Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatiotemporal mechanisms in receptive fields of visual cortical simple cells: a model.

1. Simple cells in the visual cortex have been subdivided into nondirection-selective (NDS), direction asymmetric (DA), and direction-selective (DS) cells. DA cells reverse their preferred direction with reversal of the stimulus contrast; DS2 cells respond with the same preferred direction for light and dark stimuli, whereas DS1 cells respond only to one (light or dark) contrast. Also, four velocity response groups have been distinguished: velocity broadband, low-pass, high-pass, and -tuned cells. This study describes an analytic model of feed-forward spatiotemporal interactions within a receptive field that reproduces these basic features of cortical simple cell behavior in the cat. 2. The spatial structure of the receptive fields is simulated with Gabor functions. Two neurobiologically plausible mechanisms, temporal low-pass filtering and intracortical spatial distribution of activity, are modeled. The central feature of the study is the implementation of both mechanisms in a spatially continuous way. The model is analytic, but an equivalent neural network diagram was drawn and is used to explain the features of the model. 3. First-order temporal low-pass filtering is performed both after convolving the stimulus light-intensity function with the Gabor type receptive field and also at the final output step of the model. In the circuit diagram this would correspond to low-pass filtering in lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and cortical cells. Filtering was adjusted to have a -3-dB drop-off frequency of 2-3 Hz, corresponding to the drop-off frequencies observed in response to temporal modulation of sine-wave gratings. 4. The mechanism that we call intracortical distribution of activity is implemented along the axis of stimulus motion. A response elicited from the part of the receptive field that is stimulated at a given time will spread out in the receptive field, influencing regions that have not been stimulated. It is equivalent to spreading of activity on the cortical surface. This mechanism extends the existing ideas of discrete interactions between subfields to a continuous scheme throughout the whole receptive field. It is based on findings that intracortical interactions exist even within single subfields. The impact of distributing the activity is assumed to decrease exponentially with the Euclidian distance between the stimulated region and the region under consideration. 5. Thresholds are implemented only at the level of the cortex. Both the activity distributing mechanism and the output of the cell being studied are thresholded. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Determinants Of Exchange Rate And Its Impact On Pakistani Economy

This paper is explores the reasons behind the devaluation of Pakistani currency with respect to US $ and answer these questions that, Is interest rate and inflation difference having relationship with exchange rate? Either Exchange rate effect economic growth positively or negatively? Is current account deficit and public debt are determinant of exchange rate? It also checks that how exchange rate fluctuation affects economic growth by evaluating the GDP using data over period of 11 years (2001-2011) of Pakistan. For this purpose we evaluated some of the past literatures on exchange rate, its aim to point out several factors that explains the reason behind Pakistani currency devaluation and its exchange with other currencies specially with US $. The result shows how these determinants fluctuates exchange rate, inflation differential; current account deficit, public debt and interest rate differential are most important determinants which have major impact on exchange rate.We got the resultant that GDP, interest rate, inflation rate and current account affected exchange rate fluctuation but the major and important role played by GDP.
Escaping victimhood : children, youth and post-conflict peacebuilding

This publication draws on experiences from post-conflict environments in different parts of the world. The authors examine the proactive roles of girls and boys in promoting security for themselves and their families. The publication focuses on children's suffering and their specific vulnerabilities during and after a war. It also looks into the international legal frameworks created to protect and empower children and youth in post-conflict environments, and gives examples of initiatives to help young people escape victimhood and voicelessness. As the young post-war generation will become the next leaders, parents and teachers, ensuring children and youth's active role in post-conflict peacebuilding today could be among the most effective means of building sustainable peace tomorrow.
Extra Bits on SRAM and DRAM Errors - More Data from the Field.

Several recent publications have shown that memory errors are common in high-performance computing systems, due to hardware faults in the memory subsystem. With exascale-class systems predicted to have 100-350x more DRAM and SRAM than current systems, these faults are predicted to become more common. Therefore, further study of the faults experienced by DRAM and SRAM is warranted. In this paper, we present a field study of DRAM and SRAM faults in Cielo, a leadershipclass high-performance computing system located at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Our DRAM results show that vendor choice has a significant impact on fault rates. We also show that command and address parity on the DDR channel, a required feature of DDR3 memory, is beneficial to memory reliability. For SRAM, we confirm that altitude has a significant impact on SRAM fault rates, and that the majority of these SRAM faults are caused by high-energy particles. We also show, contrary to what might be expected, that the majority of uncorrected SRAM errors are due to singlebit strikes. Finally, we examine the impact of fault and/or error rates when scaling node capacities to a potential future exascaleclass systems.
The OHS regulatory challenges posed by agency workers: evidence from Australia

The purpose of this research is to analyse the problems for occupational health and safety (OHS)regulators posed by agency work/leased labour (also known as labour hire in Australasia), using Australian evidence. The analysis is based on an examination of prosecutions involving labour hire firms along with other documentary records (union, industry and government reports and guidance material). The study also draws on interviews with approximately 200 regulatory officials, employers and union representatives since 2001 and workplace visits with 40 OHS inspectors in 2004‐2005.The triangular relationship entailed in labour leasing, in combination with the temporary nature of most placements, poses serious problems for government agencies in terms of enforcing OHS standards notwithstanding a growing number of successful prosecutions for breaches of legislative duties by host and labour leasing firms. Research to investigate these issues in other countries and compare findings with those for Australia is required, along with assessing the effectiveness of new enforcement initiatives. The paper assesses existing regulatory responses and highlights the need for new regulatory strategies to combat the problems posed by labour. The OHS problems posed by agency work have received comparatively little attention. The paper provides insights into the specific problems posed for OHS regulators and how inspectorates are trying to address them.
Electrical Tunable Microstrip LC Bandpass Filters With Constant Bandwidth

In this paper, two- and three-pole microstrip LC constant fractional bandwidth (CFBW) and constant absolute bandwidth (CABW) tunable bandpass filters are proposed. The equivalent-circuit models are presented to study the tunable mechanism. The filter can be reconfigured by changing the capacitance of the LC resonators. Based on electric coupling coefficient compensation, second- and third-order tunable equivalent-circuit models with CFBW/CABW are presented. For demonstration, a semiconductor varactor diode loaded microstrip LC resonator is adopted in our work to design the second- and third-order tunable filters. The S-parameters, group delays, and third-order intercept points for different center frequencies of the filters are presented. Each resonator requires only one varactor diode for both central frequency and resonator coupling coefficient control.
“Breath figures” on leaf surfaces—formation and effects of microscopic leaf wetness

“Microscopic leaf wetness” means minute amounts of persistent liquid water on leaf surfaces which are invisible to the naked eye. The water is mainly maintained by transpired water vapor condensing onto the leaf surface and to attached leaf surface particles. With an estimated average thickness of less than 1 μm, microscopic leaf wetness is about two orders of magnitude thinner than morning dewfall. The most important physical processes which reduce the saturation vapor pressure and promote condensation are cuticular absorption and the deliquescence of hygroscopic leaf surface particles. Deliquescent salts form highly concentrated solutions. Depending on the type and concentration of the dissolved ions, the physicochemical properties of microscopic leaf wetness can be considerably different from those of pure water. Microscopic leaf wetness can form continuous thin layers on hydrophobic leaf surfaces and in specific cases can act similar to surfactants, enabling a strong potential influence on the foliar exchange of ions. Microscopic leaf wetness can also enhance the dissolution, the emission, and the reaction of specific atmospheric trace gases e.g., ammonia, SO2, or ozone, leading to a strong potential role for microscopic leaf wetness in plant/atmosphere interaction. Due to its difficult detection, there is little knowledge about the occurrence and the properties of microscopic leaf wetness. However, based on the existing evidence and on physicochemical reasoning it can be hypothesized that microscopic leaf wetness occurs on almost any plant worldwide and often permanently, and that it significantly influences the exchange processes of the leaf surface with its neighboring compartments, i.e., the plant interior and the atmosphere. The omission of microscopic water in general leaf wetness concepts has caused far-reaching, misleading conclusions in the past.
Strategic candidacy for political compromise in party politics

We study political competition among parties with policy-motivated candidates and demonstrate two-party competition where one of them has no chance of winning in the general election. If there are multiple candidates in a party, then the party can nominate the representative contingent on who are the rivals in the general election. Given that the winning party takes such a strategy, the opponent party is willing to run even with no chance of winning the general election since policy compromises can be induced from the winning party. We further demonstrate that introducing primary elections into the nomination process may induce more ideological polarization or more moderation.
Multimodal Integration during Self-Motion in Virtual Reality

This chapter begins by a brief description of some of the different types of simulation tools and techniques that are being used to study self-motion perception, along with some of the advantages and disadvantages of the different interfaces. Subsequently, some of the current empirical work investigating multisensory self-motion perception using these technologies will be summarized, focusing mainly on visual, proprioceptive, and vestibular influences during full-body self-motion through space. Finally, the implications of this research for several applied areas will be briefly described.
Sources and Terms of Credit for the Rural Poor in the Gambia

Departing from a basic household model approach, this paper highlights potential welfare gains by providing credit and savings services to rural households not only for investment and production purposes, but also for consumption needs. In view of the derived broader demand for financial services, the credit sources and savings options of rural Gambian households are then described. The emphasis is given to identifying various types of credit and savings options and related insurance features, which are offered by the informal sector but neglected by formal financial intermediaries. In view of the fungibility of capital and the intertwining of consumption, production and investment sphere in rural house holds, the paper emphasizes the need for more diversified financial products which better respond to the heterogenous household demand for credit, savings and insurance services. SOURCES ET MODALITES DES CREDITS ACCORDES AUX PAUVRES DES ZONES RURALES EN GAMBIE RESUME Sur la base d'un modele type du menage, le present papier examine les benefices potentiels que I'offre de services de credit et d'epargne non seulement apporterait pour la production et les investissements, mais aussi pour la consommation des menages ruraux. A la lumiere de la demande diversifiee pour les services financiers, les sources de credit et les options pour I'epargne en milieu rural gambien sont passees en revue. L'accent est mis sur I'indentification des differents types de credits, options d'epargne, ainsi que les facteurs d'assurance qui leur sont associes, et qui sont offerts par le secteurs informels mais jusqu'ici negliges par le secteur formel. En vue de la fongibilite des capiaux et des liens etroits entre la consommation, la production et les investissements des menages ruraux, le papier met l'accent sur le besoin de produits financiers plus diversifies et qui repondent mieux a la demande heterogene de ces menages en termes de credit, d'epargne et de services d'assurance.
Update on fruit antioxidant capacity: a key tool for Mediterranean diet

Abstract Objective To review and update the most relevant research dealing with the antioxidant properties of fruits which can be useful in Mediterranean and other healthy diets. Design Personal perspectives and late data. Setting International Results The evaluation of total antioxidant capacity of fruits is of pivotal importance in assessing the nutritional attributes of these products. By means of specific breeding programmes, it is possible to select antioxidant-enriched fruit varieties. These features are susceptible to be improved through generations in order to release fruits with enhanced nutritional features. Conclusions The availability of high quality and nutritionally enriched fruit at competitive costs may be a useful tool in the planning of healthy diets.
Economic Evaluations of Adult Male Circumcision for Prevention of Heterosexual Acquisition of HIV in Men in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Background There is conclusive evidence from observational data and three randomized controlled trials that circumcised men have a significantly lower risk of becoming infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The aim of this study was to systematically review economic evaluations on adult male circumcision (AMC) for prevention of heterosexual acquisition of HIV in men. Methods and Findings Studies were identified from the following bibliographic databases: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), Cochrane Library (Wiley's internet version), NHS EED and DARE Office of Health Economics HEED. The searches were conducted in November 2009. The Drummond 10-point checklist was used for methodological critique of the economic evaluations. Cost data were inflated and converted to 2008 US dollars (US$). Of 264 identified papers, only five met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The studies were published between 2006 and 2009. Most of the studies were carried out from the perspective of government healthcare payer. The time horizon ranged from 10 to 20 years. All studies reported that AMC is cost-effective. The reported cost per HIV infection averted ranged from US$174 to US$2808. The key driver of the cost-effectiveness models was circumcision efficacy. Conclusions All published economic evaluations offered the same conclusion that AMC is cost-effective and potentially cost-saving for prevention of heterosexual acquisition of HIV in men. On these grounds, AMC may be seen as a promising new form of strategy for prevention of HIV and should be implemented in conjunction with other evidence-based prevention methods.
Teaching Practical Software Engineering and Global Software Engineering: Case Study and Recommendations

In this paper we present the innovative methods and experiences from several years of teaching practical software (SW) engineering at the Computer Science Departments of San Francisco State University (SFSU), USA in conjunction with the University of Applied Sciences, Fulda University, Germany. The key objectives and desired outcomes of our course were to train future SW developers, technical leads and managers in practical SW engineering practices, including global SW engineering, where team members work in different locations. Our key approach was to combine and synchronize class teaching about SW engineering methods and processes with actual SW development work in a setting designed to simulate a small SW company. Students were divided in "local" groups of 4-6 members, each forming a small SW "company" in charge of developing a complete working WWW application as a final class project. Several groups of students at SFSU were "virtually" paired with groups of students at Fulda University, whom they never met face to face, to form "global" groups, thus simulating global SW engineering in a realistic setting. Students developed their final projects incorporating five well-defined milestones typical for SW development lifecycle. All student groups (including global ones) produced impressive final project applications and gave very positive feedback on this class
Dissociation of reward anticipation and outcome with event-related fMRI

Reward processing involves both appetitive and consummatory phases. We sought to examine whether reward anticipation vs outcomes would recruit different regions of ventral forebrain circuitry using event-related fMRI. Nine healthy volunteers participated in a monetary incentive delays task in which they either responded to a cued target for monetary reward, responded to a cued target for no reward, or did not respond to a cued target during scanning. Multiple regression analyses indicated that while anticipation of reward vs non-reward activated foci in the ventral striatum, reward vs non-reward outcomes activated foci in the ventromedial frontal cortex. These findings suggest that reward anticipation and outcomes may differentially recruit distinct regions that lie along the trajectory of ascending dopamine projections.
Inhibition of neutrophil responses by cyclosporin A. An insight into molecular mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE Cyclosporin A (CsA) is an effective agent in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), slowing joint damage progression. Its therapeutic effect on T lymphocytes has been studied extensively, but there is little information available about neutrophils, the cells responsible for a substantial proportion of inflammation. A study was performed to investigate the in vitro effects of CsA on neutrophil functions triggered by several agonists and determine whether the drug could counteract the binding of formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) to its receptor and/or modulate changes in the intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]i). METHODS CsA was added to neutrophils 5-50 min before the incubation steps for neutrophil function assays (chemotaxis, superoxide anion production, lysozyme release), calcium measurements and receptor binding experiments. RESULTS CsA appeared to be particularly effective in lowering chemotaxis, superoxide anion production and lysozyme release induced by different agonists. However, it did not significantly affect either basal or agonist-stimulated neutrophil [Ca(2+)]i and the interaction between fMLP and its receptor. CONCLUSIONS Because of its in vitro inhibition of neutrophil functions, CsA appears to have considerable potential as an anti-inflammatory drug. Moreover, as it is also a potent immunosuppressive agent, it may reduce the progression of joint damage in RA. More work remains to be done to clarify the molecular mechanism of CsA action on neutrophils.
Identification of Aleutian Mink Disease Parvovirus Capsid Sequences Mediating Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of Infection, Virus Neutralization, and Immune Complex Formation

ABSTRACT Aleutian mink disease parvovirus (ADV) causes a persistent infection associated with circulating immune complexes, immune complex disease, hypergammaglobulinemia, and high levels of antiviral antibody. Although antibody can neutralize ADV infectivity in Crandell feline kidney cells in vitro, virus is not cleared in vivo, and capsid-based vaccines have proven uniformly ineffective. Antiviral antibody also enables ADV to infect macrophages, the target cells for persistent infection, by Fc-receptor-mediated antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). The antibodies involved in these unique aspects of ADV pathogenesis may have specific targets on the ADV capsid. Prominent differences exist between the structure of ADV and other, more-typical parvoviruses, which can be accounted for by short peptide sequences in the flexible loop regions of the capsid proteins. In order to determine whether these short sequences are targets for antibodies involved in ADV pathogenesis, we studied heterologous antibodies against several peptides present in the major capsid protein, VP2. Of these antibodies, a polyclonal rabbit antibody to peptide VP2:428-446 was the most interesting. The anti-VP2:428-446 antibody aggregated virus particles into immune complexes, mediated ADE, and neutralized virus infectivity in vitro. Thus, antibody against this short peptide can be implicated in key facets of ADV pathogenesis. Structural modeling suggested that surface-exposed residues of VP2:428-446 are readily accessible for antibody binding. The observation that antibodies against a single target peptide in the ADV capsid can mediate both neutralization and ADE may explain the failure of capsid-based vaccines.
Text simplification using synchronous dependency grammars: Generalising automatically harvested rules

We present an approach to text simplification based on synchronous dependency grammars. Our main contributions in this work are (a) a study of how automatically derived lexical simplification rules can be generalised to enable their application in new contexts without introducing errors, and (b) an evaluation of our hybrid system that combines a large set of automatically acquired rules with a small set of hand-crafted rules for common syntactic simplification. Our evaluation shows significant improvements over the state of the art, with scores comparable to human simplifications.
A Large Vocabulary Continuous Speech Recognition System for Indonesian Language

This paper presents our work to build a pioneering Indonesian Large Vocabulary Continuous Speech Recognition (LVCSR) System. In order to build an LVCSR system, high accurate acoustic models and large-scale language models are essential. Since Indonesian speech corpus was not available yet, we tried to collect speech data from Indonesian native speakers to construct a speech corpus for training the acoustic model based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs). A text corpus which was collected by ILPS, Informatics Institute, University of Amsterdam, was used to build a 40K-vocabulary dictionary and a n-gram language model. Evaluation results of the system are also presented in this paper. The best configuration of the system achieved word accuracy of 78.2% in average. By conducting speaker adaptation using the MAP technique, the accuracy increased up to 82.3% in average.