Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum Lactate – An indicator of morbidity & mortality in Polytrauma patients *

Trauma is a major worldwide cause of death and disability that mainly affects young adults and the elderly population. The definition of multiple traumas varies among surgeons from different specialties and between different centers and countries. Hence the need for comparative analysis of injury, management & outcome related parameters has stimulated the development of many trauma scoring systems. These scoring systems represent a means of quantifying the injuries along with comorbidities, age and mode of injury. They are based on converting many independent factors into one-dimensional numeric value that ideally represents the criticality of the illness. An ideal scoring system should take into account the severity of anatomic trauma, level of physiologic response & inherent patient reserves. Aim of the study is to study the significance of blood parameters at the time of admission in predicting the morbidity & mortality of multiply injured patients mainly to understand the significance of blood lactate and lactate clearance in polytrauma and compound injury patients and its roll in predicting timing of definitive and reconstructive procedures in polytrauma and compound fractures.
Examining the Role of the Catholic Environment in Students’ Search for Meaning

Emerging research illustrates that undergraduate students are searching for meaning in their lives, yet postsecondary institutions generally do little to support them in exploring such issues (Astin et al., 2005b). We speculated that religiously affiliated institutions might offer guidance on supporting students’ spiritual development, and thus examined students in the context of Catholic postsecondary environments, focusing on whether the students’ religious affiliations and perceptions of their institution as supporting their spiritual development affected their search for meaning. Further, we examined the aspects of the environment that strengthened students’ perceptions of their college environment as closely aligned with the Catholic mission, and thus supportive of their spiritual development. We discuss implications for secular and religious institutions.
Patterns of similarity of seasonal water balances: A window into streamflow variability over a range of time scales

Recent hydrologic synthesis efforts have presented evidence that the seasonal water balance is at the core of overall catchment responses, and understanding it will assist in predicting signatures of streamflow variability at other time scales, including interannual variability, the flow duration curve, low flows, and floods. In this study, we group 321 catchments located across the continental U.S. into several clusters with similar seasonal water balance behavior. We then delineate the boundaries between these clusters on the basis of a similarity framework based on three hydroclimatic indices that represent aridity, precipitation timing, and snowiness. The clustering of catchments based on the seasonal water balance has a strong relationship not only with regional patterns of the three climate indices but also with regional ecosystem, soil, and vegetation classes, which point to the strong dependence of these physiographic characteristics on seasonal climate variations and the hydrologic regimes. Building on these catchment clusters, we demonstrate that the seasonal water balance does have an imprint on signatures of streamflow variability over a wide range of time scales (daily to decadal) and a wide range of states (low flows to floods). The seasonal water balance is well integrated into variability at seasonal and longer time scales, but is only partly reflected in the signatures at shorter time scales, including flooding responses. Overall, the seasonal water balance has proven to be a similarity measure that serves as a link between both short‐term hydrologic responses and long‐term adaptation of the landscape with climate.
Expression Recognition Based on VLBP and Optical Flow Mixed Features

As sole feature extraction method cannot reflect comprehensive face emotional information in expression recognition, this article proposes one kind expression recognition method based on VLBP and optical flow mixed features. In this method, firstly it extracts block vlbp features of eye region. Then it detects feature points of mouth region automatically and extracts optical flow feature vector of these points. After that, in the recognition state, it uses fuzzy buried markov model to compute expression probability for each region, finally applies the contribution weights obtained in the training stage to carry on the weighted-fusion and obtains the classification result. The experiment shows that our method get higher recognition rate than the methods which extract pure VLBP features or pure Optical Flow features from original image. And our method can be used for real-time facial expression recognition because of its high process speed.
Methods for user-based reduction of model complexity for virtual planetary exploration

The NASA Ames Virtual Planetary Exploration (VPE) Testbed is developing methods for visualizing large planetary terrains in an interactive, immersive virtual environment system using a head-mounted display. Our data is the surface of Mars, modeled with a polygon mesh that typically contains 105 or more polygons. The goal of our work is to present terrain views with both high detail and frame update rates of 10 Hz or greater. We do this with extended level of detail (LOD) management. In VPE we include three LOD criteria: (1) distance from the viewpoint, (2) distance from the center of field of view, and (3) a metric based upon user-defined regions of interest. Motivations for these are: (1) all objects, independent of position, only need be displayed at a minimum visually perceptible resolution, (2) interest is focussed on the center of the field in a head-directed display, and (3) a feature's level of detail should relate to its importance to the application task. Our method uses analysis functions for each criterion that compute normalized scale factors. Factors are combined with user specified weights. At every frame update each region of the scene is analyzed, and its resulting scale factor determines which model to render. Parameters for each criterion may be interactively set by the user or automatically set by system to meet performance criteria (e.g., frame update rate).
Positive motivational experience over a three-day outdoor adventure trek in Peru

ABSTRACT This study investigated the motivational and emotional experience of an experienced outdoor activity participant during a three-day guided adventure trek in Colca Canyon, Peru. The research adopted a qualitative autoethnographic approach which provided unique data in the form of diary entries, experiential diagrams, field notes and email content. An established theoretical model (reversal theory) was used to analyse dynamic psychological states and emotions that occurred in relation to changing circumstances during the trek. Overall, the data indicated increased positive motivational experience over the course of the adventure trek. Achieving trekking goals, experiencing scenery, views and the natural environment, and social interaction with other trekkers, guides and local people were key aspects found to positively influence the subjective outdoor leisure experience. The present autoethnographic study provided an in-depth prospective account of the participant’s increasingly pleasant positive experience as the trek advanced.
Developing a Life Story: Constructing Relations between Self and Experience in Autobiographical Narratives

In this paper, we consider how the life story develops through the creation of self-event connections in narrating experiences. We first outline the ways in which such connections have been implied by existing work on the life story, and then consider the varieties of such connections that we see in our own work. That work suggests that self-event connections can construct both a stable sense of self as well as a sense of how the self has changed across time. Moreover, different types of connections have different implications for the development of the life story. We also consider developmental and other factors which make one or another type of connection more likely. Finally, we consider two issues for future work, as well as some methodological considerations involved in testing those proposals.
Efficient Crowdsourcing of Unknown Experts using Multi-Armed Bandits

We address the expert crowdsourcing problem, in which an employer wishes to assign tasks to a set of available workers with heterogeneous working costs. Critically, as workers produce results of varying quality, the utility of each assigned task is unknown and can vary both between workers and individual tasks. Furthermore, in realistic settings, workers are likely to have limits on the number of tasks they can perform and the employer will have a fixed budget to spend on hiring workers. Given these constraints, the objective of the employer is to assign tasks to workers in order to maximise the overall utility achieved. To achieve this, we introduce a novel multi-armed bandit (MAB) model, the bounded MAB, that naturally captures the problem of expert crowdsourcing. We also propose an algorithm to solve it efficiently, called bounded e-first, which uses the first eB of its total budget B to derive estimates of the workers' quality characteristics (exploration), while the remaining (1 - e)B is used to maximise the total utility based on those estimates (exploitation). We show that using this technique allows us to derive an O(B⅔) upper bound on our algorithm's performance regret (i.e. the expected difference in utility between the optimal and our algorithm). In addition, we demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms existing crowdsourcing methods by up to 155% in experiments based on real-world data from a prominent crowdsourcing site, while achieving up to 75% of a hypothetical optimal with full information.
Political News and Early Voter Alienation: Why does not Political Knowledge Lead Early Voters to Use their Right to Vote?

Early voters whose backgrounds are senior high school level are believed to possess particular political knowledge. However, this group is suspected to be one of the nests of abstainers. Why does not political knowledge lead them to use their right to vote? To answer this question, a survey had been conducted toward 170 senior high school students in Kota Bandung and an intensive interview had been applied to 10 students. Statistical calculation shows that high correlation degree between political news influence and cognitive conception change of the students, but the degree is low to their political attitude. This discrepancy is caused by political news that is provided in newspaper which indirectly relates to the early voters’ need, besides more impressive news diminishing government image than ones discussing election.
Evaluating the coherence of Take-the-best in structured environments

Heuristic decision-making models, like Take-the-best, rely on environmental regularities. They conduct a limited search, and ignore available information, by assuming there is structure in the decision-making environment. Take-the-best relies on at least two regularities: diminishing returns, which says that information found earlier in search is more important than information found later; and correlated information, which says that information found early in search is predictive of information found later. We develop new approaches to determining search orders, and to measuring cue discriminability, that make the reliance of Take-the-best on these regularities clear, and open to manipulation. We then demonstrate, in the well-studied German cities environment, and three new city environments, when and how these regularities support Take-the-best. To do this, we focus not on the accuracy of Take-the-best, as most previous studies have, but on a measure of its coherence as a decision-making process. In particular, we consider whether Take-the-best decisions, based on a single piece of information, can be justified because an exhaustive search for information is unlikely to yield a different decision. Using this measure, we show that when the two environmental regularities are present, the decisions made by limited search are unlikely to have changed after exhaustive search, but that both regularities are often necessary.
Vascular calcifications as a marker of increased cardiovascular risk: A meta-analysis

Background: Several imaging techniques may reveal calcification of the arterial wall or cardiac valves. Many studies indicate that the risk for cardiovascular disease is increased when calcification is present. Recent meta-analyses on coronary calcification and cardiovascular risk may be confounded by indication. Therefore, this meta-analysis was performed with extensive subgroup analysis to assess the overall cardiovascular risk of finding calcification in any arterial wall or cardiac valve when using different imaging techniques. Methods and results: A meta-analysis of prospective studies reporting calcifications and cardiovascular end-points was performed. Thirty articles were selected. The overall odds ratios (95% confidence interval [CI]) for calcifications versus no calcifications in 218,080 subjects after a mean follow-up of 10.1 years amounted to 4.62 (CI 2.24 to 9.53) for all cause mortality, 3.94 (CI 2.39 to 6.50) for cardiovascular mortality, 3.74 (CI 2.56 to 5.45) for coronary events, 2.21 (CI 1.81 to 2.69) for stroke, and 3.41 (CI 2.71 to 4.30) for any cardiovascular event. Heterogeneity was largely explained by length of follow up and sort of imaging technique. Subgroup analysis of patients with end stage renal disease revealed a much higher odds ratio for any event of 6.22 (CI 2.73 to 14.14). Conclusion: The presence of calcification in any arterial wall is associated with a 3–4-fold higher risk for mortality and cardiovascular events. Interpretation of the pooled estimates has to be done with caution because of heterogeneity across studies.
The translation factors of Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT Synthesis of polypeptides from mRNA (translation) is a fundamental cellular process that is coordinated and catalyzed by a set of canonical ‘translation factors’. Surprisingly, the translation factors of Drosophila melanogaster have not yet been systematically identified, leading to inconsistencies in their nomenclature and shortcomings in functional (Gene Ontology, GO) annotations. Here, we describe the complete set of translation factors in D. melanogaster, applying nomenclature already in widespread use in other species, and revising their functional annotation. The collection comprises 43 initiation factors, 12 elongation factors, 3 release factors and 6 recycling factors, totaling 64 of which 55 are cytoplasmic and 9 are mitochondrial. We also provide an overview of notable findings and particular insights derived from Drosophila about these factors. This catalog, together with the incorporation of the improved nomenclature and GO annotation into FlyBase, will greatly facilitate access to information about the functional roles of these important proteins.
The effect of density stratification on the transverse oscillations of two parallel coronal loops

Transverse oscillations of coronal magnetic loops are routinely observed during the space missions. Since the first observation these oscillations were interpreted in terms of kink oscillations of magnetic tubes. Sometimes collective oscillations of two or more coronal loops are observed. This makes the development of theory of collective oscillations of a few parallel magnetic tubes desirable. Another reason for the development of this theory is that there are evidences that at least some coronal loops are not monolithic but consist of many thin magnetic threads. In this paper the linear theory of kink oscillations of two parallel magnetic tubes with the density varying along the tubes is developed. The asymptotic method is used to derive the system of equations governing the collective kink oscillations of two tubes. This system is used to study the effect of density variation on the eigenfrequencies of collective oscillations. The implication of the obtained results on coronal seismology is discussed.
A Co-expression Network of Drought Stress-relatedGenes in Chinese Cabbage

Plants have evolved to adapt to abiotic stresses, such as salt, cold, and drought stress. In this study, we conducted an in-depth analysis of drought resistance mechanisms by constructing a gene co-expression network in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis L.). This drought stress co-expression network has 1,560 nodes, 4,731 edges, and 79 connected components. Based on genes that showed significant co-expression in the network, drought tolerance was associated with the induction of reactive oxygen species removal by raffinose family oligosaccharides and inositol metabolism. This network could be a useful tool for predicting the functions of genes involved in drought stress resistance in Chinese cabbage.
Regulation of the Nucleosome Repeat Length In Vivo by the DNA Sequence, Protein Concentrations and Long-Range Interactions

The nucleosome repeat length (NRL) is an integral chromatin property important for its biological functions. Recent experiments revealed several conflicting trends of the NRL dependence on the concentrations of histones and other architectural chromatin proteins, both in vitro and in vivo, but a systematic theoretical description of NRL as a function of DNA sequence and epigenetic determinants is currently lacking. To address this problem, we have performed an integrative biophysical and bioinformatics analysis in species ranging from yeast to frog to mouse where NRL was studied as a function of various parameters. We show that in simple eukaryotes such as yeast, a lower limit for the NRL value exists, determined by internucleosome interactions and remodeler action. For higher eukaryotes, also the upper limit exists since NRL is an increasing but saturating function of the linker histone concentration. Counterintuitively, smaller H1 variants or non-histone architectural proteins can initiate larger effects on the NRL due to entropic reasons. Furthermore, we demonstrate that different regimes of the NRL dependence on histone concentrations exist depending on whether DNA sequence-specific effects dominate over boundary effects or vice versa. We consider several classes of genomic regions with apparently different regimes of the NRL variation. As one extreme, our analysis reveals that the period of oscillations of the nucleosome density around bound RNA polymerase coincides with the period of oscillations of positioning sites of the corresponding DNA sequence. At another extreme, we show that although mouse major satellite repeats intrinsically encode well-defined nucleosome preferences, they have no unique nucleosome arrangement and can undergo a switch between two distinct types of nucleosome positioning.
Effectiveness of a Non-Classroom News Media Literacy Intervention Among Different Undergraduate Populations

In this study, we test the effectiveness of a short news media literacy message with audiences who differ in their media literacy education. We manipulate whether individuals are exposed to a news media literacy public service announcement (PSA) immediately before viewing a political program among two groups: students enrolled in media education courses versus students in a non-media course. Findings suggest that the ability of media literacy messages to influence students’ processing of the subsequent political program is conditioned by their preexisting media literacy education. This study provides insights for considering how classroom and non-classroom media literacy interventions can work together to improve media literacy.
De la cultura Kodak a la imagen en red: Una etnografía sobre imagen digital by Edgar Gómez Cruz

she is vigorously biting the arm of one of the three policemen who is forcibly detaining her. Her direct, rather than passive, resistance creates a dynamic motion in the scene effectively amplified by the blurring in the image. While not a ‘good’ photo by dint of composition or focus, the photo unambiguously documents both the desperation of the white police force and the tenacity of African American women citizens’ involvement in the struggle. I was compelled to look at the image over and over and to verbally describe its power to convey this important historical insight to more than one of my unsuspecting colleagues, students, and neighbours.
Chapter 8 Voice-enabled assistive robots for handling autism spectrum conditions : an examination of the role of prosody

Autism spectrum conditions (ASC) are neurodevelopmental conditions, characterized by impairments in social interaction, communication (i.e., verbal and non-verbal language), and by restricted interests and repetitive behaviour. The application of robots as a therapy tool has, however, shown promising results, namely because of the robot’s ability to improve social engagement by eliciting appropriate social behaviour in children with ASC. Robots can also help clinicians in the diagnosis of ASC, by providing objective measurements of atypical behaviours that are collected during spontaneous interactions between autistic children and automata. In this chapter, we provide a review of real-life examples of voice-enabled assistive robots in the context of ASC, examining the critical role prosody plays in compensating for the lack of robust speech recognition in the population of children with ASC. This is followed by a critical analysis of some of the limitations of speech technology in the use of socially assistive robotics for young persons suffering from ASC.
The therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells after optic nerve damage in the adult rat

Optic nerve trauma is a common occurrence that results in irreversible blindness. Currently, no effective strategies are known to prevent optic nerve degeneration. We assessed the therapeutic effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) after optic nerve crush in the adult rat. Our results showed that BMSCs significantly promoted the regeneration of injured axons compared with phosphate buffered saline alone. Therefore, BMSC transplantation may be effective for the treatment of central nervous system disorders.
Recoin: Relative Completeness in Wikidata

The collaborative knowledge base Wikidata is the central storage of Wikimedia projects, containing over 45 million data items. It acts as the hub for interlinking Wikipedia pages about a specific item in different languages, automates features such as infoboxes in Wikipedia, and is increasingly used for other applications such as data enrichment and question answering. Tracking the quality of Wikidata is an important issue for this project. In this paper we focus particularly on the completeness aspect. Several automated techniques have been adopted by Wikis to track and manage completeness, yet these techniques are generally subjective and do not provide a clear quality estimate at the level of entities. In this paper, we present an approach towards measuring Relative Completeness in Wikidata by comparison with data present for similar entities. This relative completeness approach is easily scalable with the introduction of new classes in the knowledge base, and has been implemented for all available entities in Wikidata. The results provide an intuition on the completeness of an entity comparing it with other similar entities. Here, we present our implementation approach along with a discussion on strategies and open challenges.