Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
School Determinants of Achievement in Writing: Implications for School Management in Minority Settings

Abstract: This study identified school factors that determined writing achievement for 13- and 16-year-old Francophone students in minority (Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia) and majority settings (Quebec) (N = 5700). Factor analysis retained three factors subjected to binary logistic regression with students’ academic performance: Human and Material Resources and School-Community-Family Relations; Principal’s Vision and Beliefs; and Rules and Procedures. Logistic regression found two major determinants in writing achievement: Human and Material Resources and School-Community-Family Relations, and Principal’s Vision and Beliefs. In minority settings, the t-test showed significant deficits affecting the school’s ability to provide teaching programs in terms of Human and Material Resources and School-Community-Family Relations. The influence of both principals and teaching staff (individually) on general activities, school programs, and staff morale was weaker in the minority than in the majority contexts, in contrast to community support, school spirit, and students’ and teachers’ level of pride, which were stronger in minority settings.
Efficient multivariate modeling of cross border effects in European bond volatility spillover: A multiple objective artificial neural network approach

In this paper we extend prior efforts to engineer an efficient mapping of volatility transmission across various western- and central-European government bond markets. The univariate Bayesian-enhanced multiple-objective K4- RANN has been a standard to produce an efficient minimization of the ill-effects of multicollinearity while attaining maximum smoothness in nonparametric time series analysis. This research introduces a multivariate extension to the K4 algorithm; an extension which permits multiple target variables to be specified in the estimating equation. The new K7-MRANN is employed to re-examine bond volatility spillover effects previously obtained from univariate parametric- and artificial neural network based conditional volatility investigations. A prior K4-RANN estimation produced residuals that were nearly devoid of latent economic effects along with network weights that both corroborated and extended prior parametric findings of a weak US spillover effect into established European bond markets. The K7-MRANN findings presented in this research report model residuals that are clearly linearly independent and devoid of any latent interpretation. The signed model weights produced by a simultaneous multivariate RANN provide convincing evidence of the uniform effect of a negative U.S. bond market spillover into the aggregate Europe bond markets as well into specific Euro-domestic bond markets. The multivariate modelling efforts also provide a measurable view into the intra-Europe sovereign spillover effects.
Towards secure and resilient networked power distribution grids: Process and tool adoption

Development and evaluation of communication-based control applications for networked Smart Grid systems are challenging tasks. The complexity is caused by the tight interaction of the control applications with communication networks and physical components, such as sensors and actuators in a complex cyber-physical system. In this context, it is challenging to develop and test novel cyber-security measures and integrate existing ones. In order to support engineers in the assessment and development of cyber-security measures for smart grids, suitable processes and tools need to be developed. In this paper, we extend an established process for rapid control prototyping by measures for supporting the development and evaluation of secure and resilient Smart Grid control applications. Tool support for this process takes the form of a co-simulation framework - we have coupled the communication system simulator OMNeT++ to the power system simulator DIgSILENT PowerFactory using a flexible middleware. OMNeT++ is used to model the cyber-security attacks. We have used our process and tools to evaluate a coordinated voltage control system that has been developed and is currently operated in rural low voltage grids in Austria.
PV-Alert: A fog-based architecture for safeguarding vulnerable road users

High volumes of pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users (VRUs) have much higher casualty rates per mile; not surprising given their lack of protection from an accident. In order to alleviate the problem, sensing capabilities of smartphones can be used to detect, warn and safeguard these road users. In this research we propose an infrastructure-less fog-based architecture named PV-Alert (Pedestrian-Vehicle Alert) where fog nodes process delay sensitive data obtained from smartphones for alerting pedestrians and drivers before sending the data to the cloud for further analysis. Fog computing is considered in developing the architecture since it is an emerging paradigm that has paramount of advantages for low-latency applications which demand mobility support, geo-distribution and location awareness. We have also defined an algorithm for accident prediction and alerting traffic accidents involving vehicles and pedestrians. PV-Alert can be deployed quickly since it is based only on users' smartphones and doesn't require special infrastructure. Simulation results show that the proposed architecture is able to render alerts in real time whichever the wireless communication technology used to connect smartphones with fog nodes (Wi-Fi or LTE). Moreover, analytical and performance evaluations depict that the new architecture outperforms other related architectures in terms of reliability, scalability and latency.
Prediction of Frame-to-Frame Relations in the FrameNet Hierarchy with Frame Embeddings

Automatic completion of frame-to-frame (F2F) relations in the FrameNet (FN) hierarchy has received little attention, although they incorporate meta-level commonsense knowledge and are used in downstream approaches. We address the problem of sparsely annotated F2F relations. First, we examine whether the manually defined F2F relations emerge from text by learning text-based frame embeddings. Our analysis reveals insights about the difficulty of reconstructing F2F relations purely from text. Second, we present different systems for predicting F2F relations; our best-performing one uses the FN hierarchy to train on and to ground embeddings in. A comparison of systems and embeddings exposes the crucial influence of knowledge-based embeddings to a system’s performance in predicting F2F relations.
Cell type‐specific methylation profiles occurring disproportionately in CpG‐less regions that delineate developmental similarity

Our previous studies using restriction landmark genomic scanning (RLGS) defined tissue‐ or cell‐specific DNA methylation profiles. It remains to be determined whether the DNA sequence compositions in the genomic contexts of the NotI loci tested by RLGS influence their tendency to change with differentiation. We carried out 3834 methylation measurements consisting of 213 NotI loci in the mouse genome in 18 different tissues and cell types, using quantitative real‐time PCR based on a Virtual image rlgs database. Loci were categorized as CpG islands or other, and as unique or repetitive sequences, each category being associated with a variety of methylation categories. Strikingly, the tissue‐dependently and differentially methylated regions (T‐DMRs) were disproportionately distributed in the non‐CpG island loci. These loci were located not only in 5′‐upstream regions of genes but also in intronic and non‐genic regions. Hierarchical clustering of the methylation profiles could be used to define developmental similarity and cellular phenotypes. The results show that distinctive tissue‐ and cell type‐specific methylation profiles by RLGS occur mostly at NotI sites located at non‐CpG island sequences, which delineate developmental similarity of different cell types. The finding indicates the power of NotI methylation profiles in evaluating the relatedness of different cell types.
CAMOR: Congestion Aware Multipath Optimal Routing Solution by Using Software-Defined Networking

The standard routing protocols are used to find an optimal path between two given endpoints. Nowadays, the solution of multipath routing becomes fundamental requirement to improve the overall throughput of networks. On the other hand, due to the dynamic and high volume of traffic, it is also more challenging to control the congestion in an efficient way within the networks. Recently, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) becomes more and more popular to achieve the future network goals. In this paper, we proposed a Congestion Aware Multipath Optimal Routing (CAMOR) solution by using SDN and manage the routing intelligence centrally. We proposed a technique that combines the multipath and congestion aware mechanisms for an optimal route selection by considering the congestion in all available paths. The load of each link participating in routing paths is considered as congestion parameter. For better utilization of bandwidth and resources, we proposed per-flow based differentiation method and evenly distribute the traffic on equal cost multiple paths. The experimental results show that our solution can evenly distribute the traffic on several optimal paths instead of routing traffic on a single best/shortest path. It also can improve the overall network performance by avoiding the congestion.
Histone deacetylation in epigenetics: An attractive target for anticancer therapy

The reversible histone acetylation and deacetylation are epigenetic phenomena that play critical roles in the modulation of chromatin topology and the regulation of gene expression. Aberrant transcription due to altered expression or mutation of genes that encode histone acetyltransferase (HAT) or histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes or their binding partners, has been clearly linked to carcinogenesis. The histone deacetylase inhibitors are a new promising class of anticancer agents (some of which in clinical trials), that inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells in culture and in vivo by inducing cell‐cycle arrest, terminal differentiation, and/or apoptosis. This report reviews the chemistry and the biology of HDACs and HDAC inhibitors, laying particular emphasis on agents actually in clinical trials for cancer therapy and on new potential anticancer lead compounds more selective and less toxic. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Probabilistic Rank Score Coding: A Robust Rank-Order Based Classifier for Electronic Nose Applications

Motivated by the recent experimental findings about odor identification with the unique spiking patterns of neurons in the biological olfactory system, rank-order-based classifiers have been proposed for gas identification in electronic nose applications. These classifiers rely on one-to-one mapping between the target gas and the temporal sequence of spiking sensors in an electronic nose. However, shuffled spike sequences, due to low repeatability of the response patterns from the sensors, limit the performance of these classifiers. We propose a robust probabilistic rank score coding scheme that tabulates the probability of each spiking sensor at each rank, or temporal position, by exploiting all the spike sequences of the sensors for each target gas, and we analyze a new test vector with this tabular information for its identification. A new quantification metric is proposed in order to estimate the confidence of the classifier's output. Overall, our coding scheme provides an analytical solution that spots the most probable gas for any new test spike sequence with the quantitative feedback. In order to evaluate the robustness of our coding scheme, we target the identification of commonly found health-endangering indoor gases, such as C6H6, CH2O, CO, NO2, and SO2, as a case study. Data of these gases are acquired using our in-house fabricated gas sensor array under different operating conditions, as well as an array of commercially available gas sensors under uniform operational settings. An accuracy rate of 100% has been achieved in both cases with our probabilistic rank score coding scheme.
Regulation of the transition from vimentin to neurofilaments during neuronal differentiation.

Vimentin (Vm) is initially expressed by nearly all neuronal precursors in vivo, and is replaced by neurofilaments (NFs) shortly after the immature neurons become post-mitotic. Both Vm and NFs can be transiently detected within the same neurite, and Vm is essential for neuritogenesis at least in culture. How neurons effect the orderly transition from expression of Vm as their predominant intermediate filament to NFs remains unclear. We examined this phenomenon within growing axonal neurites of NB2a/d1 cells. Transfection of cells with a construct expressing Vm conjugated to green fluorescent protein confirmed that axonal transport machinery for Vm persisted following the developmental decrease in Vm, but that the amount undergoing transport decreased in parallel to the observed developmental increase in NF transport. Immunoprecipitation from pulse-chase radiolabeled cells demonstrated transient co-precipitation of newly synthesized NF-H with Vm, followed by increasing co-precipitation with NF-L. Immunofluorescent and immuno-electron microscopic analyses demonstrated that some NF and Vm subunits were incorporated into the same filamentous profiles, but that Vm was excluded from the longitudinally-oriented "bundle" of closely-apposed NFs that accumulates within developing axons and is known to undergo slower turnover than individual NFs. These data collectively suggest that developing neurons are able to replace their Vm-rich cytoskeleton with one rich in NFs simply by down-regulation of Vm expression and upregulation of NFs, coupled with turnover of existing Vm filaments and Vm-NF heteropolymers.
A Low-Power CMOS Front-End for Photoplethysmographic Signal Acquisition With Robust DC Photocurrent Rejection

A micro-power CMOS front-end, consisting of a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) and an ultralow cutoff frequency lowpass filter for the acquisition of photoplethysmographic signal (PPG) is presented. Robust DC photocurrent rejection for the pulsed signal source is achieved through a sample-and-hold stage in the feed-forward signal path and an error amplifier in the feedback path. Ultra-low cutoff frequency of the filter is achieved with a proposed technique that incorporates a pair of current-steering transistors that increases the effective filter capacitance. The design was realized in a 0.35-mum CMOS technology. It consumes 600 muW at 2.5 V, rejects DC photocurrent ranged from 100 nA to 53.6 muA, and achieves lower-band and upper-band - 3-dB cutoff frequencies of 0.46 and 2.8 Hz, respectively.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in the dissolved, particulate, and sediment phases in the Luan River watershed, China

Water and sediment samples were collected from the Luan River and its 5 tributaries to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentrations in dissolved, particulate, and sediment phases. The Luan River watershed, located in northeastern Hebei province, provides water to population centers such as Tianjian and Tangshan. Sampling locations were chosen at areas not under direct influence of industrial activities to examine the “background” PAH contamination across the watershed. PAH concentrations in the dissolved, particulate, and sediment phases ranged from 11.5 ng/L to 171.5 ng/L, 152.8 ng/g. d.w. to 1372.3 ng/g d.w. , and 6.7 to 1585.7 ng/g d.w. , respectively. Low molecular weight PAHs (with 2 to 3 rings) dominated the dissolved and particulate phases, whereas medium and high molecular weight PAHs (with 4 to 6 rings) dominated the sediment phase. The isomer ratios of PAHs in sediments indicated that PAHs in Luan River originated from combustion processes and those PAHs underwent long-distance transport.
Interaction of epitope‐related and ‐unrelated peptides with anti‐p24 (HIV‐1) monoclonal antibody CB4‐1 and its Fab fragment

The binding of four epitope‐related peptides and three library‐derived, epitope‐unrelated peptides of different lengths (10–14 amino acids) and sequence by anti‐p24 (HIV‐1) monoclonal antibody CB4‐1 and its Fab fragment was studied by isothermal titration calorimetry. The binding constants KA at 25 °C vary between 5.1 × 107 M −1 for the strongest and 1.4 × 105 M −1 for the weakest binder. For each of the peptides complex formation is enthalpically driven and connected with unfavorable entropic contributions; however, the ratio of enthalpy and entropy contributions to ΔG0 differs markedly for the individual peptides. A plot of −ΔH0 vs −TΔS0 shows a linear correlation of the data for a wide variety of experimental conditions as expected for a process with ΔCp much larger than ΔS0. The dissimilarity of ΔCp and ΔS0 also explains why ΔH0 and TΔS0 show similar temperature dependences resulting in relatively small changes of ΔG0 with temperature. The heat capacity changes ΔCp upon antibody–peptide complex formation determined for three selected peptides vary only in a small range, indicating basic thermodynamic similarity despite different key residues interacting in the complexes. Furthermore, the comparison of van't Hoff and calorimetric enthalpies point to a non‐two‐state binding mechanism. Protonation effects were excluded by measurements in buffers of different ionization enthalpies. Differences in the solution conformation of the peptides as demonstrated by circular dichroic measurements do not explain different binding affinities of the peptides; specifically a high helix content in solution is not essential for high binding affinity despite the helical epitope conformation in the crystal structure of p24. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Real-world Impact of Availability of Adjuvant Therapy on Outcomes in Patients With Resected Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Canadian Cancer Agency Experience

BackgroundPatients with resected pancreatic cancer (PC) have a poor prognosis. In 2004, European Study Group for Pancreatic Cancer 1 (ESPAC1) showed that the use of adjuvant therapy (AT) with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) improves overall survival (OS). Subsequently, the British Columbia Cancer Agency (BCCA) introduced guidelines to offer AT as the standard of care for patients with resected PC. This study reviews the OS and disease-free survival (DFS) in a pre-AT era (2000 to 2004) to the AT era (2005 to 2008) at the BCCA. MethodsUsing pathology records, all PC resections at Vancouver General Hospital from 2000 to 2008 were identified. Patients referred to the BCCA and their treatment records were obtained from the Cancer Agency Information System and BCCA pharmacy database. Charts were reviewed to abstract patient and tumor characteristics, DFS, and OS. Outcomes were compared by log-rank comparison. ResultsIn the pre-AT era, 53 resections were recorded, with 64% referred to the BCCA. Median age was 65 years; poorly differentiated 59% and margin positive 38%. About 24% of patients received AT: all 5-FU. In the AT era, 64 resections were recorded, with 86% referred. Median age was 65 years, poorly differentiated 34% and margin positive 34%. 69% of patients received AT: 61% 5FU and 39% gemcitabine. Major reasons for no AT: delayed referral or metastases at time of referral 45% and poor performance status 35%. Pre-AT DFS 13 months versus 15 months AT era (P=0.55). Pre-AT OS 19 months versus 18 months AT era (P=0.59). ConclusionsSince the guideline for AT, there was an increase in the proportion of patients referred and treated, however, over 30% still do not receive or complete AT. In this single-institution series, there was no difference in survival outcomes between the pre-AT and AT eras. Strategies to improve rate and timeliness of referral should be explored.
Colony Dynamics of the Formosan Subterranean Termite in a Frequently Disturbed Urban Landscape

Abstract The success of evaluating areawide control of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), in urban landscapes hinges on detailed understanding of colony movement and plasticity of the breeding system. Most previous studies of colony affiliation and breeding systems of C. formosanus have been conducted in relatively undisturbed park-like areas. However, disturbance in the form of landscaping, construction, and nearby treatment may impact termite colony dynamics in urban habitats. Therefore, we used microsatellite genotyping to identify the number of colonies, assess colony movement, and investigate the breeding structure of colonies surrounding the Supreme Court Building in New Orleans, LA. During 4 yr, 18 distinct colonies were identified in the study area. In contrast to earlier studies in park-like areas, which indicated stable foraging areas, colonies in this study moved frequently into and out of inground stations. Five colonies were simple families; two of these colonies were headed by inbred nestmate pairs, and three of these colonies were headed by outbred unrelated pairs. Thirteen colonies were extended families headed by fewer than five neotenic reproductives. During the study, the predominant breeding system shifted; simple family colonies either moved or were eliminated, and they were replaced with new extended family colonies. In one case, a generation turnover within a colony from simple to extended family was observed.
Impact of Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty Programme in Ghana: The Case of Wa West District

It still remains an unanswered puzzle, why poverty in the three northern regions of Ghana remains very high in the midst of abundant resources and several policy interventions. The purpose of this study is to ascertain the extent to which the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) has improved welfare and reduced poverty in the Wa West District of Ghana. Arguing through the lens of the rights-based theoretical perspective, the study employed the difference-in-difference analytical technique to compare the extent to which poverty in the district has been lessened among beneficiaries of the LEAP programme against non-beneficiaries. The results show that the LEAP programme had a positive impact on food security as LEAP beneficiaries were more satisfied with their food consumption as compared to non-beneficiaries. Also there was a significant difference between the percentages of LEAP beneficiaries enrolled onto the NHIS as compared to non-beneficiaries. On the effect of the LEAP programme on access to credit, the study reveals that there exists a significant difference between the beneficiary group and non-beneficiary group and that access to credit amongst the beneficiary group is significantly higher than the non-beneficiary group. The study finds no statistically significant relationship between the LEAP beneficiary group and the non-beneficiary group in terms of productive activities. However, low monthly cash transfers; irregular monthly payment, bureaucratic administrative procedures are some of the challenges hindering the success of the LEAP program in the Wa West district. Other policy implications are discussed.
A Closed Form Solution for Optimal Dynamic Portfolio Problems

Studying the optimal dynamic portfolio problems and analyzing a Bayesian investor, who predicts the future with the past information, are developed. Adopting the martingale approach and Cameron-Martin theorem, the maximization of expected utility is converted to a system of differential equations. For the case of a given utility function, a closed-form solution of the terminal wealth is found. Mathematics Subject Classification:65D07, 68U20,49K35