Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
LQN-Based Performance Evaluation Framework of UML-Based Models for Distributed Object Applications

Software Performance Engineering (SPE) has a great impact on software life cycle. A great effort had been introduced in this area. Automation degree of transformation and evaluation process, standardization degree, and performance parameters evaluated represent a big challenge for SPE. This paper presents an XSLTbased framework to overcome these challenges. This framework transforms Unified Modeling Language (UML) software models into Layered Queuing Networks (LQN) performance models. Such framework can be applied on distributed object applications (web services). What unify the proposed framework are: 1) the ability to use more than one type of UML diagrams in building Software model at first phase, 2) the standardization of algorithms applied because of applying XSLT / XQuery rules in all framework phases, 3) two new algorithms (SAT and ADLQNT) are used to achieve high automation degree of transformation and evaluation process, 4) the number of performance parameters evaluated at last phase, such as response time, throughput, and resource utilization before building the real program. Discussion and analysis of the proposed framework are based on illustrative example for validating its ability to achieve the proposed goal, and to evaluate its performance.
A comprehensive framework for effective school improvement

The comprehensive framework was developed in the Effective School Improvement Project. The initial framework was based on an analysis of a range of theories and an additional analysis of case studies in the field of school improvement. A revision took place after an analytic confrontation of the initial framework with successful improvement projects. Also, country conferences for groups of researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers contributed to the revised version of the framework. The framework builds on earlier work in the field of school effectiveness and school improvement.
Understanding of Goals, Beliefs, and Desires Predicts Morally Relevant Theory of Mind: A Longitudinal Investigation.

Developmental continuity between infants' understanding of intentional agency (goals, beliefs, and desires) and young children's attributions of moral intentions were studied in a 4-year longitudinal study (N = 77 children). First, goal encoding at the age of 7 months and implicit false belief understanding at 18 months were predictive of children's understanding of an accidental transgressor's moral intentions at the age of 5 years. Second, 24-month-olds' understanding of subjective desires was predictive of children's ability to understand an accidental transgressor's false belief at 5 years. These correlations remained significant when controlling for gender and verbal IQ. These findings support the theory that an early understanding of intentional agency is foundational for moral cognition in childhood.
Computing grip force and torque from finger nail images using Gaussian processes

We demonstrate a simple approach with which finger force can be measured from nail coloration. By automatically extracting features from nail images of a finger-mounted CCD camera, we can directly relate these images to the force measured by a force-torque sensor. The method automatically corrects orientation and illumination differences. Using Gaussian processes, we can relate preprocessed images of the finger nail to measured force and torque of the finger, allowing us to predict the finger force at a level of 95%-98% accuracy at force ranges up to 10N, and torques around 90% accuracy, based on training data gathered in 90s.
Conditional Information Bottleneck Clustering

We present an extension of the well-known information bottleneck framework, called conditional information bottleneck, which takes negative relevance information into account by maximizing a conditional mutual information score. This general approach can be utilized in a data mining context to extract relevant information that is at the same time novel relative to known properties or structures of the data. We present possible applications of the conditional information bottleneck in information retrieval and text mining for recovering non-redundant clustering solutions, including experimental results on the WebKB data set which validate the approach.
Relationship of High-School Seniors' Perceptions of Parental Involvement and Control to Seniors' Locus of Control.

There are competing theories on the effects of parental involvement and control on adolescent development. Each theory holds implications for parents, adolescents, and counselors working with parents and adolescents. Using a national data set, this study sought to support or disconfirm theory and research regarding parental involvement with and control over various aspects of highschool seniors' lives. Findings support the contention that parental involvement and parental control are conditional on one another in predicting adolescents' locus of control. From high-school seniors' perspectives, parental control with parental involvement was related to internal locus of control, whereas control without involvement was related to external locus of control.
Observations of Dyadic Power in Interpersonal Interaction

Power and dominance are widely recognized as fundamental concepts in the study of human relationships. A theory of power, Dunbar's dyadic power theory (DPT), was tested experimentally by manipulating power in interactions with confederate strangers. Participants' verbal and nonverbal dominance behaviors were coded from videotapes of their interactions. DPT proposes that individuals will display more dominance in equal power relationships than in unequal relationships and increasing an individual's relative power will increase that individual's satisfaction with the encounter. The results revealed that the equal-power and unequal high-power conditions displayed more dominance and were more satisfied than those in the unequal low-power conditions but those in the unequal-high power condition were the least affected by their partners and maintained the most control over the partnership's decisions. Implications for DPT and the relationship between microlevel dominance behaviors and the macrolevel impressions of dominant interactants are discussed.
Categorizing Nine Visual Classes using Local Appearance Descriptors

We present a novel method for generic visual categorization: the problem of identifying the object content of natural images while generalizing across variations inherent to the object class. This bag of keypoints method is based on vector quantization of affine invariant descriptors of image patches. We propose and compare two alternative implementations using different classifiers: Naive Bayes and SVM. The main advantages of the method are that it is simple, computationally efficient and intrinsically invariant. We present results for classifying nine semantic visual categories and comment on results obtained by Fergus et al using a different method on the same data set. We obtain excellent results as well for multi class categorization as for object detection. A thorough evaluation clearly demonstrates that our method is robust to background clutter and produces good categorization accuracy even without exploiting geometric information.
The role of Cx36 and Cx43 in 4‐aminopyridine‐induced rhythmic activity in the spinal nociceptive dorsal horn: an electrophysiological study in vitro

Connexin (Cx) proteins and gap junctions support the formation of neuronal and glial syncytia that are linked to different forms of rhythmic firing and oscillatory activity in the CNS. In this study, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR) was used to profile developmental expression of two specific Cx proteins, namely glial Cx43 and neuronal Cx36, in postnatal lumbar spinal cord aged 4, 7, and 14 days. Extracellular electrophysiology was used to determine the contribution of Cx36 and Cx43 to a previously described form of 4‐aminopyridine (4‐AP)‐induced 4–12 Hz rhythmic activity within substantia gelatinosa (SG) of rat neonatal dorsal horn (DH) in vitro. The involvement of Cx36 and Cx43 was probed pharmacologically using quinine, a specific uncoupler of Cx36 and the mimetic peptide blocker Gap 26 which targets Cx43. After establishment of 4–12 Hz rhythmic activity by 4‐AP (25 μmol/L), coapplication of quinine (250 μmol/L) reduced 4‐AP‐induced 4–12 Hz rhythmic activity (P < 0.05). Preincubation of spinal cord slices with Gap 26 (100 μmol/L), compromised the level of 4‐AP‐induced 4–12 Hz rhythmic activity in comparison with control slices preincubated in ACSF alone (P < 0.05). Conversely, the nonselective gap junction “opener” trimethylamine (TMA) enhanced 4–12 Hz rhythmic behavior (P < 0.05), further supporting a role for Cx proteins and gap junctions. These data have defined a physiological role for Cx36 and Cx43 in rhythmic firing in SG, a key nociceptive processing area of DH. The significance of these data in the context of pain and Cx proteins as a future analgesic drug target requires further study.
Image Segmentation by Using Discrete Tchebichef Moments and Quantum Neural Network

A new image segmentation method based on discrete Tchebichef moments and quantum neural networks is presented. The Tchebichef moments in certain local window of each pixel in the image are computed and input to quantum neural network . Quantum neural networks , which use multilevel transfer function, have the inherent fuzzy characteristics. The point accommodates to the connatural uncertainty of fractional image data in image segmentation procession. Experiments confirm that the performance of our proposed method is more accurate and has less iterative times in comparison with the traditional segmentation methods based on Legendre moments and BP neutral networks.
Spotting Suspicious Reviews via (Quasi-)clique Extraction

How to tell if a review is real or fake? What does the underworld of fraudulent reviewing look like? Detecting suspicious reviews has become a major issue for many online services. We propose the use of a clique-finding approach to discover well-organized suspicious reviewers. From a Yelp dataset with over one million reviews, we construct multiple Reviewer Similarity graphs to link users that have unusually similar behavior: two reviewers are connected in the graph if they have reviewed the same set of venues within a few days. From these graphs, our algorithms extracted many large cliques and quasi-cliques, the largest one containing a striking 11 users who coordinated their review activities in identical ways. Among the detected cliques, a large portion contain Yelp Scouts who are paid by Yelp to review venues in new areas. Our work sheds light on their little-known operation.
Residue level description of In vivo self-association of Plasmodium falciparum P2

Plasmodium falciparum P2 (PfP2) is a ribosomal stalk protein. It also performs extra ribosomal novel functions that seem to be associated with homo oligomerization . Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that the protein has a high tendency to self-associate predominantly into an 8-mer. In vitro Heteronuclear Single Quantum Coherence (HSQC) of the pure recombinant protein (rPfP2) and its in-cell (Escherichia coli) HSQC spectrum has very similar features, indicating that the protein intrinsically, both inside the cell and under in vitro conditions, has similar aggregation tendencies. In view of this, we have characterized here the folding and concomitant self-association of rPfP2, using an in vitro dissociation–association strategy. We observed that the residue stretch, (Met31-Leu44) of the rPfP2, mapping to Met1-Leu14 of PfP2 protein acts as a nucleation site for helix formation and subsequent self-association. Further association appears to be driven by hydrophobic and complimentary electrostatic charge interactions on the surfaces formed. One stretch of rPfP2, (Ile97-Ala116), always remains floppy, and this may serve as “hinge” for protein segmental motions. Based on these, we have proposed a possible model for rPfP2 self-association into an 8-mer.
Towards a Design Theory for Community Information Systems 1

Virtual communities are complex and evolving socio-technical systems. The design of community information systems requires much theoretical research to solve design problems. A design theory is a prescriptive theory which helps optimize design methods. Community IS design theory is still very young and fragmented, however. In the design theory development process, a mix of theory components is used to solve novel problems or existing problems more effectively and efficiently. We present a meta-model of IS development which focuses on the role of theory in IS design. We show how simulation via system dynamics could play an important role in a more systematic development of design theory for community information systems.
Spatial and temporal dynamic of the trophic state in a large Amazonian hydroelectric reservoir

We assessed the spatial and temporal dynamic of the trophic state in a large Amazonian hydroelectric reservoir during the Austral wintertime using images acquired by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) sensor on board the Landsat 8 satellite. We used the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) algorithm and reference in situ spectra to classify the OLI images according to a trophic state index (TSI). The results showed that the use of OLI images and the SAM algorithm were suitable for the mapping of the TSI in the Amazonian reservoirs. In our particular case, the reservoir presented a high spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the TSI during the studied period. However, further studies are needed to better characterize the dynamics of the trophic state and its driven forces.
Energy and development in the periphery: A regional perspective on small hydropower projects

Investments in renewable energy have been identified as one mechanism for encouraging development in lagging regions, with community owned or operated facilities potentially having a relatively greater impact. The development of small hydropower installations in Wales is examined to establish the economic and community benefits of such schemes. The sector displays a number of locally beneficial economic characteristics that are absent from larger scale renewable investments. However, this is shown to be a fragile sector dependent on a small number of key individuals and institutions, and with an investment model relying on depreciating UK government subsidies. Following an introduction, the paper first examines why renewables, and small-scale, community renewables in particular, have attracted attention as a part response to declining economic, social and environmental conditions in rural communities. It then describes the Welsh energy and policy context before describing the data and the method employed in the research. The paper then examines the economic value of small hydropower developments, the nature and scale of impacts on local social capital and on communities, and then the extent to which small hydropower might be considered distinct from other local energy sectors in terms of business behaviours and inter-organisation relationships. The discussion then focuses on factors affecting prospects for the small hydropower sector, and which will limit how far development of the sector can lead to transformative outcomes for communities close to the natural resource.
Policing Styles and Organizational Priorities: Retesting Wilson’s Theory of Local Political Culture

In Varieties of Police Behavior, a classic study of police organizational behavior published more than 30 years ago, James Q. Wilson discovered three distinctive styles of policing: the legalistic, the watchman, and the service styles. Police agencies with a legalistic orientation focused strictly on law enforcement activities, whereas those with a service style focused on providing needed services to residents and business owners. Furthermore, Wilson identified local political culture as the major determinant of variation in policing styles. Varieties of Police Behavior has become a classic work in police scholarship, described in almost all police textbooks, influencing a generation of students of policing. Citation analyses, additionally, have shown that it is one of the most frequently cited works in policing yet remains one of the least tested empirical studies. This study retests the validity of Wilson’s findings in today’s policing environment with the goal of furthering theoretical formation in police research. Based on recent data from a sample of large municipal American police agencies, we find little support for Wilson’s theory of local political culture in contemporary police practice.
Impaired Frontostriatal Cognitive Functioning Following Posteroventral Pallidotomy in Advanced Parkinson's Disease

We investigated the long-term effects of posteroventral pallidotomy on tests sensitive to the functional integrity of frontostriatal neural systems in a sample of 11 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Patients were assessed within 1 month prior to surgery and at 12 months following pallidotomy. Changes in outcome measures were compared to a control sample of equally performing PD patients receiving nonsurgical medical management assessed over a 12-month period. Measures of cognitive abilities sensitive to frontostriatal functional integrity tested psychomotor processing speed, executive components of working memory, and reasoning. Additional tests of general mental status and semantic memory ability were utilized to assess the specificity of the effect of pallidotomy on cognitive function. Significant declines in performance on all measures sensitive to frontostriatal integrity were found for the surgery group but not the PD control group. No significant changes in performance were found on the measures of general mental status or semantic memory for either the surgery or PD control samples. These results suggest that the posteroventral pallidotomy selectively impairs performance on tests of frontostriatal cognitive abilities.
Promoting Joint Thinking in International Conflicts: An Israeli‐Palestinian Continuing Workshop

This article reviews the development of interactive problem solving as an unofficial approach to the resolution of international conflicts, especially as we have applied it to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The article describes the concept of the continuing workshop, which represents our latest attempt to maximize the political impact of interactive problem solving. After presenting the goals, terms of reference, and ground rules of such workshops, the paper examines their potential contribution to the larger process of conflict resolution. The principles of the continuing workshop have been applied in a series of meetings between high-ranking Israeli and Palestinian participants. The paper discusses some of the practical issues confronted in this effort, such as preparation, selection of participants, and the third-party role; and assesses the contribution of this continuing workshop to transforming the relationship between the two societies in conflict.
Geranylgeranyl-regulated transport of the prenyltransferase UBIAD1 between membranes of the ER and Golgi[S]

UbiA prenyltransferase domain-containing protein-1 (UBIAD1) utilizes geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGpp) to synthesize the vitamin K2 subtype menaquinone-4. Previously, we found that sterols trigger binding of UBIAD1 to endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in synthesis of cholesterol and nonsterol isoprenoids, including GGpp. This binding inhibits sterol-accelerated degradation of reductase, which contributes to feedback regulation of the enzyme. The addition to cells of geranylgeraniol (GGOH), which can become converted to GGpp, triggers release of UBIAD1 from reductase, allowing for its maximal degradation and permitting ER-to-Golgi transport of UBIAD1. Here, we further characterize geranylgeranyl-regulated transport of UBIAD1. Results of this characterization support a model in which UBIAD1 continuously cycles between the ER and medial-trans Golgi of isoprenoid-replete cells. Upon sensing a decline of GGpp in ER membranes, UBIAD1 becomes trapped in the organelle where it inhibits reductase degradation. Mutant forms of UBIAD1 associated with Schnyder corneal dystrophy (SCD), a human eye disease characterized by corneal accumulation of cholesterol, are sequestered in the ER and block reductase degradation. Collectively, these findings disclose a novel sensing mechanism that allows for stringent metabolic control of intracellular trafficking of UBIAD1, which directly modulates reductase degradation and becomes disrupted in SCD.
Ieee Transactions on Information Theory a Coding Scheme for Additive Noise Channels with Feedback

IEEE Abstract-In Part I of this paper, we presented a scheme for effectively exploiting a noiseless feedback link associated with an additive white Gaussian noise channel with no signal bandwidth constraints. We now extend the scheme for this channel, which we shall call the wideband (WB) scheme, to a band-limited (BL) channel with signal bandwidth restricted to (-W, W). Our feedback scheme achieves the well-known channel capacity, C = W ln (1 +P,,/No W), for this system and, in fact, is apparently the first deterministic procedure for doing this. We evaluate the fairly simple exact error probability for our scheme and find that it provides considerable improvements over the best-known results (which are lower bounds on the performance of sphere-packed codes) for the one-way channel. We also study the degradation in performance of our scheme when there is noise in the feedback link.
Improving students’ representational flexibility in linear-function problems: an intervention

This study evaluates the effects of an intervention aimed at improving representational flexibility in linear-function problems. Forty-nine students aged 13–16 participated in the study. A pretest–intervention–posttest design with an experimental and control group was used. At pretest, both groups solved a choice test, where they could freely select a table, a graph, or a formula, and three no-choice tests, where they used predetermined representations. Twenty-five students in the experimental group were exposed to the intervention, where they learnt to fine-tune their choices both to the task at hand and to their own characteristics as representational users. The control group was not exposed to any intervention. The posttest was similar to the choice pretest. A flexibility score was calculated per student based on Siegler and Lemaire’s score. At posttest, the experimental group became more flexible than the control group. The impact of increased flexibility on problem-solving accuracy and speed is discussed.
Beta cell adaptation in pregnancy: a tribute to Claes Hellerström

Abstract Pregnancy is associated with a compensatory increase in beta cell mass. It is well established that somatolactogenic hormones contribute to the expansion both indirectly by their insulin antagonistic effects and directly by their mitogenic effects on the beta cells via receptors for prolactin and growth hormone expressed in rodent beta cells. However, the beta cell expansion in human pregnancy seems to occur by neogenesis of beta cells from putative progenitor cells rather than by proliferation of existing beta cells. Claes Hellerström has pioneered the research on beta cell growth for decades, but the mechanisms involved are still not clarified. In this review the information obtained in previous studies is recapitulated together with some of the current attempts to resolve the controversy in the field: identification of the putative progenitor cells, identification of the factors involved in the expansion of the beta cell mass in human pregnancy, and the relative roles of endocrine factors and nutrients.