Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antecedents and Reintegration of Sex Trafficked Victims in India: A Conceptual Framework

Sex trafficking has assumed serious proportions in India. Although India was the first country to adopt anti-trafficking interventions in its constitution (Suppression of Immoral Trafficking Act, 1950) and in spite of the fact that the country is a signatory to the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, 2000, yet, the problem persists and thousands of females are trafficked every year. There is a serious lack of studies on antecedents of sex trafficking, as well as lack of interception model for prevention. In this paper, a model representing the dynamics of rescue/rehabilitation and retrafficking has been put forward. The distinct feature of this model is that it is grounded in the contextual realities of trafficking. It advocates for the creation of more personalized schemes to suit the individual needs for the rehabilitation, and reintegration. It espouses tailor made programs for rehabilitation, as 'one size' does not fit to all. The scope of the model is not limited to the Indian context; it could be generalized to other contexts also.
Glucagon-like peptide 2 dose-dependently activates intestinal cell survival and proliferation in neonatal piglets.

Glucagon-like peptide 2 (GLP-2) is a gut hormone that stimulates mucosal growth in total parenteral nutrition (TPN)-fed piglets; however, the dose-dependent effects on apoptosis, cell proliferation, and protein synthesis are unknown. We studied 38 TPN-fed neonatal piglets infused iv with either saline or GLP-2 at three rates (2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 nmol.kg(-1). d(-1)) for 7 d. Plasma GLP-2 concentrations ranged from 177 +/- 27 to 692 +/- 85 pM in the low- and high-infusion groups, respectively. GLP-2 infusion dose-dependently increased small intestinal weight, DNA and protein content, and villus height; however, stomach protein synthesis was decreased by GLP-2. Intestinal crypt and villus apoptosis decreased and crypt cell number increased linearly with GLP-2 infusion rates, whereas cell proliferation and protein synthesis were stimulated only at the high GLP-2 dose. The intestinal activities of caspase-3 and -6 and active caspase-3 abundance decreased, yet procaspase-3 abundance increased markedly with increasing infusion rate and plasma concentration of GLP-2. The GLP-2-dose-dependent suppression of intestinal apoptosis and caspase-3 activity was associated with increased protein kinase B and glycogen-synthase kinase-3 phosphorylation, yet the expression phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase was unaffected by GLP-2. Intestinal endothelial nitric oxide synthase mRNA and protein expression was increased, but only at the high GLP-2 dose. We conclude that the stimulation of intestinal epithelial survival is concentration dependent at physiological GLP-2 concentrations; however, induction of cell proliferation and protein synthesis is a pharmacological response. Moreover, we show that GLP-2 stimulates intestinal cell survival and proliferation in association with induction of protein kinase B and glycogen-synthase kinase-3 phosphorylation and Bcl-2 expression.
Speak More Slowly ! Developing better community awareness through localized reflective media systems

Introduction Recent advances in networking and communication technology have enmeshed us in a richly mediated and informative world, transforming the nature of our everyday interactions into a physical-digital hybrid experience. At the heart of this development is the lightning-fast transmission, reception and transformation of digital information. While previous generations encountered a ‘cult of speed’ owing to such diverse developments as the proliferation of the pocket watch, the emergence of the automobile and the introduction of efficient factory floor time management, today our experience of continuous, rapid connectivity and communication is all-encompassing and prevalent (Kern, 2003). In this age of great rapidity, McLuhan's "global village" (McLuhan & Lapham, 1994) has become more of a "global living room,” with information of all forms dispersed to and retrieved in our homes on a constant basis. Our televisions, personal computers and smart phones clamor for our attention, beckoning us with the opportunity for connection and interaction. While the rapidity of our communications may have enhanced our efficiency, it has also introduced a dense complexity to our everyday lives. As experts on human-machine interaction with the power to shape this increasingly important aspect of people's lives, designers have a unique opportunity and duty to analyze, understand and support the factors contributing to informational complexity.
Developmental changes in face visual scanning in autism spectrum disorder as assessed by data-based analysis

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present reduced visual attention to faces. However, contradictory conclusions have been drawn about the strategies involved in visual face scanning due to the various methodologies implemented in the study of facial screening. Here, we used a data-driven approach to compare children and adults with ASD subjected to the same free viewing task and to address developmental aspects of face scanning, including its temporal patterning, in healthy children, and adults. Four groups (54 subjects) were included in the study: typical adults, typically developing children, and adults and children with ASD. Eye tracking was performed on subjects viewing unfamiliar faces. Fixations were analyzed using a data-driven approach that employed spatial statistics to provide an objective, unbiased definition of the areas of interest. Typical adults expressed a spatial and temporal strategy for visual scanning that differed from the three other groups, involving a sequential fixation of the right eye (RE), left eye (LE), and mouth. Typically developing children, adults and children with autism exhibited similar fixation patterns and they always started by looking at the RE. Children (typical or with ASD) subsequently looked at the LE or the mouth. Based on the present results, the patterns of fixation for static faces that mature from childhood to adulthood in typical subjects are not found in adults with ASD. The atypical patterns found after developmental progression and experience in ASD groups appear to remain blocked in an immature state that cannot be differentiated from typical developmental child patterns of fixation.
A Parallel Architecture for Multiple-Face Detection Technique Using AdaBoost Algorithm and Haar Cascade

Face detection is a very important biometric application in the field of image analysis and computer vision. The basic face detection method is AdaBoost algorithm with a cascading Haar-like feature classifiers based on the framework proposed by Viola and Jones. Real-time multiple-face detection, for instance on CCTVs with high resolution, is a computation-intensive procedure. If the procedure is performed sequentially, an optimal real-time performance will not be achieved. In this paper we propose an architectural design for a parallel and multiple-face detection technique based on Viola and Jones' framework. To do this systematically, we look at the problem from 4 points of view, namely: data processing taxonomy, parallel memory architecture, the model of parallel programming, as well as the design of parallel program. We also build a prototype of the proposed parallel technique and conduct a series of experiments to investigate the gained acceleration.
Analytical Design Equations for Class-E Power Amplifiers

This paper presents the analytical solution in time domain for the ideal single-ended class-E power amplifier (PA). Based on the analytical solution a coherent noniterative procedure for choosing the circuit parameters is presented for class-E PA's with arbitrary duty-cycle and finite dc-feed inductance (e.g., continuously ranging from class-E with small finite drain inductance to class-E with RF choke). The obtained analysis results link all known class-E PA design equations as well as presenting new design equations. The result of the analysis gives more degrees of freedom to designers in their design and optimization by further expanding the design space of class-E PA.
Our Grandmothers' Ways: Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use by the Gullah-Geechee in McIntosh County, Georgia

The purpose of this pilot study was to explore complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use for diabetes management purposes among the Gullah-Geechee of McIntosh County, Georgia. Using snowball and convenience sampling, the researcher selected four adult participants, at least 60 years old, who had Type 2 diabetes, and reported using CAM for Type 2 diabetes management. Two community experts were included in the study also. In conjunction with visiting allopathic physicians, Gullah-Geechee people use several types of CAM, but do not use CAM types such as teas like life everlasting (Gnaphalium polycephalum) and cinnamon capsules for chronic conditions. Participants selected for this study were raised in McIntosh County, Georgia, and identified as Gullah-Geechee. The data was gathered using phenomenological interviewing. A semi-structured interview format was provided to participants’ to understand their experiences using CAM for diabetes management. Interviews did not exceed an hour. Reported herbal tea use received additional consideration. INDEX WORDS: CAM, Diabetes Management, Gullah-Geechee, Sapelo Island, Georgia, McIntosh County OUR GRANDMOTHERS’ WAYS: COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE USE BY THE GULLAH-GEECHEE IN MCINTOSH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Unconventional Monetary Policy and the Great Recession

We explore the macroeconomic impact of a compression in the long-term bond yield spread within the context of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 via a Bayesian time-varying parameter structural VAR. We identify a purespread shock which, leaving the short-term rate unchanged by construction, allows us to characterise the macroeconomic impact of a compression in the yield spread induced by central banksasset purchases within an environment in which the short rate cannot move because it is constrained by the zero lower bound. Two main ndings stand out. First, in all the countries we analyse (U.S., Euro area, Japan, and U.K.) a compression in the long-term yield spread exerts a powerful e¤ect on both output growth and ination. Second, conditional on available estimates of the impact of the FEDs and the Bank of Englands asset purchase programmes on long-term government bond yield spreads, our counterfactual simulations indicate that U.S. and U.K. unconventional monetary policy actions have averted signi cant risks both of deation and of output collapses comparable to those that took place during the Great Depression. We wish to thank Lutz Kilian, James Hamilton, and seminar participants at the University of California at San Diego, Bank of England and Norges Bank for useful comments and suggestions. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reect the views of the Bank of Canada or the Banque de France. This paper was written while Christiane Baumeister was visiting the European Central Bank, which she thanks for its kind hospitality. yInternational Economic Analysis Department, Bank of Canada, 234 Wellington Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0G9, Canada. Email: cbaumeister@bankofcanada.ca. zMonetary Policy Research Division, Banque de France, 31, Rue Croix des Petits Champs, 75049 Paris CEDEX 01, France. Email: Luca.Benati@banque-france.fr.
Personalized resource categorisation in folksonomies

Folksonomies constitute an important type of Web 2.0 services, where users collectively annotate (or "tag") resources to create custom categories. Semantic relation of these categories hint at the possibility of another categorization at a higher level. Discovering these more general categories, called "topics", is an important task. One problem is to discover these semantically coherent topics and the accompanying small sets of tags that cover these topics in order to facilitate more detailed item search. Another important problem is to find words/phrases that describe these topics, i.e. labels or "meta-tag"s. These labeled topics can immensely increase the item search efficiency of users in a folksonomy service. However, this possibility has not been sufficiently exploited to date. In this paper, a probabilistic model is used to identify topics in a folksonomy, which are then associated with relevant, descriptive meta-tags. In addition, a small set of diverse and relevant tags are found which cover the semantics of the topic well. The resulting topics form a personalized categorization of folksonomy data due to the personalized nature of the model employed. The results show that the proposed method is successful at discovering important topics and the corresponding identifying meta-tags.
Adapting to the Information Age : Is Agile Software Development A Feasible Approach ?

In recent years, agile software development has been advocated as an appropriate approach for turbulent environments. Today, there is an ongoing debate between the agile software development and traditional rigorous software development. Agile approaches are critiqued as fragile due to lack of architectural design and sufficient documentation, while rigorous approaches are critiqued as bureaucratic due to lack of the ability to respond to change. Software Engineering Institute’s Capability Maturity Model (CMM) Integration for Systems Engineering/Software Engineering (CMMI-SE/SW) is a software process improvement model and is becoming the de facto standard for software processes assessment. In this paper, I summarize the CMMI-SE/SW and several agile development methodologies, including Scrum, Feature-Driven Development, and Extreme Programming, and assess the maturity level of these methodologies. This paper provides considerations for a software development organization that wants to achieve certain maturity level while have the agility to meet the versatile requirements.
Foreground separation methods for satellite observations of the cosmic microwave background

A maximum entropy method (MEM) is presented for separating the emission resulting from different foreground components from simulated satellite observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR). In particular, the method is applied to simulated observations by the proposed Planck Surveyor satellite. The simulations, performed by Bouchet &38; Gispert, include emission from the CMBR and the kinetic and thermal Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) effects from galaxy clusters, as well as Galactic dust, free–free and synchrotron emission. We find that the MEM technique performs well and produces faithful reconstructions of the main input components. The method is also compared with traditional Wiener filtering and is shown to produce consistently better results, particularly in the recovery of the thermal SZ effect.
On the second-order cyclostationarity for joint signal detection and classification in cognitive radio systems

Spectrum awareness is a crucial aspect of a cognitive radio (CR). The CR concept of dynamically sensing and adapting to the radio frequency environment depends on the ability to perform reliable joint signal detection and classification at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) given relaxed a priori information. This paper proposes a joint detection and classification algorithm for single-carrier linearly digitally modulated (SCLD), cyclically prefixed SCLD (CP-SCLD), and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals, which does not require estimation of signal and noise powers, symbol timing, and carrier and waveform recovery.
Algebraic structure of gravity with torsion

The BRST transformations for gravity with torsion are discussed by using the Maurer--Cartan horizontality conditions. With the help of an operator which allows the decomposition of the exterior spacetime derivative as a BRST commutator we solve the Wess--Zumino consistency condition corresponding to invariant Lagrangians and anomalies.
The USC AFV-I: A Behavior-Based Entry in the 1994 International Aerial Robotics Competition

The International Aerial Robotics Competition requires flying robots to locate and manipulate objects and transport them from one location to another. The robots must perform these tasks under hazardous conditions, without human guidance, and within a fixed time limit. A first place finisher illustrates the advantages of hierarchical, behavior based control, with low level behaviors ensuring craft survival and high level behaviors performing tasks such as navigation and object location. >
Statistical detection of information hiding based on adjacent pixels difference

This paper presents a novel methodology for statistical detection of Least Significant Bits (LSB) matching steganography. It proposes to exploit a statistical model of natural images adjacent pixels difference. In this paper, the detection problem is first addressed in a theoretical context when cover image parameters are known. The most powerful likelihood ratio test (LRT) is designed and its statistical performances are analytically expressed. Then, for a practical case of unknown image analysis, an estimation of distribution parameters is proposed to designed a test whose performance are also analytically established. Numerical results on a large image database shows the relevance of proposed methodology.
Biometric Template Protection with Fuzzy Vault and Fuzzy Commitment

Conventional security methods like password and ID card methods are now rapidly replacing by biometrics for identification of a person. Biometrics uses physiological or behavioral characteristics of a person. Usage of biometric raises critical privacy and security concerns that, due to the noisy nature of biometrics, cannot be addressed using standard cryptographic methods. The loss of an enrollment biometric to an attacker is a security hazard because it may allow the attacker to get an unauthorized access to the system. Biometric template can be stolen and intruder can get access of biometric system using fake input. Hence, it becomes essential to design biometric system with secure template or if the biometric template in an application is compromised, the biometric signal itself is not lost forever and a new biometric template can be issued. One way is to combine the biometrics and cryptography or use transformed data instead of original biometric template. But traditional cryptography methods are not useful in biometrics because of intra-class variation. Biometric cryptosystem can apply fuzzy vault, fuzzy commitment, helper data and secure sketch, whereas, cancelable biometrics uses distorting transforms, Bio-Hashing, and Bio-Encoding techniques. In this paper, biometric cryptosystem is presented with fuzzy vault and fuzzy commitment techniques for fingerprint recognition system.
Respiration Rates of Eurasian Perch Perca fluviatilis and Ruffe: Lower Energy Costs in Groups

The effect of group size on the routine metabolic rate and activity of the two shoaling percids, Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis and ruffe Gymnocephalus cernuus, was studied by using twin-flow intermittent respirometry and time-lapse video techniques. In both species, we found a clear group effect. In isolated fish, oxygen consumption was as much as twice that in groups of eight fish, with intermediate values in groups of four fish. The routine metabolic rate was highest during twilight in both species, irrespective of group size. Eurasian perch consumed more oxygen and were more active during the day than during the night, whereas the oxygen consumption and activity of ruffe were higher during the night than during the day. With increasing group size, the differences between day and night decreased and the diel cycle was less pronounced. Individual fish may benefit from the presence of conspecifics through a calming effect that reduces their energetic costs. We advise that the social behavior of a species be more thoroughly considered when planning behavioral, growth, and respiration experiments. Because bioenergetic model parameters for many species are based on data gained from isolated fish, we conclude that without considering group size the results of bioenergetic modeling may be seriously biased.
Prevalence and determinants of physical activity and lifestyle in relation to obesity among schoolchildren in Israel

Abstract Objective To describe the relationships between physical activity, lifestyle determinants and obesity in adolescent Israeli schoolchildren. Design and setting Cross-sectional survey. Subjects The MABAT Youth Survey was a nationally representative, school-based study of youth in grades 7 to 12 (ages 11–19 years). Methods Self-administered questionnaires assessed health behaviours and anthropometric indices were measured. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between obesity, physical activity, socio-economic status and other lifestyle habits. One-way ANOVA was used to determine mean physical activity levels (MET values) by BMI categories. Results The prevalence of overweight was 13–15 % and of obesity 4–9 % depending on gender and ethnicity, and was higher among the non-Jewish sectors. Thirty-six per cent and 57 % of Jewish girls and boys, and 40 % and 58 % of non-Jewish girls and boys, respectively, were optimally active. Boys from low socio-economic schools and those who slept for less than 6 h at night were less active. Girls from middle school were found to be 53 % more optimally physically active among Jews, and 89 % more among non-Jews, compared with girls from high school (P = 0·001); girls with less educated parents were also less physically active. No clear relationship was found between the level of obesity and physical activity. Conclusions Physical inactivity was strongly related to gender, age, social status, sleeping habits, hookah smoking, and parental educational status. Education and intervention programmes should focus on these risk factors.
Linear-Time Algorithms for Linear Programming in R^3 and Related Problems

Linear-time algorithms for linear programming in R and R are presented. The methods used are applicable for other graphic and geometric problems as well as quadratic programming. For example, a linear-time algorithm is given for the classical problem of finding the smallest circle enclosing n given points in the plane; this disproves a conjecture by Shamos and Hoey [Proc. 16th IEEE Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science, 1975] that this problem requires lq(n log n) time. An immediate consequence of the main result is that the problem of linear separability is solvable in linear time. This corrects an error in Shamos and Hoey’s paper, namely, that their O(n log n) algorithm for this problem in the plane was optimal. Also, a linear-time algorithm is given for the problem of finding the weighted center of a tree, and algorithms for other common location-theoretic problems are indicated. The results apply also to the problem of convex quadratic programming in three dimensions. The results have already been extended to higher dimensions, and we know that linear programming can be solved in linear time when the dimension is fixed. This will be reported elsewhere; a preliminary version is available from the author. Key words, linear programming, 1-center, weighted center, smallest circle, linear time, median, separability, quadratic programming