Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Internationalization: The Rise of Nomen

Command economies gave Communist-era elites administrative control and material privilege but severely restricted money income and private wealth. Markets and privatization have injected new value into public assets and create unprecedented opportunities for elite insiders. These opportunities depend on the extent of regime change and barriers to asset appropriation. Regime change varies from the survival ofthe entire party hierarchy to its rapid collapse and defeat in competitive elections. Barriers to asset appropriation vary with the extent, pace, andform ofprivatization, and the concentration and liquidity ofassets. Different combinations ofsuch circum stances jointly affect the extent to which prior elites obtain ownership or control of privatized assets, use political office to extract larger incomes, move into salaried elite occupations, or fall out ofthe elite altogether. Regime change and barriers to asset appropriation affect change at the national level, but outcomes vary across economic sectors because ofcharacteristics oforganizations, elite positions, and assets. This elementary theory serves to integrate varied findings from recent research On Central Europe, China, and Russia, and yields predictions for other regions.
Resiliency in adolescent college students

S: Resiliency in Adolescent College Students: Issues and Challenges of Data Collection in the program of the Sigma Theta Tau Theta Epsilon Chapter Fall General Meeting (November 15, 2006). Resiliency of Adolescent College Students: Results of a Pilot Study in the proceedings of the Sigma Theta Tau Theta Epsilon Chapter and UCF School of Nursing Alumni Cultivating Nursing Scholarship Conference (October 13, 2006). Adaptation and Resiliency in American Families in the proceedings of Fourteenth Annual Research Day: Walking the Path of a Nurse Scholar by Sigma Theta Tau, Theta Epsilon Chapter (April 4, 2006) Adaptation and Resilience of American Families in the proceedings of the UCF Third Annual Graduate Student Association Research Forum (March 29, 2006). Adaptation and Resilience of American Families, poster presented in the proceedings of the 20th Anniversary Conference of the Southern Nursing Research Society, Memphis, Tennessee (February 2-4, 2006) Comparison of Outcomes of Community-based Versus Traditional Basic Baccalaureate Programs: Report of Findings of Year Two in the proceedings the NLN Education Summit 2005 Nursing Education: Navigating Toward New Horizons (September 29 – October 1, 2005). Comparison of Outcomes of Community-based Versus Traditional Basic Baccalaureate
Multiplexin Promotes Heart but Not Aorta Morphogenesis by Polarized Enhancement of Slit/Robo Activity at the Heart Lumen

The Drosophila heart tube represents a structure that similarly to vertebrates' primary heart tube exhibits a large lumen; the mechanisms promoting heart tube morphology in both Drosophila and vertebrates are poorly understood. We identified Multiplexin (Mp), the Drosophila orthologue of mammalian Collagen-XV/XVIII, and the only structural heart-specific protein described so far in Drosophila, as necessary and sufficient for shaping the heart tube lumen, but not that of the aorta. Mp is expressed specifically at the stage of heart tube closure, in a polarized fashion, uniquely along the cardioblasts luminal membrane, and its absence results in an extremely small heart tube lumen. Importantly, Mp forms a protein complex with Slit, and interacts genetically with both slit and robo in the formation of the heart tube. Overexpression of Mp in cardioblasts promotes a large heart lumen in a Slit-dependent manner. Moreover, Mp alters Slit distribution, and promotes the formation of multiple Slit endocytic vesicles, similarly to the effect of overexpression of Robo in these cells. Our data are consistent with Mp-dependent enhancement of Slit/Robo activity and signaling, presumably by affecting Slit protein stabilization, specifically at the lumen side of the heart tube. This activity results with a Slit-dependent, local reduction of F-actin levels at the heart luminal membrane, necessary for forming the large heart tube lumen. Consequently, lack of Mp results in decreased diastolic capacity, leading to reduced heart contractility, as measured in live fly hearts. In summary, these findings show that the polarized localization of Mp controls the direction, timing, and presumably the extent of Slit/Robo activity and signaling at the luminal membrane of the heart cardioblasts. This regulation is essential for the morphogenetic changes that sculpt the heart tube in Drosophila, and possibly in forming the vertebrates primary heart tube.
Hidden Markov models for couples of letters applied to handwriting recognition

This paper deals with handwritten word recognition using hidden Markov models (HMM) and presents a new solution to cope with problems of segmentation resulting from image preprocessing. This first step involves cutting an image of an isolated word into letters or pieces of letters called graphems. It builds a sequence of small images described by features which are the input of HMM. The image segmentation usually produces errors and lowers the results obtained by a recognition system based on a set of HMM models corresponding to the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. This paper proposes to extend the alphabet with models of couples of letters which are often badly segmented.
A Unified Framework for Defect Data Analysis Using the MBR Technique

Failures of mission-critical software systems can have catastrophic consequences and, hence, there is strong need for scientifically rigorous methods for assuring high system reliability. To reduce the V&V cost for achieving high confidence levels, quantitatively based software defect prediction techniques can be used to effectively estimate defects from prior data. Better prediction models facilitate better project planning and risk/cost estimation. Memory based reasoning (MBR) is one such classifier that quantitatively solves new cases by reusing knowledge gained from past experiences. However, it can have different configurations by varying its input parameters, giving potentially different predictions. To overcome this problem, we develop a framework that derives the optimal configuration of an MBR classifier for software defect data, by logical variation of its configuration parameters. We observe that this adaptive MBR technique provides a flexible and effective environment for accurate prediction of mission-critical software defect data
On Conditions for Convergence to Consensus

A new theorem on conditions for convergence to consensus of a multiagent time-dependent time-discrete dynamical system is presented. The theorem is build up on the notion of averaging maps. We compare this theorem to results by Moreau [6] (IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON AUTOMATIC CONTROL, vol. 50, no. 2, 2005) about set-valued Lyapunov theory and convergence under switching communication topologies. We give examples that point out differences of approaches including examples where Moreau's theorem is not applicable but ours is. Further on, we give examples that demonstrate that the theory of convergence to consensus is still not complete.
Lossless Steganography on AVI File Using Swapping Algorithm

Steganography is the art of communicating a message by embedding into multimedia data. The purpose is to send maximum hidden information while preserving security against detection by an unauthorized person. A steganographic system is perfectly secure when the statistics of the 'cover data' (multimedia file) and 'stegodata' (encrypted message) are identical. Experimental results with existing technology gave small video distortions after hiding some information. The proposed system is aimed without losing quality and size. In order to achieve this goal, in the proposed system we are using swapping algorithm and UTF-32 coding scheme for encryption. This paper explains the comparative analysis between Picture (JPEG) stegano and Video (AVI) stegano by quality and size. The system propose to increase the strength of the key by using UTF-32 encoding in the swapping algorithm and lossless stegano technique in the AVI file.
X-ray structure of nucleoside diphosphate kinase complexed with thymidine diphosphate and Mg2+ at 2-A resolution.

We report the crystal structure of nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDP kinase) from Dictyostelium discoideum with thymidine diphosphate (dTDP) and Mg2+ bound at the active site. The structure has been refined to an R-factor of 18.3% at 2-A resolution. The base stacks on the aromatic ring of Phe 64 near the protein surface and is wedged between the side chains of Phe 64 and Val 116. The sugar and the pyrophosphate are deeper inside the protein and make numerous H-bonds with protein side chains. There is no backbone interaction with the nucleotide. A Mg2+ ion bridges the alpha- and beta-phosphates and interacts with the protein via water molecules. NDP kinase shows little specificity toward ribonucleotides and deoxyribonucleotides. This property, required by the enzyme biological function, can now be analyzed by comparing the crystal structures of free, ADP-ligated, and dTDP-ligated enzymes. The most significant differences are located in residues 60-64, which adapt their conformation to allow Phe 64 to stack on both types of bases. Nonspecific binding is achieved by the absence of polar interaction between the base and protein atoms. The ribose of ADP and the deoxyribose of dTDP occupy similar positions, their hydroxyl groups interacting with Lys 16 and Asn 119. The H-bond between Lys 16 and the O2' hydroxyl of ADP is replaced by a similar interaction with a water molecule in the dTDP complex. The beta-phosphate position is the same for ADP and dTDP, suggesting that the mechanism of phosphate transfer is the same for all substrates ofNDP kinase. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A novel parallel cross-validated support vector machine on patent classification system

Classification, searching, monitoring, and analyzing of patent are time consumption tasks and they will significantly influence the decision-making of intellectual property on optimizing resource allocation in knowledge or technology-intensive enterprises. In the age of fundamental change, the rapidly growth of patent documents has become one of the difficult problems in developing an efficient patent classification system. A well-trained patent classification system usually needs the cross-validation procedures to improve its performance before it can be applied to the real-world applications. However, researchers lack an efficient way to perform the cross-validation procedure of huge dataset in a short time. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach that integrates loop level parallelism (LLP) and hybrid genetic-based support vector machine (HGA-SVM) to increase the generalization ability (external validity) of support vector machine patent classification system without the problem of accompanying huge time consuming. Compared with previous approaches, in our approach, the patent calculation/classification tasks are randomly distributed into cluster computers simultaneously by parallel computing technique for greatly reducing their calculation time. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach can improve the stability of patent classification system and spend less cross-validation time than traditional methods. We believe that our proposed approach is able to help decision-makers in identifying/classifying/monitoring critical patents for assisting their strategic intellectual property decision-making process.
Genetic sensitivity to emotional cues, racial discrimination and depressive symptoms among African–American adolescent females

Psychosocial stress, including stress resulting from racial discrimination (RD), has been associated with elevated depressive symptoms. However, individuals vary in their reactivity to stress, with some variability resulting from genetic differences. Specifically, genetic variation within the linked promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) is related to heightened reactivity to emotional environmental cues. Likewise, variations within this region may interact with stressful life events (e.g., discrimination) to influence depressive symptoms, but this has not been empirically examined in prior studies. The objective of this study was to examine whether variation in the 5-HTTLPR gene interacts with RD to predict depressive symptoms among a sample of African–American adolescent females. Participants were 304 African–American adolescent females enrolled in a sexually transmitted disease prevention trial. Participants completed a baseline survey assessing psychosocial factors including RD (low vs. high) and depressive symptomatology (low vs. high) and provided a saliva sample for genotyping the risk polymorphism 5-HTTLPR (s allele present vs. not present). In a logistic regression model adjusting for psychosocial correlates of depressive symptoms, an interaction between RD and 5-HTTLPR group was significantly associated with depressive symptomatology (AOR = 3.79, 95% CI: 1.20–11.98, p = 0.02). Follow-up tests found that high RD was significantly associated with greater odds of high depressive symptoms only for participants with the s allele. RD and 5-HTTLPR status interact to differentially impact depressive symptoms among African–American adolescent females. Efforts to decrease depression among minority youth should include interventions which address RD and strengthen factors (e.g., coping, emotion regulation, building support systems) which protect youth from the psychological costs of discrimination.
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Effects of Progressive Resistive Exercise in Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the ultrasonic effects of progressive resistance exercise (PRE) for the treatment of patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). SUBJECTS AND METHOD The 32 patients with diagnosed BCRL were randomly divided into two groups: the PRE group and the non-PRE group. After complex decongestive physiotherapy, PRE was performed by 0.5 kg dumbbell while wearing a compression stocking or a multilayer bandage to avoid aggravation of the lymphedema in the shoulder and arm. In the first week, the PRE group performed five repetitions of each exercise, twice a day, and the exercise were increased to five repetitions every week during 8 weeks. The thickness of muscle and subcutaneous tissue and circumferences of proximal and distal upper limbs were measured at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. Examiners measured the circumference of upper limbs with tape measure, then the thickness of the muscle and subcutaneous tissue were measured by ultrasonography. RESULTS Muscle thickness of the upper limbs was less in the affected limb than that of the nonaffected limb at pretreatment. The thickness of subcutaneous tissue and circumferences of the arm was more decreased in the PRE group than that of the non-PRE group. The thickness of muscle of the arm was more significantly increased in the PRE group than that of the non-PRE group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION For the treatment of patients with BCRL, PRE with complex decongestive physiotherapy did not cause additional swelling, and it reduced arm circumference by decreased subcutaneous tissue thickness and increased muscle thickness.
Formalin Evokes Calcium Transients from the Endoplasmatic Reticulum

The formalin test is the most widely used behavioral screening test for analgesic compounds. The cellular mechanism of action of formaldehyde, inducing a typically biphasic pain-related behavior in rodents is addressed in this study. The chemoreceptor channel TRPA1 was suggested as primary transducer, but the high concentrations used in the formalin test elicit a similar response in TRPA1 wildtype and knockout animals. Here we show that formaldehyde evokes a dose-dependent calcium release from intracellular stores in mouse sensory neurons and primary keratinocytes as well as in non-neuronal cell lines, and independent of TRPA1. The source of calcium is the endoplasmatic reticulum and inhibition of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase has a major contribution. This TRPA1-independent mechanism may underlie formaldehyde-induced pan-neuronal excitation and subsequent inflammation.
Postural hand tremor before and following liver transplantation and immunosuppression with cyclosporine or tacrolimus in patients without clinical signs of hepatic encephalopathy

Abstract: Objective: To assess tremor characteristics and severity in patients with severe liver disease without hepatic encephalopathy and following orthotopic liver transplantation (LTX) and immunosuppresion (IS) with cyclosporin A (CsA) or tacrolimus (FK 506).
Efficient VLSI architecture for FIR filter using DA-RNS

In this paper, an efficient multiplier less finite impulse response (FIR) filter architecture based on distributed arithmetic (DA) using high speed residue number system (RNS) is presented. The proposed architecture uses RNS and parallel DA to increase the speed of the system. The proposed architecture is coded in VHDL and synthesized using Synopsys Design Compiler using SAED 90nm CMOS library to calculate area and delay. Synthesis results show that, the proposed structure using DA-RNS has 77.93% less area-delay-product (ADP) than the design proposed by Chan Hua Vun.
PROFIDES - Profile based Intrusion Detection Approach Using Traffic Behavior over Mobile Ad Hoc Network

Detection in MANET is one of the major concern in peer- to-peer networking scenario where mobile / wireless nodes communicate with each other without any pre-defined infra-structural setup. This paper presents an overview of various intrusion detection models, identifying its issues, discusses on design and proposes an intrusion detection system using profile based traffic behavior scenario (PROFIDES), to determine misbehaving nodes by generating alerts based on critical parameters to identify an intrusion activity. The proposed system had been checked primarily for Packet Drop attacks, where the performance is effective over AODV and its other counterpart protocols. PROFIDES works in highly dynamic varying environments where any variation in traffic intensity of MANET is analyzed to adapt for different traffic behavioral patterns.
Intraoperative Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Monitoring

Intraoperative nerve monitoring has become common for surgical procedures in which cranial or peripheral nerves may be compromised. Intraoperative monitoring of recurrent laryngeal nerve function can be accomplished by recording electromyographic activity from fine-wire electrodes placed in the vocalls muscle. The technique and instrumentation for this are adapted from those used In intraoperative facial nerve monitoring for acoustic neuroma excision. Specifically, a commercially available instrument, the XOMED-NIM provides the capability for monitoring the vocalls muscle electromyogram by means of visual and auditory display. It also provides the capability for performing evoked electromyographic tests of nerve integrity. Intraoperative monitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerve during thyroidectomy may assist in the more precise dissection of the nerve as well as in verification of nerve integrity during the operative procedure, thus reducing the risk of injury.
A Proxy Bidding Mechanism that Elicits all Bids in an English Clock Auction Experiment

This paper reconsiders experimental tests of the English clock auction. We point out why the standard procedure can only use a small subset of all bids, which gives rise to a selection bias. We propose an alternative yet equivalent format that makes all bids visible, and apply it to a â€œwallet auctionâ€ experiment. Finally, we test the theory against various alternative hypotheses, and compare the results with those that would have been obtained if one had used the standard procedure. Our results confirm that the standard tests are subject to a significant selection bias.
PDE3 and PDE4 Isozyme-Selective Inhibitors Are Both Required for Synergistic Activation of Brown Adipose Tissue

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a highly thermogenic organ that converts lipids and glucose into heat. Many of the metabolic and gene transcriptional hallmarks of BAT activation, namely increased lipolysis, uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) mRNA, and glucose uptake, are regulated by the adrenergic second messenger, cAMP. Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) catalyze the breakdown of cAMP, thereby regulating the magnitude and duration of this signaling molecule. In the absence of adrenergic stimulus, we found that it required a combination of a PDE3 and a PDE4 inhibitor to fully induce UCP1 mRNA and lipolysis in brown adipocytes, whereas neither PDE inhibitor alone had any substantial effect under basal conditions. Under submaximal β-adrenoceptor stimulation of brown adipocytes, a PDE3 inhibitor alone could potentiate induction of UCP1 mRNA, whereas a PDE4 inhibitor alone could augment lipolysis, indicating differential roles for each of these two PDEs. Neither induction of UCP1 nor lipolysis was altered by inhibition of PDE1, PDE2, or PDE8A. Finally, when injected into mice, the combination of PDE3 and PDE4 inhibitors stimulated glucose uptake in BAT under thermoneutral and fasted conditions, a response that was further potentiated by the global ablation of PDE8A. Taken together, these data reveal that multiple PDEs work in concert to regulate three of the important pathways leading to BAT activation, a finding that may provide an improved conceptual basis for the development of therapies for obesity-related diseases.
Optimization techniques for irregular and pointer-based programs

Current compilers show inefficiencies when optimizing complex applications, both analyzing dependences and exploiting critical performance issues, like data locality and instruction/thread parallelism. Complex applications usually present irregular and/or dynamic (pointer-based) computational/data structures. By irregular we means applications that arrange data as multidimensional arrays and issue memory references through array indirections. Pointer-based applications, on the other hand, organize data as pointer-based structures (lists, trees, etc.) and issue memory references by means of pointers. We discuss optimization/parallelization and program analysis techniques we have developed to instruct a compiler to generate efficient object code from important classes of irregular and pointer-based applications. These techniques are embodied into a methodology that proceeds in three stages: program structure recognition, data analysis and program optimization/parallelization based on code/data transformations.