Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gap Theorems for the Delay of Circuits Simulating Finite Automata

We study the delay (also known as depth) of circuits that simulate finite automata, showing that only certain growth rates (as a function of the number $n$ of steps simulated) are possible. A classic result due to Ofman (rediscovered and popularized by Ladner and Fischer) says that delay $O(\log n)$ is always sufficient. We show that if the automaton is "generalized definite", then delay O(1) is sufficient, but otherwise delay $\Omega(\log n)$ is necessary; there are no intermediate growth rates. We also consider "physical" (rather than "logical") delay, whereby we consider the lengths of wires when inputs and outputs are laid out along a line. In this case, delay O(n) is clearly always sufficient. We show that if the automaton is "definite", then delay O(1) is sufficient, but otherwise delay $\Omega(n)$ is necessary; again there are no intermediate growth rates. Inspired by an observation of Burks, Goldstein and von Neumann concerning the average delay due to carry propagation in ripple-carry adders, we derive conditions for the average physical delay to be reduced from O(n) to $O(\log n)$, or to O(1), when the inputs are independent and uniformly distributed random variables; again there are no intermediate growth rates. Finally we consider an extension of this last result to a situation in which the inputs are not independent and uniformly distributed, but rather are produced by a non-stationary Markov process, and in which the computation is not performed by a single automaton, but rather by a sequence of automata acting in alternating directions.
The thermodynamics of prediction

A system responding to a stochastic driving signal can be interpreted as computing, by means of its dynamics, an implicit model of the environmental variables. The system's state retains information about past environmental fluctuations, and a fraction of this information is predictive of future ones. The remaining nonpredictive information reflects model complexity that does not improve predictive power, and thus represents the ineffectiveness of the model. We expose the fundamental equivalence between this model inefficiency and thermodynamic inefficiency, measured by dissipation. Our results hold arbitrarily far from thermodynamic equilibrium and are applicable to a wide range of systems, including biomolecular machines. They highlight a profound connection between the effective use of information and efficient thermodynamic operation: any system constructed to keep memory about its environment and to operate with maximal energetic efficiency has to be predictive.
Gravity, Productivity and the Pattern of Production and Trade

The effects of geography and productivity on the global pattern of production are captured here in a specific factors gravity model. Simple enough for sharp results, the model is yet rich enough to contain the high dimensional productivity frictions in production and distribution of a many country world. The starting point is the international incidence of productivity frictions inferred from gravity. Sellers' and buyers' incidence both reduce real income. Sellers' incidence shocks reduce sectoral skill premia. Bigger sellers' incidence by country (sector) reduces equilibrium shares of world (national) GDP. In contrast to the generalized Ricardian gravity model of Eaton and Kortum (2002), relative factor endowments play a role and import-competing production and wage premia in exporting are featured.
Enhanced dopamine transporter density in psychotropic-naive patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder shown by [123I]{beta}-CIT SPECT.

OBJECTIVE The authors examine the functional anatomy of serotonergic and dopaminergic systems in obsessive-compulsive disorder in psychotropic-naive patients without comorbidity. METHOD [(123)I]beta-CIT binding patterns for dopamine and serotonin transporters in the brain were measured in 15 psychotropic-naive adult outpatients with OCD (no comorbidity) and in 15 pairwise-matched healthy subjects. Volumes of interest were constructed on magnetic resonance imaging scans and coregistered with single photon emission computed tomography scans. Binding ratios were compared, and possible correlations between binding patterns and obsessive-compulsive symptoms were assessed. RESULTS There were significant differences between patients and healthy subjects in the [(123)I]beta-CIT binding pattern for dopamine transporter in the left caudate and left putamen. Patients had higher binding ratios than healthy subjects. No differences were found in the less specific [(123)I]beta-CIT binding pattern for serotonin transporters in the selected volumes of interest. Hemispheric within-group comparisons revealed no asymmetry effects. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study provide direct evidence for an involvement of the dopaminergic system in the pathophysiology of OCD.
Cardioprotection by H2S engages a cGMP-dependent protein kinase G/phospholamban pathway.

AIMS H2S is known to confer cardioprotection; however, the pathways mediating its effects in vivo remain incompletely understood. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the contribution of cGMP-regulated pathways in the infarct-limiting effect of H2S in vivo. METHODS AND RESULTS Anaesthetized rabbits were subjected to myocardial ischaemia (I)/reperfusion (R), and infarct size was determined in control or H2S-exposed groups. The H2S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, an agent that generates H2S) increased cardiac cGMP and reduced the infarct size. The cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG)-I inhibitor DT2 abrogated the protective effect of NaHS, whereas the control peptide TAT or l-nitroarginine methyl ester (l-NAME) did not alter the effect of NaHS. Moreover, the KATP channel inhibitor, glibenclamide, partially reversed the effects of NaHS, whereas inhibition of mitochondrial KATP did not modify the NaHS response. NaHS enhanced phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLN), in a PKG-dependent manner. To further investigate the role of PLN in H2S-mediated cardioprotection, wild-type and PLN KO mice underwent I/R. NaHS did not exert cardioprotection in PLN KO mice. Unlike what was observed in rabbits, genetic or pharmacological inhibition of eNOS abolished the infarct-limiting effect of NaHS in mice. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate (i) that administration of NaHS induces cardioprotection via a cGMP/PKG/PLN pathway and (ii) contribution of nitric oxide to the H2S response is species-specific.
Isolation of a novel simian T-cell lymphotropic virus from Pan paniscus that is distantly related to the human T-cell leukemia/lymphotropic virus types I and II

An unusual serological profile against human T-cell leukemia/lymphotropic virus type I and II (HTLV-I and -II) proteins was reported in several human Pygmy tribes in Zaire and Cameroon with serum antibodies reactive with gp21 and p24. Here we describe a similar pattern of serum antibodies in a colony of captive pygmy chimpanzees and the isolation of a novel retrovirus, simian T-cell lymphotropic virus from Pan paniscus (STLVpan-p), from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of several seropositive animals. Cocultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from three seropositive pygmy chimpanzees with human cord blood mononuclear cells led to the expression of an HTLV-I- and HTLV-II-related virus initially demonstrated by electron microscopy. Furthermore, several of these cocultures became immortalized T-cell lines expressing the CD4+ CD8+ DR+ phenotype of mature activated T cells. Southern blotting and DNA sequencing of a PCR fragment of viral DNA from these cell cultures demonstrated a distant evolutionary relationship of these viruses to HTLV-I and -II and distinct from the known STLV isolates. We designated this virus STLVpan-p. A genealogical analysis of the captive pygmy chimpanzees colony, originated from wild-caught animals, revealed a prevalence of seropositive offspring from infected mothers, as also observed with HTLVs. The presence in this old African Great Ape species of a virus which is genetically quite distinct from HTLV-I and -II could provide new insights in the phylogenesis of STLVs and HTLVs and be instrumental in the discovery of related human viruses.
Validation of TPX2 as a Potential Therapeutic Target in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

Purpose: The targeting protein for Xklp2 (TPX2) has recently gained attention as a putative oncogene possibly amplified in several human malignancies, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. In this work, we sought to evaluate the copy number and expression of TPX2 in pancreatic cancer cell lines and tumor tissues and to further explore the potential of TPX2 as a therapeutic target. Experimental Design: The DNA copy number and expression of the TPX2 gene were surveyed in pancreatic cancer cell lines and tumor tissues and compared with those of immortalized normal pancreatic ductal cells and normal pancreatic tissues. The cellular effects of TPX2 knockdown using small interfering RNA oligonucleotides in pancreatic cancer cells, such as growth in tissue culture, in soft agar, and in nude mice; apoptosis; and sensitivity to paclitaxel, were also investigated using various assays. Results: Low-copy-number TPX2 amplification was found in pancreatic cancer cell lines and low-passage pancreatic cancer tumor xenografts. TPX2 expression was upregulated in pancreatic cancer cell lines at both the mRNA and protein levels relative to the immortalized pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line HPDE6. Immunohistochemical staining of a tissue microarray showed that TPX2 expression was higher in pancreatic tumors compared with their normal counterparts. Treatment with TPX2 targeting small interfering RNAs effectively reduced pancreatic cancer cell growth in tissue culture, induced apoptosis, and inhibited growth in soft agar and in nude mice. Knockdown of TPX2 also sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to paclitaxel treatment. Conclusions: Our results suggest that TPX2 might be an attractive target for pancreatic cancer therapy. (Clin Cancer Res 2009;15(21):6519–28)
Sarin induced lung pathology and protection by standard therapy regime.

The effects of atropine, diazepam and pralidoxime were studied for their ability to block the pathological lesions induced by sarin. Rats were exposed to an aerosol of sarin at a concentration of 51.2mg. m-3 for 15 min following the pretreatment with one of the following combinations: atropine (10 mg/kg, i.m.) and diazepam (0.5 mg/kg, i.m.); atropine and pralidoxime (25 mg/kg, i.m.); diazepam and pralidoxime; atropine, diazepam and pralidoxime. Lung exposed to sarin aerosols revealed an increased cellular proliferation with progressive diffused interstitial thickening on the 4th day following exposure. On the 16th day, loss of alveolar space and consolidation of large areas of all lobes were observed. Sarin also caused damage to the respiratory bronchioles. All the therapy regime blocked the development of lung lesions in the descending orders: atropine, diazepam and pralidoxime, atropine and diazepam > diazepam and pralidoxime > atropine and pralidoxime. The result suggests that diazepam in combination with atropine and pralidoxime could be an effective drug combination regime for the lung lesions.
Automated scoring of speaking items in an assessment for teachers of English as a Foreign Language

This paper describes an end-to-end prototype system for automated scoring of spoken responses in a novel assessment for teachers of English as a Foreign Language who are not native speakers of English. The 21 speaking items contained in the assessment elicit both restricted and moderately restricted responses, and their aim is to assess the essential speaking skills that English teachers need in order to be effective communicators in their classrooms. Our system consists of a state-of-the-art automatic speech recognizer; multiple feature generation modules addressing diverse aspects of speaking proficiency, such as fluency, pronunciation, prosody, grammatical accuracy, and content accuracy; a filter that identifies and flags problematic responses; and linear regression models that predict response scores based on subsets of the features. The automated speech scoring system was trained and evaluated on a data set involving about 1,400 test takers, and achieved a speaker-level correlation (when scores for all 21 responses of a speaker are aggregated) with human expert scores of 0.73.
A critque of the stage hypothesis: theory and empirical evidence

The stage hypothesis on the assimilation of computing technology provides one of the most popular models for describing and managing the growth of administrative information systems. Despite little formal evidence of its reliability or robustness, it has achieved a high level of acceptance among practitioners. We describe and summarize the findings of seven empirical studies conducted during the past six years that tested various hypotheses derived from this model. The accumulation of evidence from these studies casts considerable doubt on the validity of the stage hypothesis as an explanatory structure for the growth of computing in organizations. 3~
Searching for objects driven by context

The dominant visual search paradigm for object class detection is sliding windows. Although simple and effective, it is also wasteful, unnatural and rigidly hardwired. We propose strategies to search for objects which intelligently explore the space of windows by making sequential observations at locations decided based on previous observations. Our strategies adapt to the class being searched and to the content of a particular test image, exploiting context as the statistical relation between the appearance of a window and its location relative to the object, as observed in the training set. In addition to being more elegant than sliding windows, we demonstrate experimentally on the PASCAL VOC 2010 dataset that our strategies evaluate two orders of magnitude fewer windows while achieving higher object detection performance.
Low loss micromachined filters for millimeter-wave telecommunication systems

This paper describes the design and the realization of two membrane supported microstrip millimeter-wave planar bandpass filters. Both filters exhibit transmission zeros and a 2.3 dB port-to-port insertion loss for the 37 GHz 3.5% bandwidth 2-pole filter and a 1.5 dB insertion loss for a 60 GHz 8% bandwidth 4-pole filter. The use of membrane technology allows a significant reduction of insertion loss, combined with a reproducible, low cost fabrication process.
Physical Activity and Health Outcomes: A Systematic and Methodological Review

s, 1,168 articles remained from which full text were obtained. Of these articles, 47 met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. A manual search from other journal articles provided an additional 22 linkages. A total of 69 studies were included in the review (see Tables 4.1-4.16 and Appendices A, B, and C). Fourteen studies were crosssectional (see Appendix A), 53 studies were longitudinal ranging from 2 years to 46 years of follow-up (see Appendix B), and two studies were a combination of crosssectional and longitudinal studies (see Appendix C), respectively. 4.2. Physical Activity Measurements Only five studies (Buchman, Boyle, Yu, Shah, Wilson, & Bennett, 2012; Kokkinos et al., 2010; Manini et al. 2006; Santos, Silva, Baptista, Santos, Vale, Mota, & Sardinha, 2012; Shah, Buchman, Leurgans, Boyle, & Bennett, 2012) used objective measures of PA levels. One (Manini et al., 2006) of which used the ‘gold standard’ method, that is the doubly labeled water method. The remaining 64 studies (see Appendix D1) relied on the self-reported assessment of PA level. Forty-one studies provided some information about the validity of their PA instrument (see Appendix D2). While 28 studies did not provide any information about the validity of their PA instruments (see Appendix D3).
Kidney Function After Islet Transplant Alone in Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE—Islet transplantation alone is an alternative for the replacement of pancreatic endocrine function in patients with type 1 diabetes. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of the Edmonton immunosuppressive protocol (tacrolimus-sirolimus association) on kidney function. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Nineteen patients with type 1 diabetes and metabolic instability received islet transplantation alone and immunosuppressive therapy according to the Edmonton protocol. Serum creatinine (sCr), creatinine clearance (CrCl), and 24-h urinary protein excretion (UPE) were assessed at baseline and during a follow-up of 339 patient-months. RESULTS— After islet transplantation we observed 1) sCr within the normal range in all but two patients in whom sCr increased immediately after islet transplantation, and despite withdrawal of immunosuppression, patients progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD); 2) CrCl remained within the normal range for those patients who had normal baseline values and decreased, progressing to ESRD in two patients with a decreased baseline CrCl; and 3) 24-h UPE worsened (>300 mg/24 h) in four patients. In the two patients who progressed to ESRD, the worsening of 24-h UPE occurred immediately after islet transplantation. In one patient 24-h UPE worsening occurred at 18 months, and, after withdrawal of immunosuppression, it returned to the normal range. In another patient 24-h UPE increased at 24 months and remained stable while immunosuppression was continued. CONCLUSIONS—In type 1 diabetic patients receiving islet transplantation alone, the association of tacrolimus and sirolimus should be used only in patients with normal kidney function. Alternative options for immunosuppressive treatment should be considered for patients with even a mild decrease of kidney function.
Hydrogen Peroxide Generation Induces pp60src Activation in Human Platelets

Reactive oxygen species, such as H2O2, have been recognized as intracellular messengers involved in several cell functions. Here we report the activation of the tyrosine kinase pp60src by H2O2, a mechanism required for the activation of store-mediated Ca2+ entry (SMCE) in human platelets. Treatment of platelets with H2O2 resulted in a time- and concentration-dependent activation of pp60src. Incubation with GF 109203X, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, prevented H2O2-induced pp60src activation. In contrast, dimethyl-BAPTA loading did not affect this response, suggesting that activation of pp60src by H2O2 is independent of increases in [Ca2+]i. Cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin polymerization, significantly reduced H2O2-induced pp60src activation. We found that platelet stimulation with thapsigargin (TG) plus ionomycin (Iono) or thrombin induced rapid H2O2 production, a mechanism independent of elevations in [Ca2+]i. Treatment of platelets with catalase attenuated TG plus Iono- and thrombin-induced activation of pp60src. In addition, catalase as well as the pp60src inhibitor, PP1, reduced both the activation of SMCE and the coupling between the hTrp1 and the IP3R type II without having any effect on the maintenance of SMCE. Consistent with the role of PKC in the activation of pp60src by H2O2, the PKC inhibitors GF 109202X and Ro-31-8220 were found to reduced SMCE in platelets. This study suggests that platelet activation with TG plus Iono or thrombin is associated with H2O2 production, which acts as a second messenger by stimulating pp60src by a PKC-dependent pathway and is involved in the activation of SMCE in these cells.
Building robust Reputation Systems for travel-related services

There is a serious robust issue of building Reputation Systems for travel-related services, such as hotel, restaurant, etc. This paper proposes an advanced clustering approach, Suspicion Degree Meter (SDM), to rank suspects with respect to manipulative behavior. The detection process proceeds on different layers, review layer, traveller layer and hotel layer. Regarding two types of manipulative behavior, i.e. promoting and demoting manipulation, SDM assigns two real numbers, Suspicion Index for Promoting and Suspicion Index for Demoting, to each object in different layers. Inherent logical implication among different layers is considered to adjust the original value of Suspicion Index. Sets of suspects in different layers are identified. Furthermore, some practical reputation models are proposed to enhance the robustness of Reputation Systems. In the evaluation phase, statistical character of suspects and innocent subpopulation are compared. Some interesting conclusions and phenomena are shown. Meanwhile, by using a proposed reputation-model-comparison approach, Ranking Variation Analysis, all the reputation models are compared in terms of efficiency against manipulation. One of the most significant conclusions is that, although there is not a universal reputation model which fits best for every circumstance, given a set of suspects identified by SDM, local optimization can be achieved.
Narratives from Non-Profit Workers: The Journey of Helping Women Leave Prostitution

Prostitution is connected with several factors–abuse, low self-esteem, drugs, and homelessness. Many negative emotions are experienced while prostituting. The emotional and physical effects of prostitution can remain years after the woman has left prostitution. The process of leaving prostitution can be strenuous, and necessitates a strong support group. The narratives of service providers from organizations reaching out to prostitutes are examined. Through interviews, the journey of helping prostitutes were studied to find themes associated with supporting the prostitute’s exit from her previous life to the acclamation of a new lifestyle.
Holography and the electroweak phase transition

We study through holography the compact Randall-Sundrum (RS) model at flnite temperature. In the presence of radius stabilization, the system is described at low enough temperature by the RS solution. At high temperature it is described by the AdS- Schwarzschild solution with an event horizon replacing the TeV brane. We calculate the transition temperature Tc between the two phases and we flnd it to be somewhat smaller than the TeV scale. Assuming that the Universe starts out at T ? Tc and cools down by expansion, we study the rate of the transition to the RS phase. We flnd that the transition is very slow so that an in∞ationary phase at the weak scale begins. The subsequent evolution depends on the stabilization mechanism: in the simplest Goldberger-Wise case in∞ation goes on forever unless tight bounds are satisfled by the model parameters; in slightly less- minimal cases these bounds may be relaxed.