Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal synaptic learning in non-linear associative memory

Neural associative memories are single layer perceptrons with fast synaptic learning typically storing discrete associations between pairs of neural activity patterns. For linear learning such as employed in Hopfield-type networks it is well known that the so-called covariance rule is optimal resulting in minimal output noise and maximal storage capacity. On the other hand, numerical simulations suggest that nonlinear rules such as clipped Hebbian learning in Willshaw-type networks perform better, at least for sparse neural activity and finite network size. Here I show that the Willshaw and Hopfield models are only limit cases of a general optimal model where synaptic learning is determined by probabilistic Bayesian considerations. Asymptotically, for large networks and very sparse neuron activity the Bayesian model becomes identical to an inhibitory implementation of the Willshaw model. Similarly, for less sparse patterns, the Bayesian model becomes identical to the Hopfield network employing the covariance rule. For intermediate sparseness or finite networks the optimal Bayesian rule differs from both the Willshaw and Hopfield models and can significantly improve memory performance.
Chronic Back Pain Among the Elderly: Prevalence, Associations, and Predictors

Study Design. A longitudinal age homogeneous cohort study. Objective. To describe the prevalence, nature, and predictors of chronic back pain (CBP) in older people. Summary of Background Data. CBP is a growing source of morbidity among the elderly. Few longitudinal studies exist, and its time course and predictors are largely undefined. Methods. The Jerusalem Longitudinal Study assessed 277 subjects aged 70 years at baseline and 77 years at follow-up. Data collection included back pain symptoms, psychosocial, functional, and physical domains. Results. The prevalence of CBP increased from 44% to 58% at ages 70 and 77 years, respectively, while frequency and severity decreased. CBP was associated with female gender, economic difficulties, loneliness, fatigue, poor self-rated health, dependence in activities of daily living, joint pain, and obesity. Depression was associated at age 70 years, and unemployment, not leaving the house for leisure, poor sleep satisfaction, hypertension, and osteoporosis were at age 77 years. Predictors of CBP at age 77 years were female gender, loneliness, joint pain, hypertension, and preexisting CBP. Unemployment and not leaving the house for leisure showed a trend toward significance. Conclusion. CBP is increasingly common in the elderly. Psychosocial factors, female gender, hypertension, and existing joint pain identify individuals most at risk.
Planar resonator with negative electric and magnetic polarizabilities

This paper presents an originally designed planar resonator that shows at the same time negative electric polarizability and magnetic polarizability. The resonator is composed as a combination of electric and magnetic planar resonators. Consequently it is a useful building block for a double negative volumetric metamaterial. The magnetic element is a split ring resonator, and the electric element is an electric dipole terminated by an inductor. The response of the single resonator is strongly anisotropic. A proper spatial arrangement of these resonators can make the response isotropic. The design process has been verified experimentally.
Semi-Automated Verification of Defense against SQL Injection in Web Applications

Recent reports reveal that majority of the attacks to Web applications are input manipulation attacks. Among these attacks, SQL injection attack malicious input is submitted to manipulate the database in a way that was unintended by the applications' developers is one such attack. This paper proposes an approach for assisting to code verification process on the defense against SQL injection. The approach extracts all such defenses implemented in code. With the use of the proposed approach, developers, testers or auditors can then check the defenses extracted from code to verify their adequacy. We have evaluated the feasibility, effectiveness, and usefulness of the proposed approach by a set of open-source systems. Our experiment results showed that the proposed approach is effective in extracting all the possible defenses implemented/adopted by Web applications. We observed that the proposed approach would be useful in identifying the false positive cases resulting from other related approaches and auditing the code in order to fix the actual vulnerable cases.
Ethnic differences in regional bone density, hip axis length, and lifestyle variables among healthy black and white men

There are few published data on bone mass, measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA), in healthy white or black men. Similarly, a recently described predictor of hip fracture among white women, hip axis length (HAL), has not been studied in men. We recruited 160 white and 34 black men, aged 23–80 years, and screened for diseases and drug exposures that adversely affect skeletal health. We measured bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and radial shaft by DXA; height and weight; skin color by reflectometry; and hip axis length both directly from DXA output and using automated software in a subsample. We also obtained historical data on education, smoking, exercise, and fractures. There were no significant black/white differences in mean weight, height, body mass index (BMI), or HAL. The black men had higher BMDs than did the white men at every site (5% for the radius, 10% for the lumbar spine, and 20% for the femoral neck). Skin pigmentation and BMD were not significantly correlated in either group (p > 0.38). Among the white men, smoking was associated with lower lumbar BMD, but there was no significant relationship between BMD and exercise frequency in either group. There was no significant ethnic difference in fracture experience. We conclude that: (1) the higher BMD in black men than in white men is not due to greater body size, (2) the lower hip fracture risk reported for black men than for white men is not due to a difference in hip axis length; (3) skin color is not related to BMD in either sex.
The anterior paraventricular thalamus modulates neuronal excitability in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the rat

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in mammals is the master clock which regulates circadian rhythms. Neural activity of SCN neurons is synchronized to external light through the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT). The paraventricular thalamic nucleus (PVT) is a neural structure that receives synaptic inputs from, and projects back to, the SCN. Lesioning the anterior PVT (aPVT) modifies the behavioral phase response curve induced by short pulses of bright light. In order to study the influence of the aPVT on SCN neural activity, we addressed whether the stimulation of the aPVT can modulate the electrical response of the SCN to either retinal or RHT stimulation. Using in vitro and in vivo recordings, we found a large population of SCN neurons responsive to the stimulation of either aPVT or RHT pathways. Furthermore, we found that simultaneous stimulation of the aPVT and the RHT increased neuronal responsiveness and spontaneous firing rate (SFR) in neurons with a low basal SFR (which also have more negative membrane potentials), such as quiescent and arrhythmic neurons, but no change was observed in neurons with rhythmic firing patterns and more depolarized membrane potentials. These results suggest that inputs from the aPVT could shift the membrane potential of an SCN neuron to values closer to its firing threshold and thus contribute to integration of the response of the circadian clock to light.
Evidence for a midlife crisis in great apes consistent with the U-shape in human well-being

Recently, economists and behavioral scientists have studied the pattern of human well-being over the lifespan. In dozens of countries, and for a large range of well-being measures, including happiness and mental health, well-being is high in youth, falls to a nadir in midlife, and rises again in old age. The reasons for this U-shape are still unclear. Present theories emphasize sociological and economic forces. In this study we show that a similar U-shape exists in 508 great apes (two samples of chimpanzees and one sample of orangutans) whose well-being was assessed by raters familiar with the individual apes. This U-shaped pattern or “midlife crisis” emerges with or without use of parametric methods. Our results imply that human well-being’s curved shape is not uniquely human and that, although it may be partly explained by aspects of human life and society, its origins may lie partly in the biology we share with great apes. These findings have implications across scientific and social-scientific disciplines, and may help to identify ways of enhancing human and ape well-being.
Media and Democracy in Malaysia

Abstract This article examines the basis for continued government control over the mass media in Malaysia, even though many of the main outlets are privately owned. The peculiar features of the Malay polity, with its official policies of assistance for Malays, as opposed to people of Chinese and Indian origin, is outlined as an essential background to understanding the mechanisms of media control. In the press, the combination of political party ownership of the main publications, and extremely stringent licensing conditions mean that alternative voices struggle to gain a hearing. In the case of broadcasting, a strong state sector is complemented by commercial companies that are owned by associates of the ruling party. The Internet has provided more problems for the government. Despite the fact that the main local ISP collaborates very closely with the government in tracking activity on the web, and the fact that there have been cases of persecution directly following from this surveillance, oppositional forces have had some online successes. Alongside the web of ownership, the government also has a battery of legal measures that it uses to control the media. Both press and broadcasting must be licensed, and this power is held by ministers who do not have to give any reason if they decide to revoke a permit. Most repressive of all is the Internal Security Act, bequeathed by the British and still in active use today. One measure of how effective these levers of control are is the performance of the media in elections, where they systematically foreground and praise the ruling party while denigrating or ignoring oppositional parties.
Molecular Identification of Bacteria in Tracheal Aspirate Fluid from Mechanically Ventilated Preterm Infants

Background Despite strong evidence linking infections to the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), limitations of bacterial culture methods have precluded systematic studies of airway organisms relative to disease outcomes. Application of molecular bacterial identification strategies may provide new insight into the role of bacterial acquisition in the airways of preterm infants at risk for BPD. Methods Serial (within 72 hours, 7, 14, and 21 days of life) tracheal aspirate samples were collected from 10 preterm infants with gestational age ≤34 weeks at birth, and birth weight of 500–1250 g who required mechanical ventilation for at least 21 days. Samples were analyzed by quantitative real time PCR assays for total bacterial load and by pyrosequencing for bacterial identification. Results Subjects were diagnosed with mild (1), moderate (3), or severe (5) BPD. One patient died prior to determination of disease severity. 107,487 sequences were analyzed, with mean of 3,359 (range 1,724–4,915) per sample. 2 of 10 samples collected <72 hours of life contained adequate bacterial DNA for successful sequence analysis, one of which was from a subject exposed to chorioamnionitis. All other samples exhibited bacterial loads >70copies/reaction. 72 organisms were observed in total. Seven organisms represented the dominant organism (>50% of total sequences) in 31/32 samples with positive sequences. A dominant organism represented>90% of total sequences in 13 samples. Staphylococcus, Ureaplasmaparvum, and Ureaplasmaurealyticum were the most frequently identified dominant organisms, but Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, and Escherichia were also identified. Conclusions Early bacterial colonization with diverse species occursafter the first 3 days of life in the airways of intubated preterm infants, and can be characterized by bacterial load and marked species diversity. Molecular identification of bacteria in the lower airways of preterm infants has the potential to yield further insight into the pathogenesis of BPD.
Transcriptional suppression of mir‐29b‐1/mir‐29a promoter by c‐Myc, hedgehog, and NF‐kappaB

MicroRNAs regulate pathways contributing to oncogenesis, and thus the mechanisms causing dysregulation of microRNA expression in cancer are of significant interest. Mature mir‐29b levels are decreased in malignant cells, and this alteration promotes the malignant phenotype, including apoptosis resistance. However, the mechanism responsible for mir‐29b suppression is unknown. Here, we examined mir‐29 expression from chromosome 7q32 using cholangiocarcinoma cells as a model for mir‐29b downregulation. Using 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends, the transcriptional start site was identified for this microRNA locus. Computational analysis revealed the presence of two putative E‐box (Myc‐binding) sites, a Gli‐binding site, and four NF‐κB‐binding sites in the region flanking the transcriptional start site. Promoter activity in cholangiocarcinoma cells was repressed by transfection with c‐Myc, consistent with reports in other cell types. Treatment with the hedgehog inhibitor cyclopamine, which blocks smoothened signaling, increased the activity of the promoter and expression of mature mir‐29b. Mutagenesis analysis and gel shift data are consistent with a direct binding of Gli to the mir‐29 promoter. Finally, activation of NF‐κB signaling, via ligation of Toll‐like receptors, also repressed mir‐29b expression and promoter function. Of note, activation of hedgehog, Toll‐like receptor, and c‐Myc signaling protected cholangiocytes from TRAIL‐induced apoptosis. Thus, in addition to c‐Myc, mir‐29 expression can be suppressed by hedgehog signaling and inflammatory pathways, both commonly activated in the genesis of human malignancies. J. Cell. Biochem. 110: 1155–1164, 2010. Published 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Serum creatine kinase is not a reliable indicator of ectopic pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE It has been reported that elevation in creatine kinase may be used as an indicator of ectopic pregnancy as a consequence of trophoblast invasion of the smooth muscle layer of the Fallopian tube. In this study, we attempt to verify this observation and establish the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the test. METHODS Serum creatine kinase (MM-fraction) was obtained from patients presenting with possible ectopic pregnancy prior to surgical intervention. Ectopic pregnancies were confirmed by laparoscopy. Noted was whether the gestation was ruptured or unruptured, its location in the tube, and estimated cross-sectional tubal distention. Controls consisted of patients with first-trimester pregnancies simulating ectopic pregnancy, i.e., patients having a positive pregnancy test, complicated by vaginal bleeding and/or abdominal pain. RESULTS The distribution of creatine kinase values for both patients with ectopics versus control are positively skewed, with a mode of 10-19 U/L. The mean creatine kinase for ectopic pregnancies was 62.3 U/L, S.D. = 63.1 U/L. For controls, the mean creatine kinase = 40.8 U/L, S.D. = 30.1 U/L. The difference in these means is significant (p = 0.04), but weakly so. In addition, for ectopic gestations there was no significant difference in creatine kinase values with regard to degree of tubal distention, gestation location, or whether rupture had occurred, thereby limiting the clinical value of this test. CONCLUSIONS Although the mean value of serum creatine kinase is statistically significantly higher in ectopic pregnancy relative to controls, the distribution curve for creatine kinase values for ectopics is broad, with much overlap with the control curve. Hence, the sensitivity and positive predictive value for this test is poor.
Exploring the workplace communication ecology

The modern workplace is inherently collaborative, and this collaboration relies on effective communication among co-workers. Many communication tools -- email, blogs, wikis, Twitter, etc. -- have become increasingly available and accepted in workplace communications. In this paper, we report on a study of communications technologies used over a one year period in a small US corporation. We found that participants used a large number of communication tools for different purposes, and that the introduction of new tools did not impact significantly the use of previously-adopted technologies. Further, we identified distinct classes of users based on patterns of tool use. This work has implications for the design of technology in the evolving ecology of communication tools.
Power and bipower variation with stochastic volatility and jumps

This paper shows that realised power variation and its extension we introduce here called realised bipower variation is somewhat robust to rare jumps. We show realised bipower variation estimates integrated variance in SV models --- thus providing a model free and consistent alternative to realised variance. Its robustness property means that if we have an SV plus infrequent jumps process then the difference between realised variance and realised bipower variation estimates the quadratic variation of the jump component. This seems to be the first method which can divide up quadratic variation into its continuous and jump components. Various extensions are given. Proofs of special cases of these results are given. Detailed mathematical results will be reported elsewhere.
An exploratory study on contingency factors affecting R&D performance measurement

Purpose – To explore the effects of contingency and the position of R&D professionals on R&D performance measurement.Design/methodology/approach – Adopting a bottom‐up approach that reflects R&D professionals' opinion, this study investigated the relationship between preferred performance measures and contingency factors (project phase, structure, technology, and the position of R&D professionals). Fifty two senior researchers at a Korean telecommunications laboratory were surveyed.Findings – The results suggest that the goal achievement dimension and technology factors are more important in earlier phases of an R&D project while production, economy/market, and external evaluation factors become more significant in later stages.Practical implications – The findings suggest that the weights of R&D performance measures should be aligned with the contingency factors and the position of R&D professionals.Originality/value – While most studies have adopted a macro‐level approach, this study examined R&D perfor.
Tense, Temporal Context, and Syntactic Ambiguity Resolution.

Abstract During sentence comprehension, events denoted by verbs must be related to other events already established in the discourse. This often requires the tense of a verb to be evaluated in relation to specific temporal properties of the discourse. We investigated the time course of this process by examining whether the usual bias to initially interpret a participial verb in a reduced relative clause as a past-tense verb in a main clause would be reduced or eliminated when the temporal properties of the discourse are inconsistent with a past-tense interpretation. In Experiment 1, the subjects completed fragments such as The student spotted when they appeared in contexts containing events occurring in the future or events occurring in the past. The fragments were typically completed as main clauses (e.g. The student spotted - the proctor in the past contexts, and as relative clauses (e.g. The student spotted by the proctor in the future contexts. In Experiments 2 and 3, the subjects read target sentence.
Studies on the spectrin-like protein from the intestinal brush border, TW 260/240, and characterization of its interaction with the cytoskeleton and actin

The terminal web of the intestinal brush border contains a spectrin- like protein, TW 260/240 (Glenney, J. R., Jr., P. Glenney, M. Osborne, and K. Weber, 1982, Cell, 28:843-854.) that interconnects the "rootlet" ends of microvillar filament bundles in the terminal web (Hirokawa, N., R. E. Cheng, and M. Willard, 1983, Cell, 32:953-965; Glenney J. R., P. Glenney, and K. Weber, 1983, J. Cell Biol., 96:1491-1496). We have investigated further the structural properties of TW 260/240 and the interaction of this protein with actin. Salt extraction of TW 260/240 from isolated brush borders results in a loss of terminal web cross- linkers primarily from the apical zone directly beneath the plasma membrane. Morphological studies on purified TW 260/240 using the rotary shadowing technique confirm earlier results that this protein is spectrin-like and is in the tetrameric state in buffers of low ionic strength. However, examination of TW 260/240 tetramers by negative staining revealed a molecule much straighter and more uniform in diameter than rotary-shadowed molecules. At salt concentrations at (150 mM KCl) and above (300 mM KCl) the physiological range, we observed a partial dissociation of tetramers into dimers that occurred at both 0 degree and 37 degrees C. We also observed (in the presence of 75 mM KCl) a concentration-dependent self-association of TW 260/240 into sedimentable aggregates. We have studied the interaction of TW 260/240 with actin using techniques of co-sedimentation, viscometry, and both light and electron microscopy. We observed that TW 260/240 can bind and cross-link actin filaments and that this interaction is salt- and pH- dependent. Under optimum conditions (25-75 mM KCl, at pH 7.0) TW 260/240 cross-linked F-actin into long, large-diameter bundles. The filaments within these bundles were tightly packed but loosely ordered. At higher pH (7.5) such bundles were not observed, although binding and cross-linking were detectable by co-sedimentation and viscometry. At higher salt (greater than 150 mM KCl), the binding of TW 260/240 to actin was inhibited. The presence of skeletal muscle tropomyosin had no significant effect on the salt-dependent binding of TW 260/240 to F- actin.
D-GloVe: A Feasible Least Squares Model for Estimating Word Embedding Densities

We propose a new word embedding model, inspired by GloVe, which is formulated as a feasible least squares optimization problem. In contrast to existing models, we explicitly represent the uncertainty about the exact definition of each word vector. To this end, we estimate the error that results from using noisy co-occurrence counts in the formulation of the model, and we model the imprecision that results from including uninformative context words. Our experimental results demonstrate that this model compares favourably with existing word embedding models.
Teachers as Protectors: Making Sense of Preservice Teachers' Resistance to Interpretation in Elementary History Teaching

This article explores preservice teachers' resistance to elementary history teaching that makes explicit and accessible the construction of historical knowledge for students. Using qualitative data from a 3-semester-long critical action research study, the author examines two themes of resistance voiced by a majority of 70 preservice teachers: interpretation in elementary history teaching is (1) developmentally and (2) morally inappropriate for young children. The author contends that a particular “inherited discourse” of teaching, a discourse of protection, not only serves to legitimize preservice teachers' resistance to interpretation in history teaching, but allows preservice teachers to avoid engaging difficult epistemological and moral questions that make them feel uncomfortable. Reflections on the social studies methods course and implications for social studies teacher education are offered.