Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Control of Multiple Packet Schedulers for Improving QoS on OpenFlow/SDN Networking

Packet scheduling is essential to properly support applications on Software-Defined Networking (SDN) model. However, on OpenFlow/SDN, QoS is only performed with bandwidth guarantees and by a well-known FIFO scheduling. Facing this limitation, this paper presents the QoSFlow proposal, which controls multiple packet schedulers of Linux kernel and improve the flexibility of QoS control. The paper assesses QoSFlow performance, by analysing response time of packet scheduler operations running on datapath level, maximum bandwidth capacity, hardware resource utilization rate, bandwidth isolation and QoE. Our outcomes show an increase more than 48% on PSNR value of QoE by using SFQ scheduling.
A profile of the qualifications of special education teachers among high poverty, urban, and rural schools

Title of Dissertation: A PROFILE OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AMONG HIGH POVERTY, URBAN, AND RURAL SCHOOLS Loretta Marie Mason, Doctor of Philosophy, 2008 Directed By: Professor Peter Leone Department of Special Education The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive profile of the special education teachers in the SASS:04 sample and to examine how the qualifications of special education teachers varied among K-12 public schools according to the urbanicity or proportion of students in poverty within a school. Variables related to teacher qualifications, demographic characteristics, teaching positions, and school characteristics were identified from the 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey database. Descriptive bivariate statistics and logistic regression analysis were used in this study. The findings demonstrated statistically significant differences in the qualifications of special educators among many of the subgroups analyzed. The analysis by demographic characteristics revealed that minority group members, younger special educators, and male special educators were less qualified than other special education teachers. Inspection of qualifications by school level and teaching assignment also found statistically significant differences. The investigation of the qualifications of special educators by poverty quartiles and by urban areas revealed a statistically significant relationship between qualifications and the type of school analyzed. The findings emphasize the need to provide targeted interventions to promote supplying all schools with qualified special education teachers. The findings also indicate that qualified special education teachers may not be equitably distributed and that further work in this area is necessary. A PROFILE OF THE QUALIFICATIONS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AMONG HIGH POVERTY, URBAN, AND RURAL SCHOOLS
Placing the Social Economy

In recent years there has been a great deal of discussion about the social economy and the term 'the third way' has attained a level of household recognition, especially in America and Britain. Academics and commentators have debated the usefulness of the social economy as a restraint on capitalist excesses with some arguing that the 'third way' is but a poor substitute for a welfare state. This book provides a refreshing and accessible account of real life experience in a social economy. By focusing on new evidence, this book critically analyses such themes as: *the range of academic and policy expectation that have emerged in recent years in the developed world *the policies of New Labour in Britain *the dynamics of social enterprises in Bristol, London, Middlesbrough and Glasgow. These critical assessments lead the authors to reflect in the future potential of the social economy and the possible policy changes that are necessary to maximise whatever opportunity the sector provides.
EFFECT OF PROTEIN PHOSPHORYLATION ON THE FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY OF PHOTOSYSTEM 2 UNDER PHOTOINHIBITORY CONDITIONS

The effect of protein phosphorylation on the functional activity of PS2 under control and photoinhibitory conditions has been investigated. The time course of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated PS2 enriched membranes (BBYs) has been monitored by chlorophyll fluorescence using a PAM fluorimeter. The results show that photochemical activity did not change during treatment in the dark but decreased sharply as a result of high light (2000 μmol.m–2.s–1) in both phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated preparations. No difference could be detected between the polypeptide profiles of control and phosphorylated BBYs as judged by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The results suggest that the decrease of photochemical activity took place prior to protein degradation. In order to check if protein phosphorylation had some protective effect at lower light intensities we subjected the BBYs to 1000 μmol. m–2.s–1. The experiment showed that the photochemical activity of PS2 was slightly more resistant to photoinhibiiton in the phosphorylated compared with the non-phosphorylated samples. Again, there was no difference between the polypeptide profiles of the phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated preparations even after one hour of exposure to illumination. Overall the results indicate that the phosphorylation of PS2 proteins does not significantly influence the rate of photochemical inactivation of PS2 but rather may serve to regulate the conformational state of the complex.
Fuzzy multi-layer perceptron, inferencing and rule generation

A connectionist expert system model, based on a fuzzy version of the multilayer perceptron developed by the authors, is proposed. It infers the output class membership value(s) of an input pattern and also generates a measure of certainty expressing confidence in the decision. The model is capable of querying the user for the more important input feature information, if and when required, in case of partial inputs. Justification for an inferred decision may be produced in rule form, when so desired by the user. The magnitudes of the connection weights of the trained neural network are utilized in every stage of the proposed inferencing procedure. The antecedent and consequent parts of the justificatory rules are provided in natural forms. The effectiveness of the algorithm is tested on the speech recognition problem, on some medical data and on artificially generated intractable (linearly nonseparable) pattern classes.
Identification of stakeholder perspectives on future flood management in the Rhine basin using Q methodology

OA fund TU Delft This article identifies different stakeholder perspectives on future flood management in the downstream parts of the Rhine basin in Germany and The Netherlands. The perspectives were identified using Q methodology, which proved to be a good, but time-intensive, method for eliciting and analyzing stakeholder perspectives in a structured and unbiased way. Three shared perspectives were found: A) "Anticipation and institutions", B) "Space for flooding" and C) "Knowledge and engineering". These three perspectives share a central concern for the provision of safety against flooding, but disagree on the expected autonomous developments and the preferred measures. In perspective A, the expected climate change and economic growth call for fast action. To deal with the increasing flood risk, mostly institutional measures are proposed, such as the development of a stronger basin commission. In perspective B, an increasing spatial pressure on the river area is expected, and the proposed measures are focused on mitigating damage, e.g., through controlled flooding and compartmentalization. In perspective C, the role of expert knowledge and technological improvements is emphasized. Preferred strategies include strengthening the dikes and differentiation of safety standards.
Differential Regulation and Action of Estrogen Receptors α and β in GH3 Cells.

The pituitary lactotroph, a well established target for estrogens, expresses estrogen receptor-α (ERα) and -β (ERβ). A truncated isoform of ERα, named TERP, is expressed in the pituitary, but not in the uterus. In this study we used the somatolactotroph cell line, GH3 cells, to examine 1) the expression of ERα, TERP, or ERβ and their regulation by estradiol; 2) the presence of receptor proteins; and 3) the effects of overexpressing ERβ or TERP on estrogen induction of the PRL gene and activation of the estrogen response element (ERE). Incubation of GH3 cells with estradiol (0.1–10 nm) produced dose-dependent increases in messenger RNA levels of ERβ and TERP, but not ERα, as determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Cell incubation with 1 nm estradiol resulted in a time-dependent biphasic increase in TERP and a delayed rise in ERβ, suggesting activation by both direct and indirect mechanisms. A polyclonal ERβ antibody directed against an N-terminal synthetic peptide was generated. This antibody detected ERβ-posit.
Case Study for Restaurant Queuing Model

Restaurants would avoid losing their customers due to a long wait on the line. Some restaurants initially provide more waiting chairs than they actually need to put them in the safe side, and reducing the chairs as the time goes on safe space. However, waiting chairs alone would not solve a problem when customers withdraw and go to the competitor’s door; the service time may need to be improved. This shows a need of a numerical model for the restaurant management to understand the situation better. This paper aims to show that queuing theory satisfies the model when tested with a real-case scenario. We obtained the data from a restaurant in Jakarta. We then derive the arrival rate, service rate, utilization rate, waiting time in queue and the probability of potential customers to balk based on the data using Little’s Theorem and M/M/1 queuing model. The arrival rate at Sushi Tei during its busiest period of the day is 2.22 customers per minute (cpm) while the service rate is 2.24 cpm. The average number of customers in the restaurant is 122 and the utilization period is 0.991. We conclude the paper by discussing the benefits of performing queuing analysis to a busy restaurant.
Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition: a Journal on Normal and Dysfunctional Development Differential Effects of Delay on Time- Based Prospective Memory in Younger and Older Adults

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Going nowhere? Rural youth labour market opportunities and obstacles

This paper compares rural and urban youth employment prospects, based on semi-structured interviews with 41 young people in England, and British Household Panel Survey data (2007/8). Rural location brings distinct labour market disadvantages for young people. Personal networks are pivotal for securing employment and lacking such contacts is a problem in rural areas. Unadvertised job vacancies and the relative absence of big business are also obstacles for rural youth, as is inability to relocate. Although opportunities are scarcer in rural areas, some individuals aspire to work in uniquely rural occupations even if the work is low-skilled and without promotion prospects.
Estimation of Relative Economic Weights of Hanwoo Carcass Traits Based on Carcass Market Price

The objective of this study was to estimate economic weights of Hanwoo carcass traits that can be used to build economic selection indexes for selection of seedstocks. Data from carcass measures for determining beef yield and quality grades were collected and provided by the Korean Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation (KAPE). Out of 1,556,971 records, 476,430 records collected from 13 abattoirs from 2008 to 2010 after deletion of outlying observations were used to estimate relative economic weights of bid price per kg carcass weight on cold carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS) and the phenotypic relationships among component traits. Price of carcass tended to increase linearly as yield grades or quality grades, in marginal or in combination, increased. Partial regression coefficients for MS, EMA, BF, and for CW in original scales were +948.5 won/score, +27.3 won/cm2, −95.2 won/mm and +7.3 won/kg when all three sex categories were taken into account. Among four grade determining traits, relative economic weight of MS was the greatest. Variations in partial regression coefficients by sex categories were great but the trends in relative weights for each carcass measures were similar. Relative economic weights of four traits in integer values when standardized measures were fit into covariance model were +4:+1:−1:+1 for MS:EMA:BF:CW. Further research is required to account for the cost of production per unit carcass weight or per unit production under different economic situations.
Capital Over the Business Cycle: Renting Versus Ownership

We find that capital renting makes up one fifth of US capital expenditures, and it increases during downturns. Further, we present cross-country evidence that output losses after financial crises are smaller where renting is more prevalent. To understand these findings, we build a general equilibrium model with borrowing constraints and with the option to rent or buy capital. The countercyclicality of rentals occurs because their supply increases, as renting serves as an additional means of savings when credit markets malfunction. Moreover, demand also shifts towards rentals as they become relatively cheaper. By absorbing excess savings, renting mitigates financial crises.
Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization and p16/Ki67 Dual Staining on Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Cervical Specimens: Correlation with HPV-DNA Test, E6/E7 mRNA Test, and Potential Clinical Applications

Although HPV-DNA test and E6/E7 mRNA analyses remain the current standard for the confirmation of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections in cytological specimens, no universally adopted techniques exist for the detection of HPV in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples. Particularly, in routine laboratories, molecular assays are still time-consuming and would require a high level of expertise. In this study, we investigated the possible use of a novel HPV tyramide-based chromogenic in situ hybridization (CISH) technology to locate HPV on tissue specimens. Then, we evaluate the potential usefulness of p16INK4a/Ki-67 double stain on histological samples, to identify cervical cells expressing HPV E6/E7 oncogenes. In our series, CISH showed a clear signal in 95.2% of the specimens and reached a sensitivity of 86.5%. CISH positivity always matched with HPV-DNA positivity, while 100% of cases with punctated signal joined with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). p16/Ki67 immunohistochemistry gave an interpretable result in 100% of the cases. The use of dual stain significantly increased the agreement between pathologists, which reached 100%. Concordance between dual stain and E6/E7 mRNA test was 89%. In our series, both CISH and p16INK4a/Ki67 dual stain demonstrated high grade of performances. In particular, CISH would help to distinguish episomal from integrated HPV, in order to allow conclusions regarding the prognosis of the lesion, while p16INK4a/Ki67 dual stain approach would confer a high level of standardization to the diagnostic procedure.
Antibiotic-Resistant Vibrios in Farmed Shrimp

Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was determined in 100 strains of Vibrio isolated from the Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp and identified phenotypically. A high antibiotic-resistance index (75%) was observed, with the following phenotypic profiles: monoresistance (n = 42), cross-resistance to β-lactams (n = 20) and multiple resistance (n = 13). Plasmid resistance was characterized for penicillin (n = 11), penicillin + ampicillin (n = 1), penicillin + aztreonam (n = 1), and ampicillin (n = 1). Resistance to antimicrobial drugs by the other strains (n = 86) was possibly mediated by chromosomal genes. The findings of this study support the conclusion that the cultured shrimps can be vehicles of vibrios resistant to β-lactam and tetracycline.
Photoluminescence Characterisation of High Current Density Resonant Tunnelling Diodes for Terahertz Applications

High structural perfection, wafer uniformity, and reproducibility are key parameters for high-volume, low cost manufacture of resonant tunnelling diode (RTD) terahertz (THz) devices. Low-cost, rapid, and non-destructive techniques are required for the development of such devices. In this paper, we report photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy as a non-destructive characterisation technique for high current density InGaAs/AlAs/InP RTD structures grown by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) for THz applications. By using a PL line scanning technique across the edge of the sample, we identify characteristic luminescence from the quantum well (QW) and the undoped/n InGaAs layers. By using the Moss-Burstein effect, we are able to measure the free-electron concentration of the emitter/collector and contact layers in the RTD structure. Whilst the n InGaAs luminescence provides information on the doping concentration, information on the alloy composition and compositional variation is extracted from the InGaAs buffer layer. The QW luminescence provides information on the average well width and provides a monitor of the structural perfection with regard to interface and alloy disorder. key words: resonant tunnelling diode, high-speed electronics, terahertz, photoluminescence
Contribution of Staphylococcus aureus Coagulases and Clumping Factor A to Abscess Formation in a Rabbit Model of Skin and Soft Tissue Infection

Staphylococcus aureus produces numerous factors that facilitate survival in the human host. S. aureus coagulase (Coa) and von Willebrand factor-binding protein (vWbp) are known to clot plasma through activation of prothrombin and conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. In addition, S. aureus clumping factor A (ClfA) binds fibrinogen and contributes to platelet aggregation via a fibrinogen- or complement-dependent mechanism. Here, we evaluated the contribution of Coa, vWbp and ClfA to S. aureus pathogenesis in a rabbit model of skin and soft tissue infection. Compared to skin abscesses caused by the Newman wild-type strain, those caused by isogenic coa, vwb, or clfA deletion strains, or a strain deficient in coa and vwb, were significantly smaller following subcutaneous inoculation in rabbits. Unexpectedly, we found that fibrin deposition and abscess capsule formation appear to be independent of S. aureus coagulase activity in the rabbit infection model. Similarities notwithstanding, S. aureus strains deficient in coa and vwb elicited reduced levels of several proinflammatory molecules in human blood in vitro. Although a specific mechanism remains to be determined, we conclude that S. aureus Coa, vWbp and ClfA contribute to abscess formation in rabbits.
Search for Life in Catalytic Reaction Systems

The ability of systems of molecular reactions to be simultaneously autocatalytic and sustained by some food source of simple molecules may have been an essential step in the origin of life. In this report we will continue the work by Hordijk and Steel (2004) and Mossel and Steel (2005) of investigating the probability of autocatalytic sets arising. We first describe an alternative to the RAF algorithm in Hordijk and Steel (2004) that determines whether a system of molecules, reactions and catalysations contains a subsystem that is autocatalytic and able to be sustained from a given subset of molecules. We use the algorithm to investigate random catalytic networks. In particular two new models, Template based model and Thermodynamic model, will be described and investigated both analytically and numerically−it will be investigated if the rate of catalyses needed for the existence of autocatalytic and selfsustaining subsystems is realistic from a biological point of view.
Are Simple Gain Scores Obsolete?

It is widely believed that measures of gain, growth, or change, expressed as simple differences between pretest and posttest scores, are inherently unreliable. It is also believed that gain scores lack predictive validity with respect to other criteria. However, these conclu sions are based on misleading assumptions about the values of parameters in familiar equations in classical test theory. The present paper examines modified equa tions for the validity and reliability of difference scores that describe applied testing situations more realisti cally and reveal that simple gain scores can be more useful in research than commonly believed.
Factors Affecting Serum Concentrations of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) RNA in HCV Genotype 1-Infected Patients with Chronic Hepatitis

ABSTRACT The serum concentration of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA is usually stable (4 to 8 log10 IU/ml) in untreated patients with chronic hepatitis C. While this baseline HCV RNA concentration ([HCV RNA]BL) is predictive of a sustained virologic response to treatment, its determinants are only partially identified. We therefore analyzed the baseline characteristics of 2,472 HCV genotype 1-infected patients to identify correlations with gender, age, race, weight, body mass index (BMI), HCV acquisition mode, HCV subtype, alanine aminotransferase concentration, or histopathologic changes in the liver. After separation of the data according to four [HCV RNA]BL groups (≤5.0, >5.0 to 5.6, >5.6 to 5.9, and >5.9 log10 IU/ml), we determined that increasing [HCV RNA]BL correlated (P < 0.05) with increasing proportions of patients who were male, >40 years of age, or heavier (a weight of >85 kg or a BMI of >27 kg/m2). Histologic activity index (HAI) data were available for 1,304 of these patients: increasing [HCV RNA]BL correlated with higher fibrosis and necrosis-inflammation scores. As a continuous variable, [HCV RNA]BL correlated with age, gender, weight (continuous or ≤85 versus >85 kg), BMI (continuous or ≤27 versus >27 kg/m2), subtype, fibrosis score, and necrosis-inflammation score; however, multiple-regression analysis yielded P values of <0.1 only for age, gender, BMI (≤27 versus >27 kg/m2), and fibrosis score. While our findings are suggestive of a role for these factors in maintenance of the pretreatment state of HCV infection, the multiple-regression model accounted for only ≤4.6% of the [HCV RNA]BL differences between individuals (R2 = 0.046 for 1,304 patients with HAI scores; 0.043 for all 2,472 patients).
Interactive Multimedia Module with Pedagogical Agent in Electrochemistry

Members of the young generation who are literate in science and technology play a vital role in developing countries like Malaysia. The education system in Malaysia therefore puts greater emphasis on science and mathematics. In consonance with the National Education Philosophy, science education in Malaysia nurtures a science and technology culture by focusing on the development of individuals who are competitive, dynamic, robust and resilient and able to master scientific knowledge and demonstrate technological competencies. It is hoped that this young generation can help the country achieve Vision 2020 as an advanced industrial country in the world.