missing or corrupted vertex data) using the registration algorithm and the model is introduced and experimentally investigated. It is shown that a face can be reconstructed convincingly using as little as 20 percent of its vertices. (7 pages)
The sensible graph theories of lambda calculus

Sensible /spl lambda/-theories are equational extensions of the untyped lambda calculus that equate all the unsolvable /spl lambda/-terms and are closed under derivation. A longstanding open problem in lambda calculus is whether there exists a non-syntactic model whose equational theory is the least sensible /spl lambda/-theory H (generated by equating all the unsolvable terms). A related question is whether, given a class of models, there exist a minimal and maximal sensible /spl lambda/-theory represented by it. In This work we give a positive answer to this question for the semantics of lambda calculus given in terms of graph models. We conjecture that the least sensible graph theory, where "graph theory" means "/spl lambda/-theory of a graph model", is equal to H, while in the main result of the paper we characterize the greatest sensible graph theory as the lambda;-theory B generated by equating /spl lambda/-terms with the same Bohm tree. This result is a consequence of the fact that all the equations between solvable /spl lambda/-terms, which have different Bohm trees, fail in every sensible graph model. Further results of the paper are: (i) the existence of a continuum of different sensible graph theories strictly included in B (this result positively answers question 2 in [7, Section 6.3]); (ii) the non-existence of a graph model whose equational theory is exactly the minimal lambda theory /spl lambda//spl beta/ (this result negatively answers Question 1 in [7, Section 6.2] for the restricted class of graph models).
A scaled morphological toggle operator for image transformations

Scale dependent signal representations have proved to be useful in several image processing applications. In this paper, we define a toggle operator for binarization/segmentation purposes based on scaled versions of an image transformed by morphological operations. The toggle decision rule, determining the new value of a pixel, considers local spatial information, in contrast to other multiscale approaches that takes into account mainly global information (e.g., the scale signal under study). We show that the proposed operator can identify significant image extrema information in such a way that when it is used in a binarization process yields very good segmentation and filtering results. Our algorithm is validated against known threshold-based segmentation methods using images of different classes and subjected to different lighting conditions
Comparison of Calibration Algorithms for a Low-Resolution , Wide Angle , 3 D Camera

This Master thesis deals with the calibration of the optics of a novel time-of-flight range camera intended for use in automotive applications. The camera is different from standard cameras in that it can yield both regular intensity images and depth maps, but also in that its resolution is less than a tenth of a standard camera. The thesis treats the topics of feature detection in low resolution images, correction of radial distortion caused by wide angle lenses, and the robust and exact estimation of the camera’s geometry (internal calibration) as well as its position in relation to a scene (external calibration). A novel feature detector is proposed for a robust extraction of circular control points. The work compares different techniques for calibration and lens distortion correction. Various calibration algorithms learned from literature were implemented and compared to publicly available toolboxes. Assuming that the range measurements of the special camera used for this project are correct, then by calibrating it according to this work, the scene at a distance of one meter can be reconstructed up to only 1 cm inaccuracy.
Activity of the new quinolones WCK 771, WCK 1152 and WCK 1153 against clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The new fluoroquinolones WCK 771, WCK 1152 and WCK 1153 were developed to overcome quinolone resistance in Gram-positive bacteria. The activity of these new quinolones was tested against 159 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae and 52 clinical isolates of Streptococcus pyogenes using the microbroth dilution method. RESULTS MIC50/MIC90 values (mg/L) of WCK 771, WCK 1152 and WCK 1153 for quinolone-susceptible S. pneumoniae (n = 119; 54 penicillin G-susceptible, 53 penicillin G-intermediate, and 12 penicillin G-resistant strains) were 0.25/0.5, 0.03/0.06 and 0.016/0.03, respectively. MIC50/MIC90 values (mg/L) for quinolone-resistant pneumococci (n = 40) increased to 4/16, 0.25/1 and 0.125/0.5, respectively. Against S. pyogenes, WCK 771, WCK 1152 and WCK 1153 were also highly active with MIC50/MIC90 values (mg/L) of 0.25/0.25, 0.03/0.06 and 0.03/0.03, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Overall, WCK 771 was highly active against quinolone-susceptible, but not against quinolone-resistant S. pneumoniae, whereas WCK 1152 and WCK 1153 were more potent and were able to overcome quinolone resistance in both S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes.
Data-Driven Wind Turbine Power Generation Performance Monitoring

This paper investigates the wind turbine power generation performance monitoring based on supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data. The proposed approach identifies turbines with weakened power generation performance through assessing the wind power curve profiles. Profiles that statistically summarize the curvatures and shapes of a wind power curve over consecutive time intervals are constructed by fitting power curve models into SCADA data sets with a least square method. To monitor the variations of wind power curve profiles over time, multivariate and residual approaches are introduced and applied. Two blind industrial studies are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed monitoring approach, and the results demonstrate high accuracy in detecting the abnormal power curve profiles of wind turbines and their associated time intervals.