Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Double-Diffusive Recipes. Part II: Layer-Merging Events

This study explores the dynamics of thermohaline staircases: well-defined stepped structures in temperature andsalinityprofiles,commonlyobservedin regionsofactive doublediffusion.Theevolutionofstaircases in time is frequently characterized by spontaneous layer-merging events. These phenomena, the authors argue,are essentialin regulating theequilibriumlayerthicknessin fullydevelopedstaircases.Thepatternand mechanics of merging events are explained using a combination of analytical considerations, direct numerical simulations, and data analysis. The theoretical merger model is based on the stability analysis for a series of identical steps and pertains to both forms of double diffusion: diffusive convection and salt fingering. The conceptual significance of the proposed model lies in its ability to describe merging events without assuming fromtheoutsetspecificpowerlawsfortheverticaltransportofheatandsalt—theapproachadoptedbyearlier merging models. The analysis of direct numerical simulations indicates that merging models based on the four-thirds flux laws offer adequate qualitative description of the evolutionary patterns but are less accurate than models that do not rely on such laws. Specific examples considered in this paper include the evolution of layers in the diffusive staircase in the Beaufort Gyre of the Arctic Ocean.
Top-Management-Teams' Compensation Packages

The purpose of this work is to study on compensation packages for top management teams. The analysis focuses on the annual pay plus change in equity portfolio value, how its level, pay-performance sensibility and structure vary across managerial categories, and the impact of these variations on corporate performance. Using a multilevel mixed-model approach on 589 companies from the S&P 1500 between 1998 and 2005, the evidence shows that CEO compensation packages are not isomorphic to those of non-CEO executives, while on average no significant differences are found between divisional and corporate executives. Despite this, the random effects show that differences between two categories vary across companies, with shareholder return been lower for companies where differences between corporate and divisional managers are greater.
Performance Characteristics and Mapping for a Variable-Speed Ductless Heat Pump

The paper presents performance characteristics and an approach for mapping the performance of a variable-speed ductless heat pump system (DHP) operating in heating mode. This type of equipment is gaining popularity and is not currently included within building simulation programs that are typically used for design and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Steady-state performance maps are needed for these simulation tools. Experiments were conducted on a DHP at various conditions and regression analysis was implemented to generate a model. Comparisons were made with data which were not used to derive the model and good accuracy was demonstrated. The resulting performance map was used to demonstrate trends in performance with operating conditions.
Brain volumetric changes and cognitive ageing during the eighth decade of life

Later‐life changes in brain tissue volumes—decreases in the volume of healthy grey and white matter and increases in the volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH)—are strong candidates to explain some of the variation in ageing‐related cognitive decline. We assessed fluid intelligence, memory, processing speed, and brain volumes (from structural MRI) at mean age 73 years, and at mean age 76 in a narrow‐age sample of older individuals (n = 657 with brain volumetric data at the initial wave, n = 465 at follow‐up). We used latent variable modeling to extract error‐free cognitive levels and slopes. Initial levels of cognitive ability were predictive of subsequent brain tissue volume changes. Initial brain volumes were not predictive of subsequent cognitive changes. Brain volume changes, especially increases in WMH, were associated with declines in each of the cognitive abilities. All statistically significant results were modest in size (absolute r‐values ranged from 0.114 to 0.334). These results build a comprehensive picture of macrostructural brain volume changes and declines in important cognitive faculties during the eighth decade of life. Hum Brain Mapp 36:4910–4925, 2015. © 2015 The Authors. Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Working papers in transport , tourism , information technology and microdata analysis An empirical test of the gravity p-median model

A customer is presumed to gravitate to a facility by the distance to it and the attractiveness of it. However regarding the location of the facility, the presumption is that the customer opts for the shortest route to the nearest facility. This paradox was recently solved by the introduction of the gravity p-median model. The model is yet to be implemented and tested empirically. We implemented the model in an empirical problem of locating locksmiths, vehicle inspections, and retail stores of vehicle spare-parts, and we compared the solutions with those of the p-median model. We found the gravity p-median model to be of limited use for the problem of locating facilities as it either gives solutions similar to the p-median model, or it gives unstable solutions due to a non-concave objective function.
Improving policing by integrating craft and science: what can patrol officers teach us about good police work?

ABSTRACT Evidence-based policing is one of the latest attempts to change what the police do and how they do it. Within this context the craft of policing is acknowledged but generally undervalued. Neglecting what craft can contribute to science is an overlooked opportunity. This paper examines the insights that officers’ experiences can offer into the kinds of reforms that are both pressing and possible. To do so, we conducted in-depth interviews with 38 patrol officers in a US police department and asked, ‘What are the features of the contemporary police craft that should be taken into account to make science more meaningful and useful for the improvement of actual police practices? ’ Our results suggested meaningful reform may require the following: (1) a greater focus on testing a wide array of police responses and the interaction effects between theoretically relevant characteristics of the police officer and the tactic or strategy being tested; (2) using science to help establish performance criteria for measuring work quality; (3) paying more attention to understanding the processes of police interactions, not just outcomes; (4) applying research to improving officers’ communication skills; and (5) discovering ways to use science to advance understanding about the values guiding police discretion.
Transductive Minimum Error Rate Training for Statistical Machine Translation

This paper investigates parameter adaptation in Statistical Machine Translation(SMT). To overcome the parameter bias-estimation problem with Minimum Error Rate Training(MERT), we extend it under a transductive learning framework, by iteratively re-estimating the parameters using both development and test data, in which the translation hypotheses of the test data are used as pseudo references. Furthermore, in order to overcome the over-training and unstableness problems respectively in employing such pseudo references, a termination criterion using a hyper-parameter and a Minimum Bayes Risk(MBR)-based hypothesis selection method are proposed in our work. Experimental results show that the transductive MERT method could yield significant performance improvements over a strong baseline on a large-scale Chineseto-English translation task.
Implementing traffic distribution function of smart OSPF in software-defined networking

Smart Open Shortest Path First (S-OSPF), which is an extended scheme of OSPF, was previously presented to avoid network congestion. However, it is difficult to achieve S-OSPF implementation, since the S-OSPF architecture is different from the conventional OSPF network architecture. A conventional network requires an autonomous distributed routing architecture, but S-OSPF partly requires a centralized routing architecture while keeping the feature of the conventional network. We employ software-defined networking (SDN) technology to support S-OSPF. Edge routers in the S-OSPF network must have both traffic distribution function, which is a feature of S-OSPF, and OSPF-based forwarding function, which is used in case that the edge router behaves as a transit router as is in the original OSPF network. A conflict occurs on the common forwarding table, which is accessed by SDN and OSPF, in the edge router when we try to utilize existing software modules. To solve this issue, this paper proposes an implementation method by introducing a hybrid router with virtualization technique. A hybrid router by the proposed method achieves the traffic distributing function of S-OSPF as well as the OSPF behavior while minimizing the modification of existing routing software modules. We develop a prototype of the hybrid router, confirm that the traffic distributing function of S-OSPF and OSPF functions work correctly, and observe that the congestion is avoided in our experimental network.
GAMA/H-ATLAS: the ultraviolet spectral slope and obscuration in galaxies

We use multiwavelength data from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) and Herschel-ATLAS (H-ATLAS) surveys to compare the relationship between various dust obscuration measures in galaxies. We explore the connections between the ultraviolet (UV) spectral slope, β, the Balmer decrement and the far-infrared (FIR) to 150 nm far-ultraviolet (FUV) luminosity ratio. We explore trends with galaxy mass, star formation rate (SFR) and redshift in order to identify possible systematics in these various measures. We reiterate the finding of other authors that there is a large scatter between the Balmer decrement and the β parameter, and that β may be poorly constrained when derived from only two broad passbands in the UV. We also emphasize that FUV-derived SFRs, corrected for dust obscuration using β, will be overestimated unless a modified relation between β and the attenuation factor is used. Even in the optimum case, the resulting SFRs have a significant scatter, well over an order of magnitude. While there is a stronger correlation between the IR-to-FUV luminosity ratio and β parameter than with the Balmer decrement, neither of these correlations are particularly tight, and dust corrections based on β for high-redshift galaxy SFRs must be treated with caution. We conclude with a description of the extent to which the different obscuration measures are consistent with each other as well as the effects of including other galactic properties on these correlations.
Encapsulation of ATP into liposomes by different methods: optimization of the procedure

Different methods and conditions for ATP incorporation into PEGylated liposomes were compared in order to obtain a preparation with a maximized ATP content. Such a preparation may find the application for the in vivo treatment of ischemic tissues suffering from an insufficient ATP supply. Several different methods of liposome preparation and purification were used and HPLC was employed to determine the concentration of ATP in the liposomes. Thin lipid film hydration produced vesicles with the lowest ATP encapsulation (ca. 5 mol%). A pH gradient method yielded liposomes with ca. 10 mol% of ATP. Reverse phase evaporation and freezing-thawing methods resulted in a maximum entrapment of ATP on the level of 36–38 mol%. The freezing-thawing method was chosen for further investigation because of its simplicity and absence of a need to use organic solvents. The separation of the non-entrapped ATP by gel-filtration, centrifugation or dialysis yielded virtually identical liposomal preparations. The incorporation of PEG (as PEG-distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine, PEG-DSPE) into the liposomal membrane decreases the quantity of the entrapped ATP (from 38 mol% for liposomes with 0.5 mol% of PEG-DSPE to only 17 mol% for liposomes with 5 mol% of PEG-DSPE).
HMM Adaptation for Improving a Human Activity Recognition System

When developing a fully automatic system for evaluating motor activities performed by a person, it is necessary to segment and recognize the different activities in order to focus the analysis. This process must be carried out by a Human Activity Recognition (HAR) system. This paper proposes a user adaptation technique for improving a HAR system based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). This system segments and recognizes six different physical activities (walking, walking upstairs, walking downstairs, sitting, standing and lying down) using inertial signals from a smartphone. The system is composed of a feature extractor for obtaining the most relevant characteristics from the inertial signals, a module for training the six HMMs (one per activity), and the last module for segmenting new activity sequences using these models. The user adaptation technique consists of a Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) approach that adapts the activity HMMs to the user, using some activity examples from this specific user. The main results on a public dataset have reported a significant relative error rate reduction of more than 30%. In conclusion, adapting a HAR system to the user who is performing the physical activities provides significant improvement in the system’s performance.
Towards an African-centered Sociological Approach to Africana Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersexed Identities and Performances: The Kemetic Model of the Cosmological Interactive Self

This essay seeks to contribute to the development of an African-centered sociological approach to examine Africana lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersexed identities and performances. While sociologists using the most progressive approaches outline the Western hegemonic nature of Africana peoples’ perceptions of gender and sexuality, neither approach allows sociologists to view the relationship between social formations, human consciousness, and cosmological patterns. African-centered social scientists and social theorists typically determine that Africana lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersexed identities and performances are outside of Africana humanity. Within this essay, the author relies upon the Kemetic Anunian cosmology and personality constructs as sources through which to develop an African-centered framework to explain the multiple expressions of Africana gender and sexuality. This model considers that one’s gender and sexuality are contained within and inse.
Early Intervention for Borderline Personality Disorder: Psychodynamic Therapy in Adolescents.

OBJECTIVES Borderline personality disorder (BPD) should be understood as a disorder of development (Streeck-Fischer 2008, 2013) that has its first manifestation in late childhood and adolescence. There are only few treatment studies of adolescents meeting the diagnostic criteria of borderline personality disorder, although early interventions for these patients are urgently needed (see Chanen & McCutcheon 2013). We examined the effectiveness of an inpatient psychodynamic therapy (PDT). METHODS Twenty-eight adolescents fulfilling the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of borderline personality disorder were treated with psychodynamic therapy. The mean duration of treatment was 29.87 weeks (SD = 15.88). Outcomes were remission rates, GAF, GSI, SDQ, IIP and BPI scores. Assessments were made at admission and after treatment. Pre-post comparisons and comparisons with normative data were conducted. RESULTS At the end of treatment 39.29% of the patients were remitted. We found significant improvements for the GAF, GSI, SDQ, IIP (all p0.001) and the BPI (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS These clinically relevant improvements demonstrate the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in adolescents with borderline personality disorder and stress the usefulness of an early intervention for these patients.
Characteristics and clinical significance of a stabilization assay to detect specific antibodies to reverse transcriptase of human immunodeficiency virus

Antibodies against reverse transcriptase (RT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) have been detected in seropositive subjects by immunoprecipitation, Western immunoblotting, and neutralization assay. Recently, we noticed that the antibodies against RT stabilized RT upon heat inactivation, and we have developed a stabilization assay of RT antibody. Briefly, the RT of HIV-1 is completely inactivated by incubation at 56 degrees C for 20 min, but this inactivation is inhibited in the presence of a specific antibody directed against this molecule. We examined the specificity and clinical significance of this stabilization assay. HIV-1 antibody-positive sera stabilized HIV-1 RT but not HIV-2 RT, whereas half of these sera cross-neutralized HIV-2 RT. Antibody titers against RT determined by the neutralization assay and the stabilization assay were compared with clinical characteristics. Antibodies against HIV-1 RT were much more frequently detected by the stabilization assay than by the neutralization assay. Statistically significant associations were found between stabilizing antibody titer and CD4+ cell number in peripheral blood of patients and also between antibody titer and CD4+/CD8+ ratios. These results indicate that our new stabilization assay to detect specific antibodies against RT of HIV-1 is useful as a clinical marker of infection and progress of the disease.
Does school physical education really contribute to accelerometer-measured daily physical activity and non sedentary behaviour in high school students?

ABSTRACT Physical education has been highlighted as an important environment for physical activity promotion, however, to our knowledge there are no previous studies examining the contribution of physical education to daily accelerometer-measured physical activity and non sedentary behaviour. The purpose was to compare the accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour between physical education, non-physical education and weekend days in adolescents. Of the 394 students from a Spanish high school that were invited to participate, 158 students (83 boys and 75 girls) aged 13–16 years were analyzed (wear time ≥ 600 min). Participants’ physical activity and sedentary behaviour were objectively-measured by GT3X+ accelerometers during physical education (one session), non-physical education and weekend days. Results indicated that overall adolescents had statistically significant greater physical activity levels and lower values of sedentary behaviour on physical education days than on non-physical education and weekend days (e.g., moderate-to-vigorous physical activity = 71, 54 and 57 min; sedentary = 710, 740 and 723 min) (p < 0.05). Physical education contributes significantly to reducing students’ daily physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour. Increasing the number of physical education classes seems to be an effective strategy to reduce the high current prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviour in adolescence.
Accurate prediction of subcellular location of apoptosis proteins combining Chou’s PseAAC and PsePSSM based on wavelet denoising

Apoptosis proteins subcellular localization information are very important for understanding the mechanism of programmed cell death and the development of drugs. The prediction of subcellular localization of an apoptosis protein is still a challenging task because the prediction of apoptosis proteins subcellular localization can help to understand their function and the role of metabolic processes. In this paper, we propose a novel method for protein subcellular localization prediction. Firstly, the features of the protein sequence are extracted by combining Chou's pseudo amino acid composition (PseAAC) and pseudo-position specific scoring matrix (PsePSSM), then the feature information of the extracted is denoised by two-dimensional (2-D) wavelet denoising. Finally, the optimal feature vectors are input to the SVM classifier to predict subcellular location of apoptosis proteins. Quite promising predictions are obtained using the jackknife test on three widely used datasets and compared with other state-of-the-art methods. The results indicate that the method proposed in this paper can remarkably improve the prediction accuracy of apoptosis protein subcellular localization, which will be a supplementary tool for future proteomics research.
TDMA implementation for simultaneous signal acquisition of machine condition in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensors, installed on machinery, and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) transmission make an ideal system for monitoring machine conditions in industrial plants because there is no need for electronic wiring. However, field application of such a system, capable of continuously transmitting data over 100 Hz sample rates, has not been successful so far. In this research, a TDMA network protocol capable of acquiring data from multiple sensors with over 100 Hz sample rates was developed for field application. The protocol was implemented in a single cluster-star topology network and the system was evaluated by node number and transmission distance. The network simulator-2 (ns-2) is used for real field simulation. The cases of non-TDMA and TDMA protocol are compared with four sensor nodes. In the case of a 20-second transmission time, there is little difference between the reception rates of non-TDMA and those of TDMA system. However, the difference was much greater when using a 60-second transmission time.
An Entropy-Based Measure of Software Complexity

It is proposed that the complexity of a program is inversely proportional to the average information content of its operators. An empirical probability distribution of the operators occurring in a program is constructed, and the classical entropy calculation is applied. The performance of the resulting metric is assessed in the analysis of two commercial applications totaling well over 130000 lines of code. The results indicate that the new metric does a good job of associating modules with their error spans (averaging number of tokens between error occurrences). >
Well-posed continuum equations for granular flow with compressibility and μ(I)-rheology

Continuum modelling of granular flow has been plagued with the issue of ill-posed dynamic equations for a long time. Equations for incompressible, two-dimensional flow based on the Coulomb friction law are ill-posed regardless of the deformation, whereas the rate-dependent μ(I)-rheology is ill-posed when the non-dimensional inertial number I is too high or too low. Here, incorporating ideas from critical-state soil mechanics, we derive conditions for well-posedness of partial differential equations that combine compressibility with I-dependent rheology. When the I-dependence comes from a specific friction coefficient μ(I), our results show that, with compressibility, the equations are well-posed for all deformation rates provided that μ(I) satisfies certain minimal, physically natural, inequalities.