Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Face Recognition in the Scrambled Domain via Salience-Aware Ensembles of Many Kernels

With the rapid development of Internet-of-Things (IoT), face scrambling has been proposed for privacy protection during IoT-targeted image/video distribution. Consequently, in these IoT applications, biometric verification needs to be carried out in the scrambled domain, presenting significant challenges in face recognition. Since face models become chaotic signals after scrambling/encryption, a typical solution is to utilize the traditional data-driven face recognition algorithms. While chaotic pattern recognition is still a challenging task, in this paper, we propose a new ensemble approach-many-kernel random discriminant analysis (MK-RDA)-to discover discriminative patterns from the chaotic signals. We also incorporate a salience-aware strategy into the proposed ensemble method to handle the chaotic facial patterns in the scrambled domain, where the random selections of features are made on semantic components via salience modeling. In our experiments, the proposed MK-RDA was tested rigorously on three human face data sets: the ORL face data set, the PIE face data set, and the PUBFIG wild face data set. The experimental results successfully demonstrate that the proposed scheme can effectively handle the chaotic signals and significantly improve the recognition accuracy, making our method a promising candidate for secure biometric verification in the emerging IoT applications.
Estrategias ejecutivas de búsqueda, recuperación y cambio en la fluidez verbal

Las tareas de fluidez verbal suelen dividirse en semantica -evocar palabras de una categoria- y fonologica -evocar palabras que empiecen con una determinada letra-, y conllevan un tiempo limitado. En dichas tareas intervienen la busqueda y la recuperacion de palabras -lo cual requiere flexibilidad cognitiva, memoria de trabajo e inhibicion (componente ejecutivo)- y la organizacion, capacidad e integridad del almacen lexico-semantico (componente asociativo). El primer componente se manifiesta en la cantidad de subagrupamientos (clusters) y de saltos entre ellos (switching) que un sujeto pueda hacer, y el segundo, en el tamano de los clusters. Para estudiarlos se administraron tareas de fluidez verbal semantica (animales) y fonologica (letra p) a 133 ninos de 1°, 3° y 5° ano de EPB de Mar del Plata. Se hallo un aumento del control cognitivo en 3er ano, asociado a una mejor fluidez, pero no se encontraron cambios en el componente asociativo. Palabras clave: fluidez verbal – flexibilidad cognitiva – clusters – switching.
Circulating Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Particles Carry Hepatocellular microRNAs

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) produces high quantities of subviral surface antigen particles (HBsAg) which circulate in the blood outnumbering virions of about 1\103–6 times. In individuals coinfected with the defective hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) the small HDV-RNA-genome and Delta antigen circulate as ribonucleoprotein complexes within HBsAg subviral particles. We addressed the question whether subviral HBsAg particles may carry in the same way cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) which are released into the bloodstream within different subcellular forms such as exosomes and microvescicles. Circulating HBsAg particles were isolated from sera of 11 HBsAg carriers by selective immunoprecipitation with monoclonal anti-HBs-IgG, total RNA was extracted and human miRNAs were screened by TaqMan real-time quantitative PCR Arrays. Thirty-nine human miRNAs were found to be significantly associated with the immunoprecipitated HBsAg, as determined by both comparative DDCT analysis and non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney, p<0.05) with respect to controls. Moreover immunoprecipitated HBsAg particles contained Ago2 protein that could be revealed in ELISA only after 0.5% NP40. HBsAg associated miRNAs were liver-specific (most frequent = miR-27a, miR-30b, miR-122, miR-126 and miR-145) as well as immune regulatory (most frequent = miR-106b and miR-223). Computationally predicted target genes of HBsAg-associated miRNAs highlighted molecular pathways dealing with host-pathogen The finding that HBsAg particles carry selective pools of hepatocellular miRNAs opens new avenues of research to disentangle the complex interactions between host and HBV and provides a non invasive tool to study the physiopathology of liver epigenetics.
C-reactive protein as a predictor of infarct expansion and cardiac rupture after a first Q-wave acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND Pump failure after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can be predicted by several indices that estimate infarct size. However, there are few indices that predict infarct expansion and cardiac rupture. We focused on the prognostic significance of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) after AMI. METHODS AND RESULTS Serum CRP levels were measured every 24 hours in 220 patients with a first Q-wave AMI. In-hospital complications, predischarge left ventriculographic findings, and long-term prognosis were assessed in relation to peak CRP levels. Peak levels of both CRP and creatine kinase (CK) were higher in patients with pump failure than in those without pump failure. In patients with cardiac rupture, peak CRP levels were higher than in those without rupture (P=.001); peak CK levels were not predictive. Higher CRP levels were found in patients with left ventricular aneurysm (P=.001 versus those without), aggravated heart failure (P=.03 versus those without), and cardiac death (P<.0001 versus survivors) during the first year after AMI. Multivariate analysis confirmed that an elevation of the peak CRP level > or = 20 mg/dL was an independent predictor of cardiac rupture (relative risk, 4.72; P=.004), left ventricular aneurysmal formation (relative risk, 2.11; P=.03), and 1-year cardiac death (relative risk, 3.44; P<.0001). CONCLUSIONS Cardiac rupture, left ventricular aneurysmal formation, and 1-year cardiac death were associated with an elevation of serum CRP early after AMI, suggesting that elevation of CRP levels after AMI may predict infarct expansion.
Dynamical phasors in modeling and control of active filters

In this paper we present an application of the generalized averaging technique for modeling and control of active filters. In particular, attention is focused on applications where the loads to be compensated are unknown, and may include some internal reactive and/or resonant compensation system. In such cases conventional compensation strategies may lead to unstable operation. We explore the effectiveness of a family of controllers based on notions of incremental energy and dissipativity. Following the passivity-based design procedure, we obtain a compensation strategy based on a voltage detection method, which allows stable active filter operation regardless of line and load parameter variations. This compensation strategy allows compensation and damping of specific harmonic currents for positive, negative and, possibly, zero sequence components.
Executable AADL: Real-Time Simulation of AADL Models

The Architecture Analysis and Design Language (AADL) standard [2] defines a default runtime semantic for software intensive Real Time systems. This includes support for multi tasking, network distributed architectures and Time and Space Partitionning systems. A proper implementation of the AADL runtime thus allows for the virtual execution of a system at a model level and contributes to the early verification of critical software applications. This paper describes an implementation of the AADL runtime by the Marzhin Multi Agent simulator that is embedded in the AADL Inspector tool [5].
Polarization of radio cores as a test of unified schemes

In unified schemes for extragalactic radio sources, quasars and BL Lac objects are intrinsically similar to Fanaroff--Riley class II and I radio galaxies respectively, but appear to be different because they are viewed at different angles to the line of sight. Quasars and BL Lac objects are observed at small viewing angles, while radio galaxies lie close to the plane of the sky. In such schemes, a quasar or BL Lac nucleus is hidden from our view by a putative torus when the source is inclined at a large angle to the line of sight, and it then appears as a radio galaxy. Such a scenario should also affect the observed polarization properties of cores, with the cores in radio galaxies and weak-cored quasars being less polarized than those of core-dominated quasars and BL Lacs because of Faraday depolarization by the magnetoionic medium in the obscuring torus or disc. In this paper, we report that the core polarization of radio galaxies and weak-cored quasars is indeed much smaller than for core-dominated quasars and BL Lacs. We suggest that this is a result of the depolarization caused by the obscuring torus or disc, providing further evidence in favour of unified schemes.
Exercise‐based Rehabilitation for Coronary Heart Disease

BACKGROUND The burden of cardiovascular disease world-wide is one of great concern to patients and health care agencies alike. Cardiac rehabilitation aims to restore patients with heart disease to health through exercise only based rehabilitation or comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation. OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of exercise only or exercise as part of a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation programme on the mortality, morbidity, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and modifiable cardiac risk factors of patients with coronary heart disease. SEARCH STRATEGY Electronic databases were searched for randomised controlled trials, using standardised trial filters, from the earliest date available to December 31st 1998. SELECTION CRITERIA Men and women of all ages, in hospital or community settings, who have had myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, or who have angina pectoris or coronary artery disease defined by angiography. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Studies were selected independently by two reviewers, and data extracted independently. Authors were contacted where possible to obtain missing information. MAIN RESULTS This systematic review has allowed analysis of an increased number of patients from approximately 4500 in earlier meta-analyses to 8440 (7683 contributing to the total mortality outcome). The pooled effect estimate for total mortality for the exercise only intervention shows a 27% reduction in all cause mortality (random effects model OR 0.73 (0.54, 0.98)). Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation reduced all cause mortality, but to a lesser degree (OR 0.87 (0.71, 1.05)). Total cardiac mortality was reduced by 31% (random effects model OR 0.69 (0.51, 0.94)) and 26% (random effects model OR 0.74 (0.57, 0.96)) in the exercise only and comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation groups respectively. Neither intervention had any effect on the occurrence of non-fatal myocardial infarction. There was a significant net reduction in total cholesterol (pooled WMD random effects model -0.57 mmol/l (-0.83, -0.31)) and LDL (pooled WMD random effects model -0.51 mmol/l (-0.82, -0.19) in the comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation group. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation is effective in reducing cardiac deaths. It is not clear from this review whether exercise only or a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation intervention is more beneficial. The population studied in this review is still predominantly male, middle aged and low risk. Identification of the ethnic origin of the participants was seldom reported. It is possible that patients who would have benefited most from the intervention were excluded from the trials on the grounds of age, sex or co-morbidity.
Eyes as the Center of Focus in the Visual Examination of Human Faces

An experiment was conducted to determine the degree to which individuals focus upon the eye region of others while visually inspecting their faces. Using an eye-tracking camera, 16 male subjects spent approximately 40% of their looking time focused upon the eye region of facial photographs, with each of the remaining parts of the face being looked at less.
Self-Mutilation: Theory, Research, and Treatment

I. The Scope of the Problem.The Spectrum of Self-Mutilative Behavior: An Introduction and Overview. Distinguishing Self-Mutilation from Suicide: A Review and Commentary. Distinguishing Self-Mutilation from Suicide: A Definitive Approach. II. Self-Mutilation Across Clinical Populations. The Development of Self-Mutilation in Adolescents. The Problem of Contagion. Self-Mutilation in Borderline Personalities. Self-Mutilation in Psychotics. Self-Injury in Retarded and Autistic Populations. III. Treatment. Individual Treatment: Cognitive-Behavioral Techniques. Individual Treatment: A Psychoanalytic Approach. Family Treatment. Group Treatment and Contagion. Multimodal Treatment.
Regulation of Metabolic Processes in Mitochondria

genome. Experiments performed to determine relationships between these parameters in various nutrient media are described and interpreted. After discussing steady states, attention is focused upon the very interesting work on variation of synthesis rates when bacteria are transferred from a minimal to an enriched medium. Measurement of the rates for various classes of macromolecules reveals that RNA synthesis increases immediately upon shifting to an enriched medium, while there is a lag period in the increase of protein and DNA synthesis. The implications of this observation are discussed in detail and its ramifications are elucidated with reference to additional experiments which suggest mechanisms for the control of RNA and DNA synthesis. In the closing chapter, regulation of DNA synthesis and physicochemical properties of the bacterial nucleus bearing upon the problem of control are treated. The latter discussion is particularly relevant to the problem of relationships between in zvvo and in vitro experiments. Following an extensive list of references is an appendix consisting of reprints of four original papers. This monograph is recommended to one who would acquaint himself with the most recent work and thinking in the area. The only reservation held by this reviewer is in regard to the inclusion of a lengthy appendix of four reprints from journals available in any well-stocked library.
Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers in Heart Failure

Heart failure remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, despite major advances in therapy. Angiotensin II, the principal mediator of the renin‐angiotensin system, exerts both short‐term (e.g., hemodynamic, renal) and long‐term (e.g., inflammation, cardiac remodeling) effects in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. The effects of angiotensin II appear to be more completely inhibited by angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), which act at the subtype 1 receptor level, than by angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors because pathways other than that of ACE contribute to the generation of angiotensin II. Evidence demonstrates that ARBs, when added to conventional treatment for patients with heart failure, are associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality as well as an improvement in quality of life. Clinical trials of ARB therapy indicate that these agents are generally well tolerated, both alone and in combination with other neurohormonal inhibitors. The current role of ARBs in heart failure is as an alternative for patients who cannot tolerate therapy with an ACE inhibitor. A number of ongoing clinical studies are likely to further define or expand the role of ARBs in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Numerical calculation of the multiplicity of a solution to algebraic equations

A method to calculate numerically the multiplicity of solution to a system of algebraic equations is presented. The method is an application of Zeuthen's rule which gives the multiplicity of a solution as the multiplicity of a united point of an algebraic correspondence defined naturally by the system. The numerical calculation is applicable to a large scale system of algebraic equations whicl may have a solution that we cannot calculate the multiplicity by a symbolic computation.
Showing correctness of a replication algorithm in a component based system

Reasoning about the correctness of a replication algorithm is a difficult endeavor. If correctness has to be shown for a component based architecture where a client request can lead to execution across different components or tiers, this is even more difficult. Existing formalisms are either restricted to systems with only one component, or make strong assumptions about the setup of the system. In this paper, we present a flexible framework to reason about exactly-once execution in a failure-prone replicated component based system. Our approach allows us to reason about the execution across the entire system, e.g., application server and database tier. If a given replication algorithm makes assumptions about some of the components, then those can be easily integrated into the reasoning process.
Deriving epistemic conclusions from agent architecture

One of our most resilient intuitions is that causality is a precondition for information flow: where there are no causal connections, we expect there to be no flow of information. In this paper, we study this idea as it arises in the computer science notion of systems architectures, which are high level designs that describe the coarse structure of a system in terms of its high-level components and their permitted causal interactions.
Pre-schoolers’ Reasoning in a False-Belief Test Involving Negative Desires

How can people balance competing demands for efficiency and cognitive flexibility in understanding others’ beliefs and desires? The idea that humans have two systems for mindreading, a flexible but cognitively demanding system and a minimal, efficient system which operates quickly but possesses signature blindspots was tested. Spontaneous anticipatory looking (AL) and direct verbal predictions of 3- and 4- year-olds were assessed. Children’s AL responses displayed a signature blindspot to an agent’s desire to avoid an object in an unexpected-transfer false belief task. A dissociation between 4-year-olds’ spontaneous AL responses and direct verbal predictions in an avoidance task further supports a 2-mindreading-systems account. The quick efficient mindreading system tracks an agent’s desire to approach but not to avoid an object.
Reproductive Factors Have Low Impact on the Risk of Different Primary Brain Tumours in Offspring

Objectives: The aim of our study was to investigate whether reproductive factors influence the risk of primary brain tumours (PBT) in offspring. Methods: Data on all deliveries in two Swedish counties from 1955 to 1990 were extracted from two birth registries. The follow-up period closed at the end of 1994, with subjects followed up to early middle age. Incidence rates of malignancy for 1958–1994 were obtained from the Swedish Cancer Registry. Standardised incidence ratios (SIR) and relative risks were calculated for astrocytomas, primitive neuroectodermal tumour, ependymoma and meningiomas in offspring. Results: Few associations were detected. High birth weight indicated an increased risk for astrocytomas grade I and II for all primary brain tumours, and the risk was close to significance for astrocytomas grade I–II (SIR = 3.64; CI = 0.98–9.31). For children under 15 years of age the risk for astrocytomas grade I and II was further increased (SIR = 4.44; CI = 1.19–11.38). Conclusions: A consistent pattern of non-association indicated a low impact of intrauterine environment on the future development of primary brain tumours in offspring up to early middle age.
Regulation of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Expression and Function by Glucocorticoids in Mouse Hepatoma Cells

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that mediates most biological responses to 2,3, 7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related aromatic hydrocarbons. Although the role of the AHR in control of drug metabolism and endocrine disruption is partly understood, we know little about the regulation of the AHR itself by endocrine factors. Our work with hypophysectomized rats suggested that hepatic AHR protein level is positively regulated by pituitary-dependent factors. A current hypothesis is that adrenal glucocorticoids elevate AHR expression and enhance responsiveness to AHR agonists. Dexamethasone (DEX) at concentrations that activate the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) increased AHR mRNA, protein, and TCDD-binding by approximately 50% in Hepa-1 mouse hepatoma cells. This response was blocked by the GR antagonist 17β-hydroxy-11β-[4-dimethylamino phenyl]-17α-[1-propynyl]estra-4,9-dien-3-one (RU486), suggesting GR involvement. This small magnitude increase in AHR levels was functionally significant; pretreatment of Hepa-1 cells with DEX caused a 75% increase in the maximum induction of an AHR-activated luciferase reporter plasmid by TCDD. A luciferase reporter under control of the proximal 2.5 kilobases of the mouse Ahr 5′-flanking region and promoter was induced approximately 2.5-fold by DEX when cotransfected with a mouse GR expression plasmid. This is the first demonstration that glucocorticoids increase AHR levels in hepatoma cells via a GR-dependent transcriptional mechanism, suggesting a novel aspect of cross-talk between the AHR and the GR.
Sex as Evacuation

This article focuses on the representation of sexual activity in the film Shame, directed by Steve McQueen (2011). I concentrate on the sexual encounters of the film’s male protagonist Brandon within the broader context of his relationship with his sister Sissy. I consider how psychoanalytic understandings of the paranoid-schizoid position can help us to think about how Brandon is represented in the film and, by extension, what a Kleinian psychoanalytic approach might contribute to clinical discussions about sex addiction. I argue that the film presents a man incapable of experiencing psychic pain. Instead, he concretizes it, splits it off, and projects it onto and into those around him. His bodily activities serve, unconsciously, as desperate attempts to stave off thinking and feeling through action.
Predator perception and the interrelation between different forms of protective coloration

Animals possess a range of defensive markings to reduce the risk of predation, including warning colours, camouflage, eyespots and mimicry. These different strategies are frequently considered independently, and with little regard towards predator vision, even though they may be linked in various ways and can be fully understood only in terms of predator perception. For example, camouflage and warning coloration need not be mutually exclusive, and may frequently exploit similar features of visual perception. This paper outlines how different forms of protective markings can be understood from predator perception and illustrates how this is fundamental in determining the mechanisms underlying, and the interrelation between, different strategies. Suggestions are made for future work, and potential mechanisms discussed in relation to various forms of defensive coloration, including disruptive coloration, eyespots, dazzle markings, motion camouflage, aposematism and mimicry.
ABCs (and Ds) of Understanding VARs

The dynamics of a linear (or linearized) dynamic stochastic economic model can be expressed in terms of matrices (A, B, C, D) that define a state space system for a vector of observables. An associated state space system (A,ˆB,C,ˆD) determines a vector autoregression for those same observables. We present a simple condition for checking when these two state space systems match up and when they do not when there are equal numbers of economic and VAR shocks. We illustrate our condition with a permanent income example. (JEL C32, E32)