Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Probability of error for the fixed-length lossy coding of general sources

In this correspondence, we are interested in the error exponent of fixed-length lossy source coding, where the sources are general sources, in the sense of Han and Verduacute, including all nonstationary and/or nonergodic sources. The aim of the correspondence is to establish a unified formula for the minimum (D, r)-achievable rate which is the minimum achievable coding rate under asymptotic constraints of the form epsivn(D) ~ e-nr (n rarr infin), where r is the prescribed error exponent, epsivn(D) is the probability of the distortion exceeding a level D, and n is the code-length. For the stationary memoryless source with finite alphabet, Marton (1974) obtained a formula for the reliability function which is expressed in terms of the minimum (D,r)- achievable rate. Recently, Ihara and Kubo proved that the Marton's formula remains true for the stationary memoryless Gaussian source under a mean-squared fidelity criterion. In this correspondence, it is shown that a formula similar to Marton's formula holds for the general sources. The error exponent of correct decoding is also investigated and a formula for the minimum achievable rate of correct decoding in lossy coding is established
Engine torque ripple cancellation with an integrated starter alternator in a hybrid electric vehicle: implementation and control

Integrated starter alternators (SA) allow greater electrical generation capacity and fuel economy and emissions benefits of hybrid electric automotive propulsion. The drive usually comprises a field-oriented induction motor or vector-controlled permanent magnet motor coupled to the crankshaft of the engine directly or by a belt. These drives have high bandwidth torque control and may be used for active cancellation of the significant ripple torque inherent to internal combustion engines. This paper presents an analytical model useful for the analysis of the combustion engine torque and describes a control system that uses observer-based high fidelity torque feedforward and engine speed feedback to generate a disturbance input decoupling torque command for the SA to cancel the engine torque ripple.
A Memory-Efficient Bit-Split Parallel String Matching Using Pattern Dividing for Intrusion Detection Systems

For the low-cost hardware-based intrusion detection systems, this paper proposes a memory-efficient parallel string matching scheme. In order to reduce the number of state transitions, the finite state machine tiles in a string matcher adopt bit-level input symbols. Long target patterns are divided into subpatterns with a fixed length; deterministic finite automata are built with the subpatterns. Using the pattern dividing, the variety of target pattern lengths can be mitigated, so that memory usage in homogeneous string matchers can be efficient. In order to identify each original long pattern being divided, a two-stage sequential matching scheme is proposed for the successive matches with subpatterns. Experimental results show that total memory requirements decrease on average by 47.8 percent and 62.8 percent for Snort and ClamAV rule sets, in comparison with several existing bit-split string matching methods.
Video Keyframe Analysis Using a Segment-Based Statistical Metric in a Visually Sensitive Parametric Space

This paper addresses a new approach to the keyframe extraction problem employing generalized Gaussian density (GGD) parameters of wavelet transform subbands along with Kullback-Leibler distance (KLD) measurement. Shot and cluster boundaries are selected using KLDs between GGD feature vectors, and then keyframes are located based on similarity and dissimilarity criteria. Objective and subjective evaluations show the high accuracy of this new approach compared with traditional methods.
The associations of phonological awareness, morphological awareness, orthographic awareness and RAN with Hong Kong Chinese children’s literacy performance at word level

ABSTRACT The present study investigated the relations between some literacy-related cognitive skills and children’s performance in Chinese reading and writing at word level. A total of 128 Hong Kong Chinese children in third and fifth grades participated in this study. Rapid automatic naming (RAN) and morphological awareness accounted for unique variance in Chinese reading accuracy and reading fluency, while RAN and phonological awareness explained unique variance in Chinese spelling, after controlling for children’s age, non-verbal IQ and vocabulary. Moreover, the effects of RAN on reading fluency and spelling, as well as the effect of phonological awareness on spelling, remained significant, whereas the effect of morphological awareness on reading fluency became non-significant when reading accuracy was further controlled. These findings underscore the importance of RAN in Chinese children’s literacy development, and the potential different contributions of metalinguistic skills to Chinese word reading and writing.
Behavioral Responses to Natural Disasters

Catastrophic events can dramatically alter existing social and economic relationships. The consequences can be long-lasting and give rise to heterogeneity of behavior across populations. We investigate the impact of a large negative shock on altruism, trust and reciprocity in 30 small Honduran communities diversely affected by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. We conduct a survey of communities and behavioral experiments three and four years after the event. We find that the mean and variance of behavior are nonlinearly related to the severity of the weather shock affecting the community. Also, there is a substitution away from formal local organizations to informal arrangements.
Phylogeny and Classification of the Old World Emberizini (aves, Passeriformes)

The phylogeny of the avian genus Emberiza and the monotypic genera Latoucheornis, Melophus and Miliaria (collectively the Old World Emberizini), as well as representatives for the New World Emberizini, the circumpolar genera Calcarius and Plectrophenax and the four other generally recognized tribes in the subfamily Emberizinae was estimated based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and introns 6–7 of the nuclear ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene. Our results support monophyly of the Old World Emberizini, but do not corroborate a sister relationship to the New World Emberizini. Calcarius and Plectrophenax form a clade separated from the other Emberizini. This agrees with previous studies, and we recommend the use of the name Calcariini. Latoucheornis, Melophus and Miliaria are nested within Emberiza, and we therefore propose they be synonymized with Emberiza. Emberiza is divided into four main clades, whose relative positions are uncertain, although a sister relation between a clade with six African species and one comprising the rest of the species (30, all Palearctic) is most likely. Most clades agree with traditional, morphology-based, classifications. However, four sister relationships within Emberiza, three of which involve the previously recognized Latoucheornis, Melophus and Miliaria, are unpre-dicted, and reveal cases of strong morphological divergence. In contrast, the plumage similarity between adult male Emberiza (formerly Latoucheornis) siemsseni and the nominate subspecies of the New World Junco hyemalis is shown to be the result of parallel evolution. A further case of parallel plumage evolution, between African and Eurasian taxa, is pointed out. Two cases of discordance between the mitochondrial and nuclear data with respect to branch lengths and genetic divergences are considered to be the result of introgressive hybridization.
Caveolin-1 Induces Formation of Membrane Tubules That Sense Actomyosin Tension and Are Inhibited by Polymerase I and Transcript Release Factor/Cavin-1

We found that PTRF/cavin-1 is lost coordinately with caveolin-1 in some cancer cells. When reexpressed in these cells, caveolin-1 formed membrane tubules that were under actomyosin-induced tension and recruited Rab8 and EHD proteins. PTRF/cavin-1 inhibited tubule formation by caveolin-1, showing a new function for the protein.
Growing up in poverty and civic engagement: The role of kindergarten executive function and play predicting participation in 8th grade extracurricular activities

ABSTRACT In the United States a “civic engagement gap” persists between low-income youth and their higher-income counterparts. To examine the developmental origins of civic engagement in a sample of U.S. children growing up in poverty, a conceptual model was tested employing the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class (ECLS-K) national data set. Using generalized linear models, we examined the contributions of kindergarten children’s executive function and exposure to classroom based play to participation in different extracurricular activities in 8th grade. Results suggest that executive function is a significant predictor of participation in drama and music clubs, sports and number of hours spent in extracurricular activities. Play was also a significant predictor of participation in school clubs, while controlling for executive function. These findings provide initial evidence of a developmental trajectory toward civic engagement beginning in early childhood.
Improving nursing home staff knowledge and attitudes about pain.

PURPOSE Effective pain management remains a serious problem in the nursing home setting. Barriers to achieving optimal pain practices include staff knowledge deficits, biases, and attitudes that influence assessment and management of the residents' pain. DESIGN AND METHODS Twelve nursing homes participated in this intervention study: six treatment homes and six control homes, divided evenly between urban and rural locations. Three hundred licensed and unlicensed nursing home staff members completed written knowledge and attitude surveys at baseline, and 378 staff members completed the surveys after intervention implementation. RESULTS Baseline results revealed notable knowledge deficits in the areas of pharmacology, drug addiction and dependence, side effect management, and nonpharmacologic management-strategy effectiveness. Significant differences were noted by job title (registered nurse/licensed practical nurse/certified nursing assistant). Case studies displayed a knowledge application problem, with nurses often filtering resident pain reports through observed resident behaviors. The intervention led to significant improvement in knowledge scores in some, but not all, the treatment homes. Perceived barriers to effective pain management showed a significant decline across all study nursing homes. IMPLICATIONS Knowledge deficits related to pain management persist in nursing homes. An interactive multifaceted educational program was only partially successful in improving knowledge across settings and job categories. Attitudes and beliefs appear more difficult to change, whereas environmental and contextual factors appeared to be reducing perceived barriers to effective pain management across all participating nursing homes.
Identification of Obesity-Associated SNPs in the Human Genome Method Development and Implementation for SOLiD Sequencing Data Analysis

Over the last few years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been used to identify numerous obesity associated SNPs in the human genome. By using linkage studies, candidate obesity genes have been identified. When SNPs in the first intron of FTO were found to be associated to BMI, it became the first gene to be linked to common obesity. In order to look for causative explanations behind the associated SNPs, a re-sequencing of FTO had been performed on the SOLiD sequencing platform. In-house candidate gene, SLCX, was also sequenced in order to evaluate a potential obesity association. The purpose of this project was to analyse the sequences and also to evaluate the quality of the SOLiD sequencing. A part of the project consisted in performing PCRs and selecting genomic regions for future sequencing projects. I developed and implemented a sequence analysis strategy to identify obesity associated SNPs. I found 39 obesity-linked SNPs in FTO, a majority of which were located in introns 1 and 8. I also identified 3 associated intronic SNPs in SLCX. I found that the SOLiD sequencing coverage varies between non-repetitive and repetitive genomic regions, and that it is highest near amplicon ends. Interestingly, coverage varies significantly between different amplicons even after repetitive sequences have been removed, which indicates that it is affected by features inherent to the sequence. Still, the observed allele frequencies for known SNPs were highly correlated with the SNP frequencies documented in HapMap. In conclusion, I verify that SNPs in FTO are associated with obesity and also identify a previously unassociated gene, SLCX, as a potential obesity gene. Re-sequencing of genomic regions on the SOLiD platform was proven to be successful for SNP identification, although the difference in sequencing coverage might be problematic.
On-Chip Diamond Raman Laser

Synthetic single-crystal diamond has recently emerged as a promising platform for Raman lasers at exotic wavelengths due to its giant Raman shift, large transparency window and excellent thermal properties yielding a greatly enhanced figure-of-merit compared to conventional materials. To date, diamond Raman lasers have been realized using bulk plates placed inside macroscopic cavities, requiring careful alignment and resulting in high threshold powers (~W-kW). Here we demonstrate an on-chip Raman laser based on fully-integrated, high quality-factor, diamond racetrack micro-resonators embedded in silica. Pumping at telecom wavelengths, we show Stokes output discretely tunable over a ~100nm bandwidth around 2-{\mu}m with output powers >250 {\mu}W, extending the functionality of diamond Raman lasers to an interesting wavelength range at the edge of the mid-infrared spectrum. Continuous-wave operation with only ~85 mW pump threshold power in the feeding waveguide is demonstrated along with continuous, mode-hop-free tuning over ~7.5 GHz in a compact, integrated-optics platform.
Stuttering Interneurons Generate Fast and Robust Inhibition onto Projection Neurons with Low Capacity of Short Term Modulation in Mouse Lateral Amygdala

The stuttering interneurons (STi) represent one minor subset of interneuron population and exhibit characteristic stuttering firing upon depolarization current injection. While it has been long held that the GABAergic inhibitory transmission largely varies with the subtype identity of presynaptic interneurons, whether such a rule also applies to STi is largely unknown. Here, by paired recording of interneuron and their neighboring projection neuron in lateral amygdala, we found that relative to the fast spiking and late spiking interneurons, the STi-evoked unitary postsynaptic currents onto the projection neurons had markedly larger amplitude, shorter onset latency and faster rising and decay kinetics. The quantal content and the number of vesicles in the readily releasable pool were also larger in synapses made by STi versus other interneurons. Moreover, the short-term plasticity, as reflected by the paired pulse depression and depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition, was the least prominent in the output synapses of STi. Thus, the fast and robust inhibition together with its low capacity of short term modulation may suggest an important role for STi in preventing the overexcitation of the projection neurons and thus gating the information traffic in amygdala.
Adhesion Molecules Associated with Female Genital Tract Infection

Efforts to develop vaccines that can elicit mucosal immune responses in the female genital tract against sexually transmitted infections have been hampered by an inability to measure immune responses in these tissues. The differential expression of adhesion molecules is known to confer site-dependent homing of circulating effector T cells to mucosal tissues. Specific homing molecules have been defined that can be measured in blood as surrogate markers of local immunity (e.g. α4β7 for gut). Here we analyzed the expression pattern of adhesion molecules by circulating effector T cells following mucosal infection of the female genital tract in mice and during a symptomatic episode of vaginosis in women. While CCR2, CCR5, CXCR6 and CD11c were preferentially expressed in a mouse model of Chlamydia infection, only CCR5 and CD11c were clearly expressed by effector T cells during bacterial vaginosis in women. Other homing molecules previously suggested as required for homing to the genital mucosa such as α4β1 and α4β7 were also differentially expressed in these patients. However, CD11c expression, an integrin chain rarely analyzed in the context of T cell immunity, was the most consistently elevated in all activated effector CD8+ T cell subsets analyzed. This molecule was also induced after systemic infection in mice, suggesting that CD11c is not exclusive of genital tract infection. Still, its increase in response to genital tract disorders may represent a novel surrogate marker of mucosal immunity in women, and warrants further exploration for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
A Novel Peptide-Binding Motifs Inference Approach to Understand Deoxynivalenol Molecular Toxicity

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a type B trichothecene mycotoxin that is commonly detected in cereals and grains world-wide. The low-tolerated levels of this mycotoxin, especially in mono-gastric animals, reflect its bio-potency. The toxicity of DON is conventionally attributed to its ability to inhibit ribosomal protein biosynthesis, but recent advances in molecular tools have elucidated novel mechanisms that further explain DON’s toxicological profile, complementing the diverse symptoms associated with its exposure. This article summarizes the recent findings related to novel mechanisms of DON toxicity as well as how structural modifications to DON alter its potency. In addition, it explores feasible ways of expanding our understating of DON-cellular targets and their roles in DON toxicity, clearance, and detoxification through the utilization of computational biology approaches.
Vygotsky's Teaching-Assessment Dialectic and L2 Education: The Case for Dynamic Assessment

This article concerns a particular application of Vygotsky's concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) wherein conventional assessment situations are reorganized to allow for cooperation between assessor and learner as they jointly complete assessment tasks and work through difficulties that arise. This approach, known as Dynamic Assessment (DA), a term coined by Luria (1961), derives from Vygotsky's own work in the area of “defectology” and aims to reveal abilities that have fully developed as well as those that are still forming. Several models of DA have been developed and pursued in countries around the world, primarily in contexts of intelligence and abilities testing and in work with learners with special needs (Haywood & Lidz, 2007). We argue that DA in fact has profound implications not only for formal testing but for educational practice more generally, and for language education in particular, given that it posits a dialectical relation between instruction and assessment. Specifically, joint activity intended to reveal a learner's ZPD and the provision of mediation to support continued development are fully integrated in DA. Examples of this dialectical activity are presented involving classroom learners of French as a second language.
Relationship between self-reported depression and self-reported visual function in Latinos.

OBJECTIVE To validate and assess the relationship between self-reported depression as measured by a single item on the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 12 (SF-12) and self-reported visual function. METHODS The Los Angeles Latino Eye Study is population-based and designed to assess the prevalence of visual impairment, ocular disease, and visual functioning in Latinos. Both the 25-item National Eye Institute-Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) (self-reported visual function) and the SF-12 (health-related quality of life) were administered. A single item from the SF-12 was used to measure self-reported depression and validated against the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression measure of depression. Covariate-adjusted NEI VFQ-25 subscale scores were contrasted across the 6 response choices of the SF-12, as well as across 3 combined response categories of the SF-12 using analysis of covariance. Covariate-adjusted regression analyses assessed the contribution of self-reported depression in explaining self-reported visual function. RESULTS The sensitivity and specificity of the SF-12 single item with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression measure was 0.96 and 0.50, respectively. Using the 3 combined response categories of the SF-12 single item, it was found that (1) all covariate-adjusted subscales of the NEI VFQ-25 were statistically significantly different across the self-reported depression categories (P<.001) and (2) covariate-adjusted self-reported depression was a significant predictor of self-reported visual function (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS A single SF-12 item may be used as a measure of self-reported depression. In addition, self-reported depression is an important covariate to consider when assessing self-reported visual function in Latinos.
The Plasma Concentration of the B Cell Activating Factor Is Increased in Children With Acute Malaria

Malaria-specific antibody responses in children often appear to be short-lived but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and its receptors expressed on B cells with antibody responses during and after acute malaria in children. Our results demonstrate that BAFF plasma levels increased during acute malarial disease and reflected disease severity. The expression profiles for BAFF receptors on B cells agreed with rapid activation and differentiation of a proportion of B cells to plasma cells. However, BAFF receptor (BAFF-R) expression was reduced on all peripheral blood B cells during acute infection, but those children with the highest level of BAFF-R expression on B cells maintained schizont-specific immunoglobin G (IgG) over a period of 4 months, indicating that dysregulation of BAFF-R expression on B cells may contribute to short-lived antibody responses to malarial antigens in children. In summary, this study suggests a potential role for BAFF during malaria disease, both as a marker for disease severity and in shaping the differentiation pattern of antigen-specific B cells.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutation Enhances Expression of Cadherin-5 in Lung Cancer Cells

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation has been shown to play a critical role in tumor angiogenesis. In this study, we investigate the correlation between EGFR mutations and cadherin-5 (CDH5), which is an angiogenic factor, in lung cancer cells. Increased expression CDH5 is observed in lung cancer cells with EGFR mutations. Stable lung cancer cell lines expressing mutant (exon 19 deletion E746-A750, and exon 21 missense mutation L858R) and wild type EGFR genes are established. A significantly higher expression of CDH5 is observed in exon 19 deletion stable lung cancer cells and mouse xenografts. Further studies show that expression of CDH5 is decreased after the inhibition of EGFR and downstream Akt pathways in lung cancer cells with EGFR mutation. In addition, mutant EGFR genes potentiates angiogenesis in lung cancer cells, which is inhibited by CDH5 siRNA, and potentiates migration and invasion in lung cancer cells. Our study shows that mutant EGFR genes are associated with overexpression of CDH5 through increased phosphorylation of EGFR and downstream Akt pathways. Our result may provide an insight into the association of mutant EGFR and CDH5 expression in lung cancer and aid further development of target therapy for NSCLC in the future.