Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gaze-Driven Video Re-Editing

Given the current profusion of devices for viewing media, video content created at one aspect ratio is often viewed on displays with different aspect ratios. Many previous solutions address this problem by retargeting or resizing the video, but a more general solution would re-edit the video for the new display. Our method employs the three primary editing operations: pan, cut, and zoom. We let viewers implicitly reveal what is important in a video by tracking their gaze as they watch the video. We present an algorithm that optimizes the path of a cropping window based on the collected eyetracking data, finds places to cut, and computes the size of the cropping window. We present results on a variety of video clips, including close-up and distant shots, and stationary and moving cameras. We conduct two experiments to evaluate our results. First, we eyetrack viewers on the result videos generated by our algorithm, and second, we perform a subjective assessment of viewer preference. These experiments show that viewer gaze patterns are similar on our result videos and on the original video clips, and that viewers prefer our results to an optimized crop-and-warp algorithm.
Overexpression of INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION Activates Cell Separation in Vestigial Abscission Zones in Arabidopsis[OA]

Plants may shed organs when they have been injured or served their purpose. The differential pattern of organ abscission in different species is most likely the result of evolutionary adaptation to a variety of life styles and environments. The final step of abscission-related cell separation in floral organs of wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana, which only abscises sepals, petals, and stamens, is controlled by INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION (IDA). Here, we demonstrate that Arabidopsis 35S:IDA lines constitutively overexpressing IDA exhibit earlier abscission of floral organs, showing that the abscission zones are responsive to IDA soon after the opening of the flowers. In addition, ectopic abscission was observed at the bases of the pedicel, branches of the inflorescence, and cauline leaves. The silique valves also dehisced prematurely. Scanning electron microscopy indicated a spread of middle lamella degradation from preformed abscission zone cells to neighboring cells. A transcript encoding an arabinogalactan protein (AGP) was upregulated in the 35S:IDA lines, and large amounts of AGP were secreted at the sites of abscission. AGP was shown to be a constituent of wild-type floral abscission zones during and soon after cell separation had been completed. We suggest that the restricted expression pattern of IDA precludes abscission of nonfloral organs in Arabidopsis.
Dysfibrinogenaemia Characterized by Abnormal Fibrin Monomer Polymerization and Normal Fibrinopeptide A Release

Summary. Routine testing on plasma from a patient due to undergo a coronary artery bypass graft operation revealed a prolonged thrombin clotting time associated with a normal plasma fibrinogen level when this was determined by a method not dependent upon the rate of fibrin formation. Fibrinogen purified from the patient's plasma by precipitation with β‐alanine also gave a prolonged thrombin time and this confirmed the presence of a dysfibrinogenaemia. Increasing calcium chloride concentration, addition of protamine sulphate and decreasing ionic strength all produced a partial correction of the clotting defect. Addition of normal plasma to patient's plasma failed to correct the prolonged thrombin clotting time and a pH dependence of the defect was also observed. Kinetic studies of fibrinopeptide release, using a specific radioimmunoassay, demonstrated no delay in the release of patient fibrinopeptide A. The functional defect was localized as an abnormality in the polymerization of fibrin monomers by studying fibrin monomers prepared and isolated from plasma and from purified fibrinogen solution. An electrophoretic examination of the patient's fibrinogen using both agarose and polyacrylamide gels failed to demonstrate any alteration in mobility or any structural defect associated with the polypeptide chains Aα, Bβ and γ. All seven of the living siblings of the propositus and also his daughter showed no abnormality in any clotting assay. However, because the propositus did not suffer from liver disease it has been assumed that the abnormality is genetic in origin.
Spontaneous Neural Oscillations Bias Perception by Modulating Baseline Excitability

The brain exhibits organized fluctuations of neural activity, even in the absence of tasks or sensory input. A prominent type of such spontaneous activity is the alpha rhythm, which influences perception and interacts with other ongoing neural activity. It is currently hypothesized that states of decreased prestimulus α oscillations indicate enhanced neural excitability, resulting in improved perceptual acuity. Nevertheless, it remains debated how changes in excitability manifest at the behavioral level in perceptual tasks. We addressed this issue by comparing two alternative models describing the effect of spontaneous α power on signal detection. The first model assumes that decreased α power increases baseline excitability, amplifying the response to both signal and noise, predicting a liberal detection criterion with no effect on sensitivity. The second model predicts that decreased α power increases the trial-by-trial precision of the sensory response, resulting in improved sensitivity. We tested these models in two EEG experiments in humans where we analyzed the effects of prestimulus α power on visual detection and discrimination using a signal detection framework. Both experiments provide strong evidence that decreased α power reflects a more liberal detection criterion, rather than improved sensitivity, consistent with the baseline model. In other words, when the task requires detecting stimulus presence versus absence, reduced α oscillations make observers more likely to report the stimulus regardless of actual stimulus presence. Contrary to previous interpretations, these results suggest that states of decreased α oscillations increase the global baseline excitability of sensory systems without affecting perceptual acuity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Spontaneous fluctuations of brain activity explain why a faint sensory stimulus is sometimes perceived and sometimes not. The prevailing view is that heightened neural excitability, indexed by decreased α oscillations, promotes better perceptual performance. Here, we provide evidence that heightened neural excitability instead reflects a state of biased perception, during which a person is more likely to see a stimulus, whether or not it is actually present. Therefore, we propose that changes in neural excitability leave the precision of sensory processing unaffected. These results establish the link between spontaneous brain activity and the variability in human perception.
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF REPETITIONS, TOTAL WEIGHT LIFTED AND NEUROMUSCULAR FATIGUE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIFFERENT TRAINING BACKGROUNDS

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance, as well as neuromuscular activity, in a strength task in subjects with different training backgrounds. Participants (n = 26) were divided into three groups according to their training backgrounds (aerobic, strength or mixed) and submitted to three sessions: (1) determination of the maximum oxygen uptake during the incremental treadmill test to exhaustion and familiarization of the evaluation of maximum strength (1RM) for the half squat; (2) 1RM determination; and (3) strength exercise, four sets at 80% of the 1RM, in which the maximum number of repetitions (MNR), the total weight lifted (TWL), the root mean square (RMS) and median frequency (MF) of the electromyographic (EMG) activity for the second and last repetition were computed. There was an effect of group for MNR, with the aerobic group performing a higher MNR compared to the strength group (P = 0.045), and an effect on MF with a higher value in the second repetition than in the last repetition (P = 0.016). These results demonstrated that individuals with better aerobic fitness were more fatigue resistant than strength trained individuals. The absence of differences in EMG signals indicates that individuals with different training backgrounds have a similar pattern of motor unit recruitment during a resistance exercise performed until failure, and that the greater capacity to perform the MNR probably can be explained by peripheral adaptations.
Individual differences in antisocial punishment in public goods situations: : the interplay of cortisol with testosterone and dominance

This research investigates which endocrinological and psychological factors are associated with individuals' tendency to engage in destructive antisocial punishment, that is, to costly punish cooperative individuals in public goods situations. In this work, we focus on the interplay of endogenous cortisol with testosterone and dominance. We applied the dual-hormone hypothesis according to which testosterone is positively associated with destructive and dominant behavior but only in individuals with low levels of cortisol. Study 1 shows that individuals are more likely to engage in destructive antisocial punishment in a public goods game with the option to punish when their testosterone level is high, given that their level of cortisol is low, which bolsters the dual-hormone hypothesis. In contrast, no significant interaction effect of testosterone and cortisol emerges for the punishment of uncooperative free-riders (altruistic punishment). In a second study, we build on these findings and document that self-reported dominance is only positively associated with antisocial punishment (but not with altruistic punishment) when cortisol is low. In sum, the results indicate the importance of taking endocrinological and psychological factors (and their interactions) into account in order to reach a comprehensive understanding of individuals' behavior in social dilemma situations.
Psychosocial aspects of mothers of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: the relationship with diabetic control

Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the psychological profile of mothers of children with type I dia-betes mellitus (T1DM), their attitudes to their children and their family functioning. In addition, psychosocial pro-files of mothers were investigated in relation to putative effects on metabolic control. Methods: A series of 50 children with T1DM and 50 healthy controls and their mothers were involved in the study. Mothers completed Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Parental Attitude Research Instru-ment (PARI) and Family Assessment Device (FAD). Metabolic control was assessed by the HbA1c value. Results: The mothers of T1DM group had significantly higher scores of ‘attitude of over-parenting’ (over cont- rolling, anxious and over-demanding parental attitude) on PARI and higher scores on FAD affective each other when compared with mothers of the healthy controls. Mean HbA1c values of children with involvement subtest, which refers to quality of interest, concern, and investment that family members have for T1DM was 8.93±1.81% (range: 5.7-14.8%). A statistically significant negative correlation was found between metabolic control and PARI ‘democratic attitude’ subscale of mothers of T1DM children. In addition, a statistically significant positive correlation was noticed between duration of T1DM and PARI ‘authoritarian attitude’ subscale of mothers which refers over-punishing and a rigid attitude in relationship. Discussion: This study demonstrated that, for mothers who have children with T1DM, disease itself and poor metabolic control may have an adverse effect on their lives and their family relationships.
That Elusive Elasticity: A Long-Panel Approach To Estimating The Price Sensitivity Of Business Capital

The sensitivity of business capital formation to its user cost plays a key role in the analysis of many economic issues. Although this elasticity has been the subject of an enormous number of studies, a consensus remains elusive. We develop an estimation strategy that exploits panel data in an original way and avoids several pitfalls - difficult-to-specify dynamics, transitory time-series variation, and positively sloped supply schedules - inherent in investment equations that can bias the estimated elasticity. Results are based on an extensive panel containing 1,860 manufacturing and non-manufacturing firms. Our model generates a precisely estimated user cost elasticity of approximately 0.40. The method developed here may prove useful in estimating other structural parameters from panel datasets.
Reciprocal Interactions between Cell Adhesion Molecules of the Immunoglobulin Superfamily and the Cytoskeleton in Neurons

Cell adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) including the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and members of the L1 family of neuronal cell adhesion molecules play important functions in the developing nervous system by regulating formation, growth and branching of neurites, and establishment of the synaptic contacts between neurons. In the mature brain, members of IgSF regulate synapse composition, function, and plasticity required for learning and memory. The intracellular domains of IgSF cell adhesion molecules interact with the components of the cytoskeleton including the submembrane actin-spectrin meshwork, actin microfilaments, and microtubules. In this review, we summarize current data indicating that interactions between IgSF cell adhesion molecules and the cytoskeleton are reciprocal, and that while IgSF cell adhesion molecules regulate the assembly of the cytoskeleton, the cytoskeleton plays an important role in regulation of the functions of IgSF cell adhesion molecules. Reciprocal interactions between NCAM and L1 family members and the cytoskeleton and their role in neuronal differentiation and synapse formation are discussed in detail.
Gobernabilidad municipal en medio del conflicto armado en Colombia

Ejercer el gobierno local en algunos municipios colombianos puede ser todo un reto en tanto tiene que desenvolverse en un contexto de disputa armada que dificulta, impide o restringe la accion de gobierno. En las ultimas decadas se ha acentuado el conflicto armado en Colombia como consecuencia, en parte, del cambio de estrategia y la pugnaz lucha por el control local, el cual genera importantes dividendos. La accion de los grupos armados sobre los municipios se enmarca dentro de una generalidad lamentable en la historia colombiana. Uno de los intereses de este estudio es presentar el devenir de la injerencia de los grupos armados en el proceso gubernamental, pero tambien en la estructura social. Para ello se plantea en una primera parte el contexto en el que se enmarca la gobernabilidad; posteriormente se analiza el concepto de gobernabilidad teniendo en cuenta un escenario de conflicto armado y, finalmente, la importancia del municipio para los grupos armados ilegales teniendo como punto de partida la descentralizacion politico-administrativa de principios de los anos noventa.
Achieving "transparency, consistency and fairness" in English HE admissions: progress since Schwartz?

In 2004 the Schwartz Review advised English HEIs that their admissions systems should: be transparent; select students who are able to complete their courses based upon achievements and potential; use assessment methods which are reliable and valid; minimise barriers to applicants; be professional, and be underpinned by appropriate institutional structures and processes. These five principles were only expressed as recommendations, reflecting the reluctance of policymakers to interfere with individual HEIs’ admissions policies. In this paper we analyse the results of a research project which reviewed the progress which English HEIs had made in implementing the Schwartz recommendations and assess whether a more interventionist stance is required to achieve ‘fair admissions’. # Institute for Education Policy Research, Staffordshire University + Centre for Education and Inclusion Research, Sheffield Hallam University † Education Studies, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, United Kingdom * Corresponding author: Prof. Nick Adnett, Institute for Education Policy Research, Staffordshire University Business, School, Stoke-on-Trent, UK ST4 2 DF , E-mail: n.j.adnett@staffs.ac. uk, Tel: + 44 (0)1785 815478
Diffusion or autocatalysis of retinoic acid cannot explain pattern formation in the chick wing bud

We have collected several experimental data of pattern duplications due to the ZPA transplantation or application of retinoic acid on the developing chick limb bud. We have compared these data with the predictions of models based on diffusion or autocatalysis of retinoids. It turns out that these models cannot comprehensively explain the data. More specifically, retinoic acid cannot be either diffusing from a ZPA source or participate in an autocatalytic gradient formation. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A comparison of compositional schedulability analysis techniques for hierarchical real-time systems

Schedulability analysis of hierarchical real-time embedded systems involves defining interfaces that represent the underlying system faithfully and then compositionally analyzing those interfaces. Whereas commonly used abstractions, such as periodic and sporadic tasks and their interfaces, are simple and well studied, results for more complex and expressive abstractions and interfaces based on task graphs and automata are limited. One contributory factor may be the hardness of compositional schedulability analysis with task graphs and automata. Recently, conditional task models, such as the recurring branching task model, have been introduced with the goal of reaching a middle ground in the trade-off between expressivity and ease of analysis. Consequently, techniques for compositional analysis with conditional models have also been proposed, and each offer different advantages. In this work, we revisit those techniques, compare their advantages using an automotive case study, and identify limitations that would need to be addressed before adopting these techniques for use with real-world problems.
Step Size Adaptation in Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space

This paper presents an online support vector machine (SVM) that uses the stochastic meta-descent (SMD) algorithm to adapt its step size automatically. We formulate the online learning problem as a stochastic gradient descent in reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) and translate SMD to the nonparametric setting, where its gradient trace parameter is no longer a coefficient vector but an element of the RKHS. We derive efficient updates that allow us to perform the step size adaptation in linear time. We apply the online SVM framework to a variety of loss functions, and in particular show how to handle structured output spaces and achieve efficient online multiclass classification. Experiments show that our algorithm outperforms more primitive methods for setting the gradient step size.
Compartmentalization of &bgr;-Adrenergic Signals in Cardiomyocytes

Activation of adrenergic receptors (AR) represents the primary mechanism to increase cardiac performance under stress. Activated &bgr;AR couple to Gs protein, leading to adenylyl cyclase-dependent increases in secondary-messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) to activate protein kinase A. The increased protein kinase A activities promote phosphorylation of diversified substrates, ranging from the receptor and its associated partners to proteins involved in increases in contractility and heart rate. Recent progress with live-cell imaging has drastically advanced our understanding of the &bgr;AR-induced cAMP and protein kinase A activities that are precisely regulated in a spatiotemporal fashion in highly differentiated myocytes. Several features stand out: membrane location of &bgr;AR and its associated complexes dictates the cellular compartmentalization of signaling; &bgr;AR agonist dose-dependent equilibrium between cAMP production and cAMP degradation shapes persistent increases in cAMP signals for sustained cardiac contraction response; and arrestin acts as an agonist dose-dependent master switch to promote cAMP diffusion and propagation into intracellular compartments by sequestrating phosphodiesterase isoforms associated with the &bgr;AR signaling cascades. These features and the underlying molecular mechanisms of dynamic regulation of &bgr;AR complexes with adenylyl cyclase and phosphodiesterase enzymes and the implication in heart failure are discussed.
From emotion resonance to empathic understanding: A social developmental neuroscience account

Abstract The psychological construct of empathy refers to an intersubjective induction process by which positive and negative emotions are shared, without losing sight of whose feelings belong to whom. Empathy can lead to personal distress or to empathic concern (sympathy). The goal of this paper is to address the underlying cognitive processes and their neural underpinnings that constitute empathy within a developmental neuroscience perspective. In addition, we focus on how these processes go awry in developmental disorders marked by impairments in social cognition, such as autism spectrum disorder, and conduct disorder. We argue that empathy involves both bottom-up and top-down information processing, underpinned by specific and interacting neural systems. We discuss data from developmental psychology as well as cognitive neuroscience in support of such a model, and highlight the impact of neural dysfunctions on social cognitive developmental behavior. Altogether, bridging developmental science and cognitive neuroscience helps approach a more complete understanding of social cognition. Synthesizing these two domains also contributes to a better characterization of developmental psychopathologies that impacts the development of effective treatment strategies.
The Deleuze Dictionary

This is the first dictionary dedicated to the work of Gilles Deleuze. It provides an in-depth and lucid introduction to one of the most influential figures in continental philosophy. The dictionary defines and contextualises more than 150 terms that relate to Deleuze's philosophy including concepts such as 'becoming', 'body without organs', 'deterritorialization' 'difference', 'repetition', 'rhizome' and 'schizoanalysis'. The clear explanations also address the main intellectual influences on Deleuze as well as the influence Deleuze has had on subjects such as feminism, cinema, postcolonial theory, geography and cultural studies. Those unfamiliar with Deleuze will find the dictionary a user-friendly tool equipping them with definitions and interpretations both as a study and/or a teaching aid. The entries are written by some of the most prominent Deleuze scholars including Rosi Braidotti, Claire Colebrook, Tom Conley, Eugene Holland and Paul Patton. These contributors bring their expert knowledge and critical opinion to bear on the entries and provide an enriching theoretical context for anyone interested in Deleuze.Key Features * The entries are written in jargon-free language by experts on Deleuze. * The book covers the key Deleuzian terms and concepts. * Taken together, the entries provide a comprehensive introduction for those unfamiliar with Deleuze. * Useful study aid and tool for students and teachers.
Quantity Flexibility Contracts: Optimal Decisions with Information Updates

We study single and multiperiod quantity flexibility contracts involving one demand forecast update in each period and a spot market. We obtain the optimal order quantity at the beginning of a period and order quantities on contract and from the spot market at the then prevailing price after the forecast revision and before the demand materialization. The amount that can be purchased on contract is bounded by a given flexibility limit. We discuss the impact of the forecast quality and the level of flexibility on the optimal decisions and managerial insights behind the results.