Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
More on explicit estimators for a banded covariance matrix

The problem of estimating mean and covariances of a multivariate normally distributed random vector has been studied in many forms. This paper focuses on the estimators proposed by Ohlson et al. (2011) for a banded covariance structure with m-dependence. We rewrite the estimator when m = 1, which makes it easier to analyze. This leads to an adjustment, and an unbiased estimator can be proposed. A new and easier proof of consistency is then presented.This theory is also generalized to a general linear model where the corresponding theorems and propositions are stated to establish unbiasedness and consistency.
Leading Voices in the Denier Choir

The conservative “echo chamber” is a crucial element of the climate change denial machine. Although social scientists have begun to examine the role of conservative media in the denial campaign, this article reports the first examination of conservative newspaper columnists. Syndicated columnists are very influential because they reach a large audience. We analyze 203 opinion editorials (“op-eds”) written by 80 different columnists published from 2007 to 2010, a period that saw a number of crucial events and policy proposals regarding climate change. We focus on the key topics the columnists address and the skeptical arguments they employ. The overall results reveal a highly dismissive view of climate change and critical stance toward climate science among these influential conservative pundits. They play a crucial role in amplifying the denial machine’s messages to a broad segment of the American public.
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WAITING LINES

The Psychology of Waiting Lines Eight Design Principles for Waiting Lines 1. Emotions Dominate 2. Eliminate Confusion: Provide a Conceptual Model, Feedback and Explanation 3. The Wait Must Be Appropriate 4. Set Expectations, Then Meet or Exceed Them 5. Keep People Occupied: Filled Time Passes More Quickly Than Unfilled Time 6. Be Fair 7. End Strong, Start Strong 8. Memory of an Event Is More Important Than the Experience Design Solutions for Waiting Culture and Line Behavior The Importance of Task Analysis Double Buffering Spatial double-buffering: Two-Sided Checkout Lanes Temporal double-buffering: Checkout Lanes Temporal double-buffering: Drive-through Restaurants Temporal double-buffering: Coffee shops Designing the Lines One line Feeding Multiple Servers Number Assignment Targeted Admission Times Providing Positive Memories Variations on the Themes Deliberately Inducing Waits Deliberate Chaos Breaking the Rules When Waiting Is Handled Properly References
The Structural Basis of Social Inequality

This article discusses the concept of rent and its use in analysis of inequality in society. Rents are resources that provide advantages for incumbents of social positions that are independent of the characteristics of the incumbents. Inequalities created by rents generate interests in the protection and the acquisition of advantages that can be said to from "objective" interests attached to positions in social structure. Rent, therefore, is the basis for the formation of classes, in the general meaning of conflict groups. The article also discusses rents not located in positions in social structure but based on natural abilities.
VITRO Architecture: Bringing Virtualization to WSN World

This paper presents the architecture of the VITRO system concept developed under the VITRO project for the realization of Virtual Sensor Networks. The aim of the proposed architecture is to enable the realization of scalable, flexible, adaptive, energy-efficient and trust-aware Virtual Sensor Network platforms, focusing on the reduction of deployment complexity and on advanced interoperability mechanisms. The efforts have been put towards specifying a Service Provisioning architecture and mechanisms for advanced sensor and middleware design.
A Temporal Comparison of the Effects of Unemployment and Job Insecurity on Wellbeing

Analyses of individuals’ working lives make a variety of assumptions about the relationship between time, wellbeing and economic stress. Some assume that stress will accumulate in adverse environments, leading to chronic effects of, for instance, long-term unemployment or job insecurity. Other studies emphasize the acute effects of changes per se, and assume adaptation. This paper examines how employees respond both to acute and chronic job insecurity. This paper will use two datasets. The first is from a survey of over 300 UK employees employed in 26 companies; this dataset included both qualitative and quantitative data, at both employer and employee levels. The second dataset consisted of longitudinal data from the British Household Panel Survey. It was found that the unexpected announcement of job insecurity can cause a sudden and marked spike in psychological symptoms. Looking at longer-term effect for prolonged periods of job insecurity, wellbeing (i.e. symptoms of anxiety and depression) continues to deteriorate for at least a year, with no sign of leveling off or recovery. This is in contrast to the findings on long-term unemployment, where there is evidence of adaptation and slight improvements in psychological wellbeing after six months. The reasons for these opposing patterns between job insecurity and unemployment are discussed in terms of the challenge for individuals attempting to cope with perceived future uncertainty during the prolonged recovery from the current recession.
The Crystal Structure of the MJ0796 ATP-binding Cassette

The crystal structure of the MJ0796 ATP-binding cassette, a member of the o228/LolD transporter family, has been determined at 2.7-Å resolution with MgADP bound at its active site. Comparing this structure with that of the ATP-bound form of the HisP ATP-binding cassette (Hung, L. W., Wang, I. X., Nikaido, K., Liu, P. Q., Ames, G. F., and Kim, S. H. (1998) Nature 396, 703–707) shows a 5-Å withdrawal of a phylogenetically invariant glutamine residue from contact with the γ-phosphate of ATP in the active site. This glutamine is located in a protein segment that links the rigid F1-type ATP-binding core of the enzyme to an ABC transporter-specific α-helical subdomain that moves substantially away from the active site in the MgADP-bound structure of MJ0796 compared with the ATP-bound structure of HisP. A similar conformational effect is observed in the MgADP-bound structure of MJ1267 (Karpowich, N., et al. (2001)Structure, in press), establishing the withdrawal of the glutamine and the coupled outward rotation of the α-helical subdomain as consistent consequences of γ-phosphate release from the active site of the transporter. Considering this subdomain movement in the context of a leading model for the physiological dimer of cassettes present in ABC transporters indicates that it produces a modest mechanical change that is likely to play a role in facilitating nucleotide exchange out of the ATPase active site. Finally, it is noteworthy that one of the intersubunit packing interactions in the MJ0796 crystal involves antiparallel β-type hydrogen bonding interactions between the outermost β-strands in the two core β-sheets, leading to their fusion into a single extended β-sheet, a type of structural interaction that has been proposed to play a role in mediating the aggregation of β-sheet-containing proteins.
Chlamydia pneumoniae and Hyperlipidemia Are Co-Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis : Infection Prior to Induction of Hyperlipidemia Does Not Accelerate Development of Atherosclerotic Lesions in C 57 BL / 6 J Mice

Chlamydia pneumoniae and Hyperlipidemia Are Co-Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis: Infection Prior to Induction of Hyperlipidemia Does Not Accelerate Development of Atherosclerotic Lesions in C57BL/6J Mice Erwin Blessing, Lee Ann Campbell, Michael E. Rosenfeld, and Cho-chou Kuo* Department of Pathobiology and Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
Retinal ganglion cells in model organisms: development, function and disease

The vertebrate retina is the most peripheral part of the central nervous system. Light signals from the visual environment are captured by photoreceptors where they are converted to electrical signals, which then are processed by the excitatory and inhibitory pathways within the retinal network, and converted at the level of the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) into spike trains. This culmination represents the synthesis of all signal processing in the retina. Within the spike code, which travels along ganglion cell axons (the optic nerve) to higher visual centres, is the essential information that is processed in the remaining visual system and is required for visual perception and behaviour. The normal development and physiological function of RGCs are fascinating research areas, in which significant progress has been made in recent years. In addition, diseases have been identified that have a primary effect on the ability of these relay neurons to function. This issue of The Journal of Physiology contains eight articles that highlight some of the recent findings and current thinking in these areas.
Analyzing International Economic Negotiations: Towards a Synthesis of Approaches

Economic negotiations have unique structural characteristics and deserve special scrutiny. These attributes entail the institutional frameworks in which issues are placed and the actors involved. Economic negotiations can be conducted at bilateral, regional or multilateral levels. They are not one-shot exercises, so countries can play off multilateral options when they have better bilateral or regional alternatives and vice versa. Economic negotiations are often networked into other negotiations to constitute an intricate and interlinked pattern of relations. They also can become complex in terms of the number of agents involved in the process and the multiple levels of interaction. Finally, they have specific structural configurations of their own.
The Possibility of Rational Outcomes from Democratic Discourse and Procedures

This article focuses on the amount of rationality we can expect from the outcomes of democratic procedures. I will examine two traditions within democratic theory that posit competing and opposing conceptions of participation. These are: (A) theories of democratic discourse, and (B) disequilibrium theories of social choice. The stated arguments seem to be mutually exclusive and theorists who work within one field tend to ignore the conclusions reached in the other. What has not been noticed in the literature to date is that both theories present almost identical assumptions concerning the requirements for a fair procedure; they both demand equal access to debate, the absence of a powerful agenda setter, unrestrained access to raise and object to amendments and so on. Despite these similarities, one argument suggests that the procedure of democratic discourse will yield morally legitimate outcomes, while the other suggests that it has a tendency to produce chaos and disequilibrium. At heart, the difference.
Emergence of the Theory of Lie Groups : An Essay in the History of Mathematics , 1869 – 1926

Among historians of mathematics Thomas Hawkins has long been regarded as the leading authority on the early history of Lie groups. After decades of work on this fascinating theme, he has synthesized the fruits of his labors in this 564-page Essay in the History of Mathematics, a landmark study that represents the culmination of his contributions to the field. In recognition of these accomplishments , the AMS recently named Hawkins its first recipient of the prestigious Whiteman Prize for exceptional scholarly writing on the history of mathematics (see the citation and Hawkins's response in Notices 48 (2001), 416–7). Having followed his work for many years, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the recipient and to commend the AMS committee that nominated him for this award; Hawkins richly deserves this high distinction. The committee's citation also somewhat relieves me from the strain of finding appropriate superlatives to describe the present book, which requires no further personal endorsement. Hawkins's " essay " sets sharp temporal boundaries spanning the period from 1869, when Lie's earliest work appeared, up to Weyl's classic papers from 1925 to 1926, along with a clearly stated goal. In the preface he calls his book " both more and less than a [comprehensive] history of the theory of Lie groups ". Less, because it deals primarily with the origins of the theory and those parts of it pertaining to the structure of Lie groups and Lie algebras. More, because he has a broader agenda in mind that goes beyond the challenge of weaving together the threads of this complicated story. Historians, at least traditionally, are supposed to be good storytellers, but serious history usually has a larger purpose in mind. Crudely put, historians try to understand the past by explaining why certain things happened the way they did. Hawkins set himself the challenge of trying to understand what motivated the principal actors who contributed to what eventually became known as the theory of Lie groups. He wants to tell us not just what happened but why, by showing how the relevant mathematical developments were influenced by the specific contexts in which this work was un-dertaken. What makes his book such impressive reading is that he never loses sight of this goal, despite all the obstacles involved, including the David E. Rowe is professor of the history of mathematics and natural sciences at Mainz University. His email …
Affect and decision making: A hot topic

The seven papers in this special issue represent the breadth and complexity of approaches to the study of affect in judgment and decision processes. Four papers examine the role of arousal or specific emotions in decision making. The three other papers investigate the impacts of uncertainty, time course, and thinking about mood. We briefly describe four functions of affect in decision making (affect as information, as a spotlight, as a motivator, and as common currency) and relate them to the seven special-issue papers. The role of affect in decisions and decision processes is quite nuanced and deserves careful empirical study in basic and applied research.
Policy and practice in bilingual education: A reader extending the foundations . Ofelia Garcia and Colin Baker (Eds.). Bristol, PA: Multilingual matters, 1995. Pp. v + 280. $89.00 cloth, $28.95 paper.

But these errors are to be expected in a workbook of this size and complexity, and 1 am sure they will be cleaned up in the next edition. There are also data sets needing more background than the authors provide (cf. problem 2.1 and the distinction between core and periphery; cf. also the distinction between active and stative verbs for problem 4.3). These are easily dealt with, however, by a careful reading before assigning the problem. An annoyance from the students' perspective is that often questions are so finely broken down that in answering question 2 they find they have already dealt with question 5. This could lead to uncertainty on their part, as they may feel they have missed something important. Combining questions often seems appropriate. The most recent course in which I used this workbook was a summer institute program attended by a variety of students from around the United States and the world. Three quite advanced students, who had had second language acquisition courses at their home universities, told me that what made this course different was that for the first time they were asked to grapple with data in the form of problems provided by the workbook. A few of the beginners told me the problems we worked through made them realize how complex language acquisition really is. In my mind, these are two satisfactory outcomes for such a course, and the workbook contributed significantly.
Residential Burglary in the United States: Life-Style and Demographic Factors Associated With the Probability of Victimization

This study both ascertains the characteristics of individuals and their life styles that are differentially related to risk of residential burglary and tests a hypothesis that accounts for certain discrepant findings reported in previous studies of burglary victimization. Using Goodman's log-linear technique to analyze (1975-76) Na tional Crime Survey data, we find that 2,133 of 54,343 households in the sample were burglarized in a twelve-month reference period. The following types of persons headed households with greater than average odds of burglary victimization: (1) central city residents, (2) the young, (3) persons with incomes higher or lower than average, (4) nonwhites, and (5) persons whose homes are unoccupied relatively often. The types of persons heading households least likely to be burglarized were the following: (1) older citizens, (2) persons residing outside the central city, (3) citizens in middle-income categories, and (4) persons whose homes are occupied relatively often. In general, the data support Hindelang's hypothesis that differences in the findings of previous burglary studies on variations in the burglary rate for whites across income categories may be due to different sampling procedures.
Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of multidrug resistant Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Kentucky strains recovered from chicken carcasses

Abstract Salmonella Typhimurium is the leading cause of human non-typhoidal gastroenteritis in the US. S. Kentucky is one the most commonly recovered serovars from commercially processed poultry carcasses. This study compared the genotypic and phenotypic properties of two Salmonella enterica strains Typhimurium (ST221_31B) and Kentucky (SK222_32B) recovered from commercially processed chicken carcasses using whole genome sequencing, phenotype characterizations and an intracellular killing assay. Illumina MiSeq platform was used for sequencing of two Salmonella genomes. Phylogenetic analysis employing homologous alignment of a 1,185 non-duplicated protein-coding gene in the Salmonella core genome demonstrated fully resolved bifurcating patterns with varying levels of diversity that separated ST221_31B and SK222_32B genomes into distinct monophyletic serovar clades. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis identified 2,432 (ST19) SNPs within 13 Typhimurium genomes including ST221_31B representing Sequence Type ST19 and 650 (ST152) SNPs were detected within 13 Kentucky genomes including SK222_32B representing Sequence Type ST152. In addition to serovar-specific conserved coding sequences, the genomes of ST221_31B and SK222_32B harbor several genomic regions with significant genetic differences. These included phage and phage-like elements, carbon utilization or transport operons, fimbriae operons, putative membrane associated protein-encoding genes, antibiotic resistance genes, siderophore operons, and numerous hypothetical protein-encoding genes. Phenotype microarray results demonstrated that ST221_31B is capable of utilizing certain carbon compounds more efficiently as compared to SK222_3B; namely, 1,2-propanediol, M-inositol, L-threonine, α-D-lactose, D-tagatose, adonitol, formic acid, acetoacetic acid, and L-tartaric acid. ST221_31B survived for 48 h in macrophages, while SK222_32B was mostly eliminated. Further, a 3-fold growth of ST221_31B was observed at 24 hours post-infection in chicken granulosa cells while SK222_32B was unable to replicate in these cells. These results suggest that Salmonella Typhimurium can survive host defenses better and could be more invasive than Salmonella Kentucky and provide some insights into the genomic determinants responsible for these differences.
Pitch Determination from Bone Conducted Speech

SUMMARY This paper explores the potential of pitch determination from bone conducted (BC) speech. Pitch determination from normal air conducted (AC) speech signal can not attain the expected level of accuracy for every voice and background conditions. In contrast, since BC speech is caused by the vibrations that have traveled through the vocal tract wall, it is robust against ambient conditions. Though an appropriate model of BC speech is not known, it has regular harmonic structure in the lower spectral region. Due to this lowpass nature, pitch determination from BC speech is not usually a ﬀ ected by the dominant ﬁrst formant. Experiments conducted on simultaneously recorded AC and BC speech show that BC speech is more reliable for pitch estimation than AC speech. With little human work, pitch contour estimated from BC speech can also be used as pitch reference that can serve as an alternate to the pitch contour extracted from laryngograph output which is sometimes inconsistent with simultaneously recorded AC speech.
To please or to neglect your partner? Attachment avoidance and relationship‐driven self‐improvement

Self-improvement is a potential resource in sustaining relationships. A series of 2 studies with Hong Kong Chinese college samples sought to examine whether attribute-specific, reflected regard from the partner determines self-improvement efforts on those attributes and whether attachment avoidance moderates the association. These studies measured self-improvement effort by retrospective self-report (Study 1) and evaluation of objects pertinent to attribute-specific self-improvement goals (i.e., related self-help books; Study 2). In general, the results showed that individuals improved their personal qualities when they perceived these qualities as relatively less favorably regarded by their partner. Moreover, attachment avoidance weakened such an association. The role of attachment avoidance in relationship-driven self-improvement seems to reflect strategic preference rather than a downplaying of relationship importance.
Shift-work research: Where do we stand, where should we go?

Shift-work seriously affects the health and well-being of millions of people worldwide, and the number of shift workers is constantly rising (currently approximately 20% of the workforce). While some effects are acute, others lead to chronic syndromes that persist after retirement. Though health problems in shift workers are well established, we still do not properly understand the causal mechanisms underlying shift-work’s effects on health. One reason may be the heterogeneity in shift-work research design and methodology, rendering comparison between studies difficult or even impossible. Shift-work also involves a multitude of interacting factors, and we do not yet fully understand many of these interactions. Interindividual differences between workers are central predictors for health. Among these, individual differences in internal time (chronotype) should play a key role in a worker’s ability to adjust to shift-work. While the importance of chronotype is receiving increased attention in chronobiology, it is still being largely ignored by shift-work studies, particularly by those performed in the field. Shift-work research would greatly benefit from increased attention to circadian components in real-life shift-work situations. Here, we summarize the current state of shift-work research in an attempt to address the reasons as to why we still do not clearly understand the links between shift-work and health. The aim of shift-work research should ultimately be to improve health and well-being (including social issues) in shift workers by means of improved work schedules. Society as a whole would benefit from such improvements — the individual worker, the health system, and industry.