Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution of genetic variation and taxonomy of insular and mainland populations of the Italian wall lizard, Podarcis sicula

The genetic structure and heterogeneity of Podarcis sicula (Reptilia, Lacertidae) was studied in insular (Pontine Archipelago) and mainland (central and southern Italy) populations by means of allozyme electrophoresis at 20 presumptive gene loci. Genetic variability in the species is low and genetic subdivision is high. The highest values of percent polymorphism and heterozygosity were found in the samples from the southernmost part of Italy (Calabria). The insular samples from the Pontine Archipelago were characterized by loss of alleles and erosion of genetic variability. Population heterogeneity analysis carried out by the estimation of Wright's F-statistics demonstrated substantial genetic differentiation among populations. F-statistics and genetic distance data show that genetic variation is distributed into three population groups. The first group includes the genetically very similar populations from central Italy and the Pontine Archipelago, the second includes the populations from Campania (southern Italy), the third comprises the populations from the southernmost part of the Italian Peninsula (Calabria). Based on the results of the allozyme data, the systematic status of the subspecies of P. sicula occurring in the studied areas is discussed.
IDENTITY AUTHENTICATION USING FUSION CLASSIFIERS

In this work, we propose a feature level fusion and decision level fusion of face and fingerprint for designing a multimodal biometric system. Initially, Gabor and Scale Invariant Feature Transform features are extracted for both offline face and fingerprint of a person and studied the identification accuracy. Later the fusion of the biometric traits is recommended at feature level using all possible combinations of feature vectors. The possible combination of features is fed into fusion classifier of K-Nearest Neighbour(KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Navie Bayes(NB) and Radial Basis Function(RBF). The best combination of feature vectors and fusion classifiers is identified for the proposed multimodal biometric system. Experiments are conducted on Face database and fingerprint database to assess the actualadvantage of the fusion of these biometric traits, in comparison to the unimodal biometric system. Experimental results reveal that fusion combination outperforms individual.
How Tumor Cells Choose Between Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Autophagy to Resist Stress—Therapeutic Implications

Tumor cells undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) or macroautophagy (hereafter autophagy) in response to stressors from the microenvironment. EMT ensues when stressors act on tumor cells in the presence of nutrient sufficiency, and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) appears to be the crucial signaling node for EMT induction. Autophagy, on the other hand, is induced in the presence of nutrient deprivation and/or stressors from the microenvironment with 5′ adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) playing an important, but not exclusive role, in autophagy induction. Importantly, mTOR and EMT on one hand, and AMPK and autophagy on the other hand, negatively regulate each other. Such regulation occurs at different levels and suggests that, in many instances, these two stress responses are mutually exclusive. Nevertheless, EMT and autophagy are able to interconvert and we suggest that this may depend on spatiotemporal changes in the tumor microenvironment and/or on duration/intensity of the stressor signal(s). Eventually, we propose a three-pronged therapeutic approach aimed at targeting these three major tumor cell populations. First, cytotoxic drugs that act on differentiated and proliferating tumor cells and which, per se, may promote induction of EMT or autophagy in surviving tumor cells. Second, inhibitors of mTOR in order to prevent EMT induction. Third inducers of autophagic cell death (autosis) in order to deplete tumor cells that are constitutively in an autophagic state or are induced to enter an autophagic state in response to antitumor therapy.
Evolution in populations of Swedish sand lizards: genetic differentiation and loss of variability revealed by multilocus DNA fingerprinting

The Swedish sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) is a relict species from the period of warmth following the last glacial episode and has a fragmented distribution in central Sweden and a more continuous distribution in the southern part of the country. We used this model system of colonization–extinction for a study of genetic variability within and among Swedish populations from different parts of the distribution range using multilocus DNA fingerprinting. The results from the Swedish populations are then contrasted with those from a large Hungarian population in the centre of the species geographical distribution range, which is likely to closely resemble the ancestral founding population of Sweden. Swedish populations have a low level of genetic variability compared with the Hungarian reference population, which showed a genetic variability within the range described for outbred populations. Within the Swedish populations, the average bandsharing was 0.61, the mean heterozygosity 0.45 and the estimated number of alleles 2.7. The figures for the Hungarian population were a bandsharing of 0.19, a heterozygosity of 0.89 and an estimated number of alleles of 9.8. A population bottleneck, common to all Swedish sand lizards, is indicated by less than 20% of the alleles in the Hungarian population being retained in the Swedish populations, and higher bandsharing similarity between different Swedish populations (0.33) as opposed to the Hungarian population (0.19). The limited variability found in Swedish sand lizards is strongly subdivided between populations, with an average FST of 0.32, indicating a very limited gene flow between the isolated populations, as well as between populations in the region where the sand lizard has a more or less continuous distribution (FST = 0.41).
Predicting Age From Brain EEG Signals—A Machine Learning Approach

Objective: The brain age gap estimate (BrainAGE) is the difference between the estimated age and the individual chronological age. BrainAGE was studied primarily using MRI techniques. EEG signals in combination with machine learning (ML) approaches were not commonly used for the human age prediction, and BrainAGE. We investigated whether age-related changes are affecting brain EEG signals, and whether we can predict the chronological age and obtain BrainAGE estimates using a rigorous ML framework with a novel and extensive EEG features extraction. Methods: EEG data were obtained from 468 healthy, mood/anxiety, eating and substance use disorder participants (297 females) from the Tulsa-1000, a naturalistic longitudinal study based on Research Domain Criteria framework. Five sets of preprocessed EEG features across channels and frequency bands were used with different ML methods to predict age. Using a nested-cross-validation (NCV) approach and stack-ensemble learning from EEG features, the predicted age was estimated. The important features and their spatial distributions were deduced. Results: The stack-ensemble age prediction model achieved R2 = 0.37 (0.06), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) = 6.87(0.69) and RMSE = 8.46(0.59) in years. The age and predicted age correlation was r = 0.6. The feature importance revealed that age predictors are spread out across different feature types. The NCV approach produced a reliable age estimation, with features consistent behavior across different folds. Conclusion: Our rigorous ML framework and extensive EEG signal features allow a reliable estimation of chronological age, and BrainAGE. This general framework can be extended to test EEG association with and to predict/study other physiological relevant responses.
Using General Adversarial Networks for Marketing: A Case Study of Airbnb

In this paper, we examine the use case of general adversarial networks (GANs) in the field of marketing. In particular, we analyze how GAN models can replicate text patterns from successful product listings on Airbnb, a peer-to-peer online market for short-term apartment rentals. To do so, we define the Diehl-Martinez-Kamalu (DMK) loss function as a new class of functions that forces the model's generated output to include a set of user-defined keywords. This allows the general adversarial network to recommend a way of rewording the phrasing of a listing description to increase the likelihood that it is booked. Although we tailor our analysis to Airbnb data, we believe this framework establishes a more general model for how generative algorithms can be used to produce text samples for the purposes of marketing.
Geography Dictates, But How? Topography, Spatial Concentration and Sectoral Diversification

This study investigates the ways in which terrain ruggedness affects sectoral diversification. A cross-country analysis using data from 142 countries over the period 1970‒2007 documents an inverted U-shaped link between terrain ruggedness and sectoral diversification, which mainly works through the extensive margin of diversification. A within-country analysis based on United States (US) state-level data over the period 1997‒2011 confirms this non-monotonic relationship. The within-country analysis further reveals that an important mechanism through which terrain ruggedness affects sectoral diversification is the spatial concentration of economic activity, as measured by the concentration of satellite-based night lights.
The Postrelease Survival of Walleyes Following Ice‐Angling on Lake Nipissing, Ontario

Natural resource agencies have developed catch-and-release regulations for Walleyes Sander vitreus of prohibited size and number to reduce mortality in many recreational fisheries. The efficacy of such regulations is contingent upon the released fish surviving, but survival data on Walleyes captured by ice-angling are lacking. We estimated the survival of Lake Nipissing (Ontario, Canada) Walleyes that were captured by both active and passive ice-angling methods using a variety of hook types and lures baited with Emerald Shiners Notropis atherinoides. We also assessed the role of de-hooking methods on the survival of deeply hooked Walleyes. After the angling event, Walleyes (n = 260) were held for 24 h in a submerged holding pen to estimate postrelease survival. Average mortality after the 24-h holding period was 6.9%. Fewer Walleyes captured by active angling were deeply hooked (9.3%) than passively caught fish (50.4%), and deeply hooked Walleyes were observed to have more frequent postrelease mortality (14.8%) than shallow-hooked Walleyes (3.0%). There was no significant difference in mortality rates of Walleyes caught by passive angling (9.8%) or active angling (2.8%); mortality rates of fish caught on circle hooks (6.1%), J-hooks (8.2%), and treble hooks (5.6%) also did not differ. Neither air temperature nor the presence of barotrauma had a significant effect on mortality of captured Walleyes. Survival did not significantly differ between deeply hooked fish that had the line cut (11.1%) and those that had the hook removed (22.6%). Results from this study suggest a relatively high incidence of Walleye survival after catch-and-release angling through the ice. Angling is a popular recreational activity worldwide that provides economic, social, and cultural benefits (Tufts et al. 2015; Barnett et al. 2016). Following capture by angling, a fish may be harvested or released by the angler. Catch-and-release (C&R) angling may be more prevalent where regulations include size-based harvest rules but may also occur as a voluntary conservation action on the part of the angler (Arlinghaus et al. 2007). Regardless of the motive, a substantial number of fish are released from recreational fisheries based on the premise that released fish will survive (Wydoski 1977; Cooke and Schramm 2007). Angling capture and handling can impose significant fitness costs to individuals, which may scale to the population level when a substantial number of fish are captured and released (Post et al. 2002). Stressors related to the angling event, such as exercise and air exposure, can induce physiological alterations in captured fish (e.g., Wood 1991; Ferguson and Tufts 1992; *Corresponding author: william.twardek@gmail.com Received June 23, 2017; accepted October 25, 2017 North American Journal of Fisheries Management 38:159–169, 2018 © 2017 American Fisheries Society ISSN: 0275-5947 print / 1548-8675 online DOI: 10.1002/nafm.10009
Characteristics of Mergers & Acquisitions – A Survey on Value Creation, Synergies, and Market Cyclicality

This paper identifies and explains pervasive themes in existing research surrounding mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and posits potential topics for future research. A primary goal of M&A is to increase shareholder wealth. Thus, value creation lies at the heart of the debate surrounding the legitimacy of M&A as an avenue for corporate growth. Further, in order to generate positive returns for shareholders, the transaction must achieve synergies – either operational or financial. The sources and relative importance of these synergies will be explored. Historically, the M&A market has been cyclical. The paper aims to summarize causes for merger waves and their impact on shareholder returns through an extensive review of existing theoretical and empirical research on the transactions. Finally, because M&A transactions often include additional aspects (e.g. restructuring, bankruptcy, etc.), I suggest future research target the impact of any added complexities to an M&A transaction. * I would like to thank Amrita Nain for coaching me through the process of developing my literature review and the Henry B. Tippie College of Business for providing the multitude of resources I utilized throughout my project.
Lack of congruence of genetic and niche divergence in Podarcis hispanicus complex

Centro de Investigac ~ao em Biodiversidade e Recursos Gen eticos, CIBIO/InBio, Vair~ao, Portugal Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal CEFE, CNRS, University of Montpellier, University Paul Val ery Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France Centro de Investigac ~ao em Ciências GeoEspaciais, CICGE, Observat orio Astron omico Prof. Manuel de Barros, Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Learning a shared shape space for multimodal garment design

Designing real and virtual garments is becoming extremely demanding with rapidly changing fashion trends and increasing need for synthesizing realisticly dressed digital humans for various applications. This necessitates creating simple and effective workflows to facilitate authoring sewing patterns customized to garment and target body shapes to achieve desired looks. Traditional workflow involves a trial-and-error procedure wherein a mannequin is draped to judge the resultant folds and the sewing pattern iteratively adjusted until the desired look is achieved. This requires time and experience. Instead, we present a data-driven approach wherein the user directly indicates desired fold patterns simply by sketching while our system estimates corresponding garment and body shape parameters at interactive rates. The recovered parameters can then be further edited and the updated draped garment previewed. Technically, we achieve this via a novel shared shape space that allows the user to seamlessly specify desired characteristics across multimodal input without requiring to run garment simulation at design time. We evaluate our approach qualitatively via a user study and quantitatively against test datasets, and demonstrate how our system can generate a rich quality of on-body garments targeted for a range of body shapes while achieving desired fold characteristics. Code and data are available at our project webpage.
Does diet in lacertid lizards reflect prey availability? Evidence for selective predation in the Aeolian wall lizard, Podarcis raffonei (Mertens, 1952) (Reptilia, Lacertidae)

In this paper the invertebrate fauna occurring on Scoglio Faraglione, a tiny Aeolian island (Aeolian Archipelago, NE Sicily) inhabited by a population of the critically endangered lacertid lizard Podarcis raffonei (Mertens, 1952), was censused at different seasons and the resulting data were then compared with data obtained analysing prey composition and prey abundance in the diet of the lizards occurring on the same islet. The diet of Podarcis raffonei was mainly based on insects and other arthropods. The results indicate that diet composition is not directly influenced by prey availability and temporal prey abundance, and that there is strong evidence indicating selective predation. Lizards prey upon a number of arthropod categories fewer than that recorded in field. Some invertebrate taxa (e.g. Diptera and Gastropoda) are really less attractive for lizards and are rarely preyed or not preyed at all despite their spatial and/or temporal abundance. This suggests that Podarcis raffonei is able to operate a hierarchical choice within the range of prey items constituting its prey spectrum, probably through the ability to discriminate between prey chemicals or visually oriented predation.
Multi-view Harmonized Bilinear Network for 3D Object Recognition

View-based methods have achieved considerable success in 3D object recognition tasks. Different from existing view-based methods pooling the view-wise features, we tackle this problem from the perspective of patches-to-patches similarity measurement. By exploiting the relationship between polynomial kernel and bilinear pooling, we obtain an effective 3D object representation by aggregating local convolutional features through bilinear pooling. Meanwhile, we harmonize different components inherited in the bilinear feature to obtain a more discriminative representation. To achieve an end-to-end trainable framework, we incorporate the harmonized bilinear pooling as a layer of a network, constituting the proposed Multi-view Harmonized Bilinear Network (MHBN). Systematic experiments conducted on two public benchmark datasets demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methods in 3D object recognition.
What’s in a face? Making sense of tangible information systems in terms of Peircean semiotics

Abstract Within this paper, we utilise a delimited area of philosophy to help make sense of a delimited area of design science as it pertains to a class of contemporary information systems. The philosophy is taken from that of Charles Sanders Peirce; the design science is directed at the construction of visual devices in that area known as visual management. The utilisation of such devices within their wider visual management systems we take to be instances of what we refer to as tangible information systems. Tangible information systems use tangible artefacts, such as whiteboards and magnetic tokens, to accomplish information. We particularly use Peircean semiotics to analyse the use of tangible emoticons articulated upon performance boards within a large-scale manufacturing facility. We infer from our analysis of these informative artefacts that certain integrated aspects of Peircean philosophy offers an alternative way of framing notions of a proper design science, design theory, and design artefact for the discipline of information systems.
Nest-site Selection by Psammodromus Algirus in a Laboratory Thermal Gradient

Abstract Oviposition site choice, which is one of the most important forms of parental care in oviparous reptiles, has major effects on incubation duration, reproductive success, and offspring phenotype. We determined the thermal characteristics of nest-sites selected by females of the lacertid lizard Psammodromus algirus in laboratory thermal gradients, and we linked results with information on the effects of temperature on incubation times and hatchling phenotypes. Temperatures at oviposition sites (mean ± SD = 26.0 ± 1.9°C) were on average lower and had a lower variance than those at available sites (32.0 ± 6.2°C). The duration of incubation decreased dramatically as temperature increased. In fact, the hatching dates predicted by the temperatures selected in the thermogradients were delayed with respect to the mean emergence dates observed in the field. Such disparity might occur because (1) natural incubation temperatures are variable rather than constant, (2) they are expected to rise later in the season, and (3) temperatures that are too high can severely compromise embryonic survival. In addition, females might select relatively low nest-site temperatures because hatching too early can force juveniles to face limited growth opportunities caused by food shortage in the Mediterranean environments in which they live.
Testosterone, body size, and sexual signals predict parasite load in Yarrow's Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus jarrovii)

Parasite load significantly impacts host health and fitness and may vary substantially among individuals within a population. The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis posits that sexual signals are honest indicators of male quality because they are maintained by testosterone, an immunosuppressant that yields higher parasite loads. Additionally, testoster- one may influence parasite load by increasing activity levels. We examined these two hypotheses in a wild population of Yarrow's Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus jarrovii Cope, 1875) in Arizona. We (i) compared fecal testosterone levels to ectoparasite and haemopara- site loads, (ii) tested if sexual signals (total coloured area, aggression, and head size), locomotor activity, and body size correlated with testosterone levels, and (iii) compared sexual signals, locomotor activity, and body size to parasite load. Ectoparasite loads increased with total coloured area and tended to increase with testosterone, but this latter relationship was only nearly significant. Parasite loads increased with body size. Thus, we found some support for the immunocompetence handicap hypothesis and none for the activity hypothesis. Our results are consistent with an alternative hypothesis that larger individuals have more parasites because they have more surface area and (or) have had longer to accumulate parasites. Future studies should examine the relative contributions of testosterone and glucocorticoids in driving variation in parasite loads.
Facile MoS2 Growth on Reduced Graphene-Oxide via Liquid Phase Method

Single and few-layers MoS2 were uniformly grown on the surface of chemically reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) via a facile liquid phase approach. The method is based on a simple functionalization of r-GO with oleyl amine which seem to affect significantly the MoS2 way of growth. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis reveal the presence of single-layer MoS2 on the surface of a few-layers r-GO. XPS and Raman spectroscopies were used for in-depth structural characterization. Furthermore, we have successfully applied the method to synthesize MoS2 nanocomposites with multiwall carbon nanotubes (CN) and carbon nanofibers (CNF). The results demonstrate clearly the selective MoS2 growth on both carbon-based supports.