Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
System-theoretic formulation and analysis of dynamic consensus propagation

In our previous work we have proposed a dynamic version of the consensus propagation (CP) algorithm introduced by Moallemi and Van Roy. Here, we pursue a system theoretic approach to the analysis of CP. Specifically, we first develop a state-space model for CP and then use this model to prove stability of CP when applied to time-varying processes. We further show how the state-space model can be used to describe the transfer characteristics (spatio-temporal filtering) of CP in terms of attenuation and group delay, both for pure CP and an extended version that uses local linear predictors at the processing nodes. Numerical simulations illustrate our findings.
Affective Ties and Delinquency

This paper presents a theory of delinquency developed by Costner (1967) based on the affective ties of youth to deviant peers, conventional peers, and conventional adults. The theory was developed from the differential ssociation perspective, but in many ways it is compatible with the statement of control theory offered by Hirschi (1969). An empirical test is made comparing the success of control theory, differential ssociation theory, and affective ties theory in predicting delinquency involvement.
Growth Dynamics and Returns to Scale: Bifurcation Analysis

We investigate the dependence of the dynamic behavior of an endogenous growth model on the degree of returns to scale. We focus on a simple (but representative) growth model with publicly funded inventive activity. We show that constant returns to reproducible factors (the leading case in the endogenous growth literature) is a bifurcation point, and that it has the characteristics of a transcritical bifurcation. The bifurcation involves the boundary of the state space, making it difficult to formally verify this classification. For a special case, we provide a transformation that allows formal classification by existing methods. We discuss the new methods that would be needed for formal verification of transcriticality in a broader class of models.
Foreign Investment and Disparities in Economic Development and Poverty Reduction

To remain economically competitive in the 21st century a nation must be able to secure resources beyond its borders and protect itself from other nations trying to do the same. While the situation has been shown to be more complex, the original assumption among world system researchers remains that multinational corporate penetration in the periphery can have negative effects on their prospects for economic development. But we now know that these negative effects upon long-term economic development can be prevented. The existence of a strong development state can be critical for this protection. In addition to supplying ‘good governance’ (as the World Bank now calls it), a strong development state can provide protection in the global economy so that multinational corporate penetration is beneficial rather than harmful to less developed nations. But given the importance of a strong development state it is surprising that little research has been directed to the question of how a nation acquires a development state and ‘good governance. ’ To begin answering this question, this article focuses on the countries of Southeast Asia. After examination of the wide contrast among Southeast Asian nations with respect to economic development and poverty reduction, a comparative-historical analysis is employed to develop a model which helps us explain these contrasts. Previous research on economic development in East and Southeast Asia only recognized the impact of ‘Asian values’ on unity, respect for authority, and a work ethic among the masses. Beginning with the impact of ancient civilizations and the potential for nation-building, this research also suggests the importance of a sense of national identity and responsibility among elites. The model then turns to how this potential for a strong development state can be affected by different aspects of colonialism. Finally, the article considers the model’s potential application to Africa and Latin America in helping us understand differing rates of economic success for other periphery and semiperiphery nations in the modern world system.
An Application of Petri Net Reduction for Ada Tasking Deadlock Analysis

As part of our continuing research on using Petri nets to support automated analysis of Ada tasking behavior, we have investigated the application of Petri net reduction for deadlock analysis. Although reachability analysis is an important method to detect deadlocks, it is in general inefficient or even intractable. Net reduction can aid the analysis by reducing the size of the net while preserving relevant properties. We introduce a number of reduction rules and show how they can be applied to Ada nets, which are automatically generated Petri net models of Ada tasking. We define a reduction process and a method by which a useful description of a detected deadlock state can be obtained from the reduced net's information. A reduction tool and experimental results from applying the reduction process are discussed.
A synchronous, reservation based medium access control protocol for multihop wireless networks

We describe a new synchronous and distributed medium access control (MAC) protocol for multihop wireless networks that provides bandwidth guarantees to unicast connections. Our MAC protocol is based on a slotted time division multiple access (TDMA) architecture, with a multi-mini-slotted signaling phase scheduling data transmissions over slots in the following data phase. Resolving contentions at the beginning of a frame allows for effective utilization of bandwidth. Our protocol essentially combines the benefits of TDMA architecture with the distributed reservation mechanism of IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol, thereby performing well even at high loads. We implement a two-way handshake before each data slot to avoid deadlocks, a phenomena that plagues 802.11. Through theoretical analysis, we derive the system throughput achieved by our MAC protocol. We implemented our MAC protocol into ns-2 simulator, and demonstrate its vast superiority to IEEE 802.11 and a synchronous MAC protocol CATA through extensive simulations.
Fault Index Statistical Study for Gear Fault Detection Using Stator Current Space Vector Analysis

This paper presents a statistical analysis on a fault index computed based on the stator current space vector instantaneous frequency on a real-time platform for online noninvasive gear tooth surface damage fault detection in a single-stage gearbox. This analysis is crucial for defining a threshold beyond which the condition of gear teeth can be considered defective with a significance level less than the critical value. Besides, the efficiency of the fault detection algorithm realized on a real-time platform will be evaluated for both pinion and wheel tooth surface damage faults by using a setup based on a 250-W three-phase squirrel-cage induction machine shaft-connected to a single-stage spur or helical gearboxes.
Testing the Mill hypothesis of fiscal illusion

According to the “Mill hypothesis”, the tax burden from indirect taxation is underestimated because indirect taxes are less “visible” than direct taxes. We experimentally test the Mill hypothesis and identify tax framing as a cause of fiscal illusion. We find that the tax burden associated with an indirect tax is underestimated, whereas this is not the case with an equivalent direct tax. In a referendum to tax and redistribute tax revenue, fiscal illusion is found to distort democratic decisions and to result in “excessive” redistribution. Yet, voters eventually learn to overcome fiscal illusion.
Escalation and trophic specialization drive adaptive radiation of freshwater gastropods in ancient lakes on Sulawesi, Indonesia

Species flocks in ancient lakes have long been appreciated as ideal model systems for the study of speciation and adaptive processes. We here present data from a new invertebrate model system with intrinsic parameters distinct from those of other documented radiations. The ancient lakes on Sulawesi harbour an endemic species flock of at least 33 species of viviparous snails. Molecular data reveal multiple independent colonizations of the lakes by riverine ancestors. In each colonizing clade, parallel evolution of conspicuous shell morphologies, followed by a differentiation of trophic morphology and the development of habitat specificity can be observed. Extensive shell crushing experiments and strong dentition of the chelae observed in some lacustrine crab species suggest that coevolution with crabs, i.e. escalation, is the most likely cause of initial shell divergence. By contrast, repeated parallel evolution in radula morphology indicates that speciation within lineages is driven by divergent adaptation to different resources among sympatric taxa. The inclusion of coevolutionary processes is unique in this system compared with diversification models developed for vertebrate radiations.
Electronic and structural properties of multiwall carbon nanotubes

We calculate the potential energy surface, the low-frequency vibrational modes, and the electronic structure of a (5,5)@(10,10) double-wall carbon nanotube. We find that the weak interwall interaction and changing symmetry cause four pseudogaps to open and close periodically near the Fermi level during the soft librational motion at $\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{\lesssim}30{\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}. $ This electron-libration coupling, absent in solids composed of fullerenes and single-wall nanotubes, may yield superconductivity in multiwall nanotubes.
Calculate the growth dynamics of root and shoot of bean plants

Dry matter accumulation patterns in most grains are sigmoid-type curve. In the first stage of this model is that if growth is slow, then there is a rapid phase after the flowering stage is followed by growth that is in pod formation stage. Studies have shown that leaf area development and dry matter accumulation in most cereal grains, especially cold for a long period after transplantation is very slow. Accordingly, in order to effect the kinds humic acid plant growth and bean seeds under climatic conditions of Ahvaz in the form of a split-plot experimental design with randomized complete block design based on years of farming 2010 was designed and executed. Factor with three bean varieties (V1 = Barekat, V2 = Jazayeri, V3 = Shame) in the main plot factor with four types humic acid (F0 = control, F1 = humic acid, F2 = full macro humic acid, F3 = acid Micro humic full) rate of 2 ppm in the sub-plots were placed. The results showed that the use of acid in all varieties humic increased plant growth parameters such as crop growth rate (CGR), plant height, grain yield, harvest index and biological function has been compared to the control. the highest total dry weight of the acid treatment Humic full macro level was 5909 kg per hectare and the lowest rate to the control was 4332 kg per hectare Effective grain filling period (EFP) The increase in the treatment process itself revealed . Varieties planted in the province and the third type humic acid with a control rate at 2 ppm was placed in sub-plots. The highest and lowest average number of lateral roots in this experiment in order Humic acid treatments and control macro level 241.7 and 136 numbers were obtained. Note that between the number of acid root treatment and between macro and micro humic acid and acid micro Humic significant difference was found. the highest root dry weight to macro Humic acid treatment with a mean 4.22 grams of control treatment and lowest with mean 2.63 has been hot Total root number from 592 to 899 in number in the control humic full macro will increase the number of roots, a positive regression (r = 0.89) with the amount of biological fixation (percentage of nitrogen nodules) showed . [Simin Haghighi, Tayeb Saki Nejad, Shahram Lack. Calculate the growth dynamics of root and shoot of bean plants. Journal of American Science 2011;7(6):19-26]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.americanscience. org.
Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy 2I: A Multinational Cross-Sectional Study

We conducted a prospective multinational study of muscle pathology using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2I (LGMD2I). Thirty eight adult ambulant LGMD2I patients (19 male; 19 female) with genetically identical mutations (c.826C>A) in the fukutin-related protein (FKRP) gene were recruited. In each patient, T1-weighted (T1w) imaging was assessed by qualitative grading for 15 individual lower limb muscles and quantitative Dixon imaging was analysed on 14 individual lower limb muscles by region of interest analysis. We described the pattern and appearance of muscle pathology and gender differences, not previously reported for LGMD2I. Diffuse fat infiltration of the gastrocnemii muscles was demonstrated in females, whereas in males fat infiltration was more prominent in the medial than the lateral gastrocnemius (p = 0.05). In the anterior thigh of males, in contrast to females, median fat infiltration in the vastus medialis muscle (45.7%) exceeded that in the vastus lateralis muscle (11.2%) (p<0.005). MRI is non-invasive, objective and does not rely on patient effort compared to clinical and physical measures that are currently employed. We demonstrated (i) that the quantitative Dixon technique is an objective quantitative marker of disease and (ii) new observations of gender specific patterns of muscle involvement in LGMD2I.
An empirical evaluation of wide-area internet bottlenecks

Conventional wisdom has been that the performance limitations in the current Internet lie at the edges of the network -- i.e last mile connectivity to users, or access links of stub ASes. As these links are upgraded, however, it is important to consider where new bottlenecks and hot-spots are likely to arise. In this paper, we address this question through an investigation of non-access bottlenecks. These are links within carrier ISPs or between neighboring carriers that could potentially constrain the bandwidth available to long-lived TCP flows. Through an extensive measurement study, we discover, classify, and characterize bottleneck links (primarily in the U.S.) in terms of their location, latency, and available capacity.We find that about 50% of the Internet paths explored have a non-access bottleneck with available capacity less than 50 Mbps, many of which limit the performance of well-connected nodes on the Internet today. Surprisingly, the bottlenecks identified are roughly equally split between intra-ISP links and peering links between ISPs. Also, we find that low-latency links, both intra-ISP and peering, have a significant likelihood of constraining available bandwidth. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings on related issues such as choosing an access provider and optimizing routes through the network. We believe that these results could be valuable in guiding the design of future network services, such as overlay routing, in terms of which links or paths to avoid (and how to avoid them) in order to improve performance.
Antioxidant Activity of Leaves and Fruits of Cultivated Conifers in Iran

Background Use of antioxidants is a means of reducing rancidity of fats and oils in food stuffs. The commercial synthetic antioxidants in food industry have been suspected to cause negative health effects. Therefore as alternatives, there is a strong need in finding new effective and safe antioxidants from natural sources to prevent deterioration of foods, drugs and cosmetics. Objectives In order to investigate the antioxidant activity from natural sources as alternatives of commercial antioxidants, the antioxidant activity of the extracts of leaves and fruits of six different species of Iranian common conifers: Cupressus arizonica, Pinus halepensis, Pinus nigra, Pinus brutia var. elderica, Pinus wallichiana and Cedrus deodara were investigated in the current study. Materials and Methods The leaves and fruits of these plants were collected from different areas of the country. Methanol extracts of leaves and fruits of Iranian common conifers (six species) were prepared. Antioxidant activity of the samples was measured using ferric thiocyante (FTC) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) tests. Results The results of the study, using the two methods, showed that all methanol extracts of leaves and fruits of the six species possessed antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of the samples was compared with the antioxidant activities of butylatedhydroxytoluene (BHT), as a synthetic antioxidant and α-tocopherol as a natural antioxidant. Methanol extractions of Pinus spp. leaves and fruits showed the highest antioxidant activity (quite higher than α- tocopherol). Among the extracts examined, the leaves of P. halpensis methanol extract showed the lowest activity. Conclusions At this stage it can be concluded that methanol extracts of these plants can be considered as strong antioxidant agents. However more investigation is necessary in order to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the components separate from each extracted sample using several different antioxidant methods.
Memory-Like Antigen-Specific Human NK Cells from TB Pleural Fluids Produced IL-22 in Response to IL-15 or Mycobacterium tuberculosis Antigens

Our previous result indicated that memory-like human natural killer (NK) cells from TB pleural fluid cells (PFCs) produced large amounts of IFN-γ in response to Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG). Furthermore, recent studies have shown that human lymphoid tissues harbored a unique NK cell subset that specialized in production of interleukin (IL)-22, a proinflammatory cytokine that mediates host defense against pathogens. Yet little information was available with regard to the properties of IL-22 production by memory-like human NK cells. In the present study, we found that cytokines IL-15 induced and IL-12 enhanced the levels of IL-22 by NK cells from TB PFCs. In addition, IL-22 but not IL-17 was produced by NK cells from PFCs in response to BCG and M.tb-related Ags. More importantly, the subset of specific IL-22-producing NK cells were distinct from IFN-γ-producing NK cells in PFCs. CD45RO+ or CD45RO- NK cells were sorted, co-cultured with autologous monocytes and stimulated with BCG for the production of IL-22. The result demonstrated that CD45RO+ but not CD45RO- NK cells produced significantly higher level of IL-22. Anti-IL-12Rβ1 mAbs (2B10) partially inhibit the expression of IL-22 by NK cells under the culture with BCG. Consistently, BCG specific IL-22-producing NK cells from PFCs expressed CD45ROhighNKG2Dhighgranzyme Bhigh. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that memory-like antigen-specific CD45RO+ NK cells might participate in the recall immune response for M. tb infection via producing IL-22, which display a critical role to fight against M. tb.
A Graphical and Numerical Method for Selection of Variables in Linear Models

A model is usually only an approximation of underlying reality. To access this reality in an adequate way, research all over the world, in different dimensions, is in progress. Most of the diagnostic methods that are being used for the selection of variables to retain in the final model are either based on theoretical methods or they are graphical, that is why model assessing becomes difficult. As a result, the regressors in a model may get very large or very small in their number. The researcher, therefore, has to look at variety of options, and has to fit a lot of models and then is found muddled with the choice to which to select and which to reject. This work is based upon introducing a diagnostic procedure for subset selection due to which one may be successful in reducing the number of possible models to be fitted. This strategy consists of graphical as well as numerical measures; this combination helps much in reducing the number of regressors in the model as well as the number of models. We have also introduced some new approaches and thus a considerable reduction in the regressors by this method does not prohibit the researcher to include regressors of his own interest.
Crop Foraging, Crop Losses, and Crop Raiding

Crop foraging or crop raiding concerns wildlife foraging and farmers’ reactions and responses to it. To understand crop foraging and its value to wildlife or its implications for humans requires a cross-disciplinary approach that considers the behavior and ecology of wild animals engaging in this behavior; the types and levels of competition for resources between people and wildlife; people's perceptions of and attitudes toward wildlife, including animals that forage on crops; and discourse about animals and their behaviors and how these discourses can be used for expressing dissent and distress about other social conflicts. So, to understand and respond to conflicts about crop damage, we need to look beyond what people lose, i.e., crop loss and economic equivalence, and focus more on what people say about wildlife and why they say it.
Computational Data Structures for High-Performance Complex Network-Based Small-World Simulations

The Watts and Strogatz model of small-world network systems has been successfully applied to explain features in several data sets. We have carried out a set of extensive simulation studies of stochastically generated small-world systems. We report on the data structures, memory and run-time complexity of our simulation codes and discuss how these ideas may be applied to similar simulations studies. Our packed k-index mechanism encodes physical spatial information and supports interpolation between pure list and multi-dimensional array models. The k-index mechanism allows most procedures in simulations of this ilk to be written in a dimensionally independent fashion.
Ages, Metallicities, and α-Element Enhancement for Galaxies in Hickson Compact Groups

Central velocity dispersions and eight line-strength Lick indices have been determined from 1.3 Å resolution long-slit spectra of 16 elliptical galaxies in Hickson compact groups. These data were used to determine galaxy properties (ages, metallicities, and α-element enhancements) and allowed a comparison with the parameters determined for a sample of galaxies in lower density environments studied by González. The stellar population parameters were derived by comparison to single stellar population models of Thomas et al. and to a new set of simple stellar population models for the indices Mg2, Fe5270, and Fe5335 based on synthetic spectra. These models, based on an updated version of the fitting functions presented in Barbuy et al., are fully described here. Our main results are (1) the two samples have similar mean values for the metallicities and [α/Fe] ratios and (2) the majority of the galaxies in compact groups seem to be old (median age of 14 Gyr for eight galaxies for which ages could be derived), in agreement with recent work by Proctor et al. These findings support two possible scenarios: compact groups are either young systems whose members have recently assembled and had not enough time to experience any merging yet, or they are old systems that have avoided merging since their time of formation.
A Password Strength Measure

We propose a reliable measure of password’s strength. We give formal definition of the guessing attack, and the attacker’s strategy. The measure is based on the assessment of the efficiency of the best possible guessing attack. Unlike naive password strength assessments it takes into account the attacker’s strategy. We argue strongly against widespread informal assumptions about “strong” and “weak” passwords. This paper does NOT advise you to include “at least three capital letters”, seven underscores, and a number thirteen in your password.