Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aging and old age

Are the elderly posing a threat to America's political system with their enormous clout? Are they stretching resources to the breaking point with their growing demands for care? Distinguished economist and legal scholar Richard A. Posner explodes the myth that the United States could be on the brink of gerontological disaster. Aging and Old Age offers fresh insight into a wide range of social and political issues relating to the elderly, such as health care, crime, social security, and discrimination. From the dread of death to the inordinate law-abidingness of the old, from their loquacity to their penny-pinching, Posner paints a surprisingly rich, revealing, and unsentimental portrait of the millions of elderly people in the United States. He explores issues such as age discrimination in employment, creativity and leadership as functions of age, and the changing social status of the elderly. Why are old people, presumably with less to lose, more unwilling to take risks than young people? Why don't the elderly in the United States command the respect and affection they once did and still do in other countries? How does aging affect driving and criminal records? And how does aging relate to creativity across different careers?
Neighborhoods are good communities

The communities of a social network are sets of vertices with more connections inside the set than outside. We theoretically demonstrate that two commonly observed properties of social networks, heavy-tailed degree distributions and large clustering coefficients, imply the existence of vertex neighborhoods (also known as egonets) that are themselves good communities. We evaluate these neighborhood communities on a range of graphs. What we find is that the neighborhood communities often exhibit conductance scores that are as good as the Fiedler cut. Also, the conductance of neighborhood communities shows similar behavior as the network community profile computed with a personalized PageRank community detection method. The latter requires sweeping over a great many starting vertices, which can be expensive. By using a small and easy-to-compute set of neighborhood communities as seeds for these PageRank communities, however, we find communities that precisely capture the behavior of the network community profile when seeded everywhere in the graph, and at a significant reduction in total work.
Rank-preserving two-level caching for scalable search engines

We present an e ective caching scheme that reduces the computing and I/O requirements of a Web search engine without altering its ranking characteristics. The novelty is a two-level caching scheme that simultaneously combines cached query results and cached inverted lists on a real case search engine. A set of log queries are used to measure and compare the performance and the scalability of the search engine with no cache, with the cache for query results, with the cache for inverted lists, and with the two-level cache. Experimental results show that the two-level cache is superior, and that it allows increasing the maximum number of queries processed per second by a factor of three, while preserving the response time. These results are new, have not been reported before, and demonstrate the importance of advanced caching schemes for real case search engines.
Prediction of academic achievement using the School Motivation Analysis Test.

Summary. Mathematics and English achievement was investigated among 277 Year 10 Australian students. Using the School Motivation Analysis Test (SMAT) as the measure of dynamic motivational traits, significant achievement variance (25 per cent for Mathematics; 34 per cent for English) was accounted for independently from that due to abilities and personality traits. Male students tended to invest a greater proportion of intellectual abilities (indexed via the SMAT General Information Intelligence score) than did females in the learning of Mathematics (accounting for 25 per cent of the variance for males), whereas females demonstrated a higher investment of abilities in English. The specific motivational dynamic traits predictive of performance in each subject area are reported and discussed.
Staphylococcus aureus protein SAUGI acts as a uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor

DNA mimic proteins are unique factors that control the DNA binding activity of target proteins by directly occupying their DNA binding sites. The extremely divergent amino acid sequences of the DNA mimics make these proteins hard to predict, and although they are likely to be ubiquitous, to date, only a few have been reported and functionally analyzed. Here we used a bioinformatic approach to look for potential DNA mimic proteins among previously reported protein structures. From ∼14 candidates, we selected the Staphylococcus conserved hypothetical protein SSP0047, and used proteomic and structural approaches to show that it is a novel DNA mimic protein. In Staphylococcus aureus, we found that this protein acts as a uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor, and therefore named it S. aureus uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitor (SAUGI). We also determined and analyzed the complex structure of SAUGI and S. aureus uracil-DNA glycosylase (SAUDG). Subsequent BIAcore studies further showed that SAUGI has a high binding affinity to both S. aureus and human UDG. The two uracil-DNA glycosylase inhibitors (UGI and p56) previously known to science were both found in Bacillus phages, and this is the first report of a bacterial DNA mimic that may regulate SAUDG’s functional roles in DNA repair and host defense.
Factors Strengthening School Geography's Curricular Position in the Nineteenth Century

The purpose of this study was to analyze the evolution of geography in the United States’ K–12 education system throughout the Nineteenth Century to understand the causes of variations, shifts in focus, and relative importance placed on geography. A broad theoretical framework, based on the work of sociologists of education and education philosophers and historians, guided the process of data collection and analysis. The authors feel that this research is significant because it clearly shows that geography was a high-status, “stand alone” subject in the public schools throughout most of the Nineteenth Century. Factors contributing to geography's prominent curricular position correlate well with the theoretical notion that the variation of emphasis of school subjects hinges largely on the involvement of their respective academic disciplines and/or scholars, and that society must perceive the subject as macro-economically beneficial to the long-term longevity of the nation's interests and economy. For the social studies as a whole, this paper represents a model of analysis for all of the subject areas that are currently included in the collection of ideas, themes, and approaches that comprise the modern concept of the social studies.
Development of Examination Behaviour Inventory: An Integrity Measure for Prevention of Cheating in School Exams

Cheating in examinations is an educational menace that has threatened the very essence of schooling in most countriesof the world. Therefore, it has become imperative for researchers in education to seek alternative strategies for curbingit in order to restore the dignity of school examinations as an instrument for assessing actual educational attainment bystudents. This research study addresses this challenge by developing an inventory that could be used to measure theexamination behaviour of prospective candidates for school certificate examinations. The rationale for developing theinstrument is based on providing a tool for identifying students who have positive tendencies towards engaging incheating behaviour during school examinations. The initial sample used for the validation of the ExaminationBehaviour Inventory was 2000 candidates enrolled for the 2013 Senior School Certificate Examinations in Nigeriawhile the standardization of the instrument involved 4000 candidates. Cronbach Alpha index of the instrument is . 843and Factor Analysis delineated 12 principal component factors. Other psychometric properties of the inventory and thedetailed processes involved in the construction, validation and standardization of this valuable educational instrumentis reported. The instrument is recommended to School Counsellors, Psychologists, Teachers, Administrators and otherstakeholders in education who are interested in the identification of prospective candidates who have a tendency toengage in cheating during examinations so as to apply proactive reformation on them.
Children's Temperament and Behavior in Montessori and Constructivist Early Childhood Programs

This study tested the hypothesis that curriculum type (Montessori and constructivist) moderates the impact of temperament (specifically activity level and attention-span/persistence) on the classroom behavior of 3- to 5-year-old children. Mothers enrolled in Montessori and constructivist preschools filled out the Colorado Childhood Temperament Inventory. The children's teachers filled out the Preschool Behavior Questionnaire and the Preschool Adjustment Questionnaire. A near-significant trend suggested that temperamentally active boys were more likely to be perceived by their teachers as having behavior problems if they were enrolled in Montessori programs than if they were enrolled in constructivist programs. There was no such trend for girls. There was no evidence that temperamental attention-span persistence moderated the impact of curriculum type on either boys' or girls' behavior. The findings thus give modest support to the notion that parents should be advised to select constructivist early childhood programs especially for boys who are temperamentally predisposed to be highly modifying their teaching practices to better accommodate the needs of these children active. In addition, directors and teachers in Montessori programs may consider modifying their teaching practices to better accommodate the needs of these children.
Run-time Detection Mechanism of Nested Call-loop Structure to Monitor the Actual Execution of Codes

To enhance dependability is becoming hard because emerging multicore processors and ever-increasing code size of software make a computer system larger and more complex year by year. In this circumstance, how to handle and make effective use of multicore processors is essential for tackling these issues, and a mechanism that monitors the dynamic behavior of code execution is required to realize it. In this paper, we present a profiling scheme of nested call-loop structure using dynamic binary instrumentation. We evaluate our profiling scheme using an application benchmark, and show the advantages of our profiling compared with conventional profiling. We also show that ourprofiling can monitor the actual dynamic behavior of an application and detect the nested loop structures and their relative locations toward function calls. The results also indicate that our scheme has the ability to be adaptable for performance tuning and optimization process of multicore systems.
A Factor Analysis of Items on the MMPI Schizophrenia Scale

SEVERAL previous articles in this series ( 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) have reported factor analyses of the items on the Hypochondriasis, Depression, Hysteria, Psychopathic Deviate, Paranoia, and Psychasthenia scales of the Minneso a Multiphasic Personality Inventory (7). Findings generally have shown these scales to be highly complex factorially and greatly overlapping in factor content. As a result of the factor analyses carried out, it has been possible to suggest some revised scales which have greater unity of content. For certain of these scales, e.g., Neuroticism, Health Concern, and Paranoia, there probably are enough items in the
PPARβ/δ selectively regulates phenotypic features of age-related macular degeneration

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ (PPARβ/δ) is a nuclear receptor that regulates differentiation, inflammation, lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix remodeling, and angiogenesis in multiple tissues. These pathways are also central to the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss globally. With the goal of identifying signaling pathways that may be important in the development of AMD, we investigated the impact of PPARβ/δ activation on ocular tissues affected in the disease. PPARβ/δ is expressed and can be activated in AMD vulnerable cells, including retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and choroidal endothelial cells. Further, PPARβ/δ knockdown modulates AMD-related pathways selectively. Specifically, genetic ablation of Pparβ/δ in aged mice resulted in exacerbation of several phenotypic features of early dry AMD, but attenuation of experimentally induced choroidal neovascular (CNV) lesions. Antagonizing PPARβ/δ in both in vitro angiogenesis assays and in the in vivo experimentally induced CNV model, inhibited angiogenesis and angiogenic pathways, while ligand activation of PPARβ/δ, in vitro, decreased RPE lipid accumulation, characteristic of dry AMD. This study demonstrates for the first time, selective regulation of a nuclear receptor in the eye and establishes that selective targeting of PPARβ/δ may be a suitable strategy for treatment of different clinical sub-types of AMD.
Expatriate management “best practices” in Canadian MNCs: a multiple case study

Provides an in‐depth description of the expatriate management practices of four Canadian multinationals in order to determine how closely Canadian practices correspond to the “best practices” described in the international HRM (IHRM) literature. Toward that end, reviews the IHRM literature. A qualitative study design was employed, in the form of a holistic multiple case study with four Canadian MNCs. Results indicated that, contrary to trends noted in the literature, the Canadian firms studied do not neglect expatriate management practices, although they do not fully implement such practices either – at least not to the extent advocated in the literature. The key explanation put forth is the lack of any systematic evaluation of these practices, which might have enabled shortcomings to be more readily recognized. The other key finding was that the participating firms relied extensively on expatriates to be proactive in managing various aspects of their own careers. Discusses implications.
Motivational Patterns Related to Gifted Students' Learning of Mathematics, Science and English: An Examination of Gender Differences

The study examined gender differences in achievement-related motivational patterns in gifted students. One hundred sixty-nine intellectually gifted secondary students were given measures of perceived ability, subjective task value, learning style preference, and causal attributions in reference to mathematics, science, and English. They also responded to measures of self-concept, intrinsic motivation, and attribution for responsibility for positive and negative outcomes. Gifted girls, more than gifted boys, were found to attribute both success and failure in mathematics, science, and English to effort and strategy. Gifted girls also tended to report greater confidence and interest in English. However, no gender differences were found in terms of maladaptive motivational tendency. No program differences overall were found. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Clustering Algorithm in Normalised Cuts Based Image Segmentation

Normalised cut method has been effectively used for image segmentation by representing an image as weighted graph in global view. It does segmentation via partitioning the graphs into sub-graphs. Clustering algorithm is implemented such that sub-graphs with common similarities are grouped together into one cluster and separates sub-graphs that are dissimilar into distinctive clusters. Clustered segments from the normalised cuts are then produced. As the clusters initialisation gives influence to the segmentation result, optimisation of the clustering algorithm is implemented to achieve better segmentation. With the approach applied in the normalised cuts based image segmentation, the constraint of using normalised cuts algorithm in image segmentation can be alleviated. In this paper, evaluation of the clustering algorithm with the normalised cuts image segmentation on images has been carried out and the effect of different image complexity towards normalised cuts segmentation process is presented.
Exploring Feature Selection and Support Vector Machine in Text Categorization

With the growing number of text documents in the Internet, it is difficult for users to search, find, manage and organize information quickly. Normally, text documents are classified manually and it is time-consuming. Text categorization is a process of assigning text documents into a set of fixed predefined categories. The high dimensionality of text documents made it difficult to categorize because text documents contain noise and useless data. This paper explored several methods of feature selection that can be used to reduce high dimensionality of feature space in text documents such as Information Gain, Gain Ratio, CHI-Squares, Mutual Information and Document frequency. Next, the study adopted text categorization using Support Vector Machines. The results showed that Support Vector Machines perform well and very fast both in training and testing datasets.
Complete Genome Sequences of Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesviruses 1A and 1B Determined Directly from Fatal Cases

ABSTRACT A highly lethal hemorrhagic disease associated with infection by elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) poses a severe threat to Asian elephant husbandry. We have used high-throughput methods to sequence the genomes of the two genotypes that are involved in most fatalities, namely, EEHV1A and EEHV1B (species Elephantid herpesvirus 1, genus Proboscivirus, subfamily Betaherpesvirinae, family Herpesviridae). The sequences were determined from postmortem tissue samples, despite the data containing tiny proportions of viral reads among reads from a host for which the genome sequence was not available. The EEHV1A genome is 180,421 bp in size and consists of a unique sequence (174,601 bp) flanked by a terminal direct repeat (2,910 bp). The genome contains 116 predicted protein-coding genes, of which six are fragmented, and seven paralogous gene families are present. The EEHV1B genome is very similar to that of EEHV1A in structure, size, and gene layout. Half of the EEHV1A genes lack orthologs in other members of subfamily Betaherpesvirinae, such as human cytomegalovirus (genus Cytomegalovirus) and human herpesvirus 6A (genus Roseolovirus). Notable among these are 23 genes encoding type 3 membrane proteins containing seven transmembrane domains (the 7TM family) and seven genes encoding related type 2 membrane proteins (the EE50 family). The EE50 family appears to be under intense evolutionary selection, as it is highly diverged between the two genotypes, exhibits evidence of sequence duplications or deletions, and contains several fragmented genes. The availability of the genome sequences will facilitate future research on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of EEHV-associated disease.
Using Visual Cues of Contact to Improve Interactive Manipulation of Virtual Objects in Industrial Assembly/Maintenance Simulations

This paper describes a set of visual cues of contact designed to improve the interactive manipulation of virtual objects in industrial assembly/maintenance simulations. These visual cues display information of proximity, contact and effort between virtual objects when the user manipulates a part inside a digital mock-up. The set of visual cues encloses the apparition of glyphs (arrow, disk, or sphere) when the manipulated object is close or in contact with another part of the virtual environment. Light sources can also be added at the level of contact points. A filtering technique is proposed to decrease the number of glyphs displayed at the same time. Various effects - such as change in color, change in size, and deformation of shape - can be applied to the glyphs as a function of proximity with other objects or amplitude of the contact forces. A preliminary evaluation was conducted to gather the subjective preference of a group of participants during the simulation of an automotive assembly operation. The collected questionnaires showed that participants globally appreciated our visual cues of contact. The changes in color appeared to be preferred concerning the display of distances and proximity information. Size changes and deformation effects appeared to be preferred in terms of perception of contact forces between the parts. Last, light sources were selected to focus the attention of the user on the contact areas
The Automatic Content Extraction (ACE) Program – Tasks, Data, and Evaluation

The objective of the ACE program is to develop technology to automatically infer from human language data the entities being mentioned, the relations among these entities that are directly expressed, and the events in which these entities participate. Data sources include audio and image data in addition to pure text, and Arabic and Chinese in addition to English. The effort involves defining the research tasks in detail, collecting and annotating data needed for training, development, and evaluation, and supporting the research with evaluation tools and research workshops. This program began with a pilot study in 1999. The next evaluation is scheduled for September 2004.
Turbo equalization with low complexity decoder

Turbo equalization (TE) is an iterative receiver algorithm repeating equalization and channel decoding to improve receiver performance. As equalization and decoding are performed several times, the complexity of the TE receiver increases respectively. Furthermore, the decoder needs to provide probability information as output, which increases the computational burden even more. In this paper we introduce a new method to reduce the decoding complexity of the TE receiver. This soft trellis decoding (STD) technique utilises information obtained from the previous decoding step to select those trellis metrics that need to be recalculated. Hence, the most unlikely trellis branches are eliminated. We evaluate STD performance in the Enhanced General Packet Radio System (EGPRS) platform by simulations. We show that STD reaches performance close to full trellis decoding, but requires only a fraction of the computational power.
Oct-4 and Nanog promote the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer stem cells and are associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients

Oct-4 and Nanog in regulating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis of breast cancer has not been clarified. We found that both Oct-4 and Nanog expression were significantly associated with tumor pathology and poor prognosis in 126 breast cancer patients. Characterization of CD44+CD24-Cancer stem cell(CSC) derived from breast cancer cells indicated that CSC rapidly formed mammospheres and had potent tumorigenicity in vivo. Furthermore, TGF-β up-regulated the expression of Oct-4, Nanog, N-cadherin, vimentin, Slug, and Snail, but down-regulated E-cadherin and cytokeratin 18 expression, demonstrating that CSC underwent EMT. Knockdown of both Oct-4 and Nanog expression inhibited spontaneous changes in the expression of EMT-related genes, while induction of both Oct-4 and Nanog over-expression enhanced spontaneous changes in the expression of EMT-related genes in CSC. However, perturbing alternation of Oct-4 and Nanog expression also modulated TGF-β-induced EMT-related gene expression in CSC. Induction of Oct-4 and Nanog over-expression enhanced the invasiveness of CSC, but knockdown of both Oct-4 and Nanog inhibited the migration of CSC in vitro. Our data suggest that both Oct-4 and Nanog may serve as biomarkers for evaluating breast cancer prognosis. Our findings indicate that Oct-4 and Nanog positively regulate the EMT process, contributing to breast cancer metastasis.