Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sequences , Patterns and Coincidences

This article provides a contemporary exposition at a moderately quantitative level of the distribution theory associated with sequences and patterns in iid multinomial trials, the birthday problem, and the matching problem. The section on patterns includes the classic distribution theory for waiting time for runs and more general patterns, and their means and moments. It also includes the central limit theorem and a.s. properties of the longest run, and modern applications to DNA sequence alignment. The section on birthdays reviews the Poisson approximation in the classical birthday problem, with new bounds on the total variation distance. It also includes a number of variants of the classic birthday problem, including the case of unequal probabilities, similar triplets, and the Bayesian version with Dirichlet priors on birthday probabilities. A new problem called the strong birthday problem with application to criminology is introduced. The section on matching covers the Poisson asymptotics, errors of Poisson approximations, and some variants such as near matches. It also briefly reviews the recent extraordinary developments in the area of longest increasing subsequences in random permutations. The article provides a large number of examples, many not well known, to help a reader have a feeling for these questions at an intuitive level.
The effective magnetoelectroelastic moduli of matrix-based multiferroic composites

In this paper, we develop a mean field Mori-Tanaka model [T. Mori and K. Tanaka, Acta. Metall. 21, 571 (1973)] to calculate the effective magnetoelectroelastic moduli of matrix-based multiferroic composites, emphasizing the effects of shape and orientation distribution of second phase particles that have not been investigated before. Through a systematic study, it is observed that laminated composites are optimal for magnetoelectric coefficient a11, while fibrous composites are optimal for a33. In addition, these coupling coefficients are maximum when the second phase particles are aligned. It is also postulated that the large discrepancy between theoretical predictions and experimental measurements for magnetoelectric coefficients of multiferroic composites previously reported is partly due to the orientation distribution of second phase particles, which has not been considered before in theoretical modeling. When our calculations take the orientation distribution of second phase particles into account w.
Identification of Cassava MicroRNAs under Abiotic Stress

The study of microRNAs (miRNAs) in plants has gained significant attention in recent years due to their regulatory role during development and in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is tolerant to drought and other adverse conditions, most cassava miRNAs have been predicted using bioinformatics alone or through sequencing of plants challenged by biotic stress. Here, we use high-throughput sequencing and different bioinformatics methods to identify potential cassava miRNAs expressed in different tissues subject to heat and drought conditions. We identified 60 miRNAs conserved in other plant species and 821 potential cassava-specific miRNAs. We also predicted 134 and 1002 potential target genes for these two sets of sequences. Using real time PCR, we verified the condition-specific expression of 5 cassava small RNAs relative to a non-stress control. We also found, using publicly available expression data, a significantly lower expression of the predicted target genes of conserved and nonconserved miRNAs under drought stress compared to other cassava genes. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis along with condition specific expression of predicted miRNA targets, allowed us to identify several interesting miRNAs which may play a role in stress-induced posttranscriptional regulation in cassava and other plants.
Cortisol and ACTH levels in drug‐naive adolescents with first‐episode early onset schizophrenia

The aim of this study was to investigate serum levels of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone in adolescents with first‐episode early onset schizophrenia. A total of 23 adolescent patients, who did not receive prior therapy and who were diagnosed with psychosis according to DSM‐IV, were included. Kiddie‐Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia‐Present and Lifetime Version, Positive and Negative Symptom Scale, and Clinical Global Impression Scale were conducted with the participants. No significant differences were found between the patients and the control subjects in serum cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels (P > .05). Our study's findings do not support the hypothesis of increased hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis activity in first‐episode early onset schizophrenia.
Multi‐pronged analysis of degradation rates of photovoltaic modules and arrays deployed in Florida

The long‐term performance and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) modules and systems are critical metrics for the economic viability of PV as a power source. In this study, the power degradation rates of two identical PV systems deployed in Florida are quantified using the Performance Ratio analytical technique and the translation of power output to an alternative reporting condition of 1000 W m−2 irradiance and cell temperature of 50 °C. We introduce a multi‐pronged strategy for quantifying the degradation rates of PV modules and arrays using archived data. This multi‐pronged approach utilizes nearby weather stations to validate and, if needed, correct suspect environmental data that can be a problem when sensor calibrations may have drifted. Recent field measurements, including I‐V curve measurements of the arrays, visual inspection, and infrared imaging, are then used to further investigate the performance of these systems. Finally, the degradation rates and calculated uncertainties are reported for both systems using the methods described previously. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamical simulation of transport in one-dimensional quantum wires.

Transport of single-channel spinless interacting fermions (Luttinger liquid) through a barrier has been studied by numerically exact quantum Monte Carlo methods. A novel stochastic integration over the real-time paths allows for direct computation of nonequilibrium conductance and noise properties. We have examined the low-temperature scaling of the conductance in the crossover region between a very weak and an almost insulating barrier.
Using the circuit theory to derive the mathematical models of AC machines. a review

Modeling of ac machines with predetermination of dynamic operation even in design stage appears a real necessity. On this base only, one can perform an accurate determination of parameters and constructive solutions of machine. In the paper, the hypotheses in which is possible a simple utilization of circuit theory, which operates with lumped parameters are underlined. It shows that is possible to take into account the basic processes of machine, as well as magnetic saturation and saliency (for synchronous machines). The paper presents significant results of simulation using the models proposed by authors, based on above considerations.
Examination of the FEAR effect with child social and general anxiety

The current study extends the work of Barrett, Rapee, Dadds, and Ryan (1996) by attempting to further parse apart the FEAR effect with a continuous approach that examines degree differences within a response category, as well as examining both social and general anxiety. A community sample was obtained that consisted of 86 youngsters grades four through eight. There were 45 girls and 41 boys and the age range was from nine years old to fourteen years old. Youngsters were administered measures of social anxiety and general anxiety and a vignette measure developed by Barrett, Rapee, Dadds, and Fox (1996) that assesses children's responses to potentially anxiety provoking situations. Children's responses were solicited before and after discussion with one of their parents to examine potential parental influences. A new coding procedure was developed to be more sensitive to changes that may occur following the family discussion. In addition, it was hypothesized that children's social and general anxiety scores would predict response changes for social and general situations, respectively. Although there were no significant findings for these hypotheses, the current study was able to extend the current literature on the FEAR effect by examining social anxiety, using a community sample, and attempting to develop a more sensitive approach to examining the FEAR effect.
Treewidth Reduction for Constrained Separation and Bipartization Problems

We present a method for reducing the treewidth of a graph while preserving all the minimal $s-t$ separators. This technique turns out to be very useful for establishing the fixed-parameter tractability of constrained separation and bipartization problems. To demonstrate the power of this technique, we prove the fixed-parameter tractability of a number of well-known separation and bipartization problems with various additional restrictions (e.g., the vertices being removed from the graph form an independent set). These results answer a number of open questions in the area of parameterized complexity.
The counselor as gatekeeper : social interaction in interviews

Foreword by John J. Gumperz. Preface. Gatekeeping in Counseling: Processes of Social Selection in Face-to-Face Interaction: An Interview. The Interview as a Social Occasion. A Social and Cultural Ecology of Communication, Empathy, and Rapport. Conclusion. Social Identity and the Organization of Discourse in the Interviews: Basic Concepts. Discourse Organization as Definition of Situation. Through the Looking Glass: The Selective Revelation of Social Identity within the Encounter. The Encounter in Relation to the World Outside It. Research Methods and Procedures: An Overview: Some Principles for the Procedures. Converting Information from the Audiovisual Record into Data. Aspects of Social Organization in Communicative Performance: The Social Organization of Communicative Action. Social Steering at the Level of the Discourse Topic. Social Steering within and across Utterances--The Role of Rhythm in Conversational Cooperation. Discussion. Cultural Organization and Its Effects on the Social Organization of Performance: Cultural Organization in Communication. Cultural Difference and Interactional Rhythm. Cultural Difference and Conversational Cooperation during Explanations. Conclusions. Contrasts in Ways of Asking Questions and Telling Advice: Turning Point I--Discussion of Grades and Courses. Turning Point II--Discussion of the Student's Future Goals Turning Point I--Advice about the Student's Future Goal. Conclusion. Overall Patterns and Summary Evidence: Overview of the Variables. Results. Some Implications for Practice and for Research: Review of Findings and Interpretations. The Interview as a Partially Bounded Encounter. Social Ecology and the Politics of Communicative Knowledge. Implications for Counseling Practice. Some Options for Institutional Change. Options for Counselor Education. Implications for Research in Interactional Sociolinguistics. Appendix A: Scoring Comemberhip Levels for the Interviews: Step I. Determining the Comembership Salience Profile for Each Counselor. Step II. Determing the Comembership Score for Each Interview. Appendix B: Equipment and Its Use in Filming and Recording. Appendix C: Examples of Summary Tables and Corresponding Examples of Transcripts. Appendix D: Descriptions of "Uncomfortable Moments" and "Asymmetry Segments" Coding and Procedures. References. Subject Index.
An examination of the usefulness of the Bender Gestalt Test in the psychological evaluation of learning disabled young adolescents.

AN EXAMINATION OF THE USEFULNESS OF THE BENDER GESTALT TEST IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF LEARNING DISABLED YOUNG ADOLESCENTS February 1984 Gordon B. Parker, B.A., University of Massachusetts M.Ed., University of Massachusetts Ed.D. , University of Massachusetts Directed by: Professor Ena Vazquez Nuttall The purpose of this study was to investigate the use¬ fulness of the Bender Gestalt Test in the identification of learning disabled young people 11 to 14 years old. Twenty learning disabled young adolescents were matched with twenty nonlearning disabled (typical students) on the basis of age, sex, grade and I.Q. scores. Each young person was given the Bender Gestalt Test. All test results were scored with both the Koppitz and the Pascal and Suttell Scoring Systems. The time it took each subject to complete the test was recorded. Significant difference was found between mean Bender Gestalt results for the two groups with both scoring vii systems: Pascal and Suttell (p<^.001), Koppitz (p^.01). Significant difference between the mean time taken by both groups to complete the test (p^.05) was also found. It was concluded, that the Bender Gestalt test is useful in identifying learning disabled young people ages 11 to 14 years old. It was further concluded that the Pascal and Suttell scoring system for the Bender Gestalt Test was the superior scoring system for this task.
Accumulation of amyloid-like Aβ1–42 in AEL (autophagy–endosomal–lysosomal) vesicles: potential implications for plaque biogenesis

Abnormal accumulation of Aβ (amyloid β) within AEL (autophagy–endosomal–lysosomal) vesicles is a prominent neuropathological feature of AD (Alzheimer's disease), but the mechanism of accumulation within vesicles is not clear. We express secretory forms of human Aβ1–40 or Aβ1–42 in Drosophila neurons and observe preferential localization of Aβ1–42 within AEL vesicles. In young animals, Aβ1–42 appears to associate with plasma membrane, whereas Aβ1–40 does not, suggesting that recycling endocytosis may underlie its routing to AEL vesicles. Aβ1–40, in contrast, appears to partially localize in extracellular spaces in whole brain and is preferentially secreted by cultured neurons. As animals become older, AEL vesicles become dysfunctional, enlarge and their turnover appears delayed. Genetic inhibition of AEL function results in decreased Aβ1–42 accumulation. In samples from older animals, Aβ1–42 is broadly distributed within neurons, but only the Aβ1–42 within dysfunctional AEL vesicles appears to be in an amyloid-like state. Moreover, the Aβ1–42-containing AEL vesicles share properties with AD-like extracellular plaques. They appear to be able to relocate to extracellular spaces either as a consequence of age-dependent neurodegeneration or a non-neurodegenerative separation from host neurons by plasma membrane infolding. We propose that dysfunctional AEL vesicles may thus be the source of amyloid-like plaque accumulation in Aβ1–42-expressing Drosophila with potential relevance for AD.
A microfabricated photonic magnetometer

An integrated optically-controlled sensor, suitable for remote, high-sensitivity detection of magnetic fields, is presented. The sensor head is free of electrical currents or metal parts, which largely eliminates any spurious fields created by the sensor itself. We demonstrate the operation of the sensor by employing a scheme first published by Bell and Bloom and reach a sensitivity of 2.6 pT/Hz1/2 at 30 Hz, limited primarily by the photon shot noise of the detector.
Detection of Man-made Structures in Natural Images

Object detection in images is a very active research topic in many disciplines. Probabilistic methods have been applied to the problem with varying degrees of success. A logistic classifier, Markov random field (MRF), and discriminative Random Field (DRF) were used for the detection of man-made structures in natural images. It was found that the MRF and DRF models were often improvements over the logistic model, but they introduced some false-positives. The Matlab framework developed during the course of the investigation should serve as an excellent staging ground for future explorations of many sub-problems.
A Theory of Income Taxation Under Multidimensional Skill Heterogeneity

We develop a unifying framework for optimal income taxation in multi-sector economies with general patterns of externalities. Agents in this model are characterized by an N-dimensional skill vector corresponding to intrinsic abilities in N potentially externality-causing activities. The private return to each activity depends on individual skill and an aggregate activity-specific return, which is a fully general function of the economy-wide distribution of activity-specific efforts. We show that the N dimensional heterogeneity can be collapsed to a one-dimensional, endogenous statistic sufficient for screening. The optimal tax schedule features a multiplicative income specific correction to an otherwise standard tax formula. Because externalities change the relative returns to different activities, corrective taxes induce changes in the across activity allocation of effort. These relative return effects cause the optimal correction to diverge, in general, from the Pigouvian tax that would align private and social returns. We characterize this divergence and its implications for the shape of the tax schedule both generally and in a number of applications, including externality free economies, increasing and decreasing returns to scale, zero-sum activities such as bargaining or rent extraction, and positive or negative spillovers.
The Brain Dynamics of Rapid Perceptual Adaptation to Adverse Listening Conditions

Listeners show a remarkable ability to quickly adjust to degraded speech input. Here, we aimed to identify the neural mechanisms of such short-term perceptual adaptation. In a sparse-sampling, cardiac-gated functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) acquisition, human listeners heard and repeated back 4-band-vocoded sentences (in which the temporal envelope of the acoustic signal is preserved, while spectral information is highly degraded). Clear-speech trials were included as baseline. An additional fMRI experiment on amplitude modulation rate discrimination quantified the convergence of neural mechanisms that subserve coping with challenging listening conditions for speech and non-speech. First, the degraded speech task revealed an “executive” network (comprising the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex), parts of which were also activated in the non-speech discrimination task. Second, trial-by-trial fluctuations in successful comprehension of degraded speech drove hemodynamic signal change in classic “language” areas (bilateral temporal cortices). Third, as listeners perceptually adapted to degraded speech, downregulation in a cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical circuit was observable. The present data highlight differential upregulation and downregulation in auditory–language and executive networks, respectively, with important subcortical contributions when successfully adapting to a challenging listening situation.
Automated planning of CPICH power allocation for enhancing HSDPA performance at cell edges

Power allocated to common pilot channel (CPICH) is an important parameter in performance tuning of UMTS networks. CPICH is used to announce network presence, and hence CPICH power has great influence on the cell coverage pattern. We study automated planning of CPICH power allocation in UMTS networks implementing high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA). A commonly used strategy is to allocate uniformly a constant proportion of the total power available to CPICH. This strategy is not optimized for HSDPA service. Adopting non-uniform CPICH power and minimizing the amount required for coverage lead to spare power that can be re-allocated to HSDPA to improve user throughput. We present a novel approach for optimizing non-uniform CPICH power with emphasis on HSDPA performance at cell edge, where user throughput is typically very low. Our approach is based on a linear-integer mathematical model that ensures CPICH coverage, and optimally utilizes the power saving of CPICH to enhance HS-DPA performance at cell edges. A case study shows that the proposed approach significantly outperforms the uniform CPICH assignment.
Listening to their Voices: Gang Members’ Perceptions of their Schooling and their Teachers

LISTENING TO THEIR VOICES: GANG MEMBERS‘ PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR SCHOOLING AND THEIR TEACHERS By Martha Lynn Wall-Whitfield, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010 Dissertation Chair: Maike Philipsen, Professor, School of Education Although gangs have long been present, gangs exert an increasingly significant influence on the culture of students who attend schools, especially in urban environments. This case study investigation involved a purposeful sampling of four young men who were involved in gangs. By spending time with each young man in several interviews, I was able to gain insight into his perceptions of schooling, his teachers, and his view on caring in schools. The individual interviews focused on each student‘s experiences in schooling through the lens of care. This research took in-depth look at these four gang members in their individual schooling environments. Although the literature gives a glance at gang members and their perspectives on education, the research has only touched the surface in understanding this complex youth. This study has added to the literature on gangs in schools and has explained in detail what these four gang members perceived in regards to their teachers and care. With these interviews, I have identified other themes related to gangs in schools that can be further researched. In this study, these four gang members have been given a voice.
Feature-based speaker-independent recognition of isolated english letters

FEATURE is a speaker-independent isolated letter recognition system. The system performs a series of feature measurements on an input utterance, then classifies the sound as one of 26 English letters using statistical pattern classification techniques. Performance was evaluated for 10 male and 10 female speakers. For each speaker tested, the system was trained on 4 tokens of each letter provided by the remaining 19 speakers. The average error rate was 10.5%. The system can be used in either a speaker-independent or dynamic adaptation mode. In this latter mode, the user provides feedback when an error is made, and the system changes the statistical parameters that are used during classification. In this way, the system dynamically adapts to the speech patterns of the current user. The use of tuning produced a decrease in the error rate from 10.5% to 6.2%, averaged across the 20 speakers. FEATURE is significant because it is able to perform fine phonetic distinctions (such as between the letters B-D-E, P-T-G, V-Z, M-N, J-K, I-R) in a speaker- independent mode.
The RM^2 Nakagami Fading Channel Simulator

We propose a new Nakagami phase-envelope fading channel simulator that (i) allows for arbitrary real values of fading parameter, (ii) exactly matches the Nakagami first-order statistics, (iii) and closely matches the second-order statistics classically assigned to Nakagami fading. The proposed simulator is based on a cascade of two existing simulators-the random-mixture simulator and the rank-matching simulator. It combines the strengths of these two simulators, outperforming them both.