Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Althusser and structuralism

SUMMARY 'Structure ', social structure' and, recently, 'structuralism ' are terms that are frequently used in sociology. Louis Althusser 's work is often mentioned as being both structuralist and Marxist. In this article I first raise, and attempt to answer, the question: 'What is structuralism? ', and then I go on to argue that Althusser is not both structuralist and Marxist simultaneously. I conclude, therefore, that, at least as far as Althusser's work is concernedand his writings are often taken to be paradigmatic of structuralist Marxism - it is misleading to lump together structuralism and Marxism. The terms 'structure' and 'social structure' are widely used in sociology and have been since Spencer introduced the term 'structure' into the field in the nineteenth century. Relatively recently, under the influence of French work in linguistics, a new term 'structuralism' has appeared in the writings of practitioners of the discipline. Indeed, Ernest Gellner wrote, in 1970: 'a spectre is haunting the intellectual scene - structuralism, or better "le structuralisme". ,l It may be fashionable to use the term, but its meaning is rarely explained. I should like to raise, in this paper, arsd attempt to answer, the question: 'What is this spectre, or what is structuralism? ' One individual whose work is often cited, in texts on sociological theory, and elsewhere, as both structuralist and Marxist, is Louis Althusser.2 Indeed, the writings of Althusser are sometimes taken to be exemplary, indeed paradigmatic of 'structuralist' Marxism. This is despite Althusser's own refusal to apply the label 'structuralist' to his work: 'We believe that despite the terminological ambiguity, the profound tendency of our texts was not attached to the "structuralist" ideology. '3 I shall argue, here, that there are sometimes reasons for describing Althusser's work as structuralist. Undeniably, too, he is often dealing with Marxian themes. But, I shall claim, he is not both
Compact Third-Order Limiter Functions for Finite Volume Methods

In this thesis we consider finite volume methods for the numerical solution of conservation laws modeled by systems of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equations. We are in particular interested in highorder accurate numerical approximations of conservation laws. Numerical approximations of nonlinear hyperbolic partial differential equation are particularly challenging, since their solution develops jump discontinuities in finite time. In order to achieve high-order accurate numerical approximation to nonlinear smooth functions, we introduce new high-order accurate reconstruction functions for the spatial approximation of hyperbolic partial differential equations. We therefore employ and generalize the idea of non-oscillatory double-logarithmic reconstruction of Artebrant and Schroll [5]. The proposed spatial approximation is based upon a new class of limiter functions, which recover efficiently and with high-order accuracy smooth, as well as discontinuous functions. The result is a an efficient third-order accurate scheme with a compact three point stencil. The interface values between two neighboring cells are obtained by a single nonlinear limiter function. In contrast to classical limiter functions, the new limiters handle discontinuities as well as local extrema within the standard semi-discrete TVD-MUSCL [77] framework utilizing an explicit SSP Runge-Kutta time marching scheme [18]. The shape preserving properties of the reconstruction are significantly improved, resulting in sharp, accurate and symmetric shock capturing. An extensive analysis of existing limiters, reveals the major drawbacks associated with second-order accurate TVD reconstructions. Smearing of discontinuities, clipping and squaring effects of smooth extrema associated with classical second-order TVD limiters are examined. Stability analysis confirms, that squaring effects, originally associated with compressive limiter are essentially local instabilities, which trigger exponential growth of certain wave modes. The proposed new class of third-order accurate limiter completely avoids these defects, producing perfectly symmetric results. Although the new algorithm employs a three-stage, third-order accurate time marching scheme, its computational efficiency is enhanced due to large allowable Courant number ν. As indicated by the von Neumann stability analysis, large time steps, satisfying ν . 1.6 are admissible and in some cases even preferable. Utilizing third-order time integration, the dissipation of high frequency waves gets reduced with large Courant numbers 1.0 ≤ ν . 1.6. Furthermore third-order accurate schemes get unstable for
Age-Related Changes in Acute and Phase-Advancing Responses to Monochromatic Light

Reduced sensitivity to short-wavelength (blue) light with age has been shown for light-induced melatonin suppression. The current research aimed to determine if a similar age-related reduction occurs in subjective alertness, mood, and circadian phase-advancing responses. Young (n = 11, 23.0 ± 2.9 years) and older (n = 15, 65.8 ± 5.0 years) healthy males participated in laboratory sessions that included a 2-h intermittent monochromatic light exposure, individually timed to begin 8.5 h after their dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) determined in a prior visit. In separate sessions, pupil-dilated subjects were exposed to short-wavelength blue (λ max 456 nm) and medium-wavelength green (λmax 548 nm) light matched for photon density (6 × 1013 photons/cm2/sec). Subjective alertness, sleepiness, and mood were verbally assessed every 15 to 30 min before, during, and up to 5 h after the light exposure. The magnitude of phase advance was assessed as the difference in plasma melatonin rhythm phase markers before and after light exposure. Following blue light exposure, responses in older men were significantly diminished compared with young men for subjective alertness (p < 0.0001), sleepiness (p < 0.0001), and mood (p < 0.05) during and after light exposure. There was no significant effect of age on these parameters following green light exposure. The phase advances to both blue and green light were larger in the young than older subjects, but did not reach statistical significance. In general, phase advances to blue light were slightly larger than to green light in both young and old, but did not reach statistical significance. The current results add to previous findings demonstrating reduced responsiveness to the acute effects of blue light in older people (melatonin suppression, alertness). However, under the study paradigm, the phase-advancing response to light does not appear to be significantly impaired with age.
The Effect of Metallicity on Cepheid-based Distances

We have used the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on board the Hubble Space Telescope to obtain V and I images of seven nearby galaxies. For each, we have measured a distance using the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) method. By comparing the TRGB distances with published Cepheid distances, we investigate the metallicity dependence of the Cepheid period-luminosity relation. Our sample is supplemented by 10 additional galaxies for which both TRGB and Cepheid distances are available in the literature, thus providing a uniform coverage in Cepheid abundances between 1/20 and 2 (O/H)☉. We find that the difference between Cepheid and TRGB distances decreases monotonically with increasing Cepheid abundance, consistent with a mean metallicity dependence of the Cepheid distance moduli of δ(m - M)/δ[O/H] = -0.24 ± 0.05 mag dex-1.
Role of the host in pathogenesis of Helicobacter-associated gastritis: H. felis infection of inbred and congenic mouse strains

In humans, Helicobacter pylori establishes a chronic infection which can result in various degrees of gastric inflammation, peptic ulcer disease, and a predisposition to gastric cancer. It has been suggested that bacterial virulence factors such as the vacuolating toxin (VacA) and the cytotoxin-associated gene product (CagA) may play a major role in determining the clinical outcome of Helicobacter infections. The role of host responses in these varied outcomes has received little attention. Helicobacter felis, which does not express CagA or VacA, causes chronic infection and inflammation in a well-characterized mouse model. We have used this model to evaluate the role of host responses in Helicobacter infections. BALB/c, C3H, and C57BL/6 mice were orally infected with a single strain of H. felis, and 2 and 11 weeks after infection, the mice were sacrificed and evaluated histologically for magnitude of H. felis infection. Intensity and extent of inflammation, and cellular composition of the inflammatory infiltrate. All three strains of mice demonstrated comparable levels of infection at 11 weeks, but the pattern and intensity of inflammation varied from minimal in BALB/c mice to severe in C57BL/6 mice. Gastric epithelial erosions were noted in C3H mice, and mucous cell hyperplasia was observed in C3H and C57BL/6 mice. Abundant mucosal mast cells were observed in the gastric tissues of all three mouse strains. Studies using major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-congenic mice revealed probable contributions by both MHC and non-MHC genes to Helicobacter-induced inflammation. Thus, large variations in the severity of disease were observed after infection of different inbred strains and congenic mice with a single isolate of H. felis. These results demonstrate the importance of the host response in disease outcome following gastric Helicobacter infection.
DawnCC

Directive-based programming models, such as OpenACC and OpenMP, allow developers to convert a sequential program into a parallel one with minimum human intervention. However, inserting pragmas into production code is a difficult and error-prone task, often requiring familiarity with the target program. This difficulty restricts the ability of developers to annotate code that they have not written themselves. This article provides a suite of compiler-related methods to mitigate this problem. Such techniques rely on symbolic range analysis, a well-known static technique, to achieve two purposes: populate source code with data transfer primitives and to disambiguate pointers that could hinder automatic parallelization due to aliasing. We have materialized our ideas into a tool, DawnCC, which can be used stand-alone or through an online interface. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we show how DawnCC can annotate the programs available in PolyBench without any intervention from users. Such annotations lead to speedups of over 100× in an Nvidia architecture and over 50× in an ARM architecture.
Early Executive Function at Age Two Predicts Emergent Mathematics and Literacy at Age Five

Previous work has shown that individual differences in executive function (EF) are predictive of academic skills in preschoolers, kindergartners, and older children. Across studies, EF is a stronger predictor of emergent mathematics than literacy. However, research on EF in children below age three is scarce, and it is currently unknown whether EF, as assessed in toddlerhood, predicts emergent academic skills a few years later. This longitudinal study investigates whether early EF, assessed at two years, predicts (emergent) academic skills, at five years. It examines, furthermore, whether early EF is a significantly stronger predictor of emergent mathematics than of emergent literacy, as has been found in previous work on older children. A sample of 552 children was assessed on various EF and EF-precursor tasks at two years. At age five, these children performed several emergent mathematics and literacy tasks. Structural Equation Modeling was used to investigate the relationships between early EF and academic skills, modeled as latent factors. Results showed that early EF at age two was a significant and relatively strong predictor of both emergent mathematics and literacy at age five, after controlling for receptive vocabulary, parental education, and home language. Predictive relations were significantly stronger for mathematics than literacy, but only when a verbal short-term memory measure was left out as an indicator to the latent early EF construct. These findings show that individual differences in emergent academic skills just prior to entry into the formal education system can be traced back to individual differences in early EF in toddlerhood. In addition, these results highlight the importance of task selection when assessing early EF as a predictor of later outcomes, and call for further studies to elucidate the mechanisms through which individual differences in early EF and precursors to EF come about.
Optimal Monetary Policy in an Estimated Dsge Model of the Euro Area with Cross-Country Heterogeneity

This paper investigates the implications of cross-country heterogeneity within the euro area for the design of optimal monetary policy. We build an optimizing-based multi-country model (MCM) describing the euro area in which differences between structural parameters across countries are allowed. Using Bayesian techniques, we estimate the MCM and its area-wide counterpart (AWM). We then question which model is the most appropriate for monetary policy purposes. Several results emerge. First, using an AWM induces relatively large and significant welfare losses. Second, this is not the use of a rule based on aggregated variables that is costly in terms of welfare, but rather the use of a sub-optimal forecasting model. Third, allowing for habit on consumption has important implications for the dynamics of models but taking into account difference in price indexation has more drastic effects on welfare losses.
Effects of essential oil supplementation of a low-energy diet on performance, intestinal morphology and microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs.

A total of 144 weaned piglets were used to evaluate the effects of essential oil (EO) supplementation of a low-energy diet on performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, small intestinal morphology, intestinal microflora, immune properties and antioxidant activities in weaned pigs. Pigs received a low-energy diet (negative control, NC, digestible energy = 3250 kcal/kg), NC plus 0.025% EO or a positive control diet (PC, digestible energy = 3400 kcal/kg) for 28 days. Growth performance was similar between the EO group and PC group. However, EO supplementation increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain and the apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and energy compared with pigs fed the NC diet. Greater (P < 0.05) villus height and lower (P < 0.05) counts of Escherichia coli and total anaerobes in the rectum in the EO group were observed compared with NC or PC groups. Pigs fed EO diet had higher (P < 0.05) concentrations of albumin, immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG and total antioxidant capacity and lower fecal score than pigs fed the PC and NC diets. Above all, this study indicates that supplementation of EO to a low-energy pig diet has beneficial results and obtains similar performance compared with normal energy (PC) diet.
Age Decreases Endothelial Progenitor Cell Recruitment Through Decreases in Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α Stabilization During Ischemia

Background— Advanced age is known to impair neovascularization. Because endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) participate in this process, we examined the effects of aging on EPC recruitment and vascular incorporation. Methods and Results— Murine neovascularization was examined by use of an ischemic flap model, which demonstrated aged mice (19 to 24 months) had decreased EPC mobilization (percent mobilized 1.4±0.2% versus 0.4±0.1%, P<0.005) that resulted in impaired gross tissue survival compared with young mice (2 to 6 months). This decrease correlated with diminished tissue perfusion (P<0.005) and decreased CD31+ vascular density (P<0.005). Gender-mismatched bone marrow transplantation demonstrated significantly fewer chimeric vessels in aged mice (P<0.05), which confirmed a deficit in bone marrow–mediated vasculogenesis. Age had no effect on total EPC number in mice or humans. Reciprocal bone marrow transplantations confirmed that impaired neovascularization resulted from defects in the response of aged tissue to hypoxia and not from intrinsic defects in EPC function. We demonstrate that aging decreased hypoxia-inducible factor 1α stabilization in ischemic tissues because of increased prolyl hydroxylase–mediated hydroxylation (P<0.05) and proteasomal degradation. This resulted in a diminished hypoxia response, including decreased stromal cell–derived factor 1 (P<0.005) and vascular endothelial growth factor (P<0.0004). This effect can be reversed with the iron chelator deferoxamine, which results in hypoxia-inducible factor 1α stabilization and increased tissue survival. Conclusions— Aging impairs EPC trafficking to sites of ischemia through a failure of aged tissues to normally activate the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α–mediated hypoxia response.
A Batch-Authenticated and Key Agreement Framework for P2P-Based Online Social Networks

Online social networks (OSNs) such as Facebook and MySpace are flourishing because more and more people are using OSNs to share their interests with friends. Because security and privacy issues on OSNs are major concerns, we propose a security framework for simultaneously authenticating multiple users to improve the efficiency and security of peer-to-peer (P2P)-based OSNs. In the proposed framework, three batch authentication protocols are proposed, adopting the one-way hash function, ElGamal proxy encryption, and certificates as the underlying cryptosystems. The hash-based authentication protocol requires lower computational cost and is suitable for resource-limited devices. The proxy-based protocol is based on asymmetric encryption and can be used to exchange more information among users. The certificate-based protocol guarantees nonrepudiation of transactions by signatures. Without a centralized authentication server, the proposed framework can therefore facilitate the extension of an OSN with batched verifications. In this paper, we formally prove that the proposed batch authentication protocols are secure against both passive adversaries and impersonator attacks, can offer implicit key authentication, and require fewer messages to authenticate multiple users. We also show that our protocols can meet important security requirements, including mutual authentication, reputation, community authenticity, nonrepudiation, and flexibility. With these effective security features, our framework is appropriate for use in P2P-based OSNs.
Geophagy in Brown Spider Monkeys (Ateles hybridus) in a Lowland Tropical Rainforest in Colombia

Spider monkeys and howler monkeys are the only Neotropical primates that eat soil from mineral licks. Not all species within these genera visit mineral licks, and geophagy has been restricted to populations of Ateles belzebuth belzebuth,Ateles belzebuth chamek and Alouatta seniculus in western Amazonian rainforests. With the aid of a camera trap we studied the visitation patterns of a group of brown spider monkeys (Ateles hybridus) to a mineral lick at Serrania de Las Quinchas, in Colombia. Spider monkeys visited the lick frequently throughout the year, with a monthly average of 21.7 ± 7.2 visits per 100 days of camera trapping (n = 14 months). Spider monkeys visited the mineral lick almost always on days with no rain, or very little (<3 mm) rain, suggesting that proximate environmental variables might determine spider monkeys’ decisions to come to the ground at the licks. This study expands the geographical occurrence of mineral lick use by spider monkeys providing additional data for future assessments on the biogeographical correlates of mineral lick use by platyrrhines.
Identification of Potential Biomarkers for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Associated with Choroidal Detachment by Vitreous iTRAQ-Based Proteomic Profiling

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment associated with choroidal detachment (RRDCD) is a complicated and serious type of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). In this study, we identified differentially expressed proteins in the vitreous humors of RRDCD and RRD using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) combined with nano-liquid chromatography-electrospray ion trap-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS) and bioinformatic analysis. Our result shows that 103 differentially expressed proteins, including 54 up-regulated and 49 down-regulated proteins were identified in RRDCD. Gene ontology (GO) analysis suggested that most of the differentially expressed proteins were extracellular．The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis suggested that proteins related to complement and coagulation cascades were significantly enriched. iTRAQ-based proteomic profiling reveals that complement and coagulation cascades and inflammation may play important roles in the pathogenesis of RRDCD. This study may provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of RRDCD and offer potential opportunities for the diagnosis and treatment of RRDCD.
Association Study of Polymorphisms in Genes Relevant to Vitamin B12 and Folate Metabolism with Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Han Chinese Population

Background Both genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This case-control study examined the association between childhood ASD and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved with vitamin B12 and folate metabolism. Material/Methods Genotypes of transcobalamin 2 (TCN2) rs1801198, methionine synthase (MTR) rs1805087, methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) rs1801394, and methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133 were examined in 201 children with ASD and 200 healthy controls from the Han Chinese population. Results Our results showed no association of all examined SNPs with childhood ASD and its severity. Conclusions None of the examined SNPs were a risk factor for the susceptibility to childhood ASD and severity of the disease in a Han Chinese population.
Cognitive and affective reasons to expatriate and work adjustment of expatriate academics

Despite the apparent increasing internationalization of the academic world, research on expatriate academics has remained negligible compared to the literature on business expatriates, which has increased rapidly in recent years. This is regrettable, since it is not obvious to what extent research findings regarding business expatriates also are applicable to expatriate academics. To examine cognitive and affective reasons to expatriate and work adjustment, a questionnaire was directed electronically towards expatriate academics from 60 countries employed in 35 universities in 5 northern European countries. Results indicated that one of the affective reasons to expatriate, refugee reasons (life change/escape), has a clear negative influence on both job adjustment and time to proficiency. However, none of the other studied reasons for expatriate academics to go abroad had any association with their subsequent adjustment to work. Hence, explorer reasons (adventure/travel), architect reasons (careers) or mercenary reasons (financial incentives) do not seem to have any effect on how well expatriate academics adjust to their work abroad. Implications of these findings are discussed in detail.