Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Concurrent Construction Scheduling Simulation Algorithm

A scheduler can accelerate a construction project by setting up overlapping activities. Activities are said to be overlapping if two activities that are normally executed in sequence are performed in parallel, the successor starting before the end of the predecessor. This article presents a novel method that identifies an optimal overlap rate between critical activities to provide a time‐cost trade‐off analysis, hence reducing completion time and cost without allocating additional resources. This method is then coded into Concurrent Construction Scheduling Simulation System (C2S2) that makes use of schedule data exported from Primavera Project Planner (P6), integrates the activities’ concurrency attributes, calculates the rework probability/amount, and computes the variability in project completion time and cost by adjusting the overlap between activities. This study is of value to practitioners because C2S2 allows establishing a compressed schedule that satisfies a limited budget within a specified contract duration. The study is also of relevance to researchers because it identifies the optimal overlaps between activities expeditiously. Two test cases verify the usability and validity of the computational methods implemented in the system.
Quorum Sensing and Production of Autoinducer-2 in Campylobacter spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium in Foods

ABSTRACT Autoinducer molecules are utilized by gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria to regulate density-dependent gene expression by a mechanism known as quorum sensing. PCR and DNA sequencing results showed that Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli possessed luxS, which is responsible for autoinducer-2 (AI-2) production. Using a Vibrio harveyi luminescence assay, the production of AI-2 was observed in milk, chicken broth, and brucella broth by C. coli, C. jejuni, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 under different conditions.
Radiocarbon and DNA evidence for a pre-Columbian introduction of Polynesian chickens to Chile

Two issues long debated among Pacific and American prehistorians are (i) whether there was a pre-Columbian introduction of chicken (Gallus gallus) to the Americas and (ii) whether Polynesian contact with South America might be identified archaeologically, through the recovery of remains of unquestionable Polynesian origin. We present a radiocarbon date and an ancient DNA sequence from a single chicken bone recovered from the archaeological site of El Arenal-1, on the Arauco Peninsula, Chile. These results not only provide firm evidence for the pre-Columbian introduction of chickens to the Americas, but strongly suggest that it was a Polynesian introduction.
Multi-modal text entry and selection on a mobile device

Rich text tasks are increasingly common on mobile devices, requiring the user to interleave typing and selection to produce the text and formatting she desires. However, mobile devices are a rich input space where input does not need to be limited to a keyboard and touch. In this paper, we present two complementary studies evaluating four different input modalities to perform selection in support of text entry on a mobile device. The modalities are: screen touch (Touch), device tilt (Tilt), voice recognition (Speech), and foot tap (Foot). The results show that Tilt is the fastest method for making a selection, but that Touch allows for the highest overall text throughput. The Tilt and Foot methods---although fast---resulted in users performing and subsequently correcting a high number of text entry errors, whereas the number of errors for Touch is significantly lower. Users experienced significant difficulty when using Tilt and Foot in coordinating the format selections in parallel with the text entry. This difficulty resulted in more errors and therefore lower text throughput. Touching the screen to perform a selection is slower than tilting the device or tapping the foot, but the action of moving the fingers off the keyboard to make a selection ensured high precision when interleaving selection and text entry. Additionally, mobile devices offer a breadth of promising rich input methods that need to be careful studied in situ when deciding if each is appropriate to support a given task; it is not sufficient to study the modalities independent of a natural task.
Exploring Network Effects of Point-to-Point Networks: An Investigation of the Spatial Entry Patterns of Southwest Airlines

This paper explores network effects in Point-to-Point airline networks by examining the spatial entry patterns of Southwest airlines during the 1990-2006 period. Estimation results from a spatial probit model reveal clear spatial dependence in profitability across different routes served by the carrier. Detailed investigation suggests two main sources of network effects, namely: (1) airport and regional presence, and (2) substitutability of markets. Findings of the paper suggest also that the network effects embedded in Southwest’s Point-to-Point network have many distinguishing features as compared to those identified in a typical Hub-and-Spoke network. This study brings some fresh insights on airline network effects in general, as well as explaining the pattern of aggressive network expansions of LCCs in particular.
Distributed group consensus for heterogeneous multi-agent systems

In this paper, we study group consensus of heterogeneous multi-agent systems with fixed directed and undirected topologies. Firstly, a class of distributed control protocol is proposed for achieving the group consensus of heterogeneous multi-agent systems by using the neighbors' information. Then some corresponding sufficient conditions are obtained to guarantee the achievement of group consensus. Rigorous proofs are given by using graph theory, matrix theory and Lyapunov theory. Finally numerical simulations are given to verify the theoretical analysis.
Gamma random waypoint mobility model for wireless ad hoc networks

Random waypoint (RWP) mobility model is widely used in ad hoc network simulation. The model suffers from speed decay as the simulation progresses and may not reach the steady state in terms of instantaneous average node speed. Furthermore, the convergence of the average speed to its steady state value is delayed. This usually leads to inaccurate results in protocol validation of mobile ad hoc networks modeling. Moreover, the probability distributions of speed vary over the simulation time, such that the node speed distribution at the initial state is different from the corresponding distribution at the end of the simulation. In order to overcome these problems, this paper proposes a modified RWP mobility model with a more precise distribution of the nodes' speed. In the modified model, the speeds of nodes are sampled from gamma distribution. The results obtained from both analysis and simulation experiments of the average speed and the density of nodes' speed indicate that the proposed gamma random waypoint mobility model outperforms the existing RWP mobility models. It is shown that a significant performance improvement in achieving higher steady state speed values that closely model the pre‐assumed average speeds are possible with the proposed model. Additionally, the model allows faster convergence to the steady state, and probability distribution of speed is steady over the simulation time. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Two-Stage Approach to Harmonic Rejection Mixing Using Blind Interference Cancellation

Current analog harmonic rejection mixers typically provide 30-40 dB of harmonic rejection, which is often not sufficient. We present a mixed analog-digital approach to harmonic rejection mixing that uses a digital interference canceler to reject the strongest interferer. Simulations indicate that, given a practical RF scenario, the digital canceler is able to improve the signal-to-interference ratio by 30-45 dB.
Gamete donors' expectations and experiences of contact with their donor offspring

STUDY QUESTION What are the expectations and experiences of anonymous gamete donors about contact with their donor offspring? SUMMARY ANSWER Rather than consistently wanting to remain distant from their donor offspring, donors' expectations and experiences of contact with donor offspring ranged from none to a close personal relationship. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Donor conception is part of assisted reproduction in many countries, but little is known about its continuing influence on gamete donors' lives. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A qualitative research model appropriate for understanding participants' views was employed; semi-structured interviews were conducted during January–March 2013. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Before 1998, gamete donors in Victoria, Australia, were subject to evolving legislation that allowed them to remain anonymous or (from 1988) to consent to the release of identifying information. An opportunity to increase knowledge of donors' expectations and experiences of contact with their donor offspring recently arose in Victoria when a recommendation was made to introduce mandatory identification of donors on request from their donor offspring, with retrospective effect. Pre-1998 donors were invited through an advertising campaign to be interviewed about their views, experiences and expectations; 36 sperm donors and 6 egg donors participated. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE This research is unusual in achieving participation by donors who would not normally identify themselves to researchers or government inquiries. Qualitative thematic analysis revealed that most donors did not characterize themselves as parents of their donor offspring. Donors' expectations and experiences of contact with donor offspring ranged from none to a close personal relationship. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION It is not possible to establish whether participants were representative of all pre-1998 donors. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Anonymous donors' needs and desires are not homogeneous; policy and practice should be sensitive and responsive to a wide range of circumstances and preferences. Decisions made to restrict or facilitate contact or the exchange of information have ramifications for donors as well as for donor-conceived people. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The study was funded by the Victorian Department of Health. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicable.
Principles Underlying Human Physical Prediction

Our days are filled with instances of reasoning about the physics of the world, from simple tasks such as stacking dishes in a way that keeps them stable, to life-and-death decisions such as not crossing the street because we presume an oncoming car would hit us if we did. Yet the process we use to make inferences about physical events is not well understood. Here I argue that these interactions are based on a rich, approximately accurate simulation of physical events, but we must account for uncertainty about the current properties of objects in the world. In this thesis I investigate the structure of this simulation process and how it relates to other facets of cognition, including (1) demonstrating that the principles underlying interactions with the world are based on accurate physics, even if our explanations of those same principles are idiosyncratic and erroneous, (2) mapping out the types of uncertainty that this process accounts for, and demonstrating that the simulations themselves are therefore stochastic, and (3) explaining how physical predictions are updated over time due to changing evidence from evolving simulations. This provides a framework for understanding how people form and update representations of both the current and future state of the world based on rich, structured, probabilistic reasoning.
Dysferlin Interacts with Tubulin and Microtubules in Mouse Skeletal Muscle

Dysferlin is a type II transmembrane protein implicated in surface membrane repair in muscle. Mutations in dysferlin lead to limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2B, Miyoshi Myopathy and distal anterior compartment myopathy. Dysferlin's mode of action is not well understood and only a few protein binding partners have thus far been identified. Using affinity purification followed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, we identified alpha-tubulin as a novel binding partner for dysferlin. The association between dysferlin and alpha-tubulin, as well as between dysferlin and microtubules, was confirmed in vitro by glutathione S-transferase pulldown and microtubule binding assays. These interactions were confirmed in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation. Confocal microscopy revealed that dysferlin and alpha-tubulin co-localized in the perinuclear region and in vesicular structures in myoblasts, and along thin longitudinal structures reminiscent of microtubules in myotubes. We mapped dysferlin's alpha-tubulin-binding region to its C2A and C2B domains. Modulation of calcium levels did not affect dysferlin binding to alpha-tubulin, suggesting that this interaction is calcium-independent. Our studies identified a new binding partner for dysferlin and suggest a role for microtubules in dysferlin trafficking to the sarcolemma.
Does the cognitive interview help children to resist the effects of suggestive questioning

Purpose. The first set of aims of the present study concerned event recall and examined; (1) whether the cognitive interview (CI) would enhance event recall when used with children, (2) which category(ies) of event recall might be affected, and (3) where in the interview any CI effect emanates from. The second set of aims concerned suggestibility issues and set out to determine whether (1) the CI increased the resistance of children to suggestive questions, and (2) whether scripts had a role in susceptibility to suggestion. Methods. Eighty-four 8-10-year-old children were shown a video recording of a magic show. A day later they were interviewed individually using either the CI or a structured interview. A pre-set list of suggestive questions was also given to the children either before or after being interviewed. Results. Those children interviewed using the CI recalled significantly more correct details pertaining to persons and actions, with no increase in the reporting of erroneous information. These effects were found to emanate from the questioning phase of the CI. In addition, those children interviewed with the CI were more resistant to subsequently asked suggestive questions, especially misleading script-consistent questions. Conclusions. The CI has been found to be a reliable interviewing technique which not only enhances recall but helps to inoculate children against the effects of misleading questions.
A new representation for instance-based clonal selection algorithms

This work borrows the traditional Pittsburgh-style representation from Genetic-Based Machine Learning and evaluates its performance in artificial immune systems (AIS) for classification. Our main goal is to select as few instances as possible to represent the data from the training set without losing accuracy. The new representation is tested in a modified version of a clonal selection algorithm, where the antibodies represent lists of prototypes instead of a single one. The generated method, named Clonal Selection Prototypes Generator, was tested in 10 UCI datasets and compared to other seven methods that execute the same task. Results showed that the proposed method is very good at considering a trade-off between the number of prototypes generated and the accuracy of the system.
FIST: A Framework to Interleave Spiking Neural Networks on CGRAs

Coarse Grained Reconfigurable Architectures (CGRAs) are emerging as enabling platforms to meet the high performance demanded by modern embedded applications. In many application domains (e.g. robotics and cognitive embedded systems), the CGRAs are required to simultaneously host processing (e.g. Audio/video acquisition) and estimation (e.g. audio/video/image recognition) tasks. Recent works have revealed that the efficiency and scalability of the estimation algorithms can be significantly improved by using neural networks. However, existing CGRAs commonly employ homogeneous processing resources for both the tasks. To realize the best of both the worlds (conventional processing and neural networks), we present FIST. FIST allows the processing elements and the network to dynamically morph into either conventional CGRA or a neural network, depending on the hosted application. We have chosen the DRRA as a vehicle to study the feasibility and overheads of our approach. Synthesis results reveal that the proposed enhancements incur negligible overheads (4.4% area and 9.1% power) compared to the original DRRA cell.
Texts in, meaning out: neural language models in semantic similarity task for Russian

Distributed vector representations for natural language vocabulary get a lot of attention in contemporary computational linguistics. This paper summarizes the experience of applying neural network language models to the task of calculating semantic similarity for Russian. The experiments were performed in the course of Russian Semantic Similarity Evaluation track, where our models took from the 2nd to the 5th position, depending on the task. We introduce the tools and corpora used, comment on the nature of the shared task and describe the achieved results. It was found out that Continuous Skip-gram and Continuous Bag-of-words models, previously successfully applied to English material, can be used for semantic modeling of Russian as well. Moreover, we show that texts in Russian National Corpus (RNC) provide an excellent training material for such models, outperforming other, much larger corpora. It is especially true for semantic relatedness tasks (although stacking models trained on larger corpora on top of RNC models improves performance even more). High-quality semantic vectors learned in such a way can be used in a variety of linguistic tasks and promise an exciting field for further study.
Predictors of Horror Film Attendance and Appeal

A survey was conducted to determine the antecedents of the exposure to and appeal of horror films. Audience members leaving the theater after viewing Halloween II were interviewed using a questionnaire that contained measures of specific reasons for liking horror films as well as measures of several individual-difference variables. A model emerged from structural equation analysis indicating that three important factors in the appeal of horror films are (a) the audience's desire to experience the satisfying resolutions usually provided in these films, (b) the audience's desire to see the destruction often found in these films, and (c) the sensation-seeking personality traits of audience members for these films. In addition, age and gender were important predictors. Horror films were enjoyed more by males and by younger viewers.
Minimizing the number of process corner simulations during design verification

Integrated circuit designs need to be verified in simulation over a large number of process corners that represent the expected range of transistor properties, supply voltages, and die temperatures. Each process corner can require substantial simulation time. Unfortunately, the required number of corners has been growing rapidly in the latest semiconductor technologies. We consider the problem of minimizing the required number of process corner simulations by iteratively learning a model of the output functions in order to confidently estimate key maximum and/or minimum properties of those functions. Depending on the output function, the required number of corner simulations can be reduced by factors of up to 95%.
High-performance RMA-based broadcast on the intel SCC

Many-core chips with more than 1000 cores are expected by the end of the decade. To overcome scalability issues related to cache coherence at such a scale, one of the main research directions is to leverage the message-passing programming model. The Intel Single-Chip Cloud Computer (SCC) is a prototype of a message-passing many-core chip. It offers the ability to move data between on-chip Message Passing Buffers (MPB) using Remote Memory Access (RMA). Performance of message-passing applications is directly affected by efficiency of collective operations, such as broadcast. In this paper, we study how to make use of the MPBs to implement an efficient broadcast algorithm for the SCC. We propose OC-Bcast (On-Chip Broadcast), a pipelined k-ary tree algorithm tailored to exploit the parallelism provided by on-chip RMA. Using a LogP-based model, we present an analytical evaluation that compares our algorithm to the state-of-the-art broadcast algorithms implemented for the SCC. As predicted by the model, experimental results show that OC-Bcast attains almost three times better throughput, and improves latency by at least 27\%. Furthermore, the analytical evaluation highlights the benefits of our approach: OC-Bcast takes direct advantage of RMA, unlike the other considered broadcast algorithms, which are based on a higher-level send/receive interface. This leads us to the conclusion that RMA-based collective operations are needed to take full advantage of hardware features of future message-passing many-core architectures.
Men at work: using dress to communicate identities

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate young professional men's perceptions and use of dress in relationship to their work identities.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 49 young men using a snowball sampling technique. Responses were analyzed using techniques outlined by Van Manen.Findings – Salience of work identity was not connected to participants’ perceptions and use of dress. However, feeling complete in one's work identity was connected. Participants who perceived themselves as incomplete in their work identities used and planned to purchase items symbolic of their professions. Participants also expected to achieve specific outcomes as a result of their dress.Research limitations/implications – Research findings support tenets of symbolic self‐completion theory.Practical implications – Men's apparel retailers could promote their apparel as a symbol of qualities young men are interested in expressing and as a means to achieve desired work‐related outcomes.Originalit.
Organizational measures as a form of knowledge management: A multitheoretic, communication-based exploration

One form of knowledge management is the use of measures, to foster learning, to transform individual tacit understanding to shared explicit sensemaking, to evaluate and improve processes and customer service, and even to rationalize and control organizational activities and workers. This article summarizes and applies four theoretical approaches-- organizational learning, sense-making, quality management, and critical theory--to explore how measures are constructed, interpreted, and used within organizational settings as forms of knowledge management. The primary principles, the role of communication, and the role of measures are summarized for each approach. The article ends by discussing some implications of measures in general and this multitheoretic conceptualization of measures in particular for knowledge management.