Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Left wings to the left: Posing and perceived political orientation

ABSTRACT Images of individuals posing with the left cheek toward the camera are rated as more emotionally expressive than images with the right cheek toward the camera, which is theorized to be due to right hemisphere specialization for emotion processing. Liberals are stereotyped as being more emotional than conservatives. In the present study, we presented images of people displaying either leftward or rightward posing biases in an online task, and asked participants to rate people’s perceived political orientation. Participants rated individuals portrayed with a leftward posing bias as significantly more liberal than those presented with a rightward bias. These findings support the idea that posing direction is related to perceived emotionality of an individual, and that liberals are stereotyped as more emotional than conservatives. Our results differ from those of a previous study, which found conservative politicians are more often portrayed with a leftward posing bias, suggesting differences between posing output for political parties and perceived political orientation. Future research should investigate this effect in other countries, and the effect of posing bias on perceptions of politicians.
Fractals, Chaos, Power Laws: Minutes From an Infinite Paradise

Self-similarity is a profound concept that shapes many of the laws governing nature and underlying human thought. It is a property of widespread scientific importance and is at the centre of much of the recent work in chao fractals, and other areas of current research and popular interest. Self-similarity is related to symmetry analysis is an attribute of many physical laws: particle physics and those governing Newton's laws of gravitation. Symmetry, found throughout the biological universe, is also a basic property of the mathematical universe. In this book the author explores the idea's of scaling, self-similarity, chaos. and fractals as they appear throughout the universe of pure and applied mathematics. Because of his formidable research experience, stretching from the acoustical modelling of concert halls to pure number theory, Schroeder is able to take the reader on an intellectual excursion through this vast forest of topics. Requires a basic familiarity with undergraduate mathematics and elementary physics.
WCPSS Teacher Working Conditions Survey Results: 2011-12

During the spring of 2012, over 100,000 educators across the state took the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions (TWC) survey. WCPSS teachers responded more positively to 46 of the 85 survey items in 2012 than did teachers statewide. On 14 items, WCPSS teachers’ responses were less favorable than those of teachers statewide, and on the remaining 25, there was no statistically significant difference. Results from this survey are discussed.
Prognostic significance of flow cytometry deoxyribonucleic acid analysis of human astrocytomas.

Flow cytometry was used to determine the deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy and proliferative activity of 230 astrocytomas. The relationships among survival, ploidy, proliferation, histological features, and clinical variables were analyzed. Multivariate analysis confirmed the independent prognostic significance of the S-phase fraction (P < 0.01), ploidy (P = 0.04), age at diagnosis (P < 0.001), extent of surgery (P < 0.01), and sex (P = 0.03). Three groups with significantly different survival were defined based on S-phase fraction ranges of < 3%, 3%-5.9%, and > or = 6%. The strong correlation between the S-phase fraction and survival confirmed the importance of quantitative proliferation assays in predicting tumor behavior and demonstrated that specific reference ranges can be defined for clinical application. The weaker association between ploidy and survival leaves the usefulness of the determination of ploidy with flow cytometry in doubt.
Semi-Automatic Help for Aerial Region Analysis ‘ System description and final evaluation ’ ( U )

U) (U) In this paper, we present a semi-automatic scene analysis system. In most cases, object-related detectors are not able to find objects of interest reliably and efficiently on their own. We thus propose a scheme in which high-level knowledge may be introduced in an efficient way. This knowledge is used to steer the interpretation and to enforce a coherent result. The proposed scheme allows the user to intervene at any moment to help the interpretation by correcting errors, stopping the research in non-promising areas, etc. (U) The architecture of the presented system is generic and may be used for various applications. However, application related knowledge must be fed into the system. In this paper, we briefly describe the detectors, strategy and rules used in the scope of the SAHARA project. In this project, the interpretation of airports was considered and highresolution multi-sensor imagery was used (VIS 2m, SAR 5m, TIR 5m). In this scope objects of interest like runways, taxiways, buildings and shelters are searched for. (U) The results presented are quite encouraging and show that, using the system, a sketch of the airport may easily be drawn. The most promising application of the system is probably in the field of change detection to which it can easily be adapted. BE-UNCLASSIFIED RELEASABLE TO NATO SET PANEL RELEASABLE TO NATO SET PANEL BE-UNCLASSIFIED
PERCEPTIONS ATTRIBUTED BY ADULTS TO PARENTAL OVERINDULGENCE DURING CHILDHOOD

Overindulgent parents inundate their children with family resources (material wealth, time, experiences) at developmentally inappropriate times. Surveys were collected from 730 subjects of which 124 identified themselves as adult children of overindulgence (ACO). Results indicated that ACOs were: overindulged most often by both parents; overindulged for a significant period of their lives; and overindulged due to parental issues such as poverty, chemical dependency or overwork. ACOs simultaneously felt both positively and negatively about the overindulgence, that is, they felt loved, confused, guilty, bad and sad. Overindulgence was related to physical abuse, sexual abuse, and addiction. ACOs reported being affected by the overindulgence into adulthood, indicated by symptoms such as overeating, overspending, and experiencing problems with childrearing, interpersonal boundaries, and decision making. Implications for parents and family educators are presented.
Collaborative Filtering Meets Mobile Recommendation: A User-Centered Approach

With the increasing popularity of location tracking services such as GPS, more and more mobile data are being accumulated. Based on such data, a potentially useful service is to make timely and targeted recommendations for users on places where they might be interested to go and activities that they are likely to conduct. For example, a user arriving in Beijing might wonder where to visit and what she can do around the Forbidden City. A key challenge for such recommendation problems is that the data we have on each individual user might be very limited, while to make useful and accurate recommendations, we need extensive annotated location and activity information from user trace data. In this paper, we present a new approach, known as user-centered collaborative location and activity filtering (UCLAF), to pull many users’ data together and apply collaborative filtering to find like-minded users and like-patterned activities at different locations. We model the userlocation- activity relations with a tensor representation, and propose a regularized tensor and matrix decomposition solution which can better address the sparse data problem in mobile information retrieval. We empirically evaluate UCLAF using a real-world GPS dataset collected from 164 users over 2.5 years, and showed that our system can outperform several state-of-the-art solutions to the problem.
Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists in clinical trials for the treatment of coronary artery disease

There is a growing understanding of the central role that platelets play in coronary artery disease. The glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor has recently been identified as the final common pathway for platelet aggregation and hence has been the focus of many clinical trials to influence various aspects of coronary artery disease. In this report we give an overview of these clinical trials.
Evaluating written, audio and video feedback in higher education summative assessment tasks

This paper evaluates various feedback models utilised for summative assessment tasks for tertiary digital media students at the University of South Australia in Australia. The aim of this research project was to establish the advantages and disadvantages of each technique, and to determine which model provided students with more insight into their academic performance. In the first half of 2014, in the course Design Language in Media Arts, three different summative feedback models were trialled: written feedback; audio feedback; and video feedback. 77 first year students participated in the learning experiment where a different feedback model was utilised for each of the three major assignments in the course. The three summative feedback techniques were evaluated at the end of the semester in the form of an online survey, which provided participating students with the opportunity to critically reflect on the learning experience. The findings of the study are discussed in light of the growing use of non-traditional feedback measures in higher education, and provide insight into the advantages and disadvantages of each model, from both student and staff perspectives.
An improved visual odometry optimization algorithm based on Kinect camera

A visual odometry optimization algorithm based on Kinect camera is proposed. The optimization algorithm uses Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF (ORB) algorithm to extract and matching feature point pairs, culls the mismatching feature point pairs through the bidirectional consistency check, the constraints based on the color space information and the Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) algorithm, and then indexes the corresponding three-dimensional (3D) information of the eventually matching feature point pairs. It uses the least squares method to calculate the rotation and translation matrix so as to complete motion estimation between the two images, and then implements the local optimization of the motion estimation using the Sparse Bundle Adjustment (SBA) algorithm, eventually it could draw a global visual odometry simulated trajectory according to the optimized motion estimation. The experiment result shows that this method has high accuracy and robustness.
Line-Based Face Recognition under Varying Pose

Much research in human face recognition involves fronto-parallel face images, constrained rotations in and out of the plane, and operates under strict imaging conditions such as controlled illumination and limited facial expressions. Face recognition using multiple views in the viewing sphere is a more difficult task since face rotations out of the imaging plane can introduce occlusion of facial structures. In this paper, we propose a novel image-based face recognition algorithm that uses a set of random rectilinear line segments of 2D face image views as the underlying image representation, together with a nearest-neighbor classifier as the line matching scheme. The combination of 1D line segments exploits the inherent coherence in one or more 2D face image views in the viewing sphere. The algorithm achieves high generalization recognition rates for rotations both in and out of the plane, is robust to scaling, and is computationally efficient. Results show that the classification accuracy of the algorithm is superior compared with benchmark algorithms and is able to recognize test views in quasi-real-time.
Mitigation of the issue of plastic wastes in Kerala: A study on necessity, feasibility and implementation

Kerala is now a massive ground of wastes with no actual and effective means waste management. The issue is critical in terms of the social and health implications it is causing especially because of the plastic wastes. This paper provides the insight to the issue of plastic wastes and also suggests the adaptation of thermo-catalytic degradation for the same whereby the issue could be tackled successfully. The suggested methodology is also designed particularly to suit the lifestyle of people here with emphasis to energy investment, costs associated and eco-friendliness. Problems of plastic waste disposal and generation of alternate resources are simultaneously focused to promote a sustainable environment. The experiment involves the catalytic degradation of waste plastic at thermal conditions. The vapors so produced are collected and processed thereby obtaining mixed composition of hydrocarbons.
Real-Time Performance of a Self-Powered Environmental IoT Sensor Network System

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) play an increasingly important role in monitoring applications in many areas. With the emergence of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), many more low-power sensors will need to be deployed in various environments to collect and monitor data about environmental factors in real time. Providing power supply to these sensor nodes becomes a critical challenge for realizations of IoT applications as sensor nodes are normally battery-powered and have a limited lifetime. This paper proposes a wireless sensor network that is powered by solar energy harvesting. The sensor network monitors the environmental data with low-power sensor electronics and forms a network using multiple XBee wireless modules. A detailed performance analysis of the network system under solar energy harvesting has been presented. The sensor network system and the proposed energy-harvesting techniques are configured to achieve a continuous energy source for the sensor network. The proposed energy-harvesting system has been successfully designed to enable an energy solution in order to keep sensor nodes active and reliable for a whole day. The paper also outlines some of our experiences in real-time implementation of a sensor network system with energy harvesting.
Psychological and Physical Well-Being in the Elderly: The Perceived Well-Being Scale (PWB)

ABSTRACT This article describes the development of the Perceived Well-Being Scale (PWB) which allows for separate assessment of psychological and physical well-being. The PWB is a short and convenient instrument applicable to the elderly. Several studies bearing on the psychometric properties and usefulness of the PWB are presented and the implications of the findings are discussed. RÉSUMÉ Cet article dépeint le développement de l'Echelle du bien-être perçu (PWB) qui a égard à l'evaluation indépendante du bien-être psychologique et physique. Le PWB est un instrument court et commode applicable aux personnes âgées. Plusieures études qui ont rapport avec les propriétés psychométriques et l'utilité du PWB sont présentées et les implications des conclusions sont discutées.
Nafcillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus A Possible Community Origin

Abstract An increased incidence in nafcillin (semisynthetic penicillins) resistant Staphylococcus aureus (SR-SA), which peaked in January 1980, was noted in Columbus Children's Hospital (CCH), Columbus, Ohio. To investigate the source of this outbreak, we reviewed the susceptibility patterns of S. aureus strains isolated at CCH for a 12-month period (July 1979 to June 1980). A total of 773 isolates from 706 patients were investigated with a total of 40 patients colonized or infected with SR-SA, approximately 25% of which were diagnosed in the ambulatory clinics. These patients did not have any apparent previous contact with the inpatient unit or inpatient personnel. Eight nosocomial infections were also uncovered. The first appeared in December 1979. Our studies suggested that some SR-SA isolates may have originated in the community and these organisms may not be exclusive to the hospital environment, as was felt to be the case previously. We also determined that the baseline incidence for our hospital of SR-SA was approximately 2% of total S. aureus isolates. Only 35% of the SR-SA demonstrated resistance to multiple antibiotics. This report indicates that community and nosocomial 5. aureus isolates should be monitored for nafcillin resistance. Vancomycin susceptibility should be tested on all isolates and reported for SR-SA in life-threatening infections.
Lighting up Tumors with Receptor-Specific Optical Molecular Probes

Accurate and rapid detection of tumors is of great importance for interrogating the molecular basis of cancer pathogenesis, preventing the onset of complications, and implementing a tailored therapeutic regimen. In this era of molecular medicine, molecular probes that respond to, or target molecular processes are indispensable. Although numerous imaging modalities have been developed for visualizing pathologic conditions, the high sensitivity and relatively innocuous low energy radiation of optical imaging method makes it attractive for molecular imaging. While many human diseases have been studied successfully by using intrinsic optical properties of normal and pathologic tissues, molecular imaging of the expression of aberrant genes, proteins, and other pathophysiologic processes would be enhanced by the use of highly specific exogenous molecular beacons. This review focuses on the development of receptor-specific molecular probes for optical imaging of tumors. Particularly, bioconjugates of probes that absorb and fluoresce in the near infrared wavelengths between 750 and 900 nm will be reviewed.
Notch-RBP-J Signaling Regulates the Mobilization and Function of Endothelial Progenitor Cells by Dynamic Modulation of CXCR4 Expression in Mice

Bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) have therapeutic potentials in promoting tissue regeneration, but how these cells are modulated in vivo has been elusive. Here, we report that RBP-J, the critical transcription factor mediating Notch signaling, modulates EPC through CXCR4. In a mouse partial hepatectomy (PHx) model, RBP-J deficient EPC showed attenuated capacities of homing and facilitating liver regeneration. In resting mice, the conditional deletion of RBP-J led to a decrease of BM EPC, with a concomitant increase of EPC in the peripheral blood. This was accompanied by a down-regulation of CXCR4 on EPC in BM, although CXCR4 expression on EPC in the circulation was up-regulated in the absence of RBP-J. PHx in RBP-J deficient mice induced stronger EPC mobilization. In vitro, RBP-J deficient EPC showed lowered capacities of adhering, migrating, and forming vessel-like structures in three-dimensional cultures. Over-expression of CXCR4 could at least rescue the defects in vessel formation by the RBP-J deficient EPC. These data suggested that the RBP-J-mediated Notch signaling regulated EPC mobilization and function, at least partially through dynamic modulation of CXCR4 expression. Our findings not only provide new insights into the regulation of EPC, but also have implications for clinical therapies using EPC in diseases.
Advanced gaze visualizations for three-dimensional virtual environments

Gaze visualizations represent an effective way for gaining fast insights into eye tracking data. Current approaches do not adequately support eye tracking studies for three-dimensional (3D) virtual environments. Hence, we propose a set of advanced gaze visualization techniques for supporting gaze behavior analysis in such environments. Similar to commonly used gaze visualizations for two-dimensional stimuli (e.g., images and websites), we contribute advanced 3D scan paths and 3D attentional maps. In addition, we introduce a models of interest timeline depicting viewed models, which can be used for displaying scan paths in a selected time segment. A prototype toolkit is also discussed which combines an implementation of our proposed techniques. Their potential for facilitating eye tracking studies in virtual environments was supported by a user study among eye tracking and visualization experts.
Jointly optimal sensing and resource allocation for multiuser interweave cognitive radios

Successful deployment of cognitive radios requires efficient sensing of the spectrum and dynamic adaptation of the available resources according to the sensed (imperfect) information. While most works design these two tasks separately, in this paper the sensing and resource allocation schemes are designed jointly. We investigate an interweave CR with multiple secondary users that access orthogonally a set frequency bands originally devoted to primary users. The schemes are designed to optimize the performance of the secondary users while limiting the “probability of interfering” the primary users. The joint design is addressed using dynamic programming and nonlinear optimization techniques. A two-step strategy that first finds the optimal resource allocation for any sensing scheme and then uses that solution as input to solve for the optimal sensing policy is implemented. The two-step strategy is optimal and entails a computational complexity much lower than that required to solve the original formulation.
Monotonicity condition for the θ -scheme for diﬀusion equations

: We derive the necessary and suﬃcient condition for the L ∞ − monotonicity of ﬁnite diﬀerence θ -scheme for a diﬀusion equation. We conﬁrm that the discretization ratio ∆ t = O (∆ x 2 ) is necessary for the monotonicity except for the implicit scheme. In case of the heat equation, we get an explicit formula, which is weaker than the classical CFL condition.
The function of metaphor: Developing a corpus-based perspective

This paper presents a corpus-based approach to investigating the function of metaphor, specifically to the question whether the use of metaphorical language is motivated primarily by stylistic considerations or by cognitive principles. The paper focuses on concepts that can be expressed alternatively by a literal or a metaphorical linguistic expression with the same structural properties. Such expressions can be individual words (such asgraspandunderstand, which can both encode the concept UNDERSTAND), or fixed phrases (such asin the heart ofandin the center of, which can both encode the concept IN THE CENTER OF). It turns out that a comparison of the distinctive collocates of the literal and the metaphorical variant in each case provides clear evidence for the hypothesis that metaphorical language has a cognitive function.