Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental versus demographic variability in stochastic predator–prey models

In contrast to the neutral population cycles of the deterministic mean-field Lotka–Volterra rate equations, including spatial structure and stochastic noise in models for predator–prey interactions yields complex spatio-temporal structures associated with long-lived erratic population oscillations. Environmental variability in the form of quenched spatial randomness in the predation rates results in more localized activity patches. Our previous study showed that population fluctuations in rare favorable regions in turn cause a remarkable increase in the asymptotic densities of both predators and prey. Very intriguing features are found when variable interaction rates are affixed to individual particles rather than lattice sites. Stochastic dynamics with demographic variability in conjunction with inheritable predation efficiencies generate non-trivial time evolution for the predation rate distributions, yet with overall essentially neutral optimization.
Distributed network control for wavelength routed optical networks

This paper describes an architecture for adding an underlying wavelength-routed optical layer to a standard ATM network. The optical layer provides reconfigurable lightpaths that serve as links between electronic ATM switches. A lightpath is carried on a particular wavelength and path in the underlying optical wavelength-routed network. This work focuses on the mechanisms for controlling the optical layer. Distributed control protocols are provided for setting up and taking down lightpaths reliably and for updating the topology of the network, including the lightpaths. These protocols allow lightpath originators to obtain resources with high probability by minimizing reservation conflicts, allow lightpaths to stay up even if controllers along the path in the network fail, ensure that controllers in the network have a consistent view of the state of each lightpath, and ensure that all resources taken up by a lightpath are released once the lightpath is taken down.
Specificity in Context: Some Difficulties for the Inexperienced Writer

Being male provides many socialably accepted behaviors that provides many opprotunities for the males. Males can do just about anything and it is accepted in todays society. They are allowed to do these things without being looked upon as being weird. Males are thought of being the stronger of the two sexes. This is probably true strength wise. Males are provided Better job opprotunities. Just about any job a male takes is accepted as a good job. Males are just more accepted in everything they do in our society. This example from a developmental student is extreme, but in varying degrees many inexperienced writers have difficulty knowing when and how to use specifics. We could decide that such students are more cognitively immature-or even cognitively deficient-but I believe a far more plausible explanation is that knowing how to be specific is a very complex skill, while the advice we often give in textbooks and in class is overly simplistic. Students like Joan need to learn to use specifics, but merely enjoining them
Personality Disorder Traits: Prevalence and Effects on Health Status in Primary Care Patients

Objective: Previous work in an academic setting has found that scoring in the higher ranges for selected personality disorders on an objective assessment tool was associated with increases in psychiatric co-morbidities, decreased satisfaction with health care, and diminished health related functional status. This study examines how often patients in primary care practices exhibit traits consistent with these selected disorders and what impact this has on their health related functional status and use of health care resources. Methods: Thirteen family practices agreed to distribute questionnaires to 50 consecutive patients in the spring of 1997. Questionnaires contained instruments that assess risk for personality disorders, health related functional status, health resource use, demographics, and depression. The relationships between four specific personality disorders (borderline, dependent, schizoid and schizotypal) and other assessed variables were explored. Results: Of the 250 patients returning completed survey instruments, 80 (32%) scored in the high range for traits consistent with one of the four target personality disorders. Patients in the high risk group also were noted to have more outpatient, emergency, and inpatient visits in the previous six months. Those in the high risk group also had significantly lower scores on seven of eight measures of health related functional status. Conclusions: Patients who have several traits for borderline, dependent, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders are common in primary care practices. These patients utilize services at higher rates than others and are more likely to screen in the positive range for depressive symptoms and have overall lower health related functional status.
Smart Interaction Management: An Interaction Approach for Smart Meeting Rooms

Understanding information and gaining insights about information usually means interacting with the displayed information. Utilizing the new capabilities of smart meeting rooms, visual outputs of different information representation applications are presented according to the user's needs. In this paper we present smart interaction management. This interaction approach enables the users to interact with all displayed views, utilizing the novel capabilities of these environments while still being able to interact with applications in a conventional manner using local devices. We further show two use cases demonstrating typical applications of our approach in such multi-display environments: (1) to modify the arrangement and layout of views and (2) to interact with the displayed information within a view.
Captain Nemo: A Metasearch Engine with Personalized Hierarchical Search Space

Personalization of search has gained a lot of publicity the last years. Personalization features in search and metasearch engines are a follow-up to the research done. On the other hand, text categorization methods have been successfully applied to document collections. Specifically, text categorization methods can support the task of classifying Web content in thematic hierarchies. Combining these two research fields, we have developed Captain Nemo, a fully-functional metasearch engine with personalized hierarchical search spaces. Captain Nemo, retrieves and presents search results according to personalized retrieval models and presentation styles. Here, we present the hierarchical Web page classification approach newly adopted. Captain Nemo Jets users define a hierarchy of topics of interest. Search results are automatically classified into the hierarchy, exploiting hierarchical k-Nearest Neighbor classification techniques. The user study conducted demonstrates the effectiveness of our metasearch engine
Living and Learning Sustainability: Pedagogy and Praxis in Sustainability Education

In this dissertation, the author develops a critical pedagogy of sustainability and promotes its application in higher education. This pedagogy is a form of praxis rooted in Gramsci‟s theory of agency. It weaves together threads of related theory rooted in social critique and analysis of global political economy, recognition of the importance of place as a context and construct for sustainable living, local food action, and counterhegemonic sustainability education praxis. The author also discusses examples from her teaching that illustrate how engaging students in sustainability-oriented action projects, and in reflection on that engagement, can embody sustainability education praxis. The critical pedagogy of sustainability developed in this dissertation involves interand transdisciplinary engagement with students and community members in an effort to catalyze the conceptualization and living of sustainable practices. This transformative praxis departs from practices dominant in higher education today in that it involves students in the process of naming the world and defining desired action. It seeks to (re)integrate fractured modern identities and worldviews. It is counterhegemonic in orientation so that it directly confronts the political economy of late capitalism and its means of production as primary drivers of the sustainability crisis. It seeks to authentically reconnect people with each other and with the land. It embodies sustainable forms of leadership and entails educational processes and content that encourage personal and community engagement. Since the pedagogy the author advocates is also the pedagogy she practices, she draws upon student reflections on their experiences in her End of Oil course as one means to indicate what might be possible in terms of student learning and praxis. Living and Learning Sustainability v
Mediating Role of Decentering in the Associations between Self-Reflection, Self-Rumination, and Depressive Symptoms

Theorists have suggested that self-focused attention has adaptive and maladaptive aspects and have proposed self-rumination and self-reflection. Previous research on self-focus and mindfulness have shown that self-rumination increases depression and counteracts decentering which is the capacity to take a detached view of one’s thoughts and emotions. On the contrary, although self-reflection was defined as an adaptive type of self-focus, its contents or mode have not been examined, and the mechanism of its contribution to psychological adjustment is still not well understood. Hence, we explored the function of self-reflection in relation to decentering to elucidate its adaptivity. Two-hundred and forty-nine Japanese undergraduate students participated in our cross-sectional questionnaire study. Mediation analysis indicated that individuals with higher levels of self-reflection showed more decentering and less depressive symptoms while self-ruminative participants showed less decentering and more depressive symptoms. This result suggests that self-reflection involves decentered self-focused attention, and its adaptive function appears when self-reflection leads to increased decentering.
RPO41-independent maintenance of [rho-] mitochondrial DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A subset of promoters in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been proposed to participate in replication initiation, giving rise to a primer through site-specific cleavage of an RNA transcript. To test whether transcription is essential for mtDNA maintenance, we examined two simple mtDNA deletion ([rho-]) genomes in yeast cells. One genome (HS3324) contains a consensus promoter (ATATAAGTA) for the mitochondrial RNA polymerase encoded by the nuclear gene RPO41, and the other genome (4a) does not. As anticipated, in RPO41 cells transcripts from the HS3324 genome were more abundant than were transcripts from the 4a genome. When the RPO41 gene was disrupted, both [rho-] genomes were efficiently maintained. The level of transcripts from HS3324 mtDNA was decreased greater than 400-fold in cells carrying the RPO41 disrupted gene; however, the low-level transcripts from 4a mtDNA were undiminished. These results indicate that replication of [rho-] genomes can be initiated in the absence of wild-type levels of the RPO41-encoded RNA polymerase.
SYVN1, NEDD8, and FBXO2 Proteins Regulate ΔF508 Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Ubiquitin-mediated Proteasomal Degradation*

We previously reported that delivery of a microRNA-138 mimic or siRNA against SIN3A to cultured cystic fibrosis (ΔF508/ΔF508) airway epithelia partially restored ΔF508-cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-mediated cAMP-stimulated Cl− conductance. We hypothesized that dissecting this microRNA-138/SIN3A-regulated gene network would identify individual proteins contributing to the rescue of ΔF508-CFTR function. Among the genes in the network, we rigorously validated candidates using functional CFTR maturation and electrolyte transport assays in polarized airway epithelia. We found that depletion of the ubiquitin ligase SYVN1, the ubiquitin/proteasome system regulator NEDD8, or the F-box protein FBXO2 partially restored ΔF508-CFTR-mediated Cl− transport in primary cultures of human cystic fibrosis airway epithelia. Moreover, knockdown of SYVN1, NEDD8, or FBXO2 in combination with corrector compound 18 further potentiated rescue of ΔF508-CFTR-mediated Cl− conductance. This study provides new knowledge of the CFTR biosynthetic pathway. It suggests that SYVN1 and FBXO2 represent two distinct multiprotein complexes that may degrade ΔF508-CFTR in airway epithelia and identifies a new role for NEDD8 in regulating ΔF508-CFTR ubiquitination.
H1N1 influenza vaccination during pregnancy and fetal and neonatal outcomes.

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the relationship between maternal H1N1 vaccination and fetal and neonatal outcomes among singleton births during the 2009-2010 H1N1 pandemic. METHODS We used a population-based perinatal database in Ontario, Canada, to examine preterm birth (PTB), small-for-gestational-age (SGA) births, 5-minute Apgar score below 7, and fetal death via multivariable regression. We compared outcomes between women who did and did not receive an H1N1 vaccination during pregnancy. RESULTS Of the 55,570 mothers with a singleton birth, 23,340 (42.0%) received an H1N1 vaccination during pregnancy. Vaccinated mothers were less likely to have an SGA infant based on the 10th (adjusted risk ratio [RR]=0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.85, 0.96) and 3rd (adjusted RR=0.81; 95% CI=0.72, 0.92) growth percentiles; PTB at less than 32 weeks' gestation (adjusted RR=0.73; 95% CI=0.58, 0.91) and fetal death (adjusted RR=0.66; 95% CI=0.47, 0.91) were also less likely among these women. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that second- or third-trimester H1N1 vaccination was associated with improved fetal and neonatal outcomes during the recent pandemic. Our findings need to be confirmed in future studies with designs that can better overcome concerns regarding biased estimates of vaccine efficacy.
Small Approximate Pareto Sets for Biobjective Shortest Paths and Other Problems

We investigate the problem of computing a minimum set of solutions that approximates within a specified accuracy i¾? the Pareto curve of a multiobjective optimization problem. We show that for a broad class of bi-objective problems (containing many important widely studied problems such as shortest paths, spanning tree, and many others), we can compute in polynomial time an i¾? -Pareto set that contains at most twice as many solutions as the minimum such set. Furthermore we show that the factor of 2 is tight for these problems, i.e., it is NP-hard to do better. We present further results for three or more objectives, as well as for the dual problem of computing a specified number kof solutions which provide a good approximation to the Pareto curve.
Homozygous Deletion Mapping in Myeloma Samples Identifies Genes and an Expression Signature Relevant to Pathogenesis and Outcome

Purpose: Myeloma is a clonal malignancy of plasma cells. Poor-prognosis risk is currently identified by clinical and cytogenetic features. However, these indicators do not capture all prognostic information. Gene expression analysis can be used to identify poor-prognosis patients and this can be improved by combination with information about DNA-level changes. Experimental Design: Using single nucleotide polymorphism–based gene mapping in combination with global gene expression analysis, we have identified homozygous deletions in genes and networks that are relevant to myeloma pathogenesis and outcome. Results: We identified 170 genes with homozygous deletions and corresponding loss of expression. Deletion within the “cell death” network was overrepresented and cases with these deletions had impaired overall survival. From further analysis of these events, we have generated an expression-based signature associated with shorter survival in 258 patients and confirmed this signature in data from two independent groups totaling 800 patients. We defined a gene expression signature of 97 cell death genes that reflects prognosis and confirmed this in two independent data sets. Conclusions: We developed a simple 6-gene expression signature from the 97-gene signature that can be used to identify poor-prognosis myeloma in the clinical environment. This signature could form the basis of future trials aimed at improving the outcome of poor-prognosis myeloma. Clin Cancer Res; 16(6); 1856–64
Valproate in the treatment of PTSD: systematic review and meta analysis

ABSTRACT Objective: Anticonvulsants are used in clinical practice for the treatment of PTSD. However, a systematic investigation of their effects in the treatment of PTSD is currently lacking from the literature. Our aim is to review and appraise the evidence for the use of the anticonvulsant valproate for the treatment of PTSD. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature where valproate was used for the treatment of PTSD. Studies of treatment of PTSD with valproate were located using a search protocol which was applied to the electronic databases CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PSYCHINFO. A search of the National PTSD Centre Pilots Database and of the Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Controlled Trials Register (CCDANCTR) were also conducted. Findings: We only found one single-blinded study, four open-label studies and three case reports. These data do not allow for robust conclusions because of the design of the studies which are of limited patient number and open to bias. However, the studies reported that valproate was generally effective for the treatment of symptoms of PTSD by reducing hyperarousal, improving irritability and anger outbursts and improving mood. Conclusions: The limited evidence base suggests that valproate can be effective as a monotherapy for the treatment of both PTSD and mood symptoms. A double blind controlled study should be the next step to robustly study the efficacy of valproate on the treatment of PTSD.
The Relationship between Academic Achievement and the Emotional Well-Being of Elementary School Children in China: The Moderating Role of Parent-School Communication

The relationship between academic achievement and the subjective well-being of elementary school children has received increasing attention. However, previous research on the relationship between these variables has yielded inconsistent conclusions – possibly due to the presence of potential moderating variables. This study investigated the relationship between the academic achievement and the emotional well-being (positive and negative affect) of elementary school children in China and the moderating effect of parent–school communication on this relationship. A total of 419 elementary school students and their parents participated. The elementary students’ positive and negative affect, their academic achievement on both midterm and final examinations of the most recent semester, and the frequency of parent–school communication were assessed. Academic achievement of elementary students was positively correlated with positive affect and negatively correlated with negative affect. Parent–school communication significantly moderated this relationship. Regardless of positive or negative affect, the correlation was only significant in the high parent–school communication group (one standard deviation higher than the mean) and in the mean group, whereas in the low parent–school communication group, no association was observed. These results indicate that parental engagement with school impacts both the academic achievements and subjective well-being of children in China.
How employees negotiate : job autonomy and negotiation self-efficacy related to integrative negotiation and negotiation results in employment relationships

To assess whether satisfaction with psychological contract breach does more depend on good negotiation skills or on a well-designed job, we first investigated the effect of negotiation self-efficacy and task autonomy on integrative negotiation with survey data from employees of a telecom company. We developed a measuring instrument for negotiation self-efficacy. Subsequently, we examined the relationship between integrative negotiation with psychological contract breach. Employees negotiate more integratively when they have higher negotiation self-efficacy, compared to employees with more task autonomy. But integratively negotiating employees do not experience the absence of psychological contract breach. However, more negotiation selfefficacy and task autonomy correlates with less psychological contract breach. The fact that both negotiation self-efficacy and task autonomy cohere with this indicator of employment relationship satisfaction has the practical implication that ‘good’ employment relationships can probably be reached through either enhancing personal negotiation skills or improving the design of jobs. We recommend interdisciplinary research into the employment relationship that integrates variables and concepts from sociology and management science with psychology.
Criminals and Victims

Criminals and Victims presents an economic analysis of decisions made by criminals and victims of crime before, during, and after a crime or victimization occurs. Its main purpose is to illustrate how the application of analytical tools from economics can help us to understand the causes and consequences of criminal and victim choices, aiding efforts to deter or reduce the consequences of crime. By examining these decisions along a logical timeline over which crimes take place, we can begin to think more clearly about how policy effects change when it is targeted at specific decisions within the body of a crime. This book differs from others by recognizing the timeline of a crime, paying particular attention to victim decisions, and examining each step in the crime cycle at the micro-level. It demonstrates that criminals plan their crimes in systematic, economically logical ways; that deterring the destruction of criminal evidence may deter crime in general; and that white-collar criminals exhibit recidivism patterns not unlike those of street criminals. It further shows that the degree of criminality in a society motivates a variety of self-protection behaviors by potential victims; that not all victim resistance makes matters worse (and some may help); and that victims who report their crimes do not receive high returns for going to the police, helping to explain why some crimes ultimately go unreported.
Closing the Loop in Appearance-Guided Structure-from-Motion for Omnidirectional Cameras

In this paper, we present a method that allows us to recover a 400 meter trajectory purely from monocular omnidirectional images very accurately. The method uses a novel combination of appearance-guided structure from motion and loop closing. The appearance-guided monocular structure-from-motion scheme is used for initial motion estimation. Appearance information is used to correct the rotation estimates computed from feature points only. A place recognition scheme is employed for loop detection, which works with a visual word based approach. Loop closing is done by bundle adjustment minimizing the reprojection error of feature matches. The proposed method is successfully demonstrated on videos from an automotive platform. The experiments show that the use of appearance information leads to superior motion estimates compared to a purely feature based approach. And we demonstrate a working loop closing method which eliminates the residual drift errors of the motion estimation. Note that the recovered trajectory is one of the longest ones ever reported with a single omnidirectional camera.