Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An estimator for delay distributions in packet-based wireless digital communication systems

It is suggested that packet-based wireless digital communication systems should be represented by discrete-time queueing models. On the basis of the Effective Capacity model, we characterise the probability distribution of a delay process in a digital system by two parameters, namely, the probability of non-zero delay and the success probability of a connection. An estimator that estimates these two parameters is mathematically derived. We consider non-ARQ traffic over the IEEE 802.16-2004 WiMAX systems as an example and establish a cross-layer simulation platform for such an example. The estimator is tested through simulation and results show that the empirical results from the simulation platform are close to estimation results.
Childhood and Migration

To consider the impact of migration on childhood and of children on migration processes, one has to deal with childhood as a social category first. The emergence of childhood studies has been compared with the emergence of women's studies, which in the 1970s gave rise to a shift in paradigms in gender studies and theories – the big difference being, that, unlike women, children cannot pursue research on themselves. It is up to adults to discover how children see the world, their social lives, and their childhood. They can do so by letting children speak for themselves but despite the shift towards the social world of children in more recent approaches in the study of childhood, scientific knowledge about childhood still largely ignores what children themselves have to say about their lives and their own place in the social world. Children's explicit ways of criticizing the latter could be one of the reasons why adults are reluctant to consider their views, observations, and assumptions relevant (Butler & Shaw 1996). Keywords: citizenship; cross-cultural; development
The determinants of allowance prices in the European Emissions Trading Scheme - Can we expect an efficient allowance market 2008?

The European emissions trading scheme (EU-ETS) for CO2 is the largest existing emissions trading scheme in the world. The main reason for the implementation of this scheme is to reach the European Kyoto targets at minimal cost and to establish a price for emissions. The right to emit CO2 therefore becomes a scarce production input. In this paper we want to analyze the determinants of the price for allowances in the EU-ETS and study whether it reacts to fundamental influence factors such as energy prices. The results show, that as long as the market viewed the allowances as a scarce input factor, the price reacts to changes in energy prices and weather variations.
Conservatism: An Anthology of Social and Political Thought from David Hume to the Present

At a time when the label "conservative" is indiscriminately applied to fundamentalists, populists, libertarians, fascists and the advocates of one or another orthodoxy, this book offers a historically informed presentation of what is distinctive about conservative social and political thought. It is an anthology with an argument, locating the origins of modern conservatism within the Enlightenment and distinguishing between conservatism and orthodoxy. Bringing togther important specimens of European and American conservative social and political analysis from the mid-18th century through to our own day, the book demonstrates that while the particular institutions that conservatives have sought to conserve have varied, there are characteristic features of conservative argument that recur over time and across national borders. The book proceeds chronologically through the following sections: "Enlightenment Conservatism" (David Hume, Edmund Burke and Justus Moser), "The Critique of Revolution" (Burke, Louis de Bonald, Joesph de Maistre, James Madison and Rufus Choate), "Authority" (Matthew Arnold, James Fitzjames Stephen), "Inequality" (W.H. Mallock, Joseph A. Schumpter), "The Critique of Good Intentions" (William Graham Sumner), "War" (T.E. Hulme), "Democracy" (Carl Schmitt, Schumpeter), "The Limits of Rationalism" (Winston Churchill, Michael Oakeshott, Friedrich Hayek, Edward Banfield), "The Critique of Social and Cultural Emancipation" (Irving Kristol, Peter Berger and Richard John Neuhaus, Hermann Lubbe), and "Between Social Science and Cultural Criticism" (Arnold Gehlen, Philip Rieff). The book contains an afterword on recurrent tensions and dilemmas of conservative thought.
Learning Plans for Safety and Reachability Goals with Partial Observability

Traditional planning assumes reachability goals and/or full observability. In this paper, we propose a novel solution for safety and reachability planning with partial observability. Given a planning domain, a safety property, and a reachability goal, we automatically learn a safe and permissive plan to guide the planning domain so that the safety property is not violated and which can force the planning domain to eventually reach states satisfying the reachability goal no matter how the planning domain behaves. Our technique is based on active learning of regular languages and symbolic model checking. We describe an implementation of the proposed technique and demonstrate that the tool can efficiently construct safe and permissive plans for four examples.
A System for Tension Monitoring in Cable-Based Parallel Architectures

An image recording apparatus consists of a control system including a CPU, an image input terminal, an image processing system, an image output terminal, and a user interface. An I/O controller is provided in each of the above units. During the power-on sequence of the apparatus, the CPU executes an interrupt test for checking whether interrupt processes of the CPU with respect to sync signals are performed correctly, and an I/O port operation test for confirming that an I/O port of each I/O controller functions correctly. When a prescribed button is pressed at the user interface, the CPU enters a diagnostic copy job mode, in which copies are actually produced in the same manner as in a normal copy mode to identify a unit in trouble.
The effects of ponatinib, a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, against human U87 malignant glioblastoma cells

Glioblastoma is one of the most common malignant tumors in the nervous system in both adult and pediatric patients. Studies suggest that abnormal activation of receptor tyrosine kinases contributes to pathological development of glioblastoma. However, current therapies targeting tyrosine kinase receptors have poor therapeutic outcomes. Here, we examined anticancer effects of ponatinib, a multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, on glioblastoma cells both in the U87MG cell line and in the mouse xenograft model. We showed that ponatinib treatment reduced cell viability and induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in U87MG cells. In addition, ponatinib suppressed migration and invasion of U87MG cells effectively. Furthermore, ponatinib-treated tumors showed an obvious reduction of tumor volume and an increase of apoptosis as compared with vehicle-treated tumors in the mouse xenograft model. These findings support a potential application of ponatinib as a chemotherapeutic option against glioblastoma cells.
Some theoretical foundations of entrepreneurial marketing

Entrepreneurial Marketing is a scholarly concept that is beginning to blossom. The quantity and quality of related research and writing is increasing and theoretical as well as empirical works are ex-panding the frontiers of knowledge. It is our hope that this paper will stir creative thinking among the readers as we combine several important domains.
Precise Synaptic Efficacy Alignment Suggests Potentiation Dominated Learning

Recent evidence suggests that parallel synapses from the same axonal branch onto the same dendritic branch have almost identical strength. It has been proposed that this alignment is only possible through learning rules that integrate activity over long time spans. However, learning mechanisms such as spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) are commonly assumed to be temporally local. Here, we propose that the combination of temporally local STDP and a multiplicative synaptic normalization mechanism is sufficient to explain the alignment of parallel synapses. To address this issue, we introduce three increasingly complex models: First, we model the idealized interaction of STDP and synaptic normalization in a single neuron as a simple stochastic process and derive analytically that the alignment effect can be described by a so-called Kesten process. From this we can derive that synaptic efficacy alignment requires potentiation-dominated learning regimes. We verify these conditions in a single-neuron model with independent spiking activities but more realistic synapses. As expected, we only observe synaptic efficacy alignment for long-term potentiation-biased STDP. Finally, we explore how well the findings transfer to recurrent neural networks where the learning mechanisms interact with the correlated activity of the network. We find that due to the self-reinforcing correlations in recurrent circuits under STDP, alignment occurs for both long-term potentiation- and depression-biased STDP, because the learning will be potentiation dominated in both cases due to the potentiating events induced by correlated activity. This is in line with recent results demonstrating a dominance of potentiation over depression during waking and normalization during sleep. This leads us to predict that individual spine pairs will be more similar after sleep compared to after sleep deprivation. In conclusion, we show that synaptic normalization in conjunction with coordinated potentiation—in this case, from STDP in the presence of correlated pre- and post-synaptic activity—naturally leads to an alignment of parallel synapses.
High throughput direct end sequencing of BAC clones.

Libraries constructed in bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vectors have become the choice for clone sets in high throughput genomic sequencing projects primarily because of their high stability. BAC libraries have been proposed as a source for minimally over-lapping clones for sequencing large genomic regions, and the use of BAC end sequences (i.e. sequences adjoining the insert sites) has been proposed as a primary means for selecting minimally overlapping clones for sequencing large genomic regions. For this strategy to be effective, high throughput methods for BAC end sequencing of all the clones in deep coverage BAC libraries needed to be developed. Here we describe a low cost, efficient, 96 well procedure for BAC end sequencing. These methods allow us to generate BAC end sequences from human and Arabidoposis libraries with an average read length of >450 bases and with a single pass sequencing average accuracy of >98%. Application of BAC end sequences in genomic sequen-cing is discussed.
On the Chromatic Number of the Euclidean Plane

Deene two points of the Euclidean plane R 2 to be adjacent if they are at distance 1 from each other. It is known that the chromatic number of the resulting graph satisses 4 (R 2) 7. We obtain some partial results concerning (K 2) for subbelds K R. We believe that these results may help to focus the problem of determining (R 2)| either by providing a new upper bound, or by showing where to look for a new subgraph which increases the lower bound. 1. A Field-Theoretic Approach to the Problem Let K be any eld (or more generally, any commutative ring with unity). We regard K 2 as a graph in which two vertices (a; b); (c; d) 2 K 2 are adjacent ii (1.1) (a ? c) 2 + (b ? d) 2 = 1. A natural (and in general very diicult) problem is to determine the chromatic number (K 2) of this graph. We recall rst the relevant deenitions: A proper colouring of K 2 is a map : K 2 ! C (for some set C) such that (a; b) 6 = (c; d) for all (a; b); (c; d) 2 K 2 satisfying (1.1). The chromatic number of K 2 , denoted (K 2), is the minimum possible jCj for which there exists a proper colouring : K 2 ! C. The best that is known (see 3,pp.177-180], 4,pp.150{152]) concerning the chromatic number of R 2 is that 4 (R 2) 7. Our goal is to shed fresh light on this open problem. We nd that the problem of determining (R 2) is related to a determination of (K 2) for other rings K, and some results concerning such values (K 2) are presented. In particular the values of (F 2), for nite elds F, play a r^ ole in this investigation (Section 3). In Section 7 we pose the apparently open question of whether (C 2) is nite, although this does not bear directly on our investigation of (R 2). By the preceding remarks, observe that 2 (K 2) (L 2) 7 for all subbelds K L R. By a theorem of de Bruijn and Erd} os, (R 2) is the maximum of (? ) among y The author is grateful to Bryan L. Shader for discussions which were useful to this research.
Ethics, Corruption, Governance and Emerging Markets

In this article we seek to substantiate the relation between ethics, corruption, governance and development in emerging markets, especially in Latin America. This is a theorical article where we develop a conceptual model with relations between ethics, corruption and the improve of governance of the countries. We first construct a relation between ethics and corruption and between corruption and governance of the country. For doing this last relation, we consider that the level of the corruption in a country is opposite of the level of governance. Then, we try to provide evidence of the relation between the levels of governance of twenty five emerging nations and their economic performance indicators. The data of the twenty five emerging countries around the world, that we use in the tables, were collected at the World Bank site. We observe the need to improve the ethic all around the countries in Latin America and in many of the emerging countries. We also observe the need to diminish the corruption in some of emerging countries. We conclude that institutions and governments must act speedily and effectively to improve the environment for business in various emerging markets, in order to provide more adequate conditions for world trade growth and satisfy the needs of consumers worldwide.
A low resolution pulse position coding method for improved excitation modeling of speech transition

We propose a new excitation model for transitional speech to reduce the distortion due to the traditional two-excitation source, voiced unvoiced, model. The proposed low resolution pulse position coding (LRPPC) algorithm detects the existence of pulses at frames of weak periodicity, which are determined as unvoiced, and transmits the approximate pulse positions. In the decoder, dispersed pulses that have a flat magnitude spectrum are synthesized at the decoded positions to form the excitation signal. A subjective quality test shows that the vocoder employing the LRPPC algorithm produces better quality of speech, and is very robust to mode decision errors.
TRANSITION TO TURBULENCE IN STRONGLY HEATED VERTICAL NATURAL CONVECTION BOUNDARY LAYERS

The mechanisms governing the transition to turbulence in natural convection boundary layers along strongly heated vertical walls remain neither very clear nor well understood, because of the lack of experiments and the difficulties of physical modelling. Our measurements bring experimental data focusing on this transition, in quiescent air along radiating and conducting plates, in the whole range of 2000 to 8000 W.m -2 heating rate. The analysis of the time series obtained by sliding window cross-correlation thermoanemometry leads us to point out coherent turbulent structures on short heights throughout the thin boundary layer, which seem to be governed by heat transfer and time microscales of turbulence through the inner sublayer. Physical interpretations are given to relate the observed heat transfer correlation and these turbulence transition structures along with radiation and conduction.
Is There a Diffusion of Military Regimes in Sub-Saharan Africa? Empirical Evidence in the Period 1972-2007

We show the existence of a diffusion process of military dictatorships in Sub-Saharan Africa from 1972 through 2007, using panel data probit estimation and a Markov chain transition model. This process is shortly-lived, since we observe an overall trend that reduces the number of military regimes. With regard to economic correlates, we also find that Manufacturing share of GDP, Primary share of GDP positively affect the probability of military dictatorship, and Openness to trade, whereas the British colonial origin are negatively associated.
Towards Achieving Perpetual Operation in Rechargeable Sensor Networks

Energy harvesting sensor platforms have opened up a new dimension to the design of network protocols. In order to sustain the network operation, the energy consumption rate cannot be higher than the energy harvesting rate, otherwise, sensor nodes will eventually deplete their batteries. In contrast to traditional network resource allocation problems where the resources are static, time variations in recharging rate presents a new challenge. In this paper, we first explore the performance of an efficient dual decomposition and subgradient method based algorithm, called QuickFix, for computing the data sampling rate and routes when a DAG routing structure is given. Then, we analytically study the key properties of the optimal DAG(s) and propose a mechanism for constructing a DAG that can support high network utility. Moreover, fluctuations in recharging can happen at a faster time-scale than the convergence time of the traditional approach. This leads to battery outage and overflow scenarios, that are both undesirable due to missed samples and lost energy harvesting opportunities respectively. To address such dynamics, a local algorithm, called SnapIt, is designed to adapt the sampling rate with the objective of maintaining the battery at a target level. Our evaluations using the TOSSIM simulator show that QuickFix and SnapIt working in tandem can track the instantaneous optimum network utility while maintaining the battery at a target level. When compared with IFRC, a backpressure-based approach, our solution improves the total data rate by 42% on the average while significantly improving the network utility.
An algorithmic framework based on the binarization approach for supervised and semi-supervised multiclass problems

Using a set of binary classifiers to solve the multiclass classification problem has been a popular approach over the years. This technique is known as binarization. The decision boundary that these binary classifiers (also called base classifiers) have to learn is much simpler than the decision boundary of a multiclass classifier. But binarization gives rise to a new problem called the class imbalance problem. Class imbalance problem occurs when the data set used for training has relatively less data items for one class than for another class. This problem becomes more severe if the original data set itself was imbalanced. Furthermore, binarization has only been implemented in the domain of supervised classification. In this paper, we propose a framework called Binarization with Boosting and Oversampling (BBO). Our framework can handle the class imbalance problem arising from binarization. As the name of the framework suggests, this is achieved through a combination of boosting and oversampling. BBO framework can be used with any supervised classification algorithm. Moreover, unlike any other binarization approaches used earlier, we apply our framework with semi-supervised classification as well. BBO framework has been rigorously tested with a number of benchmark data sets from UCI machine learning repository. The experimental results show that using the BBO framework achieves a higher accuracy than the traditional binarization approach.
Leptin- and Leptin Receptor-Deficient Rodent Models: Relevance for Human Type 2 Diabetes

Among the most widely used animal models in obesity-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) research are the congenital leptin- and leptin receptor-deficient rodent models. These include the leptin-deficient ob/ob mice and the leptin receptor-deficient db/db mice, Zucker fatty rats, Zucker diabetic fatty rats, SHR/N-cp rats, and JCR:LA-cp rats. After decades of mechanistic and therapeutic research schemes with these animal models, many species differences have been uncovered, but researchers continue to overlook these differences, leading to untranslatable research. The purpose of this review is to analyze and comprehensively recapitulate the most common leptin/leptin receptor-based animal models with respect to their relevance and translatability to human T2DM. Our analysis revealed that, although these rodents develop obesity due to hyperphagia caused by abnormal leptin/leptin receptor signaling with the subsequent appearance of T2DM-like manifestations, these are in fact secondary to genetic mutations that do not reflect disease etiology in humans, for whom leptin or leptin receptor deficiency is not an important contributor to T2DM. A detailed comparison of the roles of genetic susceptibility, obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and diabetic complications as well as leptin expression, signaling, and other factors that confound translation are presented here. There are substantial differences between these animal models and human T2DM that limit reliable, reproducible, and translatable insight into human T2DM. Therefore, it is imperative that researchers recognize and acknowledge the limitations of the leptin/leptin receptor-based rodent models and invest in research methods that would be directly and reliably applicable to humans in order to advance T2DM management.
Fine Tuning of the UPR by the Ubiquitin Ligases Siah1/2

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) responds to changes in intracellular homeostasis through activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). Yet, it is not known how UPR-signaling coordinates adaptation versus cell death. Previous studies suggested that signaling through PERK/ATF4 is required for cell death. We show that high levels of ER stress (i.e., ischemia-like conditions) induce transcription of the ubiquitin ligases Siah1/2 through the UPR transducers PERK/ATF4 and IRE1/sXBP1. In turn, Siah1/2 attenuates proline hydroxylation of ATF4, resulting in its stabilization, thereby augmenting ER stress output. Conversely, ATF4 activation is reduced upon Siah1/2 KD in cultured cells, which attenuates ER stress-induced cell death. Notably, Siah1a+/−::Siah2−/− mice subjected to neuronal ischemia exhibited smaller infarct volume and were protected from ischemia-induced death, compared with the wild type (WT) mice. In all, Siah1/2 constitutes an obligatory fine-tuning mechanism that predisposes cells to death under severe ER stress conditions.
Efficient face detection and recognition using block independent component analysis and clustering

This paper presents an efficient image retrieval system called BICA-C for face recognition. This system takes an image as an input query and retrieves images based on its image content. Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) is an approach for retrieving semantically-relevant images from an image database based on extracted image features. Block Independent Component Analysis (B-ICA) is a popular feature extraction method. This paper proposes a scheme to enhance the performance of B-ICA based feature extraction by the utilization of k-means clustering technique. The proposed scheme consists of two stages. First stage is the offline training process where the extracted features in the database is clustered using k-means clustering and then the second stage is the online testing where the obtained query image is compared with the clustered images and is classified as intruder or authenticated person based on the similarity measure.