Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Traditional Sparse Optimizations on a Migratory Thread Architecture

Achieving high performance for sparse applications is challenging due to irregular access patterns and weak locality. These properties preclude many static optimizations and degrade cache performance on traditional systems. To address these challenges, novel systems such as the Emu architecture have been proposed. The Emu design uses light-weight migratory threads, narrow memory, and near-memory processing capabilities to address weak locality and reduce the total load on the memory system. Because the Emu architecture is fundamentally different than cache based hierarchical memory systems, it is crucial to understand the cost-benefit tradeoffs of standard sparse algorithm optimizations on Emu hardware. In this work, we explore sparse matrix-vector multiplication (SpMV) on the Emu architecture. We investigate the effects of different sparse optimizations such as dense vector data layouts, work distributions, and matrix reorderings. Our study finds that initially distributing work evenly across the system is inadequate to maintain load balancing over time due to the migratory nature of Emu threads. In severe cases, matrix sparsity patterns produce hot-spots as many migratory threads converge on a single resource. We demonstrate that known matrix reordering techniques can improve SpMV performance on the Emu architecture by as much as 70% by encouraging more consistent load balancing. This can be compared with a performance gain of no more than 16% on a cache-memory based system.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Regulates Rab5-Positive Early Endosomes in Hippocampal Neurons to Induce Dendritic Branching

Neurotrophin receptors use endosomal pathways for signaling in neurons. However, how neurotrophins regulate the endosomal system for proper signaling is unknown. Rabs are monomeric GTPases that act as molecular switches to regulate membrane trafficking by binding a wide range of effectors. Among the Rab GTPases, Rab5 is the key GTPase regulating early endosomes and is the first sorting organelle of endocytosed receptors. The objective of our work was to study the regulation of Rab5-positive endosomes by BDNF at different levels, including dynamic, activity and protein levels in hippocampal neurons. Short-term treatment with BDNF increased the colocalization of TrkB in dendrites and cell bodies, increasing the vesiculation of Rab5-positive endosomes. Consistently, BDNF increased the number and mobility of Rab5 endosomes in dendrites. Cell body fluorescence recovery after photobleaching of Rab-EGFP-expressing neurons suggested increased movement of Rab5 endosomes from dendrites to cell bodies. These results correlated with the BDNF-induced activation of Rab5 in dendrites, followed by increased activation of Rab5 in cell bodies. Long-term treatment of hippocampal neurons with BDNF increased the protein levels of Rab5 and Rab11 in an mTOR-dependent manner. While BDNF regulation of Rab5a levels occurred at both the transcriptional and translational levels, Rab11a levels were regulated at the translational level at the time points analyzed. Finally, expression of a dominant-negative mutant of Rab5 reduced the basal arborization of nontreated neurons, and although BDNF was partially able to rescue the effect of Rab5DN at the level of primary dendrites, BDNF-induced dendritic branching was largely reduced. Our findings indicate that BDNF regulates the Rab5-Rab11 endosomal system at different levels and that these processes are likely required for BDNF-induced dendritic branching.
Study on development of pitaya fruit ( Hylocereus undatus ) incorporated ice cream ; an alternative solution to the pitaya cultivators in Sri Lanka

Abstract Study was conducted to determine the composition of pitaya (Hylocereus sp.) pulp, to develop an ice-cream incorporated with pitaya pulp and to evaluate the shelf life of the pitaya pulp incorporated ice cream. Ice-cream samples were prepared with three different proportions of pitaya pulp, 12%, 15% and 18% (w/w). A sensory evaluation was done by sevenpoint Hedonic scale on 20 semi-trained panellists. Physico-chemical and microbial analyses were conducted during storage. The ice-cream with 12% (w/w) pulp yielded the highest consumer preference.
Dissociable Effects of Aging on Salience Subnetwork Connectivity Mediate Age-Related Changes in Executive Function and Affect

Aging is associated with both changes in affective experience and attention. An intrinsic brain network subserving these functions, the salience network, has not shown clear evidence of a corresponding age-related change. We propose a solution to this discrepancy: that aging differentially affects the connectivity of two dissociated subsystems of the salience network identified in our prior research (Touroutoglou et al., 2012). We examined the age-related changes in intrinsic connectivity between a dorsal and a ventral salience subsystem in a sample of 111 participants ranging in age from 18 years to 81 years old. We predicted that connectivity within the ventral subsystem is relatively preserved with age, while connectivity in the dorsal subsystem declines. Our findings showed that the connectivity within the ventral subsystem was not only preserved but it actually increased with age, whereas the connectivity within the dorsal subsystem decreased with age. Furthermore, age-related increase in arousal experience was partially mediated by age-related increases in ventral salience subsystem, whereas age-related decline in executive function was fully mediated by age-related decreases in dorsal salience subsystem connectivity. These findings explain previously conflicting results on age-related changes in the salience network, and suggest a mechanism for relatively preserved affective function in the elderly.
Resveratrol-Mediated Attenuation of Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxin B-Induced Acute Liver Injury Is Associated With Regulation of microRNA and Induction of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells

Resveratrol (RES) is a polyphenolic compound found abundantly in plant products including red grapes, peanuts, and mulberries. Because of potent anti-inflammatory properties of RES, we investigated whether RES can protect from Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)-induced acute liver injury in mice. SEB is a potent super antigen that induces robust inflammation and releases inflammatory cytokines that can be fatal. We observed that SEB caused acute liver injury in mice with increases in enzyme aspartate transaminase (AST) levels, and massive infiltration of immune cells into the liver. Treatment with RES (100 mg/kg body weight) attenuated SEB-induced acute liver injury, as indicated by decreased AST levels and cellular infiltration in the liver. Interestingly, RES treatment increased the number of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the liver. RES treatment led to alterations in the microRNA (miR) profile in liver mononuclear cells (MNCs) of mice exposed to SEB, and pathway analysis indicated these miRs targeted many inflammatory pathways. Of these, we identified miR-185, which was down-regulated by RES, to specifically target Colony Stimulating Factor (CSF1) using transfection studies. Moreover, the levels of CSF1 were significantly increased in RES-treated SEB mice. Because CSF1 is critical in MDSC induction, our studies suggest that RES may induce MDSCs by down-regulating miR-185 leading to increase the expression of CSF1. The data presented demonstrate for the first time that RES can effectively attenuates SEB-induced acute liver injury and that this may result from its action on miRs and induction of MDSCs.
Quantifying the non-ergodicity of scaled Brownian motion

We examine the non-ergodic properties of scaled Brownian motion (SBM), a non-stationary stochastic process with a time dependent diffusivity of the form D ( t ) ≃ t &agr; − 1 ? > . We compute the ergodicity breaking parameter EB in the entire range of scaling exponents α, both analytically and via extensive computer simulations of the stochastic Langevin equation. We demonstrate that in the limit of long trajectory lengths T and short lag times Δ the EB parameter as function of the scaling exponent α has no divergence at α = 1/2 and present the asymptotes for EB in different limits. We generalize the analytical and simulations results for the time averaged and ergodic properties of SBM in the presence of ageing, that is, when the observation of the system starts only a finite time span after its initiation. The approach developed here for the calculation of the higher time averaged moments of the particle displacement can be applied to derive the ergodic properties of other stochastic processes such as fractional Brownian motion.
Pathogenicity of Phytophthora austrocedrae on Austrocedrus chilensis and its relation with mal del cipre´s in Patagonia

Field observations, isolations and pathogenicity tests were performed on Austrocedrus chilensis (Cupressaceae) trees to deter-mine the pathogenicity of Phytophthora austrocedrae and its role in the aetiology of the cypress disease mal del cipre´s (MDC) in Argentina. It was found that P. austrocedrae is a primary pathogen of A. chilensis . It was isolated from large necrotic lesions in the inner bark, and superﬁcially in the sapwood, at the root collar and stem, in most of the MDC-affected stands surveyed along the range of A. chilensis in Argentina. The main symptom in naturally infected trees was a necrotic lesion extending from killed roots up to 1 m up the tree bole. Seedlings, saplings and adult trees were all susceptible to inoculation with P. austrocedrae . Under favourable experimental conditions (ﬂooding), inoculated seedlings suffered massive mortality in less than a month. The importance of diseases caused by Phytophthora spp. in South American forests is discussed.
INDUCING VARIATIONS IN THE SHORTENING OF SINGLE CARDIOMYOCYTES WITH LOCALIZED MECHANICAL STIMULATION

Here we apply loading to neonatal murine cardiomyoctyes to observe changes in contractility. This work leverages micropatterning to enhance the development of cardiomyocyte intracellular structures. Under preload, the distance between sarcomeres increases, resulting in increased force output. This principle – the Frank Starling Law – was demonstrated at the organ level, but here we do so with individual neonatal cardiomyocytes within the range of physiological mechanostimulation. We observe a maximum force output at 12% strain. This work provides a platform to study murine cells with mature cytoskeletal development that can be extended to cardiomyocytes drug-studies and tissue engineering applications.
Determinants and challenges of applying sustainable agriculture practices among rice farmers in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, Kenya

For a development project to be planned and implemented in any area it is essential that adequate information about the area is gathered for the success of the project to be feasible. Mwea Irrigation scheme is the largest in Kenya but rice yields have been declining over the years. One of the factors to sustained production is adopting sustainable agricultural practices. The objective of this research was to determine the influence of farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics on application of sustainable agriculture practices (SAPs) in rice farming in Mwea and the challenges the farmers face in applying SAPs. Cross sectional design, proportionate stratified sampling technique and questionnaire were used to select and collect data from 144 rice farmers. Statistical tools such as frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation and appropriate correlation coefficients were generated to describe or identify relationship among variables of the study. Results revealed that majority of rice farmers in Mwea are youthful males. Application of SAPs is influenced by a farmers’ knowledge level, educational attainment, membership to an organization, contact with extension and the size of land they have under rice. There are many challenges hindering farmers to adopt SAPs in Mwea. This study recommends trainings for farmers on SAPs and a policy to encourage the youth to remain interested in agricultural projects.
Internal governance and audit fees : evidence from CEO-CFO career heterogeneity

CEO-CFO career heterogeneity refers to firms’ internal governance in which younger CFOs may constrain older CEOs’ earnings management activities since they have different career concerns and career goals. Prior literature finds that the external auditors assess client firms’ earnings management risk, and charge correspondingly. Using the CEO-CFO age difference as the proxy of firms’ internal governance, this paper investigates whether auditors’ pricing decisions are associated with firms’ internal governance and whether firms’ financial performance and firms’ external governance moderate this association. The authors find that CEO-CFO career heterogeneity is associated with lower audit fees in a large US public companies sample covering a ten-year period from 2007 to 2016. Further analysis shows that this relationship is attenuated by better accounting performance (less incentive to perform earnings management) and better corporate governance (block holding investors curb earnings management activities in a similar way with CEO-CFO career heterogeneity). Prior literature of internal governance focuses on the effects of internal governance on earnings management. This study adds to the strand of research by documenting the market impact of internal governance. Furthermore, this study also extends the audit fee literature by providing evidence on the impact of internal governance on audit fees.
Proposed Problem-based Blended Learning in Creative Writing : Self-Regulated Learning in EFL Learners

The study objective is to investigate self-regulated learning strategies of undergraduate students in creative writing based on problem-based blended learning (PBBL) instruction. The participants of this study were twenty-nine English as the foreign language (EFL) students enrolling creative writing course in Chiang Rai Rajabhat University, Thailand. The qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed in this study. Qualitative data was in the form of the interview, and quantitative data was applied in the form of questionnaires as the instruments for this research study. Self-regulated learning in PBBL was divided into 3 parts: cognitive strategies, time and study environment, and self-efficacy. The results showed that the PBBL learners performed cognitive strategies at the high level (x̄ = 3.91). Moreover, PBBL students preferred working in their own space to complete their work. Learners’ beliefs towards self-efficacy were positive. They believed they were able to work with computer joyfully and submit the assignment by the deadline.
Studies on scaling up of seed yield and its quality parameters in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L . )

An investigation was carried out during rabi season of 2012 and 2013 for developing appropriate agronomic practices for seed production of wheat variety PBW 502. Twenty four treatments i.e. combinations of two sowing methods, three levels of fertilizer doses (NPK) and four levels of zinc sulphate, were laid out in 3 factor factorial randomized complete block design i.e. split-plot design with three replications. Methods of sowing were kept in main plots with different levels of fertilizer doses and zinc sulphate as Split Plots. Periodical observations were recorded on growth, yield attributing characters and grain yield. The results revealed that various methods of sowing and varied levels of NPK had significant effect on seed yield and its quality parameters like germination (%), germination rate, seedling length and vigour index. Increasing levels of zinc sulphate significantly increased the germination rate and vigour index. Highest seed yield (54.77 q ha and 56.41 q ha) was obtained from the plants sown on ridges. Maximum seed yield potential can be obtained under ridge method of sowing along with the application of RDF + 25% higher dose and zinc sulphate @ 30 kg ha as these combinations resulted into good quality seeds which were also permissible to standard seed health status.
THE EFFECT OF PERCEIVED AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP ON EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

The study examines the effect of perceived authentic leadership on employee engagement. This cross-sectional study accumulated the data through a structured questionnaire survey from a purposive sample of 260 full-time employees from selected Malaysian small and medium budget hotels located in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. The data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analyses. The results showed that from four components of authentic leadership, self-awareness and balanced processing behaviors of owner-managers contribute to physical, emotional and cognitive engagement of employees in the workplace. Accordingly, these findings present empirical evidences on leader-employee relationship, particularly in the context of Malaysian small and medium budget hotels. Further, the findings of this study add new knowledge to the existing literature by providing information related to the effect of each authentic leadership component on employee engagement. The findings also can be a useful guidance for owner-managers on how to encourage employees to be highly engaged in workplace.
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Activate Canonical WNT/?-Catenin Signaling via MAP Kinase/LRP6 Pathway and Direct Beta-Catenin Phosphorylation

Receptor tyrosine kinase signaling cooperates with WNT/ b -catenin signaling in regulating many biological processes, but the mechanisms of their interaction remain poorly defined. We describe a potent activation of WNT/ b -catenin by FGFR2, FGFR3, EGFR and TRKA kinases, which is independent of the PI3K/AKT pathway. Instead, this phenotype depends on ERK MAP kinase-mediated phosphorylation of WNT co-receptor LRP6 at Ser1490 and Thr1572 during its Golgi network-based maturation process. This phosphorylation dramatically increases the cellular response to WNT. Moreover, FGFR2, FGFR3, EGFR and TRKA directly phosphorylate b -catenin at Tyr142, which is known to increase cytoplasmic b -catenin concentration via release of b -catenin from membranous cadherin complexes. We conclude that signaling via ERK/LRP6 pathway and direct b -catenin phosphorylation at Tyr142 represent two mechanisms used by various receptor tyrosine kinase systems to activate canonical WNT signaling.
The Relationship between Metatext and College Students’ Writing Quality

Metatext, as a recurrent topic, has long been well studied and shown to be a prominent feature of various types of academic discourse. But very few studies have paid attention to the empirical work about the effects of metatext on English writing skills of Chinese college students. This paper aims to find the relationship between the use of metatext devices as well as whether or not the quality of writing and the direct instruction of metatext markers can enhance EFL students' writing ability.
Relation between alternations of uplift and subsidence revealed by Late Cenozoic fluvial sequences and physical properties of the continental crust

Reversals in vertical crustal motion, alternations between uplift and subsidence over time scales of hundreds of thousands of years or more, have been identified in Late Cenozoic fluvial sequences in many regions worldwide. They form a class of fluvial archive that is distinct from the extreme stability observed in Archaean cratons and the monotonic uplift or subsidence that is widely observed in other regions. Such alternations between uplift and subsidence are characteristic of regions of Early or Middle Proterozoic crust, where the initial crustal consolidation included the development of a thick ‘root’ of mafic material at the base of the crust; the present study focuses on localities with this crustal type in the USA and eastern Europe. It has previously been suggested on the basis of uplift modelling that this style of crustal behaviour occurs only in regions where the mobile lower‐crustal layer is relatively thin. This study supports this conclusion on the basis of independent geothermal calculations, which indicate that such alternations between uplift and subsidence occur where the mobile lower‐crustal layer is ≤∼7 km thick. An understanding of this phenomenon, in relation to the understanding of vertical crustal motions induced by surface processes (and thus by climate change) in general, therefore requires analysis of the properties and dynamics of the mobile lower‐crustal layer; detailed analysis of fluvial sequences thus contributes unique information in this area.
Late seed maturation improves the preservation of seedling emergence during storage in soybean

Abstract: Long-term survival during dry storage or longevity is a pre-requisite to avoid deterioration, leading to loss of vigor. Longevity is routinely evaluated by the ability to germinate after storage. It increases progressively during seed maturation, after the acquisition of desiccation tolerance. However, the capacity to germinate represents only a part of the success of crop establishment. How seed maturation affects the resistance of several traits, as vigor, associated with seedling establishment, against deterioration was evaluated during seed filling and post-abscission phase of soybean BRS 284 seeds. Three new phenological stages between 7.1 and 7.2 (7.1.1, 7.1.2 and 7.1.3) were introduced to capture the rapid increase in seed longevity. Germination speed started to be affected at 7-14 days after storage depending on the stages. The delay on germination increased with maturation from 7.1. 3 to dry mature seeds. The time to 50% loss of elongation capacity of both organs during storage was similar to that of loss of germination. Also, it increased steadily during seed maturation after mass maturity and harvest maturity stages, highlighting the importance of the late phase of seed maturation for building seed vigor.
Evaluating Critical Thinking Skills: Two Conceptualizations

In this study two complementary models, which were based on the strengths of existing models, were developed to analyze students’ critical thinking skills. One model was used to categorize the types of critical thinking displayed by students; the other was used to evaluate the quality of the critical thinking. The models were refined and tested for usefulness through an analysis of students’ messages posted in two sequential two-week computer conferences. The study also examined the level of critical thinking displayed compared with that shown by other studies and highlighted critical thinking skills that were not frequently demonstrated by participants. Dans cette etude, deux modeles complementaires, bases sur les points forts de modeles existants, ont ete developpes pour analyser la capacite de pensee critique des etudiants. Un modele a ete utilise pour categoriser les types de pensee critique demontres par les etudiants, alors que l’autre a ete utilise pour evaluer la qualite de la pensee critique. Les modeles ont ete raffines et testes en fonction de leur utilite grâce a une analyse des messages des etudiants places dans deux forums numeriques sequentiels de deux semaines. L’etude a aussi examine le niveau de pensee critique demontre en comparaison avec celui indique dans d’autres etudes et a mis en lumiere des habiletes de la pensee critique peu frequentes chez les participants.