Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Independence and Interdependence Predict Health and Wellbeing: Divergent Patterns in the United States and Japan

A cross-cultural survey was used to examine two hypotheses designed to link culture to wellbeing and health. The first hypothesis states that people are motivated toward prevalent cultural mandates of either independence (personal control) in the United States or interdependence (relational harmony) in Japan. As predicted, Americans with compromised personal control and Japanese with strained relationships reported high perceived constraint. The second hypothesis holds that people achieve wellbeing and health through actualizing the respective cultural mandates in their modes of being. As predicted, the strongest predictor of wellbeing and health was personal control in the United States, but the absence of relational strain in Japan. All analyses controlled for age, gender, educational attainment, and personality traits. The overall pattern of findings underscores culturally distinct pathways (independent versus interdependent) in achieving the positive life outcomes.
Improving Mobility of Pedestrian Visually-Impaired Users

Objective In the present paper the study, design and prototyping of a mobility aid system for visually impaired persons in outdoor scenarios is presented. The application scenario is autonomous mobility in urban context, and, in particular, the living of outdoor public places of tourist/cultural interest and urban routes. Main Content The basic idea behind the project is to realize a safe path that can be followed by the user thanks to a tactile vibration provided by a modified white cane (Smart Cane), potentially usable also as a traditional one; a smartphone provides the user with additional information about the route. The basic guidance function on a safe path is suitable also in an indoor scenario, e.g. in exhibitions, museums, public buildings. Final users were involved in the definition of mobility requirements and during system tests. The safe path is composed by tracks, branch points and points of interest, and is implemented by means of an electrical circuit generating a magnetic field detected by a receiver on the white cane tip. The Smart Cane is equipped with an electronic device (Smart Cane Controller) managing cane functions. The path electrical circuit may be buried in several kinds of ground or placed on ground surface. The user follows the path sweeping the white cane in front of him/her and perceiving a tactile vibration when the Smart Cane tip is in the range of a few tens centimeters from the track centre. The smartphone brought by the user is wirelessly connected to the Smart Cane Controller and to a small portable GPS receiver. The user queries the mobile phone by means of a switchbased user interface on the cane; thanks to GPS positioning information (strict positioning accuracy not needed), the mobile phone provides vocal information about possible destinations, directions and about points of interest. Results The system electronics and the firmware and software applications were completely developed and tested both in lab and in real operating conditions. For the test and Demonstration phase, a bastion on the Walls of Lucca city, Italy, was selected, and the system was tested also with final users. A second run of trials with other users is foreseen in late Spring and Summer 2011. Conclusion The proposed mobility aid system was completely designed, developed and partially tested. A Demonstration phase will allow final users to further test and validate the system, providing hints and feedbacks for a possible engineered future version.
Contribution to the development of functional nanostructured coatings based on silver nanoparticles

La realizacion de este tesis ha sido posible gracias a la obtencion de una beca predoctoral de la Universidad Publica de Navarra (UPNA) y a las aportaciones economicas recibidas por parte del Gobierno de Navarra mediante sus programas de apoyo a la investigacion, ademas de la colaboracion de la Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia a traves de la financiacion de los proyectos CICYT fondos FEDER TEC2010-17805
On the convergence rate of l p -norm multiple kernel learning

We derive an upper bound on the local Rademacher complexity of lp-norm multiple kernel learning, which yields a tighter excess risk bound than global approaches. Previous local approaches analyzed the case p = 1 only while our analysis covers all cases 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞, assuming the different feature mappings corresponding to the different kernels to be uncorrelated. We also show a lower bound that shows that the bound is tight, and derive consequences regarding excess loss, namely fast convergence rates of the order O(n-α/1+a), where α is the minimum eigenvalue decay rate of the individual kernels.
Private diaries as information sources in climate research

Private diaries constitute a unique set of materials within climate change research in that they provide information both on past climate variability and on the ways that people live within, and interact with, climate. The fact that the observations within diaries are affected as much by personal experience as by physical conditions can render the derivation of robust climatic data problematic, and a number of techniques have been developed to generate quantitative or semiquantitative information from them. These include frequency counts of binary meteorological phenomena such as days with/without precipitation, content analysis techniques, proxies such as grain harvest dates, and statistical techniques that assume of some degree of continuity between the reconstruction period and the present day. The latter approaches can provide the most robust data, but can preclude direct comparison between past and present climates. Some studies attempt to increase reliability through comparison with other contemporaneous reconstructions, but this can create a potential for circular reasoning. As ethnographies, the methodological issues are less challenging. Most were highly personal documents and not intended for publication; diaries can therefore represent ‘pure’ ethnographies, representing an unbiased account of individuals’ interactions with the ‘weather world’ and, in some cases, the ways that weather informed the character they presented to the world. Diaries can therefore exemplify individuals’ highly personal engagement with weather and climate, reflective of a myriad of a number of social, cultural, political, and scientific narratives. Their use in climate research can therefore provide important contributions to current debates. WIREs Clim Change 2015, 6:599–611. doi: 10.1002/wcc.365
Genesis of the carbonatite-syenite complex and REE deposit at Maoniuping, Sichuan Province, China : Evidence from Pb isotope geochemistry

The Maoniuping REE deposit is the second largest light rare earth elements deposit (1.45 million tons of REE2O3) in China, located in the Panxi rift, Sichuan Province. It is a vein-type deposit hosted within, and genetically related to the Himalayan alkalic carbonatite-syenite complex. The initial 206Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios from the Maoniuping carbonatites are similar to syenites, which, however, show more radiogenic 207Pb/204Pb ratios. This could not only be attributed to contamination by crustal materials. The Pb-Pb isotope plots from carbonatites and syenites define a linear array between EM1 and EM2. It suggests their sources were located in a heterogeneous lithospheric mantle and produced by the mixture of EM1 with EM2. The initial 206Pb/204Pb and 208Pb/204Pb ratios from fluorites, galenas, pyrites and feldspar are similar to carbonatites and syenites, and different from granites. Their 207Pb/204Pb ratios also plot to between syenites and carbonatites. This suggests the REE ore-forming fluids were derived from carbonatite and syenite magmas. The Pb isotopic results are consistent with a model for REE deposition involving mixing of the F-rich, syenite-derived fluid with Ca-, CO2-bearing fluid evolved from carbonatite magma. The early fluorites have higher 207Pb/204Pb ratio than the later ones, which shows that the REE ore-forming fluids were not contaminated by country rocks fluids.
Reduction in sympathetic activity after long-term CPAP treatment in sleep apnoea: cardiovascular implications.

Twelve patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea were included in an open, long-term, prospective, follow-up study addressing the effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on sympathetic activity, cardiac structure and blood pressure. Plasma norepinephrine (P-NE) (daytime at rest), daytime and night-time urinary excretion of NE (U-NE), vanylmandelic acid and metanephrines, together with 24 h noninvasive blood pressure (BP) recording and Doppler-echocardiography, were assessed before and after a mean of 20.5 (range 14-26) months of CPAP. Average self-reported use of CPAP was 89% (range 65-100%) of time spent in bed. Resting daytime P-NE ranged 0.35-0.83 ng.ml-1, which is elevated compared to healthy controls. Only night-time U-NE, mean daytime BP and average 24 h BP were related to severity of OSA. Night-time metanephrine was related to daytime and night-time diastolic, as well as night-time systolic, BP. Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) at baseline was correlated to daytime systolic BP and P-NE. Long-term CPAP treatment reduced biochemical markers of sympathetic activity. P-NE decreased by approximately 50%, and daytime and night-time vanylmandelic acid and metanephrine by 32-54%. In contrast, there were no overall reductions in BP or LVMI. It is concluded that obstructive sleep apnoea is associated with high sympathetic activity both during sleep and waking periods. Urinary metanephrine excretion seemed to reflect blood pressure, but neither daytime nor night-time catecholamine excretion was directly related to disease severity in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnoea. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Configurable memory security in embedded systems

System security is an increasingly important design criterion for many embedded systems. These systems are often portable and more easily attacked than traditional desktop and server computing systems. Key requirements for system security include defenses against physical attacks and lightweight support in terms of area and power consumption. Our new approach to embedded system security focuses on the protection of application loading and secure application execution. During secure application loading, an encrypted application is transferred from on-board flash memory to external double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR-SDRAM) via a microprocessor. Following application loading, the core-based security technique provides both confidentiality and authentication for data stored in a microprocessor's system memory. The benefits of our low overhead memory protection approaches are demonstrated using four applications implemented in a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) in an embedded system prototyping platform. Each application requires a collection of tasks with varying memory security requirements. The configurable security core implemented on-chip inside the FPGA with the microprocessor allows for different memory security policies for different application tasks. An average memory saving of 63% is achieved for the four applications versus a uniform security approach. The lightweight circuitry included to support application loading from flash memory adds about 10% FPGA area overhead to the processor-based system and main memory security hardware.
4Photos: a collaborative photo sharing experience

In this paper, we describe the iterative design and user study of "4Photos", a multi-screen table centrepiece allowing media content to be shared and enjoyed in a social setting. It was our intention to design an object with the purpose to gather qualitative data concerning the social effects of new ways of democratic, serendipitous and playful photo sharing. To facilitate this we used online photo repository content that most often gets experienced in an individual setting. Using 4Photos we positioned this content within a social setting and observed how the presentation of these images enabled new ways of 'phototalk' to arise. We describe the design process, the final concept and reflect upon observed practices that emerged from people's usage of 4Photos. We then present several design implications and discuss future directions for continuation of this research.
Nontrivial Solutions to the Cubic Sieve Congruence Problem

Abstract : In this paper we discuss the problem of finding nontrivial solutions to the Cubic Sieve Congruence problem, that is solutions of x3 is congruent to y2z (mod p), where x, y, z p 1/2 and x3 not equal to y2z. The solutions to this problem are useful in solving the Discrete Log Problem or factorization by index calculus method. Apart from the cryptographic interest this problem is motivating by itself from a number theoretic point of view. Though we could not solve the problem completely, we could identify certain sub classes of primes where the problem can be solved in time polynomial in log p. Further we could extend the idea of Reyneri's sieve and identify some cases in it where the problem can even be solved in constant time. Designers of cryptosystems should avoid all primes contained in our detected cases.
Correction for Cortical Surface Models

Motivation: Because the cortex is highly convoluted, much of its surface is hidden in deep folds, so the 3D distance between two cortical locations may drastically underestimate their actual separation. Generating a topologicallycorrect cortical surface model allows for better estimation of geodesic distances, and for analysis that is not appropriately performed in the volumetric embedding space. For instance, surface representations have facilitated inter-subject alignment based on cortical curvature [4], and the topographic mapping of sensory areas [5]. Flattening the surface to expose hidden regions has proved useful for the purpose of visualization, for instance, of functional data superimposed on the cortical surface.
Tolerance and M2 (alternative) macrophage polarization are related processes orchestrated by p50 nuclear factor κB

Cells of the monocyte–macrophage lineage play a central role in the orchestration and resolution of inflammation. Plasticity is a hallmark of mononuclear phagocytes, and in response to environmental signals these cells undergo different forms of polarized activation, the extremes of which are called classic or M1 and alternative or M2. NF-κB is a key regulator of inflammation and resolution, and its activation is subject to multiple levels of regulation, including inhibitory, which finely tune macrophage functions. Here we identify the p50 subunit of NF-κB as a key regulator of M2-driven inflammatory reactions in vitro and in vivo. p50 NF-κB inhibits NF-κB–driven, M1-polarizing, IFN-β production. Accordingly, p50-deficient mice show exacerbated M1-driven inflammation and defective capacity to mount allergy and helminth-driven M2-polarized inflammatory reactions. Thus, NF-κB p50 is a key component in the orchestration of M2-driven inflammatory reactions.
Identification and mapping of ferric oxide and oxyhydroxide minerals in imaging spectrometer data of Summitville, Colorado, U.S.A., and the surrounding San Juan Mountains

Abstract Fe 3+ bearing minerals and poorly crystalline mineraloids can host pernicious trace metals released by mining activities. Such mineral phases are readily detectable in imaging spectrometer data such as is collected by NASA's Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS). Laboratory measured reflectance spectra of fluvial sediment samples gathered downstream from the Summitville mining district in southwest Colorado, U.S.A. , have been compared with AVIRIS data collected over Summitville and the surrounding San Juan mountains. Spectra from the AVIRIS image cubes over Summitville match with the laboratory measured reflectance of several Fe 3+ bearing mineral phases including a ferrihydrite produced in an acid water environment.
Residents’ attitude towards air traffic and objective sleep quality are related

Annoyance and physiological responses induced by traffic noise exposure vary greatly among residents. Recently, differences in aircraft noise induced awakening reactions during sleep have partly been explained by stable individual vulnerabilities to noise. In 2012 as part of the NORAH sleep study, we investigated with a sample of 81 residents around Frankfurt Airport the relationship between attitude towards air traffic and sleep quality recorded polysomnographically at home. By using five-point rating scales the participants assessed their attitude towards air traffic (from 1 = negative to 5 = positive) and evaluated its necessity (from 1 = not necessary to 5 = highly necessary). Residents with a negative attitude towards air traffic (score < 3; N=28) took longer to fall asleep, spent more time awake after sleep onset, had a reduced sleep efficiency and less deep sleep. Participants who evaluated air traffic to be of no or moderate necessity (score < 4; N=22) slept less deeply. These statistically significant differences suggest that residents’ sleep quality and subjective evaluation of air traffic are related. The causality of this relationship, however, i.e. whether a negative attitude leads to more severe sleep disturbances or, conversely, whether poor sleep quality triggers a negative attitude towards air traffic, remains unclear.
Equivalent localization element for crack band approach to mesh‐sensitivity in microplane model

The paper presents in detail a novel method for finite element analysis of materials undergoing strain‐softening damage based on the crack band concept. The method allows applying complex material models, such as the microplane model for concrete or rock, in finite element calculations with variable finite element sizes not smaller than the localized crack band width (corresponding to the material characteristic length). The method uses special localization elements in which a zone of characteristic size, undergoing strain softening, is coupled with layers (called ‘springs’) which undergo elastic unloading and are normal to the principal stress directions. Because of the coupling of strain‐softening zone with elastic layers, the computations of the microplane model need to be iterated in each finite element in each load step, which increases the computer time. Insensitivity of the proposed method to mesh size is demonstrated by numerical examples. Simulation of various experimental results is shown to give good agreement. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Genetics of Hybrid Male Sterility Between the Allopatric Species Pair Drosophila persimilis and D. pseudoobscura bogotana: Dominant Sterility Alleles in Collinear Autosomal Regions

F1 hybrid male sterility is thought to result from interactions between loci on the X chromosome and dominant-acting loci on the autosomes. While X-linked loci that contribute to hybrid male sterility have been precisely localized in many animal taxa, their dominant autosomal interactors have been more difficult to localize precisely and/or have been shown to be of relatively smaller effect. Here, we identified and mapped at least four dominant autosomal factors contributing to hybrid male sterility in the allopatric species pair Drosophila persimilis and D. pseudoobscura bogotana. Using these results, we tested predictions of reduced recombination models of speciation. Consistent with these models, three of the four QTL associated with hybrid male sterility occur in collinear (uninverted) regions of these genomes. Furthermore, these QTL do not contribute significantly to hybrid male sterility in crosses between the sympatric species D. persimilis and D. pseudoobscura pseudoobscura. The autosomal loci identified in this study provide the basis for introgression mapping and, ultimately, for molecular cloning of interacting genes that contribute to F1 hybrid sterility.
Differential Game-Theoretic Thoughts on Option Pricing and Transaction Costs

This paper investigates some differential game applications to option pricing mechanisms and related problems. Two players, an investor and "Nature", play a zero-sum game. The usual uncertainty modelling (log-normality for instance) in systems describing the price evolution of stocks is replaced by "Nature", a player who counteracts the investor as much as possible. A relationship between a restricted version of the Black-Scholes and the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman partial differential equations is given. This paper, is a first step to possibly solve various option pricing problems (with constraints and/or transactions costs for instance) by means of the available numerical software for optimal control problems. In the second part of the paper, another model, now with three players, is considered. The third player is the bank interested in maximising its own profits by choosing the right formula for transaction costs. Thus a three-person nonzero-sum game, with a special kind of Stackelberg information structure, results. Some simple examples hint in the direction that the bank will be a clear winner.
Effect of nurse-directed diabetes care in a minority population.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether diabetes care directed by nurses following detailed protocols and algorithms and supervised by a diabetologist results in meeting the evidence-based American Diabetes Association (ADA) process and outcome measures more often than care directed under usual care in a minority population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Studies were mainly conducted in two Los Angeles County clinics. In clinic A, nurse-directed diabetes care was provided to 252 patients (92% Hispanic and 2% African-American) referred by their primary care providers. These patients were hierarchically matched with 252 diabetic patients in clinic B (79% Hispanic and 19% African American). When nurse-directed care was abruptly discontinued in clinic A for administrative reasons, it was reestablished in clinic B. Those patients were randomly selected from a teaching clinic, and the outcomes in 114 patients who completed 1 year were compared with outcomes derived the year before receiving nurses' care. The following process and outcome measures were assessed in the study: 1) number of visits, 2) diabetes education, 3) nutritional counseling, 4) HbA(1c), 5) lipid profiles, 6) eye exams, 7) foot exams, 8) renal evaluations, and 9) ACE inhibitor therapy in appropriate patients. RESULTS For patients under nurse-directed diabetes care in both clinics A and B, almost all process measures were carried out significantly more frequently than for the appropriate control patients. Under the care of nurses in clinic A, HbA(1c) levels fell 3.5% from 13.3 to 9.8% in the 120 patients who were followed for at least 6 months, as compared with a 1.5% fall from 12.3 to 10.8% under usual (physician-directed) care in clinic B. During the year before enrolling in nurse-directed care in clinic B, mean HbA(1c) levels decreased from 10.0 to 8.5%. At the end of a year under the nurses' care, the values fell further to 7.1%. The median value fell from 8.3 to 6.6%. CONCLUSIONS Specially trained nurses who follow detailed protocols and algorithms under the supervision of a diabetologist can markedly improve diabetes outcomes in a minority population. This approach could help blunt the increased morbidity and mortality noted in minority populations.