Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An implementation and experimental study of the explicit control protocol (XCP)

The explicit control protocol (XCP) has been proposed as a multi-level network feedback mechanism for congestion control of Internet transport protocols. Theoretical and simulation results have suggested that the protocol is stable and efficient over high bandwidth-delay product paths, while being more scalable to deploy than mechanisms that require per-flow state in routers. However, there is little operational experience with the approach. Since the deployment of XCP would require changes to both the end hosts and routers, it is important to study the implications of this new architecture before advocating such wide scale changes to Internets. This paper presents the results of an experimental study of XCP. We first implemented XCP in the Linux kernel and solved various systems issues. After validating previously reported simulation results, we studied the sensitivity of XCP's performance to various environmental factors, and discovered issues with TCP/IP configuration, capacity misestimation due to link sharing, handling of non-congestion losses, and the partial deployment of XCP queues in the network. These sensitivities can significantly reduce XCP's ability to control congestion and achieve fairness. Our contributions are twofold. First, through implementation we have revealed the challenges in platforms that lack large native data types or floating point arithmetic, and the need to keep fractions in the XCP protocol header. Second, through experiment and analysis we have identified several possibilities for XCP to enter into incorrect feedback control loops and adversely affect the performance. The challenges identified are deployment challenges intrinsic to the XCP design, and they suggest that the current proposal requires additional development and extension.
Finding fathers in social work research and practice

A comprehensive five-year review of five social work journals and one family-focused interdisciplinary journal was conducted to examine the prevalence of recent research on fathers. Despite an increase in father-focused research over the past two decades, there continues to be a significant lack of research examining fathers relative to mothers, as well as research that includes fathers as participants. Ethical issues regarding the inclusion of fathers in social work research and practice are discussed.
Book Review: The Divine Feminine: The Biblical Imagery of God as Female

Norman Gottwald’s foreword describes this book as “so wellwritten, so seamless in argument, so insistent on making one think“ (p. ix). For courses in biblical studies interested in showing the interconnections linking text criticism, social and cultural criticism, the history of interpretation and hermeneutics, Edwards has provided a superbly focused tool. Theologians, challenged to situate the gospel both within their immediate local churches and the global village church, have here a model for a universal message derived from a particular need. In contrast, Maury Johnston presents a pastois defense for the particular community, of need, American evangelical gays. The pastor or teacher counseling those overexposed to American fundamentalist preaching will find in Gays Under Grace a response to popular evangelical piety that equals its intensity and fully reflects its religious sensibilities. The rhetoric that serves this purpose may put off others. Nonetheless, Johnston raises issues crucial for the dialog among evangelicals and between evangelicals and others about biblical interpretationshowing gay issues as symptomatic of a far broader question of the church’s ability to live by grace. While he simplifies theological and textual issues, he does not fail to convey to his readers that all too many questions await resolution.
Microarray analysis of differentially expressed genes and their functions in omental visceral adipose tissues of pregnant women with vs. without gestational diabetes mellitus

Increasing evidence has shown that insulin resistance in omental visceral adipose tissue (OVAT) is a characteristic of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and their associated functions and pathways involved in the pathogenesis of GDM by comparing the expression profiles of OVATs obtained from pregnant Chinese women with and without GDM during caesarian section. A total of 935 DEGs were identified, including 450 downregulated and 485 upregulated genes. In the gene ontology category cellular components, the DEGs were predominantly associated with functions of the extracellular region, while receptor binding was predominant in the molecular function category and biological process terms included antigen processing and presentation, extracellular matrix organization, positive regulation of cell-substrate adhesion, response to nutrients and response to dietary excess. Functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were performed and a functional interaction network was constructed. Functions of downregulated genes included antigen processing and presentation as well as cell adhesion molecules, while those of upregulated genes included transforming growth factor (TGF)-β-signaling, focal adhesion, phosphoinositide-3 kinase-Akt-signaling, P53 signaling, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction and regulation of actin cytoskeleton pathway. The five main pathways associated with GDM were antigen processing and presentation, cell adhesion molecules, Type 1 diabetes mellitus, natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity and TGF-β signaling. These pathways were included in the KEGG pathway categories of ‘signaling molecules and interaction’, ‘immune system’ and ‘inflammatory response’, suggesting that these processes are involved in GDM. The results of the present study enhanced the present understanding of the mechanisms associated with insulin resistance in OVATs of GDM.
Different Molecular Weight Chitosan-Based Membranes for Tissue Regeneration

Natural polymers, such as chitosan, obtained from chitin, are been widely studied for use in the tissue regeneration field. This study established a protocol to attain membranes made from this biopolymer, consisting of high or low molecular weight chitosan. The biocompatibility of these membranes was histologically evaluated, comparing them to collagen membrane surgically implanted in rat subcutaneous tissue. Fifteen Holtzmann rats were divided in three experimental groups: High and Low Molecular Weight Chitosan membranes (HMWC and LMWC) and Collagen membranes (C—control group); each of them with three experimental periods: 7, 15 and 30 days. As a result, after the seven days evaluation, the membranes were present and associated with a variable degree of inflammation, and after the 15 and 30 days evaluations, the membranes were absent in all groups. It is concluded that the chitosan-based membranes were successfully attained and presented comparable resorption times to collagen membranes.
Near-Optimal Connectivity Encoding of 2-Manifold Polygon Meshes

Encoders for triangle mesh connectivity based on enumeration of vertex valences are among the best reported to date. They are both simple to implement and report the best compressed file sizes for a large corpus of test models. Additionally they have recently been shown to be near-optimal since they realize the Tutte entropy bound for all planar triangulations. In this paper we introduce a connectivity encoding method which extends these ideas to 2-manifold meshes consisting of faces with arbitrary degree. The encoding algorithm exploits duality by applying valence enumeration to both the primal and the dual mesh in a symmetric fashion. It generates two sequences of symbols, vertex valences, and face degrees, and encodes them separately using two context-based arithmetic coders. This allows us to exploit vertex or face regularity if present. When the mesh exhibits perfect face regularity (e.g., a pure triangle or quad mesh) or perfect vertex regularity (valence six or four respectively) the corresponding bit rate vanishes to zero asymptotically. For triangle meshes, our technique is equivalent to earlier valence-driven approaches. We report compression results for a corpus of standard meshes. In all cases we are able to show coding gains over earlier coders, sometimes as large as 50%. Remarkably, we even slightly gain over coders specialized to triangle or quad meshes. A theoretical analysis reveals that our approach is near-optimal as we achieve the Tutte entropy bound for arbitrary planar graphs of two bits per edge in the worst case.
An efficient cross layer design for OFDMA-based wireless networks with channel reuse

This paper considers a joint design that incorporates the physical, medium access and network layers of a generic OFDMA-based wireless network with an ad hoc topology. The network employs channel reuse, whereby a frequency subchannel might be used simultaneously by multiple nodes. In addition to being a source and/or a destination, each node can act as a half-duplex relay to assist other nodes. The design objective is to determine the jointly optimal data routes and subchannel power allocations that maximize a weighted sum of the rates that can be reliably communicated over the network. Assuming that the signals transmitted by the nodes are Gaussian, the joint cross layer design of routing and power allocation is cast as an optimization problem. Unfortunately, this problem is non-convex, and hence difficult to solve. To circumvent this difficulty, an efficient technique based on geometric programming is developed to obtain a local solution that satisfies the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker necessary optimality conditions. Numerical results show that, despite the potential suboptimality of the obtained solution, for some network scenarios, it offers significant gains over optimal scheduling-based schemes in which a frequency band is allowed to be used by one node only at any time instant.
Physiologically relevant divalent cations modulate citrate recognition by the McpS chemoreceptor

The McpS chemoreceptor of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 recognizes six different tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. However, the magnitude of the chemotactic response towards these compounds differs largely, which has led to distinguish between strong attractants (malate, succinate, fumarate, oxaloacetate) and weak attractants (citrate, isocitrate). Citrate is abundantly present in plant tissues and root exudates and can serve as the only carbon source for growth. Citrate is known to form complexes with divalent cations which are also abundantly present in natural habitats of this bacterium. We have used isothermal titration calorimetry to study the formation of citrate–metal ion complexes. In all cases binding was entropy driven but significant differences in affinity were observed ranging from KD = 157 µM (for Mg2+) to 3 µM (for Ni2+). Complex formation occurred over a range of pH and ionic strength. The ligand binding domain of McpS (McpS‐LBD) was found to bind free citrate, but not complexes with physiologically relevant Mg2+ and Ca2+. In contrast, complexes with divalent cations which are present as trace elements (Co2+, Cd2+ and Ni2+) were recognized by McpS‐LBD. This discrimination differs from other citrate sensing proteins. These results are discussed in the context of the three dimensional structure of free citrate and its complex with Mg2+. Chemotaxis assays using P. putida revealed that taxis towards the strong attractant malate is strongly reduced in the presence of free citrate. However, this reduction is much less important in the presence of citrate–Mg2+ complexes. The physiological relevance of these findings is discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Leveraging Text and Knowledge Bases for Triple Scoring: An Ensemble Approach - The BOKCHOY Triple Scorer at WSDM Cup 2017

We present our winning solution for the WSDM Cup 2017 triple scoring task. We devise an ensemble of four base scorers, so as to leverage the power of both text and knowledge bases for that task. Then we further refine the outputs of the ensemble by trigger word detection, achieving even better predictive accuracy. The code is available at this https URL
Non-suicidal self-Injury and mindfully coping with anxiety

The present thesis found support for trait anxiety and experiential avoidance playing a part in repetitive non-suicidal self-injury. A cost-effective mindfulness and acceptance-based intervention was also found to be efficacious in improving trait anxiety; life disruption; mindfulness skills; ability to take action; emotional distress tolerance; and avoidant coping.
Integration of RF MEMS and CMOS IC on a Printed Circuit Board for a Compact RF System Application Based on Wafer Transfer

In this paper, a novel platform technology for integrating radio-frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF-MEMS) and CMOS on a printed circuit board (PCB) is demonstrated. An RF-MEMS switch is constructed on top of a CMOS IC wafer. The stacked structure is subsequently transferred onto a PCB substrate (i.e., FR-4) by thermal compressive bonding, mechanical grinding, and wet removal of bulk silicon. The measurement of the fabricated RF-MEMS switch on the FR-4 substrate shows promising results. It has an insertion loss of 0.25 dB at 20 GHz and an isolation of 25 dB at 20 GHz. At the same time, the performance of CMOS is not degraded during the integration process; the drain current in the p-MOS transistor remained unchanged, whereas that in the n-MOS transistor showed a slight improvement after transfer. This technology is very useful for compact RF system on PCB material with low power consumption and high performance for wearable, wireless, and implantable device applications.
Enhancing Teacher Read Alouds With Small-Group Vocabulary Instruction for Students With Low Vocabulary in First-Grade Classrooms

Abstract. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of small-group instruction on the vocabulary and comprehension of first-grade students identified with low language and low vocabulary skills. Overall, 102 first-grade students scoring below the 50th percentile on relational vocabulary were blocked by classroom, matched according to vocabulary score, and randomly assigned within the 18 participating classrooms to one of two conditions. All students participated in a whole-class Read Aloud Curriculum and students in the intervention group received small-group instruction for 20 min, 2 times per week, for 8 weeks in addition to the whole-group instruction. The small-group instruction included additional read aloud activities and opportunities to preview, review, and enhance vocabulary instruction aligned with the whole-class Read Aloud Curriculum. Students who received small-group instruction reliably outperformed their controls on vocabulary assessments and expository retells (with effect sizes of 0.57 to 0.66), but not on narrative retells. Findings provide preliminary support for providing small-group instruction in addition to whole-class read aloud practices for the purpose of increasing vocabulary and expository retelling skills for at-risk first-grade students.
Minimal Sufficient Explanations for Factored Markov Decision Processes

Explaining policies of Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) is complicated due to their probabilistic and sequential nature. We present a technique to explain policies for factored MDP by populating a set of domain-independent templates. We also present a mechanism to determine a minimal set of templates that, viewed together, completely justify the policy. Our explanations can be generated automatically at run-time with no additional effort required from the MDP designer. We demonstrate our technique using the problems of advising undergraduate students in their course selection and assisting people with dementia in completing the task of handwashing. We also evaluate our explanations for course-advising through a user study involving students.
Optoelectronic properties of In2S3 thin films measured using surface photovoltage spectroscopy

In recent years, In2S3 thin films were widely used as buffer/window layer in thin film solar cells as an alternative to toxic CdS. In the present work, we demonstrate the potential of surface photovoltage spectroscopy for estimation of minority carrier diffusion length, band gap energy and refractive index of thermally evaporated In2S3 thin films. The estimated minority carrier diffusion length of In2S3 thin films from SPV measurements were 0.112 μm and 0.052 μm for films annealed at 250 and 300 °C respectively.
Usability: Lessons Learned … and Yet to Be Learned

The philosopher of science J. W. Grove (1989) once wrote, “There is, of course, nothing strange or scandalous about divisions of opinion among scientists. This is a condition for scientific progress” (p. 133). Over the past 30 years, usability, both as a practice and as an emerging science, has had its share of controversies. It has inherited some from its early roots in experimental psychology, measurement, and statistics. Others have emerged as the field of usability has matured and extended into user-centered design and user experience. In many ways, a field of inquiry is shaped by its controversies. This article reviews some of the persistent controversies in the field of usability, starting with their history, then assessing their current status from the perspective of a pragmatic practitioner. Put another way: Over the past three decades, what are some of the key lessons we have learned, and what remains to be learned? Some of the key lessons learned are: • When discussing usability, it is important to distinguish between the goals and practices of summative and formative usability. • There is compelling rational and empirical support for the practice of iterative formative usability testing—it appears to be effective in improving both objective and perceived usability. • When conducting usability studies, practitioners should use one of the currently available standardized usability questionnaires. • Because “magic number” rules of thumb for sample size requirements for usability tests are optimal only under very specific conditions, practitioners should use the tools that are available to guide sample size estimation rather than relying on “magic numbers. ”
Heterosexual Attitudes to Homosexuality

Abstract This study compared attitudes towards homosexuality of 164 students from two faculties at a rural Australian university. Eighty-two percent of participants were aged from 18–24 years, 65% percent of the sample were female with 58% of participants enrolled in a humanities course and 42% in a business course. A cross-sectional design using the Heterosexual Attitudes to Homosexuals (H.A.T.H.) and Fear of HIV/AIDS questionnaires found that for the total sample the major predictors of homophobia were fear of HIV/AIDS, gender, religiosity, and academic major. Business majors were significantly more homophobic than humanities majors. The findings imply that homophobia may be prevalent among university faculties and that staff and student programs need to be implemented to address homophobia, especially among business majors and lecturers.
Drought variability in the Pacific Northwest from a 6,000-yr lake sediment record

We present a 6,000-yr record of changing water balance in the Pacific Northwest inferred from measurements of carbonate δ18O and grayscale on a sediment core collected from Castor Lake, Washington. This subdecadally resolved drought record tracks the 1,500-yr tree-ring-based Palmer Drought Severity Index reconstructions of Cook et al. [Cook ER, Woodhouse CA, Eakin CM, Meko DM, Stahle DW (2004) Science 306:1015–1018] in the Pacific Northwest and extends our knowledge back to 6,000 yr B.P. The results demonstrate that low-frequency drought/pluvial cycles, with occasional long-duration, multidecadal events, are a persistent feature of regional climate. Furthermore, the average duration of multidecadal wet/dry cycles has increased since the middle Holocene, which has acted to increase the amplitude and impact of these events. This is especially apparent during the last 1,000 yr. We suggest these transitions were driven by changes in the tropical and extratropical Pacific and are related to apparent intensification of the El Niño Southern Oscillation over this interval and its related effects on the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The Castor Lake record also corroborates the notion that the 20th century, prior to recent aridity, was a relatively wet period compared to the last 6,000 yr. Our findings suggest that the hydroclimate response in the Pacific Northwest to future warming will be intimately tied to the impact of warming on the El Niño Southern Oscillation.
The Dividend Policies of Private Firms : Insights into Smoothing , Agency Costs , and Information Asymmetry

We compare the dividend policies of privatelyand publicly-held firms in order to examine Lintner’s (1956) model of dividends, as wells as more recent agency-based and informationbased explanations of observed dividend behavior. Our findings suggest that both public and private firms exhibit a strong aversion to dividend cuts and omissions; however, public firms adhere to a consistent policy of small increases in dividends that result in a relatively smooth path of dividends that is largely insensitive to transitory earnings shocks. Private firms, on the other hand, immediately distribute a significantly larger fraction of transitory earnings shocks that leads to a relatively more erratic path of dividends. We also find that public firms distribute a larger fraction of earnings through dividends and that their dividend policies are more sensitive to investment opportunities and free cash flow relative to those of private firms, consistent with the importance of shareholder protection in mitigating agency conflicts. Miller and Modigliani (1961) show that dividend policy is irrelevant for firm value when markets are “perfect” and investment is held constant. However, both empirical (e.g. Allen and Michaely (2003)) and survey evidence (Lintner (1956) and Brav et. al. (2005)) strongly suggest that dividend policy is anything but irrelevant to managers and markets. Rather, corporate dividend policies exhibit very clear tendencies. In particular, dividends are “smoothed,” dividends are rarely decreased, and investors react positively to dividend increases and negatively to dividend decreases. While these stylized facts are well-established, the economic mechanism behind these facts that is, how and why firms decide about a particular dividend policy is not well understood. The most popular explanations for these facts come from theories predicated on either information asymmetry or agency problems between managers and shareholders. Under asymmetric information, dividends are used as a signal to convey information about future profitability (e.g., Bhattacharya (1979), Miller and Rock (1985), John and Williams (1985), and Bernheim and Wantz (1995)). In contrast, agency theories suggest that dividends are a means to mitigate perquisite consumption, empire building, or other value-destroying activities (e.g., Jensen and Meckling (1976), Easterbrook (1984), Jensen (1986), La Porta et al. (2000)). While both sets of theories are consistent with the link between dividend changes and the subsequent stock price reaction, other implications for dividend policy emanating from these theories have received mixed empirical support from a number of studies examining the dividend behavior of publicly traded firms. In this paper, we depart from the strategy of previous empirical studies by comparing the dividend policies of publicly-held firms with those of privately-held firms in the United 1 See Allen and Michaely (2003) for a survey of the relevant empirical evidence.