Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temperature, precipitation, and insolation effects on autumn vegetation phenology in temperate China

Autumn phenology plays a critical role in regulating climate–biosphere interactions. However, the climatic drivers of autumn phenology remain unclear. In this study, we applied four methods to estimate the date of the end of the growing season (EOS) across China's temperate biomes based on a 30‐year normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) dataset from Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS). We investigated the relationships of EOS with temperature, precipitation sum, and insolation sum over the preseason periods by computing temporal partial correlation coefficients. The results showed that the EOS date was delayed in temperate China by an average rate at 0.12 ± 0.01 days per year over the time period of 1982–2011. EOS of dry grassland in Inner Mongolia was advanced. Temporal trends of EOS determined across the four methods were similar in sign, but different in magnitude. Consistent with previous studies, we observed positive correlations between temperature and EOS. Interestingly, the sum of precipitation and insolation during the preseason was also associated with EOS, but their effects were biome dependent. For the forest biomes, except for evergreen needle‐leaf forests, the EOS dates were positively associated with insolation sum over the preseason, whereas for dry grassland, the precipitation over the preseason was more dominant. Our results confirmed the importance of temperature on phenological processes in autumn, and further suggested that both precipitation and insolation should be considered to improve the performance of autumn phenology models.
From the wild frontier of Davy Crockett to the wintery fiords of Frozen: changes in media consumption, play and literacy from the 1950s to the 2010s

In this paper, a comparison is made between the media consumption, play and literacy practices of children made in response to the films Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (Disney, 1955) and Frozen (Disney, 2013) in order to identify the continuities and discontinuities in these practices over time. The paper draws on a range of secondary sources, including the work of Iona and Peter Opie [(1959). The lore and language of schoolchildren. Oxford: Oxford University Press], to consider how media consumption, play and literacy are differently framed in the twenty-first century compared to the mid-twentieth century. It is argued that the commercial and technological contexts for these practices have changed considerably over the past 60 years, but what endures is the creativity and innovation of children, so well documented in the work of the Opies [1959; (1969). Children's games in street and playground. Oxford: Clarendon Press].
Lessons Learned from Mondrians Applied to Real Images and Color Gamuts

Abstract This paper is an attempt to integrate a wide variety of psycho-physical experiments into a computational model to calculatecolor appearance. Having described the fundamentals of sucha model, we turn to applying this model to printing wide dy-namic range, real-life scenes and finding the best reproduc-tion of an image with limited printer gamut.Key words: Mondrians, Retinex, Complex Images, Mod-els of Vision. Introduction In 1963 Edwin Land decided he wanted to take his workon vision in a different direction. He quipped that many crit-ics thought that his conclusions about human vision were sus-pect, because the experiments were photographic, and thatthese critics thought that he (Land) could do anything withphotographic film. He set out to do experiments using justpapers, lights and a very good telephotometer. Red and Whiteexperiments had shown the importance of complex images,so Land started with displays using about 100 papers. Heasked Lucretia Weed to make a display resembling Mondrian’spainting in the Tate Gallery, London. As it turned out Lucretiafinished the display before we could find color photographsof that Mondrian painting. Years later, Hank Spekreijse, at aconference in Amsterdam, pointed out that his countrymanMondrian had never used high-chroma greens. So, althoughthese experimental displays are higher in chroma and contrastthan the Tate Mondrian painting, they are better visual testtargets than the original because they have a much larger rangeof colors.Nigel Daw’s experiments1 with afterimages had con-vinced Land to avoid regular arrays of squares. Daw’s ex-periment had two parts: First, he had observers make a strongcolor afterimage of an object by fixating at a point in a colorimage, say a square pillow, that formed a diamond afterimageon the retina. Second, he asked observers to describe the af-terimages as the observers moved their gaze to different fixa-tion points on a black and white image of the same scene.When observers fixated on new points in the image, the mis-match of contours between external scene and the internal af-terimage inhibited the visibility of the afterimage. However,when the observers fixated on the original point registeringthe color afterimage in the black and white image of the pil-low, the afterimage became more visible. For several minutesthe observers could make the color afterimage of the pillowappear by looking at the original fixation point, and make itdisappear by looking at another point in the image. The con-clusion is that afterimages are inhibited by different contourson the current image. Hence, Land avoided the problem ofafterimages by making each color in the Mondrian a differentsize or shape. Regular arrays of constant size patches are sub-ject to the problem that the color afterimage of last square fitsthe contours of the new area of interest.Land set out to study the appearance of colors by varyingthe spectra, intensity and duration of illumination falling on alarge variety of Mondrians.
Molecular Diagnostic Methods for Detection and Characterization of Human Noroviruses

Human noroviruses are a group of viral agents that afflict people of all age groups. The viruses are now recognized as the most common causative agent of nonbacterial acute gastroenteritis and foodborne viral illness worldwide. However, they have been considered to play insignificant roles in the disease burden of acute gastroenteritis for the past decades until the recent advent of new and more sensitive molecular diagnostic methods. The availability and application of the molecular diagnostic methods have led to enhanced detection of noroviruses in clinical, food and environmental samples, significantly increasing the recognition of noroviruses as an etiologic agent of epidemic and sporadic acute gastroenteritis. This article aims to summarize recent efforts made for the development of molecular methods for the detection and characterization of human noroviruses.
Adenoviral gene transfer of bioactive TGFβ1 to the rodent eye as a novel model for anterior subcapsular cataract

Purpose To produce a gene-transfer model of rodent anterior subcapsular cataracts (ASC) using a replication-deficient, adenoviral vector containing active TGFβ1. Establishment of this model will be important for further investigations of TGFβ-induced signaling cascades in ASC. Methods Adenovirus containing the transgene for active TGFβ1 (AdTGFβ1), β-galactosidase (AdLacZ), green fluorescent protein (AdGFP) or no transgene (AdDL) was injected into the anterior chamber of C57Bl/6, Smad3 WT and Smad3 KO mice. Four and 21 days after injection, animals were enucleated and eyes were processed and examined by routine histology. Immunolocalization of markers indicative of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), fibrosis, proliferation and apoptosis was also carried out. Results By day 4, treatment with AdLacZ demonstrated transgene expression in multiple structures of the anterior chamber including the lens epithelium. In contrast to AdDL, treatment with AdTGFβ1 produced αSMA-positive subcapsular plaques in all three groups of mice, which shared features reminiscent of human ASC. At day 21, plaques remained αSMA-positive and extensive extracellular matrix deposition was observed. The AdTGFβ1 model was further employed in Smad3 deficient mice and this resulted in the development of small ASC. Conclusions Gene transfer of active TGFβ1 using an adenoviral vector produced cataractous plaques four days postinjection, which were found to develop independent of functional Smad3.
Acute toxicity of heavy metals to acetate‐utilizing mixed cultures of sulfate‐reducing bacteria: EC100 and EC50

Acid mine drainage from abandoned mines and acid mine pit lakes is an important environmental concern and usually contains appreciable concentrations of heavy metals. Because sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB) are involved in the treatment of acid mine drainage, knowledge of acute metal toxicity levels for SRB is essential for the proper functioning of the treatment system for acid mine drainage. Quantification of heavy metal toxicity to mixed cultures of SRB is complicated by the confounding effects of metal hydroxide and sulfide precipitation, biosorption, and complexation with the constituents of the reaction matrix. The objective of this paper was to demonstrate that measurements of dissolved metal concentrations could be used to determine the toxicity parameters for mixed cultures of sulfate‐reducing bacteria. The effective concentration, 100% (EC100), the lowest initial dissolved metal concentrations at which no sulfate reduction is observed, and the effective concentration, 50% (EC50), the initial dissolved metal concentrations resulting in a 50% decrease in sulfate reduction, for copper and zinc were determined in the present study by means of nondestructive, rapid physical and chemical analytical techniques. The reaction medium used in the experiments was designed specifically (in terms of pH and chemical composition) to provide the nutrients necessary for the sulfidogenic activity of the SRB and to preclude chemical precipitation of the metals under investigation. The toxicity‐mitigating effects of biosorption of dissolved metals were also quantified. Anaerobic Hungate tubes were set up (at least in triplicate) and monitored for sulfate‐reduction activity. The onset of SRB activity was detected by the blackening of the reaction mixture because of formation of insoluble ferrous sulfide. The EC100 values were found to be 12 mg/L for copper and 20 mg/L for zinc. The dissolved metal concentration measurements were effective as the indicators of the effect of the heavy metals at concentrations below EC100. The 7‐d EC50 values obtained from the difference between the dissolved metal concentrations for the control tubes (tubes not containing copper or zinc) and tubes containing metals were found to be 10.5 mg/L for copper and 16.5 mg/L for zinc. Measurements of the turbidity and pH, bacterial population estimations by means of a most‐probable number technique, and metal recovery in the sulfide precipitate were found to have only a limited applicability in these determinations.
Subcritical Pattern Formation in Granular Flow

We study a minimal model for the flow of granular material on a conveyor belt consisting of a staircase-like array of K vertically vibrated compartments. Applying a steady inflow rate Q to the top compartment, we determine the maximum value Qcr(K) for which a continuous flow through the system is possible. Beyond Qcr(K), which depends on the vibration strength and the dimensions of the system, a dense cluster forms in one of the first compartments and obstructs the flow. We find that the formation of this cluster is already announced belowQcr(K) by the appearance of an oscillatory density profile along the entire length of the conveyor belt, with a distinct two-compartment wavelength. These model predictions concerning the breakdown of the granular flow admit an elegant explanation in terms of bifurcation theory. In particular, the subcritical oscillatory pattern is shown to be a side effect of the period doubling bifurcation by which the uniform density profile (associated with a smooth particle flow) becomes unstable. The effect turns out to be robust enough to survive the presence of a reasonable amount of noise and even certain qualitative modifications to the flux model. The density oscillations may therefore well be of practical value and provide a warning signal for imminent clustering on actual conveyor belts.
Sample-based motion planning for robot manipulators with closed kinematic chains

Random sampling-based methods for motion planning of constrained robot manipulators have been widely studied in recent years. The main problem to deal with is the lack of an explicit parametrization of the non linear submanifold in the Configuration Space (CS) imposed by the constraints in the system. Most of the proposed planning methods use projections to generate valid configurations of the system slowing the planning process. Recently, new robot mechanism includes compliance either in the structure or in the controllers. In this kind of robot most of the times the planned trajectories are not executed exactly due to uncertainties and interactions with the environment. Indeed, controller references are generated such that the constraint is violated to indirectly generate forces during interactions. With the purpose of avoiding projections, in this paper we take advantage of the compliance of systems to relax the geometric constraints imposed by closed kinematic chains. The relaxed constraint is then used in a state-of-the-art suboptimal random sampling based technique to generate paths for constrained robot manipulators. As a consequence of relaxation, arising contact forces acting on the constraint change from configuration to configuration during the planned path. Those forces can be regulated using a proper controller that takes advantage of the geometric decoupling of the subspaces describing constrained rigid-body motions of the mechanism and the controllable forces.
The plausibility of the implausible: A critique of Snyder and Swann (1978)

Snyder and Swann (1978) advance an argument that individuals display a cognitive bias in testing hypotheses about the personal attributes of other people, i.e. they seek out information which is supportive of their hypothesis (hypothesis-confirming strategy). It is argued here that these authors confound the hypothesis a person might entertain (belief) with a hypothesis the person is asked to test (assigned task). The findings of two experimental studies in which task and belief were manipulated independently suggest that Snyder and Swann's (1978) results are due to the task manipulation and not to an hypothesis-confirming bias.
A Fuzzy Logic Approach to the Concept of Manipulability in Mechanics

Manipulability is a measure of performance for mechanical manipulators. Intuitively, Manipulability at a point of a manipulator workspace measures how easy is to reach the neighbour points. Currently, this value is obtained using an algebraic formula based on the Jacobian of the manipulator that is not very intuitive. Also, this formulation defines Manipulability as a continuous function of the workspace coordinates; however, due to natural restrictions for the mechanical implementation, actual devices include physical limits where this algebraic formulation produces incoherent Manipulability values. This work presents a new formulation based on fuzzy rules that provides a more intuitive definition of Manipulability. This formulation solves the boundary problem, while remains consistent with the algebraic one in those spatial zones where this works correctly. In order to demonstrate the advantage of this new approach, the Manipulability of a well known commercial haptic device has been studied comparing both formulations
Important but not for me: students’ attitudes towards secondary school science in England

This article presents some of the results of the questionnaire‐based Relevance of Science Education Project (ROSE) carried out in England in the latter half of 2003 as part of a wider international comparative study based at the University of Oslo. Data, drawn from 1277 students, most of whom were 14 or 15 years old, indicate their views about their school science education, their choice of careers and what they would most like to learn about in their science lessons. The findings are placed in the context of other accounts of the ‘student voice’ in science education and their implications for policy and science curriculum reform are discussed.
ON-LINE OBJECT TRACKING WITH BAYESIAN NETWORKS

A tracking system based on Bayesian networks was recently proposed. This system deals with difficult situations (e.g., occlusions, group formation and splitting) trying to recover the object identity provided it appears isolated again. This requires an off line processing of the video sequence which prevents its use in real time applications such as video surveillance. This paper describes a modified version of the BN tracker, tailored for on-line tracking of moving objects. This is achieved by gradually forgetting the influence of past information on the current decisions avoiding a combinatorial explosion and keeping the network complexity within reasonable bounds.
Characteristics and predictors of self-mutilation: a study of incarcerated women.

BACKGROUND Research on self-mutilating behaviour and incarcerated adults has found that nearly 50% of people in prison participated in it (Holley and Alborleda-Florez, 1988). This is an enormous liability for the criminal justice system as well as a human concern. AIMS/HYPOTHESES The research question for this study was to explore whether a history of childhood abuse in a sample of incarcerated women would increase their likelihood of self-mutilation. METHODS Participants were 256 female inmates from five prisons in a large southern state who volunteered to attend a 12-week trauma and abuse psychosocial intervention group. The participants were evaluated for childhood abuse, criminal history, risk-taking behaviour and self-mutilation. Data are presented regarding individual, criminal, abuse, family and risk-taking behaviours comparing self-mutilators (n = 109) with non-self-mutilators (n = 147). RESULTS The self-mutilation group was more likely to report higher rates of emotional, sexual and physical abuse and on clinical significance scales of anxiety, depression, dissociation, impaired self-reference, anger, tension reduction and intrusive experiences. The self-mutilation group was also younger and was more often Caucasian. The results of the regression model suggest that a history of suicide attempts, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, bingeing and vomiting and impaired self-reference are predictors of self-mutilation. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Recommendations and implications for practice are discussed.
Low Starch/Low Dairy Diet Results in Successful Treatment of Obesity and Co-Morbidities Linked to Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Background Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects approximately 15% of reproductive-age women and increases risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, cancer and infertility. Hyperinsulinemia is believed to contribute to or worsen all of these conditions, and increases androgens in women with PCOS. Carbohydrates are the main stimulators of insulin release, but research shows that dairy products and starches elicit greater postprandial insulin secretion than non-starchy vegetables and fruits. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an 8-week low-starch/low-dairy diet results in weight loss, increased insulin sensitivity, and reduced testosterone in women with PCOS. Methods Prospective 8-week dietary intervention using an ad libitum low starch/low dairy diet in 24 overweight and obese women (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and ≤ 45 kg/m2) with PCOS. Diagnosis of PCOS was based on the Rotterdam criteria. Weight, BMI, Waist Circumference (WC), Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), fasting and 2-hour glucose and insulin, homeostasis model assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), HbA1c, total and free testosterone, and Ferriman-Gallwey scores were measured before and after the 8-week intervention. Results There was a reduction in weight (−8.61 ± 2.34 kg, p<0.001), BMI (−3.25 ± 0.88 kg/m2, p<0.001), WC (−8.4 ± 3.1 cm, p<0.001), WHtR (−0.05 ± 0.02 inches, p<0.001), fasting insulin (−17.0 ± 13.6 μg/mL, p<0.001) and 2-hour insulin (−82.8 ± 177.7 μg/mL, p=0.03), and HOMA-IR (−1.9 ± 1.2, p<0.001) after diet intervention. Total testosterone (−10.0 ± 17.0 ng/dL, p=0.008), free testosterone (−1.8 pg/dL, p=0.043) and Ferriman-Gallwey scores (−2.1 ± 2.7 points (p=0.001) were also reduced from pre- to post-intervention. Conclusion An 8-week low-starch/low-dairy diet resulted in weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity and reduced testosterone in women with PCOS.
Human Milk-Derived B Cells: A Highly Activated Switched Memory Cell Population Primed to Secrete Antibodies1

While secretory Abs have been extensively explored in human breast milk, the existence, features, and functions of B lymphocytes remain largely unexplored in this compartment. We analyzed breast milk and blood lymphocytes from 21 lactating women, including 12 HIV-1-infected mothers. Breast milk B cells displayed a phenotype of class-switched memory B cells, with few IgD+ memory and naive B cells. We observed that breast milk B lymphocytes bore a unique profile of adhesion molecules (CD44+, CD62L−, α4β7+/−, α4β1+). Higher percentages of activated B cells (CD38+), large-sized B cells, plasmablasts, and plasma cells (CD19+, CD20low/−, CD27high, CD138+) were found as compared with blood. This indicates that a significant proportion of breast milk B cells underwent terminal plasma cell differentiation. We also observed a higher frequency of cells secreting Ig spontaneously in breast milk. Among these cells, IgG-secreting cells predominated over IgA-secreting cells as measured by Ig ELISPOT assays. Specific Ab-secreting cells were investigated following polyclonal activation using the CD40L ligation. Finally, the detection of anti-HIV-1-secreting cells demonstrates the existence of B cells specific to HIV-1 Ag in breast milk from HIV-1-infected women. Breast milk B cells display a phenotype strikingly different from blood, are primed to secrete Abs, and have a mucosal homing profile similar to B cells located in gut-associated lymphoid tissue.
The Functional Value of Realistic Attributions

A research program is described that revolves around the assumption that it is functional to make realistic attributions. First, the application of an attributional framework to questions of behavior modification is described. Second, it is argued that this application reveals limitations of basic attribution research. Theories about the antecedents and consequences of causal attributions have been treated as unrelated. Third, a theoretical model and empirical studies that unite theories about attributional antecedents and consequences is introduced. Fourth, it is demonstrated that a comprehensive psychotherapeutic system can be deduced from this integrative model, which is compatible with Beck's and Ellis' cognitive behavior modification. From this perspective, research on attributional biases is readdressed. Fifth, it is shown that Kelley's covariation model does not specify all attributionally relevant information, and we describe an extension of the Kelley Model (the ANOVA Model) that includes this ‘m.