Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Deep Convolutional Neural Network Inference with Floating-point Weights and Fixed-point Activations

Deep convolutional neural network (CNN) inference requires significant amount of memory and computation, which limits its deployment on embedded devices. To alleviate these problems to some extent, prior research utilize low precision fixed-point numbers to represent the CNN weights and activations. However, the minimum required data precision of fixed-point weights varies across different networks and also across different layers of the same network. In this work, we propose using floating-point numbers for representing the weights and fixed-point numbers for representing the activations. We show that using floating-point representation for weights is more efficient than fixed-point representation for the same bit-width and demonstrate it on popular large-scale CNNs such as AlexNet, SqueezeNet, GoogLeNet and VGG-16. We also show that such a representation scheme enables compact hardware multiply-and-accumulate (MAC) unit design. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme reduces the weight storage by up to 36% and power consumption of the hardware multiplier by up to 50%.
Substance Use, Policy, and Foster Care

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) may have an impact on parents struggling with alcohol or other drug (AOD) problems, who are appealing the termination of their parental rights. We conducted a mixed-methods content analysis of court cases from Virginia, Florida, Louisiana, and Georgia involving parental appeals of the termination of their parental rights pre- and post-ASFA. Decisions to uphold termination of parental rights for parents with AOD issues were statistically more frequent post-ASFA. Qualitative differences emerged between pre- and post-ASFA cases with regard to reasons for appeals, substance use factors considered in the appeals, and rationale for final decisions.
Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Governance and Politics

The Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Governance and Politics surveys the broad range of environmental and sustainability challenges in the emerging Anthropocene and scrutinizes available concepts, methodological tools, theories and approaches, as well as overlaps with adjunct fields of study. This comprehensive reference work, written by some of the most eminent academics in the field, contains 68 entries on numerous aspects across 7 thematic areas, including concepts and definitions; theories and methods; actors; institutions; issue-areas; cross-cutting questions; and overlaps with non-environmental fields. With this broad approach, the volume seeks to provide a pluralistic knowledge base of the research and practice of global environmental governance and politics in times of increased complexity and contestation. Providing its readers with a unique point of reference, as well as stimulus for further research, this Encyclopedia is an indispensable tool for anyone interested in the politics of the environment, particularly students, teachers and researchers. (Less)
Substrate and inhibitor for nitric oxide synthase during peritoneal dialysis in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the possible influence of nitric oxide (NO) on peritoneal transport during non infected peritoneal dialysis. DESIGN A chronic peritoneal dialysis model in New Zealand White rabbits (2624 g; range: 2251-3034 g) was used. In 13 rabbits, 250 mg/L L-arginine, a substrate for NO synthesis, was added to 3.86% glucose dialysate. N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) 25 mg/L, an inhibitor of NO synthase, was added to the dialysate in 10 rabbits. Standard peritoneal permeability analyses in rabbits (SPAR) were performed to analyze the effects of these interventions on solute and fluid transport during 1-hour dwells. The addition of 4.5 mg/L nitroprusside to the dialysate in 5 separate experiments was used for validation of this model. MAIN OUTCOME For the transport of urea and creatinine, mass transfer area coefficients (MTACs) were calculated. Furthermore, the glucose absorption, the peritoneal albumin clearance, peritoneal fluid kinetics, and the dialysate-to-plasma (D/P) ratio of nitrate were calculated. RESULTS Nitroprusside caused an 86% (48%-233%) increase in albumin clearance, which is similar to the nitroprusside-induced increase found in humans. Contrary to the findings in human studies, no effect was found on the clearances of urea and creatinine, or on peritoneal fluid kinetics. This suggests a lower sensitivity of the rabbit peritoneal membrane for the effect of NO on small-solute transport. L-arginine affected neither the MTACs of urea and creatinine, nor the absorption of glucose. Also, peritoneal fluid kinetics were similar. Peritoneal albumin clearance increased 18% (-24%-609%). This result resembles the NO-mediated effects of nitroprusside. Addition of L-NMMA caused no change in the transport rate of small solutes, in albumin clearance, or in fluid profile. This result suggests that NO synthase is not induced during non infected peritoneal dialysis, which accords with previous studies. CONCLUSION This rabbit dialysis model can be used for analyzing the effects of interventions on peritoneal permeability characteristics, although the rabbit peritoneal membrane is probably less sensitive to NO compared to that of humans. L-Arginine-induced effects are similar to those of nitroprusside, which suggests that these effects are possibly mediated by NO. Because L-NMMA did not affect peritoneal transport, it is unlikely that NO is involved in the regulation of peritoneal permeability during stable continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.
Parental investment in child health in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-national study of health-seeking behaviour

Parents face trade-offs between investing in child health and other fitness enhancing activities. In humans, parental investment theory has mostly been examined through the analysis of differential child outcomes, with less emphasis on the actions parents take to further a particular offspring’s condition. Here, we make use of household data on health-seeking for children in a high mortality context where such behaviours are crucial for offspring survival. Using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 17 sub-Saharan African countries, we examine whether maternal factors (age, health, marital status) and child factors (birth order, health, sex, age) independently influence parental investment in health-seeking behaviours: two preventative behaviours (malaria net use and immunization) and two curative ones (treating fever and diarrhoea). Results indicate that children with lower birth order, older mothers and mothers with better health status have higher odds of investment. The effects of a child’s sex and health status and whether the mother is polygynously married vary depending on the type of health-seeking behaviour (preventative versus curative). We discuss how these results square with predictions from parental investment theory pertaining to the state of mothers and children, and reflect on some potential mechanisms and directions for future research.
Demonstration of bilateral projection of the central retina of the monkey with horseradish peroxidase neuronography

In the primate, ganglion cells of the temporal retina project ipsilaterally and those of the nasal retina, contralaterally into the optic tract. The vertical meridian passing through the fovea defines the border between these two populations of ganglion cells and has been demonstrated in four Macaque monkeys after unilateral injection of horseradish peroxidase into the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and examination of the pattern of retrograde labeling of those ganglion cells projecting to the injected side. A median 1° vertical strip in which ipsi‐ and contralaterally projecting ganglion cells intermingle was found, confirming the report by Stone et al. ('73). In addition, occasional extrafoveal labeled ganglion cells were found as far as 2° from the vertical midline in the otherwise unlabeled hemiretinae. These ganglion cells were not numerous and had somata of all sizes, suggesting that they do not constitute a separate class of ganglion cells as found in the temporal retina of the cat. In contrast to the description by Stone et al. ('73), the strip of vertical overlap did not show a constant width through the fovea, since mixing of labeled and unlabeled ganglion cells was found in a band approximately 1/2° wide along both the nasal and temporal rims of the foveal pit which is 500 μm (2°) in diameter. Beyond these 1/2° arcs, the appropriate hemiretina was either completely unlabeled, or contained virtually every ganglion cell labeled on the side projecting to the injected dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. The scattered labeled ganglion cells rimming an otherwise unlabeled hemifovea represent a possible anatomical basis for the phenomenon of “macular” or “foveal sparing” in which unilateral damage to the occipital cortex produces homonymous hemianopsia with sparing of a small island of centralmost vision extending about 1° from the foveal center. From this study, it is not possible to define the receptive fields or specific photoreceptor connections of the ganglion cells labeled with horseradish peroxidase, so that at the present time quantitative correlations cannot be made between the numbers of ganglion cells remaining on the affected side of the fovea and the extent of preservation of visual function in the spared zone. The presence of labeled ganglion cells rimming the fovea in its entirety is compatible with the sequence of foveal development in late prenatal life. After lateral displacement both nasally and temporally of ganglion cells which initially lay in the median vertical overlap strip of 1°, in the adult retina a strip approximately 1/2° wide around the perimeter of the foveola should contain a mixture of ipsi‐ and contralaterally projecting ganglion cells. The total population of ganglion cells beyond this 1/2° band should be completely ipsi‐ or contralateral in their projection patterns, as is observed. By this developmental sequence, widening of the 1° of vertical overlap to a total of 3° at the fovea is achieved, as was postulated by Morax in 1919.
Promoting CLT within a Computer Assisted Learning Environment: A Survey of the Communicative English Course of FLTC

This study is based on a survey of the Communicative English Language Certificate (CELC) course run by the Foreign Language Training Center (FLTC), a Project under the Ministry of Education, Bangladesh. FLTC is working to promote the teaching and learning of English through its eleven computer-based and state of the art language laboratories. As Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is becoming increasingly popular in many EFL/ESL contexts, the fully computer based language teaching facilities offered by FLTC can be seen as a significant step towards implementing CALL in the soil of Bangladesh. However, any language course using technology alone may not always ensure the best practices of language teaching and learning; the advantages of technological advancements are to be adapted according to the pedagogic needs of the concerned language course. This paper, therefore, seeks to explore how aspects of CALL are being integrated within a framework of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). The survey was conducted on 425 learners who had completed the CELC course at the selected four centers of FLTC. This study provides a brief overview of how computers are being used for teaching communicative English. It is found that the trainees gave a positive response about the contents, facilities, and organization of the course but not completely satisfied with the teaching techniques and participants’ role as independent learners. It is recommended that there is a need for making the computer based learning materials more accessible to the learners so that they can use them more independently in and outside the language lab.
Policy writers' conceptions of language and communication within one higher education institution

Ball argues that ‘policy authors do make concerted efforts to assert control [of readings] by the means at their disposal … [and that] we need to understand those efforts’ (Ball, 1994, p. 16). Efforts by policy authors to control readings are influenced by their own assumptions about the nature of language, texts and communication. This paper explores the models of language and communication held by policy writers within one HEI and how these influence the strategies they use to try to control interpretations of policy texts. The dominant conceptions of language and communication that emerge underestimate the active work of the ‘receivers’ of policy texts and the need for shared understanding of the social situation in constructing meanings. This leads to a misguided attempt to reduce the ‘implementation gap’ by modifying formal features of policy texts.
Microscopic schistocyte determination according to International Council for Standardization in Hematology recommendations in various diseases

Recently, a consensus report for microscopic schistocyte determination was prepared by International Council for Standardization in Hematology (ICSH). ICSH focused on diagnosis of thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)/hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). We aimed to reanalyze schistocytes according to ICSH recommendations, to study diseases other than TTP/HUS related to the schistocytes, and to compare the percentage of schistocytes among the various diseases.
Cytotoxicity of hemostatic agents on the human gingival fibroblast.

BACKGROUND Achieving of moisture control especially gingival bleeding control is great challenge in clinical practice. Various hemostatic agents and techniques have been promoted for bleeding control during dental operation. But few studies have focused on the cytotoxicity of hemostatic solutions. AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate cytotoxic effect of hemostatic agents on human gingival fibroblast cells by using real-time cell analysis method. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two hemostatic solutions, Hemoban (Sultan Healthcare, Hackensack, NJ, USA) and Hemasatic Solutions (W.P. Dental, Hamburg, Germany) that includes mainly aluminum chloride were used with different concentration. Gingival fibroblasts were isolated from gingival connective tissue during crown lengthening surgery of systemically healthy subjects. Gingival fibroblasts were maintained with Dulbecco's modified eagle medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum. A real-time cell analyzer (RT-CES, xCELLigence; Roche Applied Science, Mannheim, Germany, and ACEA Biosciences, San Diego, CA, USA) was used to evaluate cell survival. After seeding 200 mL of the cell suspensions into the wells (10,000 cells/well) of the E-plate 96, gingival fibroblasts were treated with hemostatic solutions (1/2, 1/4 and 1/8 dilutions) and monitored every 15 minutes for 72 hours. For the proliferation experiments, the statistical analyses used were 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey HSD multiple comparisons tests. RESULTS According to statistically analysis, when evaluated at 48 and 72 hours, there were significant differences between the cell indexes of the control and all hemostatic agents groups (p < 0.001). Agent reduced cell index value significantly when compared to untreated control group. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that using of Hemoban or Hemostatic Solutions as astringent solutions have a significant cytotoxic effect on gingival fibroblast cells.
Ipratropium Bromide for Acute Asthma Exacerbations in the Emergency Setting: A Literature Review of the Evidence

Since the 1970s, when inhaled anticholinergic agents were first introduced as adjunct therapies for the immediate treatment of pediatric asthma exacerbations, several trials have shown varying degrees of benefit from their use as bronchodilators in combination with inhaled short-acting &bgr;-adrenergic agonists and systemic corticosteroids. Although other anticholinergics exist, ipratropium bromide (IB) specifically has emerged as the overwhelming choice of pulmonologists and emergency physicians because of its limited systemic absorption from the lungs when given as an inhaled preparation. However, although the varying trials, predominantly in the emergency department setting, have typically shown a trend toward improved outcomes, none has set forth clear dosing protocol recommendations for use by practicing physicians. It is our goal in this review of the available literature on the use of IB, as an adjunct to inhaled short-acting &bgr;-adrenergic agonists, to summarize practical, evidence-based recommendations for use in the pediatric emergency department setting for acute asthma exacerbations. We also hope to better delineate the most effective dosing regimen in those patients who might benefit most from the addition of IB and to explore proposed additional benefits it may have as a modulator of cholinergic-induced effects from high-dose &bgr;-agonist therapy and viral triggers.
Self-esteem and psychological well-being: Implications of fragile self-esteem.

Abstract We examined the extent to which self-esteem (SE) Level and SE Stability predicted scores on Ryff's (1989) multidimensional measure of psychological well-being. Main effects for SE Level emerged on all six subscales, indicating that high self-esteem was associated with greater well-being than was low self-esteem. In addition, main effects for SE Stability emerged for the autonomy, environmental mastery, and purpose in life subscales, indicating that stable SE was associated with higher scores than was unstable SE. Finally, SE Level × SE Stability interactions emerged for the self-acceptance, positive relations, and personal growth subscales indicating more complex relationships between self-esteem and these aspects of well-being. Theoretical implications of the relationship between fragile self-esteem and positive psychological functioning are discussed.
Examining the sexual preference effect in depicted male sexual assault

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the sexual preference effect in depicted male sexual assault. Consistent with Davies et al., the study seeks to predict that males are more blaming toward gay victims of male perpetrators and heterosexual victims of female perpetrators, while females would not blame the victim.Design/methodology/approach – In total, 200 participants read a hypothetical scenario depicting a case of the non‐consensual touching of an adult male, and then completed a victim blame scale.Findings – Analysis of variance confirmed predictions. Results are discussed in relation to gender beliefs and homophobia. Suggestions for future work are proposed.Originality/value – This study confirms the existence of the sexual preference effect in attributions toward male victims of sexual assault utilising a scenario depicting non‐consensual touching. These findings extend current knowledge in this growing area.
Pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages in qatar: preimplementation awareness and perceptions of ever-smokers versus never-smokers.

INTRODUCTION Studies have demonstrated that pictorial health warnings (PHWs) on cigarette packages were significantly associated with increased awareness of smoking-related health hazards and behavior change. A new legislation on PHWs was recently endorsed and PHWs have recently been introduced in Qatar. This study aims to evaluate the general public's awareness, beliefs, and perceptions on antitobacco PHW labels on cigarette packs prior to the implementation of the new regulation. METHODS A cross-sectional survey using a pretested 23-item questionnaire was conducted among randomly approached adults in Qatar. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS(®) version 19. Demographic characteristics and other outcomes of interest were compared using chi-square or Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS A total of 500 participants (59% male) responded to the survey. Most notably, ever-smokers did not significantly differ from never-smokers on awareness of PHW. About one third of the respondents had no idea about any specific text warning messages on tobacco products sold and nearly 45% of them did not know what a PHW was. Furthermore, a substantial proportion (more than 20%) of the respondents in both groups did not believe that introducing PHWs will enhance smoking behavior change. Nonsmokers generally tended to have more positive attitudes than smokers toward perceived impact of PHWs. CONCLUSION These findings suggest the needs for increased awareness about the value of PHWs and call for further research to determine the effectiveness of PHW labels on cigarette packages in Qatar and greater Middle Eastern region, where legislations on PHWs are still at infancy.
Pedagogy in the Twenty-first Century: An Analysis of Accelerated Courses in Criminal Justice

In higher education today, there has been a good deal of discussion and assessment regarding the proper role of innovative pedagogy and its place alongside classroom learning. One such novel approach to teaching and learning is the increased presence of the non-traditional accelerated course. In an effort to critique accelerated learning programs, student evaluation data from traditional 16-week courses and 8-week classes was analyzed to ascertain student perceptions of these classroom structures. Accelerated courses were analyzed to determine whether such arrangements would offer students a useful learning environment while still maintaining the rigor required by a collegiate level program. Results indicate no statistically significant differences in student opinion or grade distribution between the traditional 16-week and accelerated 8-week courses.
Syllabic stress and variability: A model of stuttering

Wingate suggested that prosody has an important role in stuttering, particularly in treatment for the disorder. Results of recent research by the authors indicate that alteration of one aspect of prosody, namely syllabic stress, is a feature of some behavioural stuttering treatments and that this may contribute to stuttering reduction. It is thought that people who stutter have unstable speech systems that may be disrupted by variability, and it is suggested that the production of stress contrasts is a source of such variability. We present a model that suggests that stuttering decreases when people who stutter decrease the variability with which they typically produce syllabic stress. As well as explaining the role of syllabic stress in stuttering reduction, the model implies that the development of variable stress induces stuttering in those children whose motor systems are susceptible to variability. The model also explains some of the phenomenology of stuttering and challenges some long-held beliefs a.
The Face of Need: Facial Emotion Expression on Charity Advertisements

Advertisements for charities often display photographs of the people they help to evoke the kind of sympathy that engenders giving. This article examines how the expression of emotion on a victim's face affects both sympathy and giving. Building on theories of emotional contagion and sympathy the authors propose that (1) people “catch” the emotions displayed on a victim's face and (2) they are particularly sympathetic and likely to donate when they see sad expressions versus happy or neutral expressions. Consistent with emotional contagion, participants felt sadder when viewing a sad-faced victim, and their own sadness mediated the effect of emotion expression on sympathy. Contagion effects are automatic and noninferential, but they are diminished by deliberative thought. The authors discuss the implications of using subtle emotional expressions on charitable and other marketing appeals.