Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Potential and Limitations of Leveraging Food Sovereignty to Improve Human Health

Food sovereignty has been defined as “the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. ” Human health is an implied component of this definition through the principle of healthy food. In fact, improved human health is commonly cited as a benefit of transforming food production away from the dominant practices of industrial agriculture. Yet, does the use of “ecologically sound and sustainable methods” of food production necessarily translate into better human health outcomes? Does greater choice in defining an agricultural or food system create gains in health and well-being? We elucidate the conceptual linkages between food sovereignty and human health, critically examine the empirical evidence supporting or refuting these linkages, and identify research gaps and key priorities for the food sovereignty-human health research agenda. Five domains of food sovereignty are discussed including: (1) use of agroecological management practices for food production, (2) the localization of food production and consumption, (3) promotion of social justice and equity, (4) valuation of traditional knowledge, and (5) the transformation of economic and political institutions and structures to support self-determination. We find that although there are many plausible linkages between food sovereignty and human health, the empirical evidence in support of the hypothesis that increasing food sovereignty yields improvements to human health is weak. We propose that a concerted effort to generate new empirical evidence on the health implications of these domains of food sovereignty is urgently needed, and suggest areas of research that may be crucial for addressing the gaps in the evidence base.
Space-times with Conical Singularities

A desirable property of any space-time used to model a physically plausible scenario is that the evolution of the Einstein’s equations is well posed i.e. the initial value problem has a unique solution. Space-times whose metrics are at least C, which guarantees the existence of unique geodesics, fall within the context of the Cosmic Censorship Hypothesis of Penrose (1979). The hypothesis states that that the space-time will be globally hyperbolic, i.e. strong causality is satisfied and J(p) ∩ J(q) is compact ∀p, q ∈M , and hence the evolution of Einstein’s equations is well defined. There are however a number of space-times with weak singularities which model physically plausible scenarios such as thin cosmic strings (Vickers, 1987), impulsive gravitational waves (Penrose, 1972) and dust caustic space-times (Clarke and O’Donnell, 1992). Typically such a space-time has a locally bounded metric whose differentiability level is lower than C, but whose curvature is well defined as a distribution, often with its support on a proper submanifold. Although cosmic censorship may be violated for such space-times, it does not rule out the possibility that the evolution of some fields is well posed. A concept of hyperbolicity for such space-times was proposed by Clarke (1998). This was based on the extent to which singularities disrupted the local evolution of the initial value problem for the scalar wave equation. φ = f
14 BIOMARKERS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES

The involvement of oxidative stress in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), suggest that free radicals play important roles in the onset and progress of neurodegenerative process. Understanding the molecular and biochemical basis of disease pathogenesis is critical · for the development of potential neuroprotective therapies for neurodegenerative diseases (AD, PD, and ALS). In this chapter we discuss current knowledge of oxidative stress in relation to neurodegeneration.
DyReCTape: A dynamically reconfigurable cache using domain wall memory tapes

Spintronic memories offer superior density, non-volatility and ultra-low standby power compared to CMOS memories, and have consequently attracted great interest in the design of on-chip caches. Domain Wall Memory (DWM) is a spintronic memory technology with unparalleled density arising from a tape-like structure. However, such a structure involves serialized access to the bits stored in each bit-cell, resulting in increased access latency, and thereby degrading performance. Prior efforts address this challenge either by limiting the number of bits per tape, in effect sacrificing the density benefits of DWM, or through cache management policies that can only partly alleviate the shift overhead. We observe that there exists significant heterogeneity in sensitivity to cache capacity and access latency across different applications, and across distinct phases of an application. We also make the key observation that DWM tapes offer a natural mechanism to tradeoff density for access latency by limiting the number of domains of each tape that are actively used to store cache data. Based on this insight, we propose DyReCTape, a dynamically reconfigurable cache that packs maximum bits per tape and leverages the intrinsic capability of DWMs to modulate the active bits per tape with minimal overhead. DyReCTape uses a history-based reconfiguration policy that tracks the number of shift operations incurred and miss rate to appropriately tailor the capacity and access latency of the DWM cache. We further propose two performance optimizations to DyReCTape: (i) a lazy migration policy to mitigate the overheads of reconfiguration, and (ii) re-use of the portion of the cache that is unused (due to reconfiguration) as a victim cache to reduce the number of offchip accesses. We evaluate DyReCTape using applications from the PARSEC and SPLASH benchmark suites. Our experiments demonstrate that DyReCTape achieves 19.8% performance improvement over an iso-area SRAM cache and 11.7% performance improvement (due to a 3.4X reduction in the number of shifts) over a state-of-the-art DWM cache.
Robust mixed H2/H∞ control of an nonlinear multivariable system

This work consists of the investigation, synthesis and simulation of a robust control system based on the minimization of the H2 and H∞ norms, using linear matrix inequalities, for the stabilization of a nonlinear multivariable process. A study case on a nonlinear system with two inputs and two outputs is proposed, which consists of the control of temperature variables and fluid level in a reservoir. The main system structure to be used, as well as the fundamentals of modern control strategies, will be presented. The controled system will be simulated on the software MATLAB 2009® in order to validate the synthesis procedure.
Randomized Clustered Nystrom for Large-Scale Kernel Machines

The Nystrom method is a popular technique for generating low-rank approximations of kernel matrices that arise in many machine learning problems. The approximation quality of the Nystrom method depends crucially on the number of selected landmark points and the selection procedure. In this paper, we introduce a randomized algorithm for generating landmark points that is scalable to large high-dimensional data sets. The proposed method performs K-means clustering on low-dimensional random projections of a data set and thus leads to significant savings for high-dimensional data sets. Our theoretical results characterize the tradeoffs between accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. Moreover, numerical experiments on classification and regression tasks demonstrate the superior performance and efficiency of our proposed method compared with existing approaches.
Haralick Texture Analysis for Stem Cell Identification

The author presents an automatic texture analysis image processing technique for determining the differentiation status of stem cells in time-lapse data. Haralick texture features, and their prerequisite gray-level co-occurrence matrices, were used to quantify texture samples, linear discriminant analysis for dimensionality reduction while preserving class discrimination, and support vector machines for forming decision boundaries. Brute force was utilized for each training session for several parameters. The algorithm was tested on four types of data: randomly generated, synthetic texture samples, phase contrast, and quantitative phase. Overall accuracy rates were found to exceed 85% for all data types encountered. Keywords—Haralick, texture, hESCs, iPSCs, stem cells, differentiation, LDA, SVM, classification, image processing.
Author ' s personal copy Compliant multistable structural elements

Compliant multistable structures are presented which exhibit a large geometric change when actuated between their stable states. It is demonstrated how asymmetric-bistability is achieved through the combination of linear and nonlinear springs. Finite element analytical techniques are provided which enable the design of such structures, and which illustrate how the presence of imperfections can substantially alter their structural performance. A multistable structure is developed which consists of four connected bistable tetrahedral units. The validity of the analytical techniques is confirmed through observation of several physical models. 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Speeding up Multi-relational Data Mining

We present a general approach to speeding up a family of multi-relational data mining algorithms that construct and use selection graphs to obtain the information needed for building predictive models (e.g., decision tree classifiers) from relational database. Preliminary results of our experiments suggest that the proposed method can yield 1-2 orders of magnitude reductions in the running time of such algorithms without any deterioration in the quality of results. The proposed modifications enhance the applicability of multi-relational data mining algorithms to significantly larger relational databases that would otherwise be not feasible in practice.
Diskbench : User-level Disk Feature Extraction Tool

Despite the increases in disk capacity and decreases in mechanical delays in recent years, the performance gap between magnetic disks and CPU continues to increase. To improve disk performance, operating systems and file systems must have detailed low-level information (e.g., zoning, bad-sector positions, and cache size) and high-level information (e.g. expected read and write performance for different access pattern) about the disks that they use. In this paper, we present Diskbench, our tool for extracting such information. Diskbench uses both interrogative and empirical methods for extracting various disk features. We present our extraction methods and results for several testbeds. From our empirical study, we conclude that intelligent data placement and access methods can be devised to improve disk performance, by exploiting low-level disk knowledge. Diskbench has benefitted our video storage research in the implementation of Semi-preemptible IOand guaranteed real-time scheduling.
Cell Metabolism Exercise-Induced PGC-1 a / FNDC 5 / BDNF Pathway

Christiane D. Wrann,1 James P. White,1 John Salogiannnis,2 Dina Laznik-Bogoslavski,1 Jun Wu,1 Di Ma,3 Jiandie D. Lin,3 Michael E. Greenberg,2,* and Bruce M. Spiegelman1,* 1Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, 44 Binney Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA 2Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, 220 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA 3Life Sciences Institute and Department of Cell andDevelopmental Biology, University ofMichiganMedical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA *Correspondence: michael_greenberg@hms.harvard. edu (M.E.G.), bruce_spiegelman@dfci.harvard. edu (B.M.S.) http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.cmet. 2013.09. 008
Effects of Electroacupuncture on Methamphetamine-Induced Behavioral Changes in Mice

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major drug of abuse worldwide, and no efficient therapeutic strategies for treating METH addiction are currently available. Continuous METH use can cause behavioral upregulation or psychosis. The dopaminergic pathways, particularly the neural circuitry from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), have a critical role in this behavioral stage. Acupuncture has been used for treating diseases in China for more than 2000 years. According to a World Health Organization report, acupuncture can be used to treat several functional disorders, including substance abuse. In addition, acupuncture is effective against opioids addiction. In this study, we used electroacupuncture (EA) for treating METH-induced behavioral changes and investigated the possible therapeutic mechanism. Results showed that EA at the unilateral Zhubin (KI9)–Taichong (LR3) significantly reduced METH-induced behavioral sensitization and conditioned place preference. In addition, both dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels decreased but monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) levels increased in the NAc of the METH-treated mice receiving EA compared with those not receiving EA. EA may be a useful nonpharmacological approach for treating METH-induced behavioral changes, probably because it reduces the METH-induced TH expression and dopamine levels and raises MAO-A expression in the NAc.
An event-based monitoring service for networks on chip

Networks on chip (NoCs) are a scalable interconnect solution for multiprocessor systems on chip. We propose a generic reconfigurable online event-based NoC monitoring service, based on hardware probes attached to NoC components, offering run-time observability of NoC behavior and supporting system-level debugging. We present a probe architecture, its programming model, traffic management strategies, and a cost analysis. We prove feasibility via a prototype implementation for the Æthereal NoC. Two MPEG NoC examples show that the monitoring service area, without advanced optimizations, is 17--24% of the NoC area. Two realistic monitoring examples show that monitoring traffic is several orders of magnitude lower than the 2GB/s/link raw bandwidth.
Wâhkôhtowin: The Governance of Good Community–Academic Research Relationships to Improve the Health and Well-Being of Children in Alexander First Nation

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a promising decolonizing approach to health and social sciences research with First Nation Peoples. In CBPR, the use of a community advisory committee can act as an anchoring site for trusting reciprocal relationships, collaborative decision-making, and co-learning and co-creation. Through a qualitative case study, this article illustrates the collective experiences of a well-established, multidisciplinary, and intersectoral committee that reviews, monitors, and guides multiple research projects in a First Nation community in Canada. Participants of the Alexander Research Committee (ARC) share examples of the value of fostering a high level of commitment to building both positive working relationships and learning spaces that ultimately result in research and policy impacts for their community.
Making carrier frequency offset an advantage for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing

Contrary to the common belief that the carrier frequency offset (CFO) in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system would adversely impact on system performance, this paper shows that the CFO actually has the effect of linear precoding among transmitted data symbols and hence can be exploited to improve the diversity performance over frequency-selective fading channels. With both analysis and Monte Carlo simulation, it is proved that an OFDM system with CFO equal to half of the subcarrier spacing can potentially achieve the performance of diversity order four by the maximum-likelihood detection and demonstrate a 5 dB improvement using the minimum mean squared error equalization.
Disconnected: Non-Users of Information Communication Technologies

Growing concern about the impact of constant, mediated connection has often focused on the ways in which technologies contribute to a ubiquitous sense of presence and interaction, and the kind of invasion that this may represent to a sense of self and privacy. Discussion about information communication technologies is increasingly converging around the need for a deepened understanding of their effect on pace of life, methods of work, consumption, and wellbeing. Counter-narratives to overwhelming hyper-connectivity have emerged as a result of these changes. Using qualitative interview data from respondents recruited from across the globe, we focus on the strategies and worldviews of those who explicitly reject the use of any information communication technologies. Our participants relate how, to varying degrees, they have elected to avoid forms of immediate connection and what they identify as the deep advantages and therapeutic benefits of such ways of being. The article responds to rising social anxieties about being locked into information communication technology ecologies and the difficulty of opting out of corporate information-exchange systems. These concerns, we argue, are generating increasing interest in how to manage information communication technologies more effectively or to switch off altogether.
Innovative Alternative Technologies to Extract Carotenoids from Microalgae and Seaweeds

Marine microalgae and seaweeds (microalgae) represent a sustainable source of various bioactive natural carotenoids, including β-carotene, lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, violaxanthin and fucoxanthin. Recently, the large-scale production of carotenoids from algal sources has gained significant interest with respect to commercial and industrial applications for health, nutrition, and cosmetic applications. Although conventional processing technologies, based on solvent extraction, offer a simple approach to isolating carotenoids, they suffer several, inherent limitations, including low efficiency (extraction yield), selectivity (purity), high solvent consumption, and long treatment times, which have led to advancements in the search for innovative extraction technologies. This comprehensive review summarizes the recent trends in the extraction of carotenoids from microalgae and seaweeds through the assistance of different innovative techniques, such as pulsed electric fields, liquid pressurization, supercritical fluids, subcritical fluids, microwaves, ultrasounds, and high-pressure homogenization. In particular, the review critically analyzes technologies, characteristics, advantages, and shortcomings of the different innovative processes, highlighting the differences in terms of yield, selectivity, and economic and environmental sustainability.
Utility of Tissue Similarity Maps Based on Relative Cerebral Blood Volume for Grading Gliomas as Validated by Histological Results

IntroductIon Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors. Grading gliomas is of significant clinical importance because treatment plans vary between high‐ and low‐grade gliomas. Histopathologic grades of gliomas are closely related to microvasculature. [1] Magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion‐weighted imaging (PWI) is a technique to quantitatively evaluate tumor microenvironments by measuring cerebral blood volume (CBV). [2] Tissue similarity maps (TSM) based on relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) are generated from a novel algorithm depending solely on the signal intensity time course without the need for a concentration‐time curve, which is required when using the conventional rCBV algorithm; therefore, TSM‐based rCBV (rCBVTSM) measurements are not influenced by certain factors, such as contrast‐to‐noise ratio and arterial input function (AIF). [3] However, applying TSM‐based rCBV measurement to grading gliomas has rarely been discussed. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the value of using TSM‐based rCBV measurement for grading gliomas.
New finite-difference methods for free surfaces with a stability analysis

New finite-difference formulations are given for the free surface of an elastic solid. It is argued that the new methods are better than earlier formulations in terms of both accuracy and stability. This conclusion is based on some new algebraic results and on a thorough analysis of the stability problems that can occur. It is backed up by extensive numerical testing. The explicit grid mode that makes the earlier “composed approximation” unstable is constructed. The construction generalizes to give general tests for instabilities. A criterion for using formulations that have relatively minor stability problems (the “useful life”) is stated and applied.
Algorithmic Search for Extremal Graphs of Girth At Least Five

Let f(v) denote the maximum number of edges in a graph of order v and of girth at least 5. In this paper, we discuss algorithms for constructing such extremal graphs. This gives constructive lower bounds of f(v) for v ≤ 200. We also provide the exact values of f(v) for v ≤ 24, and enumerate the extremal graphs for v ≤ 10.
Language choice and use of Malaysian Tamil Christian Youths: a survey

Language choice and use, which refers to the selection of language(s) for diverse purposes in diverse contexts with different individuals or groups, are common but rather vital sociolinguistic phenomena in a multilingual setting. This study integrates Fishman’s (1972 domain analysis to determine the dominant language choice of Tamil Christian youths in Malaysia based on their patterns of language choice and use in the domains of family, friendship, and religion; and to examine the underlying factors that govern their language choice patterns in the selected domains. The data were collected through a questionnaire administered to 60 Tamil Christian youths at a church in Kuala Lumpur; together with 4 face-to-face interviews. SPSS was used to get percentage values and frequencies through descriptive statistics of data from the questionnaire. The findings of the study indicate that the respondents chose and used English, Tamil, and Bahasa Malaysia in the selected domains. The English language was found to be used predominantly in all three domains as a result of the influence of these particular domains; the speakers’ verbal repertoires and those of their addressees; their attitude towards a language and its speakers; motivation; and also their sense of solidarity and social identity.
Reliability In Information Fusion : Literature Survey

The success of information fusion is defined by the quality of knowledge produced by fusion processes, with the latter in turn depending on how well data are represented, how reliable and adequate the model of data uncertainty used, and how accurate and appropriate or applicable prior knowledge is. The majority of fusion operators is based on optimistic assumptions about reliability of sources and presumes that they are all reliable. At the same time, different sources may have different reliability and it is necessary to account for this fact to avoid decreasing in performance of fusion results. The objective of this paper is to discuss the principal concepts and strategies of incorporating reliability into classical fusion operators and to provide an overview of the main approaches used in the fusion literature.
Does Customer Orientation Mediate the Effect of Job Resourcefulness on Hotel Employee Outcomes? Evidence from Iran

This study proposes and tests a conceptual model that investigates whether customer orientation acts as a mediator of the relationship between job resourcefulness and hotel employee outcomes. The results from a survey of 145 frontline hotel employees in Iran suggest that customer orientation has a full mediating role in the relationship between job resourcefulness and role-prescribed customer service. Contrary to the hypothesised relationships, there is no empirical support for customer orientation as a mediator of the impact of job resourcefulness on job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.