Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predation Intensity Does Not Cause Microevolutionary Change in Maximum Speed or Aerobic Capacity in Trinidadian Guppies (Poecilia reticulata Peters)

We measured maximal oxygen consumption (V̇o2max) and burst speed in populations of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) from contrasting high‐ and low‐predation habitats but reared in “common garden” conditions. We tested two hypothesis: first, that predation, which causes rapid life‐history evolution in guppies, also impacts locomotor physiology, and second, that trade‐offs would occur between burst and aerobic performance. V̇o2max was higher than predicted from allometry, and resting V̇o2 was lower than predicted. There were small interdrainage differences in male V̇o2max, but predation did not affect V̇o2max in either sex. Maximum burst speed was correlated with size; absolute burst speed was higher in females, but size‐adjusted speed was greater in males. For both sexes, burst speed conformed to allometric predictions. There were differences in burst speed between drainages in females, but predation regime did not affect burst speed in either sex. We did not find a significant correlation between burst speed and V̇o2max, suggesting no trade‐off between these traits. These results indicate that predation‐mediated evolution of guppy life history does not produce concomitant evolution in aerobic capacity and maximum burst speed. However, other aspects of swimming performance (response latencies or acceleration) might show adaptive divergence in contrasting predation regimes.
The RÉPENER linked dataset

The dataset presented in this paper constitutes one of the outcomes of REPENER, a research project co-funded by the Spanish National RDI plan. It contains integrated information of the Spanish territory regarding energy certification, building monitoring, and geographical data. The integration has been carried out by means of semantic technologies. The adherence to the Linked Data principles guarantees the application of standard methods of accessing data as well as the links to the existing dataset on the Web of Data. The dataset is a knowledge base for end-users. It can be useful for stakeholders involved in the improvement of energy efficiency of buildings to improve their decision-making.
Self Concept in a School Setting: Construct Validation by Factor Analysis.

EDRS PRICE MF-$C.83 HC-$3.50 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Achievement; Age Differences; Classroom Environment; Elementary Education; Elementary School Students; *Factor Analysis; Family Relationship; Grade 4; Grade 7; Models; Parental Background; Peer Relationship; *Personality Theories; Predictor Variables; Self Concept; *Self Concept Tests; *Self Esteem; Sex Differences; *Test Construction; *Test Validity IDENTIFIERS *Self Appraisal Inventory
Joint redundant and random network coding for robust video transmission over lossy networks

In this paper a novel unequal packet loss protection scheme R2NC based on low-triangular global coding matrix with ladder-shaped partition is presented, which combines redundant and random network coding for robust H.264/SVC video transmission. Firstly, the error-correcting capabilities of redundant network coding make our scheme resilient to loss. Secondly, the implementation of random network coding at the intermediate nodes with multiple input links can reduce the cost of network bandwidth, thus reducing the end-to-end delay for video transmission. Thirdly, the low-triangular global coding matrix with ladder-shaped partition is maintained throughout the R2NC processes to reduce the impact of global coding matrix's rank deficiency on video transmission and provide unequal erasure protection for H.264/SVC priority layers. The redundant network coding avoids the retransmission of lost packets and improves error-correcting capabilities of lost packets. Based only on the knowledge of the packet loss rates on the output links, the source node and intermediate nodes can make decisions for redundant network coding and random network coding i.e., how much redundancy to add at this node. However, the redundancy caused by redundant network coding makes the network load increases. In order to improve network throughput, we performed random network coding at the intermediate nodes. Our approach is grounded on the overall distortion of reconstructed video minimization by optimizing the amount of redundancy assigned to each layer. The convex optimization model is constructed under the constraint of network coding and scalable video coding. Experimental results are shown to demonstrate the significant improvement of H.264/SVC video reconstruction quality with R2NC over packet lossy networks.
Sex Talk: The Role of Communication in Intimate Relationships

This book presents research that identifies the most salient issues related to communication about sex in relationships and explores these issues in a format that will improve the understanding and practice of sexual communication. * Gathers and analyzes scholarly research from the past 40 years on communication about sex and sexuality * Includes vignettes that illustrate communication problems related to sex
An Online Auction Framework for Dynamic Resource Provisioning in Cloud Computing

Auction mechanisms have recently attracted substantial attention as an efficient approach to pricing and allocating resources in cloud computing. This work, to the authors' knowledge, represents the first online combinatorial auction designed for the cloud computing paradigm, which is general and expressive enough to both: 1) optimize system efficiency across the temporal domain instead of at an isolated time point; and 2) model dynamic provisioning of heterogeneous virtual machine (VM) types in practice. The final result is an online auction framework that is truthful, computationally efficient, and guarantees a competitive ratio ≈ 3.30 in social welfare in typical scenarios. The framework consists of three main steps: 1) a tailored primal-dual algorithm that decomposes the long-term optimization into a series of independent one-shot optimization problems, with a small additive loss in competitive ratio; 2) a randomized subframework that applies primal-dual optimization for translating a centralized cooperative social welfare approximation algorithm into an auction mechanism, retaining the competitive ratio while adding truthfulness; and 3) a primal-dual algorithm for approximating the one-shot optimization with a ratio close to e. We also propose two extensions: 1) a binary search algorithm that improves the average-case performance; 2) an improvement to the online auction framework when a minimum budget spending fraction is guaranteed, which produces a better competitive ratio. The efficacy of the online auction framework is validated through theoretical analysis and trace-driven simulation studies. We are also in the hope that the framework can be instructive in auction design for other related problems.
Fully persistent B-trees

We present I/O-efficient fully persistent B-Trees that support range searches at any version in O(logB n + t/B) I/Os and updates at any version in O(logB n + log2 B) amortized I/Os, using space O(m/B) disk blocks. By n we denote the number of elements in the accessed version, by m the total number of updates, by t the size of the query's output, and by B the disk block size. The result improves the previous fully persistent B-Trees of Lanka and Mays by a factor of O(logB m) for the range query complexity and O(logB n) for the update complexity. To achieve the result, we first present a new B-Tree implementation that supports searches and updates in O(logB n) I/Os, using O(n/B) blocks of space. Moreover, every update makes in the worst case a constant number of modifications to the data structure. We make these B-Trees fully persistent using an I/O-efficient method for full persistence that is inspired by the node-splitting method of Driscoll et al. The method we present is interesting in its own right and can be applied to any external memory pointer based data structure with maximum in-degree din bounded by a constant and out-degree bounded by O(B), where every node occupies a constant number of blocks on disk. The I/O-overhead per modification to the ephemeral structure is O(din log2 B) amortized I/Os, and the space overhead is O(din/B) amortized blocks. Access to a field of an ephemeral block is supported in O(log2 din) worst case I/Os.
Inhibition of CLIC4 Enhances Autophagy and Triggers Mitochondrial and ER Stress-Induced Apoptosis in Human Glioma U251 Cells under Starvation

CLIC4/mtCLIC, a chloride intracellular channel protein, localizes to mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), nucleus and cytoplasm, and participates in the apoptotic response to stress. Apoptosis and autophagy, the main types of the programmed cell death, seem interconnected under certain stress conditions. However, the role of CLIC4 in autophagy regulation has yet to be determined. In this study, we demonstrate upregulation and nuclear translocation of the CLIC4 protein following starvation in U251 cells. CLIC4 siRNA transfection enhanced autophagy with increased LC3-II protein and puncta accumulation in U251 cells under starvation conditions. In that condition, the interaction of the 14-3-3 epsilon isoform with CLIC4 was abolished and resulted in Beclin 1 overactivation, which further activated autophagy. Moreover, inhibiting the expression of CLIC4 triggered both mitochondrial apoptosis involved in Bax/Bcl-2 and cytochrome c release under starvation and endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis with CHOP and caspase-4 upregulation. These results demonstrate that CLIC4 nuclear translocation is an integral part of the cellular response to starvation. Inhibiting the expression of CLIC4 enhances autophagy and contributes to mitochondrial and ER stress-induced apoptosis under starvation.
Multi-Paradigm Logic Programming Call-byName Specialization of Functional Logic Programs ∗

Partial evaluation is a method for program specialization based on fold/unfold transformations [4, 15]. Partial evaluation of functional programs uses only static values of given data to specialize the program. In logic programming, the so-called static/dynamic distinction is hardly present, whereas considerations of determinacy and choice points are far more important for control [7]. In this paper, we formalize a two-phase specialization method for a non-strict functional logic language which makes use of (normalizing) lazy narrowing to specialize the program w.r. t. a goal. The basic algorithm (first phase) is formalized as an instance of the framework for the partial evaluation of functional logic programs of [2], using lazy narrowing. However, the results inherited by [2] mainly regard the termination of the PE method, while the (strong) soundness and completeness results must be restated for the lazy strategy. A post-processing renaming scheme (second phase) for obtaining independence is then described and illustrated on the well-known matching example. We show that our method preserves the lazy narrowing semantics and that the inclusion of simplification steps in narrowing derivations can greatly improve control during specialization.
Hospice Use by Older Women Dying with Breast Cancer between 1991 and 1996

The purpose of this study was to assess the use of hospice by women dying with breast cancer as a function of time period, geographic area, and patient characteristics. We used data from the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database to study hospice care use in the United States in women aged 65 and older, diagnosed with breast cancer from 1986 to 1996, who died from 1991 to 1996. Of the 25,161 women who met those criteria, 5,198 (20.7%) were enrolled in hospice before they died. The rate of hospice use in this population increased from 11.5% in 1991 to 27.1% in 1996. Use of hospice care was inversely related to age and was higher among those who were married. There were no differences in use by ethnicity. Rates of use varied significantly by geographic area. Future research should further examine why rates of hospice use differ by geographic area and certain patient characteristics.
Impaired Coronary Circulation in Patients with Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Noninvasive Analysis by Transthoracic Doppler Echocardiography

Objectives: We designed this study to examine the characteristics of coronary circulation in patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (ApHCM) using noninvasive transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE). Background: Recent advances in TTDE have allowed noninvasive assessment of coronary circulation by the measurement of coronary flow velocity (CFV) patterns and coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR). However, there have been no previous studies evaluating coronary circulation in ApHCM. Methods: We analyzed CFV and CFVR in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), and apical wall thickness in the left ventricle, in 10 ApHCM subjects and 10 control subjects. Mean diastolic velocity (MDV) and time from the beginning of diastole to peak velocity (TPV), and CFVR, defined as a ratio of drug‐induced hyperemic to basal MDV, were measured. Results: At baseline, MDV was higher, and TPV was longer, in ApHCM subjects than in control subjects (29 ± 5.7 versus 19 ± 6.5 cm/sec; p < 0.01 and 5.2 ± 1.0 versus 3.5 ± 0.6 msec; p < 0.005, respectively). CFVR in ApHCM subjects was significantly lower than in control subjects (1.9 ± 0.4 versus 3.1 ± 0.8; p < 0.005). CFVR and basal MDV in ApHCM subjects showed significant correlations with apical/posterior wall thickness ratio [CFVR; r =–0.84, p < 0.01 and MDV; r = 0.74, p < 0.05, respectively]. Conclusion: Noninvasive coronary flow assessment by TTDE revealed an impaired coronary circulation with reduced CFVR, high MDV at baseline and prolonged TPV. These results suggest that these characteristics of coronary circulation may provide an additional index for the assessment of ApHCM.
Rival training: efficient use of data in discriminative training

We evaluate a simple extension of the corrective training algorithm for reestimation of the acoustic parameters, using | in addition to misrecognized sentences | also a selection of correctly recognized sentences for discrimination. Our approach (called \rival training") is implementationally much less expensive than lattice{based discriminative training methods, since we apply a \hard" threshold criterion to select a subset of sentences for which a single competitor is used for discrimination. Still, signif-icant performance gains are obtained compared to maximum likelihood and corrective training even for triphone models with 61 densities per mixture (on a digit string and a large vocabulary isolated word recognition task). Further, the hard selection scheme may be used to accelerate the training process due to faster convergence and by re-stricting the training process to a (cid:12)xed subset of training utterances.
Firm Size Distribution and Growth

Abstract Empirical documentation of the sectoral distribution of firm size for a set of European countries reveals substantial differences. We study the relationship between productivity growth at the industry level and size structure. A positive and robust relation is found between average firm size and growth. We ask why size should matter for growth by considering the role of innovation to construct a test based on the differential effect of size on growth according to various indicators of R&D intensity. Our results indicate that larger size fosters productivity growth because it allows firms to take advantage of all the increasing returns associated with R&D. We argue that our test can be interpreted as a test of reverse causality, which lends support to the view that firm size has a causal impact on growth.
Economic crisis and smoking behaviour: prospective cohort study in Iceland

Objective To examine the associations between the 2008 economic collapse in Iceland and smoking behaviour at the national and individual levels. Design A population-based, prospective cohort study based on a mail survey (Health and Wellbeing in Iceland) assessed in 2007 and 2009. Setting National mail survey. Participants Representative cohort (n=3755) of Icelandic adults. Main outcome measure Smoking status. Results A significant reduction in the prevalence of smoking was observed from 2007 (pre-economic collapse) to 2009 (postcollapse) in both males (17.4–14.8%; p 0.01) and females (20.0–17.5%; p 0.01) in the cohort (n=3755). At the individual level of analysis, male former smokers experiencing a reduction in income during the same period were less likely to relapse (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.85). Female smokers were less likely to quit over time compared to males (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.93). Among male former smokers who experienced an increase in income between 2007 and 2009, we observed an elevated risk of smoking relapse (OR 4.02; 95% CI 1.15 to 14.00). Conclusions The national prevalence of smoking in Iceland declined following the 2008 economic crisis. This could be due to the procyclical relationship between macro-economic conditions and smoking behaviour (ie, hard times lead to less smoking because of lower affordability), or it may simply reflect a continuation of trends already in place prior to the crisis. In individual-level analysis, we find that former smokers who experienced a decline in income were less likely to relapse; and conversely, an increase in income raises the risk. However, caution is warranted since these findings are based on small numbers.
Chemically mediated interactions between macroalgae Dictyota spp. and multiple life-history stages of the coral Porites astreoides

Competition between corals and macroalgae is often assumed to occur on reefs, espe- cially those that have undergone shifts from coral to algal dominance; however, data examining these competitive interactions, especially during the early life-history stages of corals, are scarce. We con- ducted a series of field and outdoor seawater-table experiments to test the hypothesis that allelo- pathy (chemical inhibition) mediates interactions between 2 common brown macroalgae, Dictyota pulchella and D. pinnatifida, and the coral Porites astreoides at different life-history stages of the coral. D. pinnatifida significantly reduced larval survival and larval recruitment. The extracts of both D. pinnatifida and D. pulchella significantly reduced larval survival, and the extract of D. pulchella also negatively influenced larval recruitment. There was no measurable effect of the crude extracts from Dictyota spp. on the photophysiology of adult corals. Our results provide evidence that these Dictyota species chemically compete with P. astreoides by negatively affecting larval settlement and recruitment as well as the survival of larvae and new recruits. Macroalgae may perpetuate their dom- inance on degraded reefs by chemically inhibiting the process of coral recruitment.
The third helix of the homeodomain of paired class homeodomain proteins acts as a recognition helix both for DNA and protein interactions

The transcription factor Pax6 is essential for the development of the eyes and the central nervous system of vertebrates and invertebrates. Pax6 contains two DNA-binding domains; an N-terminal paired domain and a centrally located homeodomain. We have previously shown that the vertebrate paired-less isoform of Pax6 (Pax6ΔPD), and several other homeodomain proteins, interact with the full-length isoform of Pax6 enhancing Pax6-mediated transactivation from paired domain-DNA binding sites. By mutation analyses and molecular modeling we now demonstrate that, surprisingly, the recognition helix for specific DNA binding of the homeodomains of Pax6 and Chx10 interacts with the C-terminal RED subdomain of the paired domain of Pax6. Basic residues in the recognition helix and the N-terminal arm of the homeodomain form an interaction surface that binds to an acidic patch involving residues in helices 1 and 2 of the RED subdomain. We used fluorescence resonance energy transfer assays to demonstrate such interactions between Pax6 molecules in the nuclei of living cells. Interestingly, two mutations in the homeodomain recognition helix, R57A and R58A, reduced protein–protein interactions, but not DNA binding of Pax6ΔPD. These findings suggest a critical role for the recognition helix and N-terminal arm of the paired class homeodomain in protein–protein interactions.
Population genetics of a marine bivalve, Pinctada maxima, throughout the Indo‐Australian Archipelago shows differentiation and decreased diversity at range limits

Intraspecific genetic diversity governs the potential of species to prevail in the face of environmental or ecological challenges; therefore, its protection is critical. The Indo‐Australian Archipelago (IAA) is a significant reservoir of the world's marine biodiversity and a region of high conservation priority. Yet, despite indications that the IAA may harbour greater intraspecific variation, multiple‐locus genetic diversity data are limited. We investigated microsatellite DNA variation in Pinctada maxima populations from the IAA to elucidate potential factors influencing levels of genetic diversity in the region. Results indicate that genetic diversity decreases as the geographical distance away from central Indonesia increases, and that populations located towards the centre of P. maxima's range are more genetically diverse than those located peripherally (P < 0.01). Significant partitioning of genetic variation was identified (FST = 0.027; RST = 0.023, P < 0.001) and indicates that historical biogeographical episodes or oceanographic factors have shaped present population genetic structure. We propose that the genetic diversity peak in P. maxima populations may be due to (i) an abundance of suitable habitat within the IAA, meaning larger, more temporally stable populations can be maintained and are less likely to encounter genetic bottlenecks; and/or (ii) the close proximity of biogeographical barriers around central Indonesia results in increased genetic diversity in the region because of admixture of genetically divergent populations. We encourage further genetic diversity studies of IAA marine biota to confirm whether this region has a significant role in maintaining intraspecific diversity, which will greatly assist the planning and efficacy of future conservation efforts.
Spatial Association between Speciated Fine Particles and Mortality

Summary Particulate matter (PM) has been linked to a range of serious cardiovascular and respiratory health problems, including premature mortality. The main objective of our research is to quantify uncertainties about the impacts of fine PM exposure on mortality. We develop a multivariate spatial regression model for the estimation of the risk of mortality associated with fine PM and its components across all counties in the conterminous United States. We characterize different sources of uncertainty in the data and model the spatial structure of the mortality data and the speciated fine PM. We consider a flexible Bayesian hierarchical model for a space‐time series of counts (mortality) by constructing a likelihood‐based version of a generalized Poisson regression model that combines methods for point‐level misaligned data and change of support regression. Our results seem to suggest an increase by a factor of two in the risk of mortality due to fine particles with respect to coarse particles. Our study also shows that in the Western United States, the nitrate and crustal components of the speciated fine PM seem to have more impact on mortality than the other components. On the other hand, in the Eastern United States, sulfate and ammonium explain most of the fine PM effect.