Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling job stress among police officers: interplay of work environment, counseling support, and family discussion with co-workers

Abstract Existing literature indicates that various factors affect police stress. This article uses data from the ‘Work and Family Services for Law Enforcement Personnel in the United States, 1995’ downloaded from the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (‘ICPSR’) website. Respondents include 594 sworn police officers from 21 agencies in New York City. Using structural equation modeling, results indicate that sex, race, education, and tenure do not have a direct influence on total job stress, but have a direct impact on family discussion with co-workers, counseling support, and negative working environment. Rank has a direct impact on total job stress, negative working environment, and family discussion with co-workers. In addition, both negative working environment and counseling support directly impact police total job stress.
Visualizing Large-scale and High-dimensional Data

We study the problem of visualizing large-scale and high-dimensional data in a low-dimensional (typically 2D or 3D) space. Much success has been reported recently by techniques that first compute a similarity structure of the data points and then project them into a low-dimensional space with the structure preserved. These two steps suffer from considerable computational costs, preventing the state-of-the-art methods such as the t-SNE from scaling to large-scale and high-dimensional data (e.g., millions of data points and hundreds of dimensions). We propose the LargeVis, a technique that first constructs an accurately approximated K-nearest neighbor graph from the data and then layouts the graph in the low-dimensional space. Comparing to t-SNE, LargeVis significantly reduces the computational cost of the graph construction step and employs a principled probabilistic model for the visualization step, the objective of which can be effectively optimized through asynchronous stochastic gradient descent with a linear time complexity. The whole procedure thus easily scales to millions of high-dimensional data points. Experimental results on real-world data sets demonstrate that the LargeVis outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in both efficiency and effectiveness. The hyper-parameters of LargeVis are also much more stable over different data sets.
Safety of different acupuncture manipulations for posterior circulation ischemia with vertigo

Acupuncture at Fengchi (GB20) in the posterior neck improves vertigo. However, subarachnoid hemorrhage and spinal epidural hematoma have been reported to occur after acupuncture in the posterior neck. Therefore, in the present study, we assessed the safety of acupuncture at Fengchi. Laboratory tests and adverse event reports were used to evaluate the safety of different acupuncture manipulations for the treatment of posterior circulation ischemia with vertigo. A total of 136 patients were randomly assigned to four groups. Verum acupuncture was conducted with different needle insertion directions (contralateral paropia or prominentia laryngea) and different needle twisting frequencies (60 or 120 times/minute) at Fengchi and matching acupoints (for example, Zhongwan [CV12], Qihai [CV6], Zusanli [ST36], and Fenglong [ST40]). The patients received 14 treatments over 3–4 weeks. Routine blood analysis, hepatic and renal function tests, urine and feces tests and electrocardiography were performed before the first treatment session and after the final session. Adverse events were recorded after every session. Of the 136 patients, 120 completed the study. There were no significant differences between pretreatment and posttreatment test results in any of the groups. Only five patients suffered from minor adverse events (needling pain, slight hematoma and transient chest tightness). No serious adverse events were found. Our results indicate that a 14-session course of needling at Fengchi is relatively safe for treating posterior circulation ischemia with vertigo.
DCPIB, the Proposed Selective Blocker of Volume-Regulated Anion Channels, Inhibits Several Glutamate Transport Pathways in Glial Cells

4-(2-Butyl-6,7-dichloro-2-cyclopentyl-indan-1-on-5-yl) oxobutyric acid (DCPIB) was identified as the selective blocker of volume-regulated anion channels (VRAC). VRAC are permeable to small inorganic and organic anions, including the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. In recent years DCPIB has been increasingly used for probing the physiologic and pathologic roles of VRAC and was found to potently suppress pathologic glutamate release in cerebral ischemia. Because ischemic glutamate release can be mediated by a plethora of mechanisms, in this study we explored the selectivity of DCPIB toward the majority of previously identified glutamate transporters and permeability pathways. l-[3H]glutamate, d-[3H]aspartate, and l-[14C]cystine were used to trace amino acid release and uptake. We found that in addition to its well-characterized effect on VRAC, DCPIB potently inhibited glutamate release via connexin hemichannels and glutamate uptake via the glutamate transporter GLT-1 in rat glial cells. In contrast, DCPIB had no direct effect on vesicular glutamate release from rat brain synaptosomes or the cystine/glutamate exchange in astrocytes. The compound did not affect the astrocytic glutamate transporter GLAST, nor did it block glutamate release via the P2X7/pannexin permeability pathway. The ability of DCPIB to directly block connexin hemichannels was confirmed using a gene-specific siRNA knockdown approach. Overall, our data demonstrate that DCPIB influences several glutamate transport pathways and that its effects on VRAC in vivo should be verified using additional pharmacological controls.
Distributed peer-to-peer multiplexing using ad hoc relay networks

We consider an ad hoc network consisting of d source-destination pairs and R relaying nodes. Each source wishes to transmit its data to its corresponding destination through the relay network. Each relay in the network transmits a properly scaled version of its received signal thereby cooperating with other relays to deliver each source's data to the corresponding destination. Assuming a minimal cooperation among the relaying nodes, we design a distributed beamformer such that the total relay transmit power dissipated by all relays is minimized while, at the same time, the quality of services at all destinations are guaranteed to be above certain pre-defined thresholds. We show that using a semi-definite relaxation approach, the power minimization problem can be turned into a semi-definite programming (SDP) optimization, and therefore, it can be solved efficiently using interior point methods. Our results show that the distributed relay multiplexing is possible and may be beneficial depending on the channel conditions.
Conformant Graphplan

Planning under uncertainty is a difficult task. If sensory information is available, it is possible to do contingency planning - that is, develop plans where certain branches are executed conditionally, based on the outcome of sensory actions. However, even without sensory information, it is often possible to develop useful plans that succeed no matter which of the allowed states the world is actually in. We refer to this type of planning as conformant planning.Few conformant planners have been built, partly because conformant planning requires the ability to reason about disjunction. In this paper we describe Conformant Graphplan (CGP), a Graphplan-based planner that develops sound (non-contingent) plans when faced with uncertainty in the initial conditions and in the outcome of actions. The basic idea is to develop separate plan graphs for each possible world. This requires some subtle changes to both the graph expansion and solution extraction phases of Oraphplan. In particular, the solution extraction phase must consider the unexpected side effects of actions in other possible worlds, and must confront any undesirable effects.We show that COP performs significantly better than two previous (probabilistic) conformant planners.
Pontryagin numbers and nonnegative curvature

Abstract We prove that any rational linear combination of Pontryagin numbers that is not a multiple of the signature is unbounded on connected closed oriented manifolds of nonnegative sectional curvature. Combining our result with Gromov's boundedness result for the signature yields a new characterization of the L-genus.
Network Constrained Distributed Dual Coordinate Ascent for Machine Learning

With explosion of data size and limited storage space at a single location, data are often distributed at different locations. We thus face the challenge of performing large-scale machine learning from these distributed data through communication networks. In this paper, we study how the network communication constraints will impact the convergence speed of distributed machine learning optimization algorithms. In particular, we give the convergence rate analysis of the distributed dual coordinate ascent in a general tree structured network. Furthermore, by considering network communication delays, we optimize the network-constrained dual coordinate ascent algorithms to maximize its convergence speed. Our results show that under different network communication delays, to achieve maximum convergence speed, one needs to adopt delay-dependent numbers of local and global iterations for distributed dual coordinate ascent.
Religious Institutions and Collective Action: The Catholic Church and Political Activism in Indigenous Chiapas and Yucatán

Abstract Why do religious organizations facilitate secular political activism in some settings but not others? I contend that where religious institutions are characterized by decentralized local governance, they are more likely to facilitate political activism. Drawing on nine months of field research and 60 interviews, I conduct a qualitative comparison between the Mexican states of Chiapas and Yucatán. I argue Chiapas exhibits highly decentralized governance by the Catholic Church whereas Yucatán exhibits centralized clerical management. This difference accounts for why Chiapas experiences high levels of indigenous political activism while Yucatán experiences very little political activism.
OXYGEN ISOTOPIC VARIATIONS IN A FLUFFY TYPE A CAI FROM THE VIGARANO METEORITE.

Introduction: Coarse-grained Ca-Al-rich inclusions (CAIs) are classified into Type A, B and C [1]. Type B and compact Type A CAIs are believed that they were formed from molten drops [2, 3]. On the other hand, fluffy Type A CAIs are believed that they were formed by gas-solid condensation, because of their extremely irregular shapes and reversely-zoned melilite crystals [4]. Recent ion microprobe analyses show that 16 O-rich and 16 O-poor melilite coexist in a Type B or compact Type A CAI directly indicating oxygen isotopic exchange during the formation [e.g. 5]. However, such observation has not been made in fluffy Type A CAIs. Distributions of oxygen isotopes in Type A CAIs have been characterized as: spinel, hibonite and pyrox-ene are 16 O-rich (δ 17, 18 O ~-40‰) while melilite is usually 16 O-poor (δ 17, 18 O ~ 0‰) [6, 7]. Here we report coexistence of 16 O-rich and 16 O-poor melilite in a fluffy Type A CAI from the Vigarano meteorite. The discovery indicates that multiple heating processes in the solar nebula are required to form fluffy Type A CAIs. Analytical Techniques: A coarse-grained CAI (V2-01) for a thin section of the Vigarano CV3 meteorite was studied by petrographic microscope and a scanning electron microscope (JEOL JSM-5310LV) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (Oxford LINK ISIS). Oxygen isotopes were measured in situ by secondary ion mass spectrometry using multi-collection mode of the TiTech CAMECA IMS-1270. A Cs + primary beam (20 keV, 0.6-2 nA) of 15-20 µm diameter was used. Both 16 O-and 18 O-were measured using off-axis Fara-day cups at mass resolving power (MRP) ~ 2000, while 17 O-was measured on the axial electron multiplier at MRP ~ 4500, sufficient to separate interfering 16 OH-. Measurements of background noises of Faraday cups were made and signals of 16 O-and 18 O-were corrected. In order to correct instrumental mass fractionation and matrix effect among minerals, five terrestrial minerals were used as standards for each mineral species: a synthetic gehlenite and åkermanite, a Russian spinel, a Miyake-Jima anorthite and a Takashima augite.
Advances in Functional Decomposition: Theory and Applications

Functional decomposition aims at finding efficient representations for Boolean functions. It is used in many applications, including multi-level logic synthesis, formal verification, and testing. This dissertation presents novel heuristic algorithms for functional decomposition. These algorithms take advantage of suitable representations of the Boolean functions in order to be efficient. The first two algorithms compute simple-disjoint and disjoint-support decompositions. They are based on representing the target function by a Reduced Ordered Binary Decision Diagram (BDD). Unlike other BDD-based algorithms, the presented ones can deal with larger target functions and produce more decompositions without requiring expensive manipulations of the representation, particularly BDD reordering. The third algorithm also finds disjoint-support decompositions, but it is based on a technique which integrates circuit graph analysis and BDD-based decomposition. The combination of the two approaches results in an algorithm which is more robust than a purely BDD-based one, and that improves both the quality of the results and the running time. The fourth algorithm uses circuit graph analysis to obtain non-disjoint decompositions. We show that the problem of computing non-disjoint decompositions can be reduced to the problem of computing multiple-vertex dominators. We also prove that multiple-vertex dominators can be found in polynomial time. This result is important because there is no known polynomial time algorithm for computing all non-disjoint decompositions of a Boolean function. The fifth algorithm provides an efficient means to decompose a function at the circuit graph level, by using information derived from a BDD representation. This is done without the expensive circuit re-synthesis normally associated with BDD-based decomposition approaches. Finally we present two publications that resulted from the many detours we have taken along the winding path of our research.
Endogenous Growth and Wave-Like Business Fluctuations ∗

This paper argues that the observed long lags in innovation implementation rationalize Schumpeter’s statement that “wave-like fluctuations in business . are the form economic development takes in the era of capitalism. ” Adding implementation delays to an otherwise standard endogenous growth model with expanding product variety, the equilibrium path admits a Hopf bifurcation where consumption, R&D and output permanently fluctuate. This mechanism is quantitatively consistent with the medium-term movements of US aggregate output. An optimal allocation may be restored at equilibrium by the mean of a procyclical subsidy, needed to generate additional consumption smoothing. Finally, a procyclical R&D subsidy rate moving around 10% and designed to half consumption fluctuations increases the growth rate from 2.4% to 3.4% with a 9.6% (compensation equivalent) increase in welfare. JEL Classification O3, E32
Spatial Pattern Coding of Sensory Information by Climbing Fiber-Evoked Calcium Signals in Networks of Neighboring Cerebellar Purkinje Cells

Climbing fiber input produces complex spike synchrony across populations of cerebellar Purkinje cells oriented in the parasagittal axis. Elucidating the fine spatial structure of this synchrony is crucial for understanding its role in the encoding and processing of sensory information within the olivocerebellar cortical circuit. We investigated these issues using in vivo multineuron two-photon calcium imaging in combination with information theoretic analysis. Spontaneous dendritic calcium transients linked to climbing fiber input were observed in multiple neighboring Purkinje cells. Spontaneous synchrony of calcium transients between individual Purkinje cells falls off over ∼200 μm mediolaterally, consistent with the presence of cerebellar microzones organized by climbing fiber input. Synchrony was increased after administration of harmaline, consistent with an olivary origin. Periodic sensory stimulation also resulted in a transient increase of synchrony after stimulus onset. To examine how synchrony affects the neural population code provided by the spatial pattern of complex spikes, we analyzed its information content. We found that spatial patterns of calcium events from small ensembles of cells provided substantially more stimulus information (59% more for seven-cell ensembles) than available by counting events across the pool without taking into account spatial origin. Information theoretic analysis indicated that, rather than contributing significantly to sensory coding via stimulus dependence, correlational effects on sensory coding are dominated by redundancy attributable to the prevalent spontaneous synchrony. The olivocerebellar circuit thus uses a labeled line code to report sensory signals, leaving open a role for synchrony in flexible selection of signals for output to deep cerebellar nuclei.
Administered Protection as A Public Good

We consider a public-good problem among import-competing firms to seek protection. First, we point out that under an administered protection policy, the quantity produced by the firms is a protection-seeking effort. We show that, in spite of the public-good property of the policy, the quantity produced by the import-competing firms can be higher when the firms are noncooperative than the firms are cooperative. We also show that the tariff is not necessarily decreasing as the number of the firms increases. c ° Yasukazu Ichino and Kar-yiu Wong
Signal Transduction Pathways Involved in the Synergistic Stimulation of Prostaglandin Production by Interleukin-1 r 3 and Tumor Necrosis Factor ox in Human Gingival Fibroblasts

Accumulating evidence indicates that prosta-glandins play an important role in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. In this study, the effects and interactions between IL-1 and TNFot on prostaglandin production and its regulation were investigated. The cytokines IL-1lB and TNFot stimulated prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostacyclin (PGI2) production in gingival fibroblasts. Simultaneous treatment of the cells with IL-1 and TNFcx resulted in a synergistic stimulation of PGE2 and PGI2 formation. IL-13 and, to a lesser extent, TNFot stimulated the release of 3H-arachidonic acid (3H-AA), and simultaneous addition of IL-13 and TNFoL further increased the release of 3H-AA from pre-labeled gingival fibroblasts. Furthermore, IL-1,3 and, to a lesser extent, TNFac induced the expression of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA. Simultaneous addition of IL-1,B and TNFa synergistically enhanced COX-2 mRNA levels, accompanied by a corresponding stimulation of PGE2 synthesis. Neither IL-13, TNFoL, nor the combination of these two cytokines affected COX-1 mRNA levels. PMA, known to activate protein kinase C (PKC), enhanced the stimulatory effect of IL-13, TNFot, and the combination on COX-2 mRNA levels accompanied by a corresponding increase in PGE2 production. The phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor, BPB, and the PKC inhibitor, BIS, reduced PGE2 production, whereas dexamethasone, indomethacin, and NS-398 completely abolished PGE2 production induced by IL-11, TNFa, and the combination. The study indicates that the synergistic stimulation of prostaglandin production by IL-113, and TNFcx is mediated partly at the level of COX-2 and partly at the level of PLA2 and that PKC is involved in the signal transduction of the synergy between the two cytokines. The synergy between IL-13 and TNFot may play an important role in the inflammatory processes in gingival tissue in vivo.
Preservice science teachers’ concerns and approaches for teaching socioscientific and controversial issues

ABSTRACT The teaching of socioscientific issues (SSI) holds promise for advancing functional scientific literacy, promoting critical thinking, and providing an interesting context for learning required science content, but few teachers actually employ this teaching method in K–12 classrooms. One common reason cited by teachers is their concern about the controversial aspects of teaching these topics. This study attempts to better understand these tensions by exploring preservice secondary science teachers’ ideas, concerns, and approaches for teaching SSI as they move through a semester-long science methods class that specifically addresses teaching about controversial and SSI. Classroom artifact data and individual interviews were used to explore the science concepts deemed most controversial by preservice secondary science teachers and their preferred approaches for teaching these topics. The findings revealed several topics that are deemed controversial, including evolution, climate change, nuclear energy, and reproduction. Preservice teachers also eagerly adopted the methods course’s discussion strategies for teaching about controversial issues. However, preservice teachers did not distinguish between the appropriateness for using different discussion-based, multiple-perspectives approaches for different types of issues. Specifically, preservice teachers often conflated SSI (societal issues that have both scientific and ethical elements) together with societally denied science for which the teaching is controversial (evolution, anthropogenic causes of climate change). Implications of these findings for methods courses and future research are discussed.
Micro/Nanofluidic Devices for Single Cells Analysis

The Special Issue of Micromachines entitled “Micro/Nanofluidic Devices for Single Cell Analysis” covers recent advancements regarding the analysis of single cells by different microfluidic approaches. To understand cell to cell behavior with their organelles and their intracellular biochemical effect, single cell analysis (SCA) can provide much more detailed information from small groups of cells or even single cells, compared to conventional approaches, which only provide ensemble-average information of millions of cells together. Earlier reviews provided single cell analysis using different approaches [1–3]. The author demonstrates invasive and noninvasive with time and non-time resolved SCA [1]; whereas some other literature provided destructive (with dyes, DNA, RNA, proteins and amino acids) and nondestructive (electroporation, impedance measurement and fluorescence based methods) cellular content analysis using microfluidic devices [3]. Further literature also suggest that single cell analysis is possible with capillary electrophoresis (CE) combined with a detection method such as electrochemical detection (ED), laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection and mass spectrometry (MS) [4,5]. [. ]
Work–family conflict, psychological availability, and child emotion regulation: Spillover and crossover in dual‐earner families

Work–family balance and child rearing are major social concerns. Few studies, however, have addressed how parents' work–family conflict (WFC) associates with children's emotion regulation. This study proposes the link to occur through parents' psychological availability (PA). In our model we tested both intraindividual and interindividual effects on a sample of 138 dual-earner couples with preschool-aged children. Our results showed that WFC related negatively to PA (actor and partner effects); fathers' and mothers' PA associated negatively with child lability and positively with child emotion regulation. Indirect effects were found for fathers' and mothers' WFC and children's emotion regulation and lability through partners' PA, controlling for child gender and temperament. These findings showed a dyadic pattern among couples' work–family balance, parenting, and children's emotion regulation.