Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wind generation, power system operation, and emissions reduction

With increasing concern over global climate change, policy makers are promoting renewable energy sources, predominantly wind generation, as a means of meeting emissions reduction targets. Although wind generation does not itself produce any harmful emissions, its effect on power system operation can actually cause an increase in the emissions of conventional plants. A dispatch model was developed that analyzes the impact that wind generation has on the operation of conventional plants and the resulting emissions of carbon dioxide (CO/sub 2/), sulphur dioxide (SO/sub 2/), and oxides of nitrogen (NO/sub X/). The analysis concentrates on a "forecasted" approach that incorporates wind generation forecasts in the dispatch decisions. It was found that wind generation could be used as a tool for reducing CO/sub 2/ emissions but alone, it was not effective in curbing SO/sub 2/ and NO/sub X/ emissions.
STDP Allows Fast Rate-Modulated Coding with Poisson-Like Spike Trains

Spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) has been shown to enable single neurons to detect repeatedly presented spatiotemporal spike patterns. This holds even when such patterns are embedded in equally dense random spiking activity, that is, in the absence of external reference times such as a stimulus onset. Here we demonstrate, both analytically and numerically, that STDP can also learn repeating rate-modulated patterns, which have received more experimental evidence, for example, through post-stimulus time histograms (PSTHs). Each input spike train is generated from a rate function using a stochastic sampling mechanism, chosen to be an inhomogeneous Poisson process here. Learning is feasible provided significant covarying rate modulations occur within the typical timescale of STDP (∼10–20 ms) for sufficiently many inputs (∼100 among 1000 in our simulations), a condition that is met by many experimental PSTHs. Repeated pattern presentations induce spike-time correlations that are captured by STDP. Despite imprecise input spike times and even variable spike counts, a single trained neuron robustly detects the pattern just a few milliseconds after its presentation. Therefore, temporal imprecision and Poisson-like firing variability are not an obstacle to fast temporal coding. STDP provides an appealing mechanism to learn such rate patterns, which, beyond sensory processing, may also be involved in many cognitive tasks.
Leaders without ethics in global business: corporate psychopaths

This paper introduces the concept of Corporate Psychopaths as ruthless employees who can successfully gain entry to organizations and can then get promoted within those organizations to reach senior managerial and leadership positions. What little empirical research currently exists supports the view that Corporate Psychopaths are more commonly found at senior levels of organizations. This paper presents further empirical evidence that supports this view. It discusses how, in a quantitative sample of 346 white-collar workers, in 2008, research using a psychopathy scale identified greater levels of psychopathy at more senior levels of corporations than at more junior levels. The paper goes on to propose that this is a universal issue that can pose various ethical problems for corporations because of the ruthless, selfish and conscience-free approach to life that Corporate Psychopaths have. Other ethical issues are to do with their moral accountability and with the problems associated with the possibility of screening employees for psychopathy. The paper reviews the literature on psychopathy and concludes that while psychopaths appear to be universal in occurrence, they may well be environmentally limited in their possible actions in more collectivist societies. However, the global spread of western, individualistically oriented corporations may pose a threat to any collectivist societies in which they operate. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Role of Inattention in the Relationship between Mental Illness and Crime

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between attention problems and criminality in forensic patients and determine whether such problems differentiate forensic from non-forensic psychiatric patients in degree or type of impairment. Thirty-six participants were recruited from inpatient mental health programs. Participants were administered the Conner's Continuous Performance Test II and completed the World Health Organization Adult ADHD [attention deficit hyperactivity disorder] Self-Report Scale Symptom Checklist. Although no significant correlation was found between the measures of attention problems and criminality, inattention was found to be overrepresented in the forensic mental health patients compared to the base rate in the general population.
Imaging characteristics of persistent left cranial vena cava incidentally diagnosed with computed tomography in dogs

Persistent left cranial vena cava (PLCVC) is an uncommon congenital thoracic venous anomaly in dogs. This study examines the clinical and CT findings of dogs diagnosed with PLCVC incidentally. In this study, complete type of PLCVC was diagnosed in 26 dogs with CT angiography. Shih tzu (17 cases) and Pekingese dogs (3 cases) were overrepresented. There was no gender predisposition, and the average age at presentation was 10.3 years. Of 26 dogs, one dog had a bridging vein connecting right and left cranial vena cavae, and another dog showed azygos vein terminating PLCVC. On the thoracic CT images in the third dog, the right cranial vena cava was absent so that right brachiocephalic vein ended to PLCVC. However, the right costocervical vein drained another vein coursing caudally to the right atrium with azygos vein. In conclusion, CT angiography is a very useful method to diagnose PLCVC and variations of related thoracic vein anomalies in dogs.
Evaluation of Red Cell Membrane Cytoskeletal Disorders Using a Flow Cytometric Method in South Iran

Objective: The diagnosis of hereditary red blood cell (RBC) membrane disorders, and in particular hereditary spherocytosis (HS) and Southeast Asian ovalocytosis (SAO), is based on clinical history, RBC morphology, and other conventional tests such as osmotic fragility. However, there are some milder cases of these disorders that are difficult to diagnose. The application of eosin-5’-maleimide (EMA) was evaluated for screening of RBC membrane defects along with some other anemias. We used EMA dye, which binds mostly to band 3 protein and to a lesser extent some other membrane proteins, for screening of some membrane defects such as HS. Materials and Methods: Fresh RBCs from hematologically normal controls and patients with HS, SAO, hereditary elliptocytosis, hereditary spherocytosis with pincered cells, severe iron deficiency, thalassemia minor, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia were stained with EMA dye and analyzed for mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) using a flow cytometer. Results: RBCs from patients with HS and iron deficiency showed a significant reduction in MFI compared to those from normal controls (p<0.0001 and p<0.001, respectively), while macrocytic RBCs showed a significant increase in MFI (p<0.01). A significant correlation was shown between mean corpuscular volume and MFI, with the exceptions of HS and thalassemia minor. Conclusion: Our results showed that the flow cytometric method could be a reliable diagnostic method for screening and confirmation, with higher sensitivity and specificity (95% and 93%, respectively) than conventional routine tests for HS patients prior to further specific membrane protein molecular tests.
Extending Women's Entrepreneurship Research in New Directions

The dramatic expansion of scholarly interest and activity in the field of women's entrepreneurship within recent years has done much to correct the historical inattention paid to female entrepreneurs and their initiatives. Yet, as the field continues to develop and mature, there are increasingly strong calls for scholars to take their research in new directions. Within this introduction to the special issue, we expand upon the reasons for this call, describe who responded, and summarize the new frontiers explored within the work appearing in this and another related collection. We conclude by delineating new territories for researchers to explore, arguing that such endeavors will join those in this volume in not only addressing the criticisms raised to date, but also in generating a richer and more robust understanding of women's entrepreneurship.
History of allergies and risk of glioma in adults

Epidemiological studies have consistently reported an inverse association between a history of allergic disease and risk of glioma. The reason for this association is unclear, and there is a lack of studies with the detail and size to explore the association in depth. We conducted a UK population‐based case‐control study with 965 glioma cases and 1,716 controls to investigate glioma risk in relation to allergic disease. Risk was reduced in subjects reporting a history of asthma (odds ratio (OR) = 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54–0.92), hay fever (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.59–0.90), eczema (OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.56–0.97) and other allergies (OR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.47–0.90). Risk was reduced for all the main histological groups. There was no significant trend of risk with age, at the onset of each condition, or the number of conditions reported. Risk reductions were strongest for asthma or hay fever with recent onset. Risk in asthmatic subjects was not related to frequency of use of antiasthmatic drugs, but was significantly reduced for use of antiallergenic medication among subjects with hay fever. The study showed an inverse association of glioma risk with allergic disease. Possible reasons for the association, as well as potential immunological aetiology, include confounding, bias and reverse causality. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immunolocalization of a neuronal growth-dependent membrane glycoprotein

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 5B4 recognizes in the rat a large, developmentally regulated membrane glycoprotein. The larger form of this antigen (185-255 kD) occurs in the developing nervous system and is present in membranes of nerve growth cones, as determined by analysis of a growth cone particle fraction. An immunochemical characterization of this antigen and of a smaller form (140 kD), sparsely present in the mature nervous system, has been described (Ellis, L., I. Wallis, E. Abreu, and K. H. Pfenninger, 1985, J. Cell. Biol., 101:1977-1989). The present paper reports on the localization by immunofluorescence of 5B4 antigen in cultured cortical neurons, developing spinal cord, and the mature olfactory system. In culture, mAb 5B4 stains only neurons; it is sparsely present in neurons at the onset of sprouting while, during sprouting, it appears to be concentrated at the growth cone and in regions of the perikaryon. In the developing spinal cord, 5B4 labeling is faintly detectable on embryonic day 11 but is intense on fetal day 13. At this stage, the fluorescence is observed in regions of the cord where axonal growth is occurring, while areas composed of dividing or migrating neural cells are nonfluorescent. With maturation of the spinal cord, this basic pattern of fluorescence persists initially, but the staining intensity decreases dramatically. In the adult, faint fluorescence is detectable only in gray matter, presumably indicating the presence of the 140 kD rather than the fetal antigen. The only known structure of the adult mammalian nervous system where axonal growth normally occurs is the olfactory nerve. mAb 5B4 intensely stains a variable proportion of olfactory axons in the mucosa as well as in the olfactory bulb. Based on both immunochemical and immunofluorescence data, the 5B4 antigen of 185-255 kD is associated specifically with growing neurons, i.e., neurons that are generating neurites.
Control software analysis, part II: Closed-loop analysis

The analysis and proper documentation of the properties of closed-loop control software presents many distinct aspects from the analysis of the same software running open-loop. Issues of physical system representations arise, and it is desired that such representations remain independent from the representations of the control program. For that purpose, a concurrent program representation of the plant and the control processes is proposed, although the closed-loop system is sufficiently serialized to enable a sequential analysis. While dealing with closed-loop system properties, it is also shown by means of examples how special treatment of nonlinearities extends from the analysis of control specifications to code analysis.
Universal Design for Instruction: A Framework for Anticipating and Responding to Disability and Other Diverse Learning Needs in the College Classroom

The student population in postsecondary education has become increasingly and undeniably diverse (American Council on Education, 2000; The Chronicle of Higher Education, 1999). One aspect of this diversity is the growing presence of college students with disabilities. In a longitudinal study of full-time, first-time college freshmen, Henderson (1999) reported that student self-report of the presence of a disability rose from 2.3% in 1978 to 9.8% in 1998. Within the category “disability,’’ a range of conditions includes speech, orthopedic, hearing, and health-related disabilities; the largest category of disability, however, is learning disabilities, representing 41% of college students with disabilities. Across categories of disability, this group is still far from homogeneous. These students also represent various ages, ethnicities, genders, and levels of income (Henderson, 1999). As professionals in higher education increasingly acknowledge the educational value of diversity on our college campuses (American Council on Education, 2000; American Council on Education and American Association of University Professors, 2000), faculty must recognize the implications of student diversity for the design and delivery of instruction. As Upcraft (1996) noted, “in classes with great diversity . there must be great diversity of instruction’’ (p. 34). Traditionally, instructional needs of college students with disabilities have been addressed within the context of legal mandates for nondiscriminatory treatment. Legislation including the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 established that qualified students with disabilities are entitled to equal educational access to postsecondary education. Typical approaches to nondiscrimination consist of accommodating the regular class procedures for
Nourishing the brain from cradle to grave: The role of nutrients in neural development and neurodegeneration

Many clinical and animal studies demonstrate the importance of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in neural development and neurodegeneration. This review will focus on involvement of LCPUFA from genesis to senescence. The LCPUFA docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid are important components of neuronal membranes, while eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid also affect cardiovascular health and inflammation. In neural development, LCPUFA deficiency can lead to severe disorders like schizophrenia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Perinatal LCPUFA supplementation demonstrated beneficial effects in neural development in humans and rodents resulting in improved cognition and sensorimotor integration. In normal aging, the effect of LCPUFA on prevention of cognitive impairment will be discussed. LCPUFA are important for neuronal membrane integrity and function, and also contribute in prevention of brain hypoperfusion. Cerebral perfusion can be compromised as result of obesity, cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus type 2. Last, we will focus on the role of LCPUFA in most common neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s Disease. These disorders are characterized by impaired cognition and connectivity and both clinical and animal supplementation studies have shown the potential of LCPUFA to decrease neurodegeneration and inflammation. This review shows that LCPUFA are essential throughout life.
Organisational learning barriers in distributed product development: observations from a multinational corporation

An increasing share of manufacturing, logistics and R&D activities takes place today in a number of geographically dispersed organisational units. The units involved can be different autonomous companies or a number of focused subsidiaries. Using the CIMA‐methodology and its computerised questionnaire as an analysis and action research tool, organisational learning in distributed product development projects at a multinational company in the telecom industry has been investigated. Organisational units with different operational focuses displayed differences in the types of learning to which attention was primarily given. Based on the findings, the role of communities of practice in distributed product development is investigated.
At Home in the Universe: The Search for the Laws of Self-Organization and Complexity

Complexity theory is one of the most controversial areas of current scientific research. Developing out of chaos theory, complexity suggests that there are hidden tendencies in nature to select ordered states, even when statistically they are vastly outnumbered by chaotic possibilities: that there is a deep natural impulse towards order, counteracting the degenerative tendencies of the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Like chaos, complexity is a multidisciplinary area of research and those involved include physicists, economists and biologists. This is a study of complexity.
Does Family Involvement Influence Firm Performance? Exploring the Mediating Effects of Board Processes and Tasks

Following calls to capture the consequences of family involvement in the business, this article empirically investigates the mediating role of board processes (i.e., effort norms, use of knowledge and skills, and cognitive conflicts) and board (control and strategy) tasks in the relationship between family involvement and firm performance in small and medium-sized companies. To address this purpose, we developed a theoretical model using family business and corporate governance literature. We collected data from one sample of small and medium-sized enterprises, and we applied structural equation modeling to validate and test constructs and relationships. Our results show that (a) family involvement in the business has a positive impact on effort norms and use of knowledge and skills, and a negative one on cognitive conflicts, (b) board processes have generally a positive influence on board tasks performance, and (c) board strategy task performance positively influences firm financial performance, while board control tasks do not have a significant impact. Results have implications for both research and practice.
L'impact de la responsabilité sociétale de l'entreprise sur la confiance des consommateurs

L'objectif principal de cette recherche est d'étudier l'impact des perceptions des consommateurs en matière de responsabilité sociétale de l'entreprise (RSE) sur la confiance qu'ils accordent à l'entreprise, en mettant en lumière les mécanismes sous-jacents et les conditions de cette influence. À cette fin, une étude terrain a été réalisée auprès de 618 consommateurs concernant des marques de produits cosmétiques et de vêtements de sport. Il en ressort que les perceptions des consommateurs en matière de RSE jouent un rôle non négligeable dans la formation de la confiance des consommateurs envers l'entreprise, directement et indirectement via leur impact sur la qualité perçue des produits offerts et la satisfaction des consommateurs.
Peripheral ghrelin treatment stabilizes body weights of senescent male Brown Norway rats at baseline and after surgery.

Unintentional weight loss may occur spontaneously in older humans and animals. Further weight losses after surgery or illness in the older patients result in increased morbidity, mortality, and hospital readmission rate. A growing body of work has shown increased appetite and weight gain in response to administration of ghrelin, the "hunger hormone. " We conducted two studies in senescent male Brown Norway rats to assess the ability of peripheral administration of ghrelin to increase body weight and food intake. One study assessed the effect of 2 wk of daily subcutaneous ghrelin administration (1 mg.kg(-1). day(-1)) to senescent rats in a baseline condition; a second study used the same administration protocol in an interventional experiment with aged rats subjected to a surgery with 10-15% blood loss as a model of elective surgery. In both studies, animals receiving ghrelin maintained their body weights, whereas control animals lost weight. Body weight stability was achieved in ghrelin-treated animals despite a lack of increase in daily or cumulative food intake in both experiments. Hormone and proinflammatory cytokine levels were measured before surgery and after 14 days of treatment. Ghrelin treatment appeared to blunt declining ghrelin levels and also to blunt cytokine increases seen in the surgical control group. The ability of peripheral ghrelin treatment to maintain body weights of senescent rats without concomitant increases in food intake may be due to its known ability to decrease sympathetic activity and metabolic rate, perhaps by limiting cytokine-driven inflammation.
Defending Identity and Ethos: An Analysis of Teacher Perceptions of School Collaboration in Northern Ireland

The purpose of this article is to examine the process of collaborative working between teachers located in separate faith-based schools in Northern Ireland. Drawing on theories of intergroup relations, and with reference to in-depth interviews with teachers in post-primary schools, the article shows that despite earlier research which identified a reluctance amongst teachers in the different sectors to work together, most Catholic and Protestant teachers are motivated to collaborate to develop a more broadly based curriculum for pupils. However, it has also been shown that teachers tend to studiously avoid discussing their differences in mixed-faith contexts, and it is argued that this may have the potential to constrain collaborative relations. It is concluded that without strategic direction from policy makers to assist teachers in negotiating and exploring their differences it will be difficult to build the trust which is likely to sustain collaborative relations.
TROUBLING BOYS AND DISTURBING DISCOURSES ON MASCULINITY AND SCHOOLING: A FEMINIST EXPLORATION OF CURRENT DEBATES AND INTERVENTIONS CONCERNING BOYS IN SCHOOL

In this article I attempt to deconstruct the discursive complex around the subject of the 'underachieving boy', and to critique its composition and effects from a feminist perspective. In addition, I suggest some elements of a feminist perspective on masculinity and schooling, including new research agendas and pedagogic strategies which centralise the importance of the unconscious, social and cognitive processes in situated encounters and the possibility of promoting critical literacy combined with a 'pedagogy of the emotions' as a way forward.
Hardware Implementation of High Throughput RC4 algorithm

In this paper, we present an efficient and high throughput hardware implementation of the RC4 algorithm. The main idea of the proposed architecture is the utilization of a tri-port RAM to reduce the memory resource and to increase throughput. The proposed design requires two clock cycles for generating one byte of ciphering key and uses only a block of 256 bytes RAM. These result in 50% increment of system throughput and three times reduction of RAM resource compared to the recent architectures. The proposed implementation supports variable key length from 8 to 128 bits and achieves 80 MB/s throughput at 160 MHz operating frequency. It aims to support the WEP security in the MAC layer of 600 Mbps 4×4 MIMO wireless LAN system based on IEEE 802.11n standard.