Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Executive Function Mediates the Relations between Parental Behaviors and Children's Early Academic Ability

The past decade has witnessed a growth of interest in parental influences on individual differences in children's executive function (EF) on the one hand and in the academic consequences of variation in children's EF on the other hand. The primary aim of this longitudinal study was to examine whether children's EF mediated the relation between three distinct aspects of parental behavior (i.e., parental scaffolding, negative parent-child interactions, and the provision of informal learning opportunities) and children's academic ability (as measured by standard tests of literacy and numeracy skills). Data were collected from 117 parent-child dyads (60 boys) at two time points ~1 year apart (M Age at Time 1 = 3.94 years, SD = 0.53; M Age at Time 2 = 5.11 years, SD = 0.54). At both time points children completed a battery of tasks designed to measure general cognitive ability (e.g., non-verbal reasoning) and EF (e.g., inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory). Our models revealed that children's EF (but not general cognitive ability) mediated the relations between parental scaffolding and negative parent-child interactions and children's early academic ability. In contrast, parental provision of opportunities for learning in the home environment was directly related to children's academic abilities. These results suggest that parental scaffolding and negative parent-child interactions influence children's academic ability by shaping children's emerging EF.
Multi-view , Multi-label Learning with Deep Neural Networks

Deep learning is a popular technique in modern online and offline services. Deep neural network based learning systems have made groundbreaking progress in model size, training and inference speed, and expressive power in recent years, but to tailor the model to specific problems and exploit data and problem structures is still an ongoing research topic. We look into two types of deep ‘‘multi-’’ objective learning problems: multi-view learning, referring to learning from data represented by multiple distinct feature sets, and multi-label learning, referring to learning from data instances belonging to multiple class labels that are not mutually exclusive. Research endeavors of both problems attempt to base on existing successful deep architectures and make changes of layers, regularization terms or even build hybrid systems to meet the problem constraints. In this report we first explain the original artificial neural network (ANN) with the backpropagation learning algorithm, and also its deep variants, e.g. deep belief network (DBN), convolutional neural network (CNN) and recurrent neural network (RNN). Next we present a survey of some multi-view and multi-label learning frameworks based on deep neural networks. At last we introduce some applications of deep multi-view and multi-label learning, including e-commerce item categorization, deep semantic hashing, dense image captioning, and our preliminary work on x-ray scattering image classification.
The transformation of the accounting profession in the United States

This paper will demonstrate that the continuous evolution of the accounting profession is in response to the major problems and regulations that exist in any given period. This metamorphosis yields opportunities, challenges, and sometimes results in stark contradictions that the profession must struggle with in order to go forward. The accountant has undergone a dramatic change during the 20th century. The transition from a bookkeeping and tax preparation role to one of a strategic management consultant has been dramatic. Accountants have moved from the back office to the front office. They have often redefined their roles from information processors to strategic business advisors. The key drivers that brought about this change in role include mass production, increased competition among accounting firms, advances in information technology, saturation in the audit service market, pressures on audit service partners, globalization, and the ever changing regulatory environment. This paper examines these changes in light of the challenges of the profession during the early 21st century.
Analysis of cognitive radio spectrum access with constraining interference

Cognitive radio technology has been widely researched to improve the spectrum usage efficiency. Dynamic spectrum access is the most promising approach to fully utilize the scarce spectrum resources. In this paper, we consider the situation where multiple channels are owned by several primary users and propose two new dynamic spectrum access schemes which are scheme with equal detection probability and scheme with optimal access probabilities for secondary users using the continuous-time Markov chain model. Based on these new schemes, we design optimal access probabilities for the secondary users, thus the collision between the primary and secondary users is minimized, while the spectrum is utilized efficiently. The simulation results show that the proposed dynamic spectrum access scheme with optimal access probabilities not only provides less collision probability, but also achieves higher throughput than the scheme with equal detection probability.
Towards Semantic-based Hybrid Machine Translation between Bulgarian and English

The paper focuses on the creation of a semantic-based hybrid Machine Translation system between Bulgarian and English in the domain of Information Technology. The preprocessing strategies are presented. A method for the substitution of English word forms with the synsets or Bulgarian representative lemmas is discussed. Finally, the creation of a factored model in the Moses system is described.
Combined Virtual Mobile Core Network Function Placement and Topology Optimization with Latency Bounds

In this paper, a novel mathematical optimization model for virtual mobile core network embeddings with respect to latency bounds is presented. This formulation differs from the classical virtual network embedding (VNE) model as the virtual network topology (i.e. The allocation of e.g. eNodeBs to single core gateways) is not known in advance but subject to optimization. Our formulation can be regarded as network functions/service chaining approach [1] as it relies on the joint embedding of individual core network service chains where a core network service chain denotes the sequence of mobile core virtual network functions (VNFs) a user or control plane traffic flow traverses. Regarding the placement decision of virtual core network functions, we consider upper bounds for the latency caused by processing, packet queueing and propagation. It is assumed that the queueing and processing delay depends on the user/control plane traffic utilization of the node/virtual machine on which the respective VNF is executed and that the propagation delay is proportional to the path length of the respective user/control plane traffic flow. The performance of the proposed optimization model is evaluated for the case of the European example network topology NOBEL-EU as physical substrate network, taken from SNDlib [2].
Vector space model for Arabic information retrieval — application to “Hadith” indexing

The Arabic language is one of the most important languages because it is the sacred and liturgical language of Islam, one of the influential monotheistic religions of our times. In the post-9/11 aftermath, Islam suddenly dominated western actuality for the remaining years of the present decade. Al-Qurpsilaan - The Reading par Excellence - and ldquoHadithrdquo - Saying - represent the two fundamental scriptural sources of Islamic Legislation. Specifically, ldquoHadithrdquo, or Prophetic Traditions, are sayings and doings of the Prophet of Islam (Peace and Blessings be upon Him). Researchers need automatic search tools within large ldquoHadithrdquo databasesto access one of the original sources of Islam. For this purpose, we describe the development of AuthenTique, an updated automatic text mining search tool, based on the vector space model (VSM). The aim is to allow the provision of a list of ldquoHadithsrdquo classified according to their degrees of similarity based on a given userpsilas query.
The Challenge of Restoring French Competitiveness

Since the beginning of the decade, France has seen a marked decline in its export performance, leading to growing concerns on the part of the authorities and of civil society about the economy’s capacity to adapt to the intensified globalisation of trade and investment in goods and services. The poor foreign trade performance of recent years is related to a series of factors, rather than to any single cause. It cannot be explained by external determinants alone, such as the exchange rate, the trade inroads of emerging countries with strong export potential or the sharp rise in oil prices in 2007-08. Indeed, it is not so much the loss of market share itself that is of concern (many countries have experienced this), but rather the extent of that loss, which reflects problems in responding to the acceleration in global demand earlier this decade, before the apparition of the current crisis. An analysis of the deterioration in competitiveness points to supply-side factors such as the relative inability of French firms to service foreign markets, and the pursuit of industrial strategies of offshoring the entire production process. Restoring competitiveness will require steps to strengthen the country’s growth potential and to address the main long-term determinants of that potential, such as fostering research and development, promoting innovation, reducing the tax burden, boosting competition and creating favourable conditions for businesses to grow rapidly. The lack of competitiveness is more often a symptom than the cause of one or more underlying economic weaknesses. What is called for, then, is a comprehensive policy response that addresses the sources of the competitiveness problem, rather than targeted interventions designed directly to remedy the growing trade deficit. This Working Paper relates to the 2009 OECD Economic Survey of France (www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/France).
Cystic lesions of the pancreas: clinical and pathologic review of cases in a five year period.

CONTEXT Cystic lesions of the pancreas represent an important subgroup of pancreatic tumors. The characterization of these lesions has evolved in recent years, and will continue to change according to the increasing number of biopsies and resections performed. DESIGN Pancreatectomy specimens containing cystic lesions collected over a five-year period were reviewed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Demographic and pathologic features were recorded. SETTING Cases were subclassified in diagnostic categories and were grouped according to the nature of the lesion (non-neoplastic vs. neoplastic). RESULTS Of 361 pancreatic lesions, 97 cysts corresponding to 95 patients were studied. The patients' mean age was 60 years. Sixty two cysts (63.9%) occurred in women. Among the 97 cysts, five (5.2%) were non-neoplastic and 92 (94.8%) were neoplastic (59.8% benign, 17.5% borderline, 17.5% malignant). Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm was the most common diagnosis (n=51; 52.6%) followed by serous cystic neoplasm (n=20; 20.6%) and mucinous cystic neoplasm (n=13; 13.4%). Frequency of female gender was higher and age was lower in the borderline lesions (P=0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). Tumor size was significantly lower in benign neoplastic lesions (P=0.045). Incidental identification was more frequent in benign lesions (P=0.028), whereas malignant lesions were more frequently symptomatic (P=0.001). CONCLUSION Cystic lesions are found in 20.6% of all pancreatectomy specimens. Among this heterogeneous group, benign neoplasms predominate, particularly those with mucinous lining. Age at presentation, gender, location and tumor size are highly variable, with the exception of solid pseudopapillary tumor. Clinical presentation, diagnostic imaging and laboratory data should be consistently reported to improve the therapeutic approach.
Acetylcholine receptor-like molecules are found in both synaptic and extrasynaptic clusters on the surface of neurons in the frog cardiac ganglion

Sixty monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) made against nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) from electric organ were tested for their ability to cross-react at synaptic sites in the frog cardiac ganglion, where transmission is mediated by ACh via nicotinic receptors. Forty-one of the mAbs tested were known to bind to AChRs in frog skeletal muscle (Sargent et al., 1984). As determined by double-label immunofluorescence microscopy, 8 of the 60 mAbs bound to small, punctate sites that lay within areas of synaptic contact, marked by an anti-synaptic vesicle antibody. One of the 8 cross-reacting antibodies that produced particularly intense staining (mAb 22) was chosen for further study and was found to bind to the postsynaptic membrane beneath active zones, as determined by peroxidase immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy. This suggests that mAb 22 crossreacts with AChRs on the ganglion cell surface. While most mAb 22 immunoreactivity was located in the postsynaptic membrane, about 20% of the peroxidase- stained patches were extrasynaptic (327 patches analyzed from 8 ganglia). Virtually no peroxidase-stained patches were observed when an isotype-matched control mAb was used in place of mAb 22. In frog skeletal muscle peroxidase-stained patches obtained with mAb 22 were found exclusively at synaptic sites (179 patches examined from 6 muscles). These results suggest that extrasynaptic patches of AChRs are present in innervated autonomic neurons but not in innervated skeletal muscle.
3 D MODEL MEASURING SYSTEM

With the rapid development of digital technology, we can now obtain easily the image with high resolution capability or the detailed 3D (Three-dimensional) data of the object by the technique of laser scanner or digital photogrammetry. And as we can now make a 3D model with real texture from these data by using the CG (Computer Graphics) technology, new business chance is expanding in the domain of CG and GIS as regard to city planning, architecture, maintenance, cultural assets. However, to do all this, a lot of time and work is required as we have to deal with enormous amount of data. To solve this problem, therefore, we have now developed and added a new function to our PC-based Digital Photogrammetry System which can produce a 3D model from digital camera’s image. This new function can handle all the photo-image data obtained from high altitude (above 1000m) and low altitude (above 100m) aerial as well as the ground photography and can produce a 3D model incorporating simultaneously all these data altogether. Furthermore, in order to simplify the operation, we have succeeded to develop a new photoguiding system to guide the photo-shooting and make simulation on the display in which the object is shown in real time. Here we superimpose on the display the data of plan, the data of the position of the control points on the object as seen from the shooting position of camera or the data of 3D obtained from aerial photograph so that the computer can guide and simulate the shooting position for the best possible result. In this way, even if we change the shooting position, we can always show the CG of such thing as control points at the most desired place on the display. In the following presentation, therefore, we are going to demonstrate how we have confirmed the validity of our system by making 3D measurement and 3D model out of the digital pictures taken by high altitude airplane, low altitude aircraft (e.g. powered paraglider) and the pictures taken on the ground.
Inhibition by tadalafil of contractility of isolated nonpregnant human myometrium

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of tadalafil on the contractility of isolated nonpregnant human myometrium. Materials and Methods: The ability of tadalafil (25, 40, and 63 μM) to inhibit 55 mM KCl-induced contractility of isolated nonpregnant human myometrium was studied. The ability of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker glibenclamide (10 μM) and the calcium-sensitive potassium channel (BKCa) blocker iberiotoxin (100 nM) to reverse the inhibitory effect of 40 μM tadalafil on 55 mM KCl-induced myometrial contractility was also studied. Results: Tadalafil produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of myometrial contractility that was statistically significant at 40 and 63 μM concentrations of tadalafil. The inhibition by tadalafil of myometrial contractility was statistically significantly reversed by the concurrent administration of glibenclamide and iberiotoxin. Conclusions: These results suggest that tadalafil inhibits human myometrial contractility by opening ATP-sensitive potassium channels and BKCa channels. The opening of these channels could have been due to the action of raised intracellular levels of cGMP due to inhibition of PDE-5 by tadalafil. The results suggest that tadalafil could be investigated for use in clinical conditions requiring relaxation of the myometrium.
NILS Working paper no 177. An examination of the effect of wealth and earned income on the decision to retire in the UK

This paper investigates the impact of financial wealth and earned income on the retirement decision using data from the English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing. The estimation results from a random effect dynamic probit model show that housing wealth has virtually no impact on the decision to retire, while financial wealth encourages it and earned income discourages it. The retirement decision is also found to be state dependent, and this persistence is stronger for those retirees with lower housing wealth and lower financial wealth.
Improve TCP performance over mobile ad hoc network by retransmission timeout adjustment

Conventional TCP suffers from inability to detect frequent link failure in MANET and consequently could not adjust RTO for reconstructed route. Packet losses due to link breakage must be differentiated from congestion loss to discover link breakage. Moreover, after link breakage, retransmission timeout in standard TCP becomes too long due to successive back-off executions. Using this long RTO for rebuilt route forces sender to remain idle unnecessarily in case of future packet loss. In this paper, a new End-to-End approach which entirely works in transport layer is proposed to improve TCP performance. It distinguishes link failure loss from congestion loss based on fluctuation in history of queue usage rate. Ascending growth of queue usage value intensifies probabilities of congestion losses while averaged queue usage values around fixed value can be sign of link failure losses. After temporary link failure detected and packets from rebuilt route received, new approach compares characteristics of reestablished route with broken route in term of Relative On-way Trip Time and number of Hops. Then sender decides to increases RTO to prevent packet retransmission overhead or decreases RTO to resume transmission during unnecessary idle time. Simulation results which are done under different conditions by ns2 illustrated that new approach enhances TCP performance up to 10%.
Mutational and Functional Analysis of the C-Terminal Region of the C3H Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus Superantigen

ABSTRACT The mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) encodes within the U3 region of the long terminal repeat (LTR) a protein known as the superantigen (Sag). Sag is needed for the efficient transmission of milk-borne virus from the gut to target tissue in the mammary gland. MMTV-infected B cells in the gut express Sag as a type II transmembrane protein that is recognized by the variable region of particular beta chains (Vβ) of the T-cell receptor (TCR) on the surface of T cells. Recognition of Sag by particular TCRs results in T-cell stimulation, release of cytokines, and amplification of MMTV infection in lymphoid cells that are needed for infection of adolescent mammary tissue. Because the C-terminal 30 to 40 amino acids of Sag are variable and correlate with recognition of particular TCR Vβ chains, we prepared a series of C-terminal Sag mutations that were introduced into a cloned infectious MMTV provirus. Virus-producing XC rat cells were used for injection of susceptible BALB/c mice, and these mice were monitored for functional Sag activity by the deletion of C3H MMTV Sag-reactive (CD4+Vβ14+) T cells. Injected mice also were analyzed for mutant infection and tumor formation in mammary glands as well as milk-borne transmission of MMTV to offspring. Most mutations abrogated Sag function, although one mutation (HPA242) that changed the negative charge of the extreme C terminus to a positive charge created a weaker Sag that slowed the kinetics of Sag-mediated T-cell deletion. Despite the lack of Sag activity, many of the sag mutant viruses were capable of sporadic infections of the mammary glands of injected mice but not of offspring mice, indicating that functional Sag increases the probability of milk-borne MMTV infection. Furthermore, although most viruses encoding nonfunctional Sags were unable to cause mammary tumors, tumors were induced by such viruses carrying mutations in a negative regulatory element that overlaps the sag gene within the LTR, suggesting that loss of Sag function may be compensated, at least partially, by loss of transcriptional suppression in certain tissues. Together these results confirm the importance of Sag for efficient milk-borne transmission and indicate that the entire C-terminal region is needed for complete Sag function.
Measurement and modeling of the Saharan dust radiative impact: Overview of the Saharan Dust Experiment (SHADE)

[1] Aerosols are known to be important in determining Earth’s radiative balance. Dust aerosols are of particular interest since, in addition to their scattering and absorbing properties that affect the solar radiation, they also perturb the terrestrial radiation. Recent studies have shown that a significant proportion of mineral dust in the atmosphere may be of anthropogenic origin, and therefore they may have an important role in climate change by exerting a significant radiative forcing. However, the optical and radiative properties of dust are not yet very well-determined, and even the sign of the resulting forcing is still questionable. The Saharan Dust Experiment (SHADE) was designed to better determine the parameters that are relevant for computing the direct radiative effect. Two aircraft combining in situ and remote sensing instruments were coordinated with satellite overpasses and ground-based observations during the experiment, which was based in the Cape Verde area during the period 19–29 September 2000. These in situ and remotely sensed data provide new valuable information on the microphysical, optical properties, and radiative effects of a large mineral dust outbreak. In addition, a global chemical transport model was used for assessing the radiative impact of these events, which are shown to be important on regional and global scales. INDEX TERMS: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801); 3359 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Radiative processes; 3360 Meteorology and Atmospheric Dynamics: Remote sensing; KEYWORDS: Saharan dust, physical and optical properties, dust direct radiative forcing