Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aspects of motivation, self-concept and coping strategies in boys in Australian independent schools : a contextual comparison

This thesis records an empirical study into psychological aspects reported by early adolescent and mid-adolescent boys. The research described in this thesis considered three different psychological characteristics, namely motivation, self-concept, and coping strategies, in 13-15 years old boys in Australian independent schools. These characteristics were considered within the context of two different school types, co-educational or single-sex boys. A total of 330 boys were tested, with samples from two year groups (Year 8 and Year 10) in each of two co-educational schools and two single-sex boys' schools. The four schools surveyed were located in large urban areas in two Australian states, and they were non-Catholic Christian day and boarding schools taking enrolments from pre-Grade 1 (four and a half years old) to the final year of secondary education. Year 12 (seventeen years old). The psychological tests used were the School Motivation Analysis Test (motivation), the Self- Description Questionnaire-ll (self-concept), and the Adolescent Coping Scale (coping strategies). Additionally, a demographic questionnaire obtained details of family background, socioeconomic status of children in the school, ethnic origin, occupation of parents, number of years spent in co-educational schools and single-sex schools, number of brothers, number of sisters, whether a day boy or a boarder, and date of birth. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in each of the three psychological characteristics studied; multiple regression analysis showed that these differences were indicated by school type more frequently than any other independent variable. Finally, suggestions for future work in this area are made.
Nanometrology and its perspectives in environmental research

Objectives Rapid increase in engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in many goods has raised significant concern about their environmental safety. Proper methodologies are therefore needed to conduct toxicity and exposure assessment of nanoparticles in the environment. This study reviews several analytical techniques for nanoparticles and summarizes their principles, advantages and disadvantages, reviews the state of the art, and offers the perspectives of nanometrology in relation to ENP studies. Methods Nanometrology is divided into five techniques with regard to the instrumental principle: microscopy, light scattering, spectroscopy, separation, and single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Results Each analytical method has its own drawbacks, such as detection limit, ability to quantify or qualify ENPs, and matrix effects. More than two different analytical methods should be used to better characterize ENPs. Conclusions In characterizing ENPs, the researchers should understand the nanometrology and its demerits, as well as its merits, to properly interpret their experimental results. Challenges lie in the nanometrology and pretreatment of ENPs from various matrices; in the extraction without dissolution or aggregation, and concentration of ENPs to satisfy the instrumental detection limit.
miRNA regulation of nutrient homeostasis in plants

Small RNAs including micro RNAs (miRNA) play an indispensable role in cell signaling mechanisms. Generally, miRNAs that are 20–24 nucleotides long bind to specific complementary transcripts, attenuating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level or via translational inhibition. In plants, miRNAs have emerged as the principal regulator of various stress responses, including low nutrient availability. It has been reported that miRNAs are vital for maintaining nutrient homeostasis in plants by regulating the expression of transporters that are involved in nutrient uptake and mobilization. The present review highlights the role of various miRNAs in several macro- or micronutrient deficiencies in plants. Understanding the regulation of different transporters by miRNAs will aid in elucidating the underlying molecular signal transduction mechanisms during nutritional stress. Recent findings regarding nutrient related-miRNAs and their gene regulation machinery may delineate a novel platform for improving the nutritional status of cereal grains or crop biofortification programs in the future.
NBTI-Aware Transient Fault Rate Analysis Method for Logic Circuit Based on Probability Voltage Transfer Characteristics

The reliability of Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) circuits has become increasingly susceptible to transient faults induced by environmental noise with the scaling of technology. Some commonly used fault tolerance strategies require statistical methods to accurately estimate the fault rate in different parts of the logic circuit, and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is often applied to complete this task. However, the MC method suffers from impractical computation costs due to the size of the circuits. Furthermore, circuit aging effects, such as negative bias temperature instability (NBTI), will change the characteristics of the circuit during its lifetime, leading to a change in the circuit’s noise margin. This change will increase the complexity of transient fault rate estimation tasks. In this paper, an NBTI-aware statistical analysis method based on probability voltage transfer characteristics is proposed for combinational logic circuit. This method can acquire accurate fault rates using a discrete probability density function approximation process, thus resolving the computation cost problem of the MC method. The proposed method can also consider aging effects and analyze statistical changes in the fault rates. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared to the MC simulation, our method can achieve computation times that are two orders of magnitude shorter while maintaining an error rate less than 9%.
Critical Success Factors of Business Intelligence (BI) in an ERP Systems Environment

The recent advent of what is commonly known as Bu siness Intelligence (BI) syst ems has highlighted the importance of these systems in providi ng important decision-making information. BI systems are highly reliant on enterprise resource planning (ERP) sy stems functionality and th e vast amount of transa ctional data that ERP systems generate. Indeed, many companies have implemented BI systems as an extension to their ERP systems to enhance their strategic and analytical capabilities. No research exists that identifies the critical success factors (CSF) associated with BI systems implementations as part of an ERP system environment. This research adopts a content analysis approach to identify the critical success factors.
Comment on A dynamic ID-based Remote User Authentication Scheme

Since 1981, when Lamport introduced the remote user authentication scheme using table, a plenty of schemes had been proposed with table and without table using. Recently Das, Saxena and Gulati have proposed A dynamic ID-based remote user authentication scheme. They claimed that their scheme is secure against ID-theft, and can resist the reply attacks, forgery attacks, insider attacks and so on. In this paper we show that Das et al.'s scheme is completely insecure and using of this scheme is like an open server access without password. 1
Yale University Department of Computer Science On Stable Route Selection for Interdomain Traf fi c Engineering : Models and Analysis

BGP route selection is increasingly being used by ASes to achieve interdomain traffic engineering objectives. One fundamental feature of route selection for interdomain traffic engineering is that routes for a set of destinations be chosen jointly to satisfy traffic engineering constraints and meet traffic engineering objectives. In this paper, we present a general model of route selection for interdomain traffic engineering by allowing the routing of multiple destinations to be coordinated. We identify potential routing instability and inefficiency by showing that there exist networks where the interaction of the route selection of multiple destinations can cause routing instability, even though the networks are guaranteed to converge to a unique route selection when each destination is considered alone. We derive a sufficient condition to guarantee routing convergence. We also show that the constraints on local policies imposed by business considerations in the Internet can guarantee stability without global coordination. Using realistic Internet topology, we evaluate the extent to which routing instability of interdomain traffic engineering can happen when the constraints are violated. We further generalize the preceding model under two extensions. One, we investigate the general model that the preference of an AS depends on not only its egress routes to the destinations but also its inbound traffic pattern. Second, instead of studying a specific route selection algorithm, we study a general class of route selection algorithms which we call rational route selection algorithms. We present a sufficient condition to guarantee routing convergence in a heterogeneous network where each AS runs any rational route selection algorithm. We also show that there ∗Computer Science Department, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8285, USA. Email: hao.wang@yale.edu. Supported by NSF grant ANI-0207399. †Computer Science Department, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8285, USA. Email: yong@cs.yale.edu. Supported by NSF grant ANI-0238038. ‡Computer Science Department, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8285, USA. Email: yry@cs.yale.edu. Supported in part by NSF grants ANI-0207399 and ANI-0238038. §Networking Research Lab, Bell Labs, Lucent, Holmdel, NJ 07733-3030 Email: li.li@bell-labs.com. ¶Department of Computer Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA. Email: ybliu@cs.utexas. edu. ‖Computer Science Department, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8285, USA. Email: avi@cs.yale.edu. Supported in part by NSF.
Characteristics of Trust in Online Social Networks and Community of Trust as a Special Case of Online Community

With boost of interest in Web 2.0 technologies, appropriate trust models are increasingly more important. First section the paper contains state of the art about trust characteristics, in particular multidimensionality, contextuality, scope of relevance, transitivity and asymmetry. Transitivity as a key aspect utilized in most models is described in a slightly greater detail. Discussion on scope of relevance allowed us to introduce taxonomy of trust from the scope point of view. Based on the general foundation, in the second section we introduce community of trust as a niche type of online community where users trust each other as default and where the trust loses most of its subjective flavour.
The Cost and Financing of Legal Education.

While the decade of the 1990s produced tremendous growth and significant improvements in legal education, by the start of the twenty-first century a number of factors had combined to create great challenges for the legal education community. Some of the most important are. a very substantial increase oyer the 1990s in the tuition charged J.D. students, at both private and publicly assisted law schools. a similarly substantial increase in the expenditures on their programs by ABA-approved law schools. a significant reduction in the relative level of financial support provided by state governments to public higher education in general, and to publicly assisted legal education in particular. a dramatic increase in the amount of borrowing by law students and in the average indebtedness of graduating law studentsThis paper sets forth the facts concerning these developments and then discusses some actions that law schools are taking, or might consider taking, to counter their negative impact.
Human CD4+ T Cells Express TLR5 and Its Ligand Flagellin Enhances the Suppressive Capacity and Expression of FOXP3 in CD4+CD25+ T Regulatory Cells1

Germline encoded pattern recognition receptors, such as TLRs, provide a critical link between the innate and adaptive immune systems. There is also evidence to suggest that pathogen-associated molecular patterns may have the capacity to modulate immune responses via direct effects on CD4+ T cells. Given the key role of both CD4+CD25+ T regulatory (Treg) cells and the TLR5 ligand flagellin in regulating mucosal immune responses, we investigated whether TLR5 may directly influence T cell function. We found that both human CD4+CD25+ Treg and CD4+CD25− T cells express TLR5 at levels comparable to those on monocytes and dendritic cells. Costimulation of effector T cells with anti-CD3 and flagellin resulted in enhanced proliferation and production of IL-2, at levels equivalent to those achieved by costimulation with CD28. In contrast, costimulation with flagellin did not break the hyporesponsiveness of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells, but rather, potently increased their suppressive capacity and enhanced expression of FOXP3. These observations suggest that, in addition to their APC-mediated indirect effects, TLR ligands have the capacity to directly regulate T cell responses and modulate the suppressive activity of Treg cells.
Radial Distortion Snakes ∗ ∗

In this paper, we address the problem of recovering the camera radial distortion coefficients from one image. The approach that we propose uses a special kind of snakes called radial distortion snakes. Radial distortion snakes behave like conventional deformable contours, except that their behavior are globally connected via a consistent model of image radial distortion. Experiments show that radial distortion snakes are more robust and accurate than conventional snakes and manual point selection. key words: Calibration, radial distortion, snakes.
A Physical Approach for SAR Speckle Simulation: First Results

Abstract In this paper a SAR simulator able to provide images presenting appropriate speckle statistics is introduced. The simulator is able to generate both Exponential (fully developed speckle) and K-distributed speckle statistics, according to surface and radar parameters. It is based on sound physical models for the evaluation of the number of equivalent scatterers per resolution cell. The proposed simulator requires as inputs the radar, orbital and surface parameters. The statistics relevant to each single equivalent scatterer are then effectively generated as a 2-D scale mixture of Gaussians and the global statistics of the return from each resolution cell are obtained as the coherent sum of all the scatterers contributions. The rationale of the proposed simulation framework is detailed and meaningful results regarding the analysis of the first simulated images are discussed.
“INSERTION ACTIVITY” IN ELECTROMYOGRAPHY

In clinical electromyography the muscle is examined not only in regard to voluntary activity and "spontaneous" activity, but also as regards the response on mechanical stimulation by the exploring needle electrode. According to Weddell and others (1944), the response of the normal muscle consists of a short outburst of action potentials which can be distinguished from normal motor unit action potentials of neural origin only by the mechanical manner of production. They term these action potentials "insertion motor unit action potentials. " In denervated muscle Weddell and co-workers demonstrated that the outburst lasted appreciably longer, and that the action potentials evoked were identical with those of the spontaneously contracting individual muscle fibres of the denervated muscle, that is, the fibrillary action potentials. In view of the diagnostic importance of the mechanical irritability, we systematically examined it in the normal, and in the denervated muscle, as well as in different forms of muscular dystrophy. Our report includes also an observation on the response of denervated muscle to constant current.
High-impedance multi-conductor transmission-lines for integrated applications at millimeter-wave frequency

This paper describes novel integrated transmission lines base on slotted-floating shield for ultra-wide band operation a millimeter-wave frequencies. The designed structures con sist of two main conductors used for signal and ground along with a floating conductor, which improves the per formance of the line. The implemented designs increase th line-impedance and reduce the wavelength of the guided sig nal with respect to normal CPW and microstrip solutions while retaining low propagation losses. Four different de signs with different floating conductor geometries are re alized and presented. All configurations aim at avoiding the penetration of the electromagnetic field into the pro cess substrate and flow of return currents into the thinnes metals of the process. Both effects are known to be th main source of propagation losses for integrated transmis sion lines. Experimental demonstration is provided with the fabrication of test-structures in a 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS process. The simulation results have been validated agains on-chip measurements, de-embedded with an Open-Shor technique. Agreement between measurements and simula tions is demonstrated in the frequency range of 1 GHz to 50 GHz. Simulations of the cross-section field-distributior are also shown, confirming the reduction of return current into the lossy substrate. An increase in line impedance o 18 % and 44 % against conventional CPW and microstrip i measured for equal cross-section area and conductors width At the same time, the propagation losses are lowered by 7 % and 15 %, and the slow-wave nature of the lines reduces the guided wavelength by 21 % and 26 % against the two conventional structures.
Comparison between Two-sample Method with 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, Gates’ Method and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Values by Formula Based Methods in Healthy Kidney Donor Population

Purpose of the Study: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the most important parameter for the assessment of renal function. GFR by plasma sampling technique is considered accurate in the selection of donors for renal transplantation. Estimated GFR (eGFR) calculations using Gates' method and Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and Cockcroft–Gault (CG) equations are simple methods but have not been validated in the Indian population. Hence, we aimed to assess the correlation between these three techniques. Materials and Methods: The plasma sampling technique was done using two samples at 60 and 180 min after injection of 1 mCi (37MBq) 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA) in 66 healthy donors. Age, sex, height, weight, and plasma creatinine were recorded. Normalized GFR (nGFR) by two-sample method and eGFR (for Gates', MDRD, and CG) values were calculated using formulae. Results: There were 14 male and 52 female donors. Mean age was 46.56 ± 12.88 years (24–69 years). Mean height was 153.74 ± 8.35 cm, whereas mean weight was 56.97 ± 11.88 kg. Mean nGFR value was 80.4 for two-sample method while mean eGFR value for Gates', CG, and MDRD were 83.3, 89.36, and 97.47 ml/min/1.73 m2 (eligibility value at our institution = 70), respectively. While the correlation between nGFR and eGFR CG and MDRD was weak moderate (correlation coefficient = 0.5), nGFR and eGFR Gates' had a moderate correlation (0.686). Mean total bias for eGFR Gates', CG, and MDRD were 2.87, 8.93, and 17.0, respectively. P30of eGFR Gates', CG and MDRD were 60.6%, 57.6%, and 62.1%, respectively. Conclusions: Due to the large variability in eGFR Gates', CG and MDRD, nGFR estimation using the plasma sampling technique with 99mTc-DTPA appears necessary while screening healthy donors for renal transplantation.
A Layered Component-Based Architecture of a Virtual Learning Environment

There exists an urgent demand on defining architectures for Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), so that high-level frameworks for understanding these systems can be discovered, portability, interoperability and reusability can be achieved and adaptability over time can be accomplished. In this paper we propose a prototype architecture for a VLE that professes state-of-the-art software engineering techniques such as layered structure and component-based nature. We base our work upon the LTSA working standard of IEEE LTSC, which serves as a business model, on the empirical results of a web-based instructional system architecture and on the practices of a well-established software engineering process.
Electrodermal Schizophrenia Activity as a Prodromal Sign in

Schizophrenia is often characterized by successive periods of psychotic symptoms and remission. Phenomenological and behavioral changes sometimes occur within a few days or weeks prior to the appearance of psychotic symptoms (Herz and Melville 1980; Subotnik and Nuechterlein 1988). If further developed, these "prodromal signs" might serve as early warning signs of impending psychotic episodes and, with appropriate intervention, might be used to circumvent subsequent relapses; however, phenomenological and behavioral prodromal signs require accurate self-monitoring and reporting of subtle experiential and behavioral changes, and may have limited sensitivity and specificity (see review by Norman and Malla 1995). Physiological measures that do not rely on self-report might be useful supplemental prodromal signs. A promising measure in this context is electrodermal activity (EDA), which is a measure of palmar sweat gland activity and a peripheral index of sympathetic nervous system arousal (Dawson et al 1990). EDA abnormalities in schizophrenia have been noted for many years (see reviews by Bernstein et al 1982; Ohman 1981). More relevant to the study of prodromal signs, however, is the finding that increases in EDA occur in schizophrenia patients during a psychotic episode compared to a symptomatically remitted period (Dawson et al 1994), and in the weeks prior to psychotic
Innovative Instrumentation to Measure Magnetic Susceptibility

A simplified instrumentation with nominal circuitry has been developed to measure in- and out-of-phase complex magnetic susceptibility of bulk magnetic samples. A unique shape of the absolute coil is implemented to improve the magnetic field homogeneity inside the coil. Complex susceptibility of nano-composite is measured by an innovative phase detection circuit. In this paper, we also discuss in detail the principle, design, and the performance of the instrumentation. This susceptometer is also suitable for liquid samples, viz., ferro-fluids, blood samples, etc.