Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Persistence Influences on the Minority Student Attending a Predominantly White Postsecondary Urban Institution: the Student Perspective

An abstract of the dissertation of Annmarie O'Brien for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership: Postsecondary Education presented July 15, 1993. Title: Persistence Influences on the Minority Student Attending a Predominantly White Postsecondary Urban Institution: The Student Perspective This dissertation is an examination of influences that have contributed to the retention of a group of minority students attending a predominately white postsecondary institution. The focus of the study is on the students' perspectives and the meaning and personal interpretation students draw from influences that impinge upon them and from their interactions with the college experience. From a sociological perspective this view and emphasis on meaning is described as the sociology of everyday life. The component of the sociology of everyday life which directed the methodology is symbolic interactionism. The data collection instrument was a focused interview. Variables from the Metzner and Bean (1987) Conceptual Model of Nontraditional Student Attrition and Tinto (1987) Student Integration Model served as the starting point for the formation of the open-ended questions.
The Reanalysis of the ROSAT Data of GQ Mus (1983) Using White Dwarf Atmosphere Emission Models

The analyses of X-ray emission from classical novae during the outburst stage have shown that the soft X-ray emission below 1 keV, which is thought to originate from the photosphere of the white dwarf, is inconsistent with the simple blackbody model of emission. Thus, $ROSAT$ Position Sensitive Proportional Counter (PSPC) archival data of the classical novae GQ Mus 1983 (GQ Mus) have been reanalyzed in order to understand the spectral development in the X-ray wavelengths during the outburst stage. The X-ray spectra are fitted with the hot white dwarf atmosphere emission models developed for the remnants of classical novae near the Eddington luminosity. The post-outburst X-ray spectra of the remnant white dwarf is examined in the context of evolution on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram using C-O enhanced atmosphere models. The data obtained in 1991 August (during the ROSAT All Sky Survey) indicate that the effective temperature is kT_e<54 eV (<6.2x10^5 K). The 1992 February data show that the white dwarf had reached an effective temperature in the range 38.3-43.3 eV (4.4-5.1x10^5 K) with an unabsorbed X-ray flux (i.e., $\sim$ bolometric flux) between 2.5x10^-9 and 2.3x10^-10 erg s^-1 cm^-2. We show that the H burning at the surface of the WD had most likely ceased at the time of the X-ray observations. Only the 1991 August data show evidence for ongoing H burning.
Molecular Characterization of a New Alkaline-Tolerant Xylanase from Humicola insolens Y1

An endo-1,4-β-xylanase-encoding gene, xyn11B, was cloned from the thermophilic fungus Humicola insolens Y1. The gene encodes a multimodular xylanase that consists of a typical hydrophobic signal sequence, a catalytic domain of glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 11, a glycine-rich linker, and a family 1 carbohydrate binding module (CBM1). Deduced Xyn11B shares the highest identity of 74% with a putative xylanase from Podospora anserina S mat+. Recombinant Xyn11B was successfully expressed in Pichia pastoris and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. Xyn11B had a high specific activity of 382.0 U mg−1 towards beechwood xylan and showed optimal activity at pH 6.0 and 50°C. Distinct from most reported acidic fungal xylanases, Xyn11B was alkaline-tolerant, retaining 30.7% of the maximal activity at pH 9.0. The K m and V max values for beechwood xylan were 2.2 mg mL−1 and 462.8 μmol min−1 mg−1, respectively. The enzyme exhibited a wider substrate specificity and produced a mixture of xylooligosaccharides. All these favorable enzymatic properties make Xyn11B attractive for potential applications in various industries.
Complexity Metrics for Spreadsheet Models

Several complexity metrics are described which are related to logic structure, data structure and size of spreadsheet models. They primarily concentrate on the dispersion of cell references and cell paths. Most metrics are newly defined, while some are adapted from traditional software engineering. Their purpose is the identification of cells which are liable to errors. In addition, they can be used to estimate the values of dependent process metrics, such as the development duration and effort, and especially to adjust the cell error rate in accordance with the contents of each individual cell, in order to accurately asses the reliability of a model. Finally, two conceptual constructs - the reference branching condition cell and the condition block - are discussed, aiming at improving the reliability, modifiability, auditability and comprehensibility of logical tests.
Dispersive Response of a Disordered Superconducting Quantum Metamaterial

We consider a disordered quantum metamaterial formed by an array of superconducting flux qubits coupled to microwave photons in a cavity. We map the system on the Tavis-Cummings model accounting for the disorder in frequencies of the qubits. The complex transmittance is calculated with the parameters taken from state-of-the-art experiments. We demonstrate that photon phase shift measurements allow to distinguish individual resonances in the metamaterial with up to 100 qubits, in spite of the decoherence spectral width being remarkably larger than the effective coupling constant. Our simulations are in agreement with the results of the recently reported experiment.
Evenness indices measure the signal strength of biweight site chronologies.

The signal strength of a biweight site chronology is properly viewed as an outcome of analysis rather than as aproperty of the forest-climate system. It can beestimated by theevennessof theempirical weights that are assigned to individual trees. The approach is demonstrated for a 45-year biweight chronology obtained from 40 jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) trees. The annual evenness of the empirical weights is calculated by indices derived from the Shannon and Simpson diversity indices, and the variances are found by the jackknife procedure. The annual estimates are then averaged to find an overall estimate of biweight signal strength for the 45-year period. These techniques are most useful for determining sample sizes for the biweight procedure, and for comparing different methods of detrending and standardizing data sets prior to applying the biweight mean-value function. Die Signalstuke einer durch 'robuste Mittelung' gebildeten Standortchronologie ('biweight site chronology') ist eher eine Folge der Berechnung als eine Eigenschaft des Systems aus Wald und Klima. Die Signalstake laDt sich anhand der Gleichheit der den Einzelbaumen zugeordneten empirischen Gewichte abschatzen. Dies wird fur eine 45jhige 'robust gemittelte' Chronologie von 40 Kiefem (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) gezeigt. Die jiihrliche Gleichheit der empirischen Gewichte wird anhand von Indices berechnet, die ausden Shannon- und Simpson-Diversitats-Indices abgeleitet sind; die Varianzen werden mit der 'jackknife7-Prozedur gefunden. Danach werden die j&rlichen Schlzungen gemittelt, um eine Schatzung der Signalstake fur die gesamte 45jiihrige Periode zu erhalten. Dies ist wichtig fiir die Bestimmung der Stichprobengrok fur die 'robuste Mittelung,' aber auch fur den Vergleich verschiedenerverfahren derTrendeleminierung und Standardisierung von Datensatzen vor ~nwendun~ der sog. 'biweight-mean value function', d.h. der 'robusten Mittelung'.
Structured Classification for Inverse Reinforcement Learning

This paper addresses the Inverse Reinforcement Learning (IRL) problem which is a particular case of learning from demonstrations. The IRL framework assumes that an expert, demonstrating a task, is acting optimally with respect to an unknown reward function to be discovered. Unlike most of existing IRL algorithms, the proposed approach doesn't require any of the following: complete trajectories from the expert, a generative model of the environment, the knowledge of the transition probabilities, the ability to repeatedly solve the forward Reinforcement Learning (RL) problem, the expert's policy anywhere in the state space. Using a classi cation approach in which the structure of the underlying Markov Decision Process (MDP) is implicitly injected, we end-up with an e cient subgradient descent-based algorithm. In addition, only a small amount of expert demonstrations (not even in the form of trajectories but simple transitions) is required. Keywords: inverse reinforcement learning, structured multi-class classi cation
Parallel computers for graphics applications

Specialized computer architectures can provide better price/performance for executing image processing and graphics applications than general purpose designs. Two processors are presented that use parallel SIMD data paths to support common graphics data structures as primitive operands in arithmetic expressions. A variant of the C language has been implemented to allow high level language coding of user applications on these processors. High level programming support is designed into the processor architecture that implements parallel object data typing and parallel conditional evaluation in hardware.
Maternal administration of anti-angiogenic agents, TNP-470 and Angiostatin4.5, induces fetal microphthalmia

Purpose Agents specifically targeting the vasculature as a mode of therapy are finding increasing use in the clinic, primarily in the treatment of colon cancer (Avastin™) and age-related macular degeneration (Lucentis™). We have previously shown that maternal administration of angiogenic inhibitors (TNP-470 [O-[chloroacetyl-carbamoyl]fumagillol, initially called AGM-1470], the first angiogenic inhibitor to undergo clinical trials, and Angiostatin 4.5, currently in phase I-III clinical trials) cause fetal growth restriction and/or placental abnormalities. During a rapid growth phase of ocular development in the mouse (embryonic days 12 to 19 [E12-E19]), the placenta mediates the metabolic requirements of the fetus and consequently may impact upon the growth of the highly oxygen sensitive fetal eye. Methods We injected pregnant dams (between E10.5 – E18.5) with anti-angiogenic agents, which caused either a placental insufficiency type of IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction; i.e., TNP-470) or frank placental pathology (Angiostatin4.5 [AS4.5]), and assessed changes in absolute ocular dimensions, tissue types, and vascular profiles using stereological techniques. Results The experiments showed that ocular volumes were significantly reduced in fetal mice where dams were treated with either TNP-470 or AS4.5. Furthermore, TNP-470 specifically caused a reduction in hyaloid blood vessel length and volume, the only intraocular vascular circulation in fetal mice. Conclusions These experiments support the hypothesis that the angiogenic inhibitors (specifically TNP-470 and AS4.5) induce microphthalmia either indirectly by their known effects on placental morphology (and/or function) or directly via altering microvascular growth in the fetus. These results also warrant further investigation of a new experimental paradigm linking placental pathology-related fetal growth restriction and microphthalmia.
Linking Gene Expression in the Intestine to Production of Gametes Through the Phosphate Transporter PITR-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans

Inorganic phosphate is an essential mineral for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell metabolism and structure. Its uptake into the cell is mediated by membrane-bound transporters and coupled to Na+ transport. Mammalian sodium-dependent Pi cotransporters have been grouped into three families NaPi-I, NaPi-II, and NaPi-III. Despite being discovered more than two decades ago, very little is known about requirements for NaPi-III transporters in vivo, in the context of intact animal models. Here we find that impaired function of the Caenorhabditis elegans NaPi-III transporter, pitr-1, results in decreased brood size and dramatically increased expression of vitellogenin by the worm intestine. Unexpectedly, we found that the effects of pitr-1 mutation on vitellogenin expression in the intestine could only be rescued by expression of pitr-1 in the germline, and not by expression of pitr-1 in the intestine itself. Our results indicate the existence of a signal from the germline that regulates gene expression in the intestine, perhaps linking nutrient export from the intestine to production of gametes by the germline.
Dismal Code: Studying the Evolution of Security Bugs

Background. Security bugs are critical programming errors that can lead to serious vulnerabilities in software. Such bugs may allow an attacker to take over an application, steal data or prevent the application from working at all. Aim. We used the projects stored in the Maven repository to study the characteristics of security bugs individually and in relation to other software bugs. Specifically, we studied the evolution of security bugs through time. In addition, we examined their persistence and their relationship with a) the size of the corresponding version, and b) other bug categories. Method. We analyzed every project version of the Maven repository by using FindBugs, a popular static analysis tool. To see how security bugs evolve over time we took advantage of the repository’s project history and dependency data. Results. Our results indicate that there is no simple rule governing the number of security bugs as a project evolves. In particular, we cannot say that across projects security-related defect counts increase or decrease significantly over time. Furthermore, security bugs are not eliminated in a way that is particularly different from the other bugs. In addition, the relation of security bugs with a project’s size appears to be different from the relation of the bugs coming from other categories. Finally, even if bugs seem to have similar behaviour, severe security bugs seem to be unassociated with other bug categories. Conclusions. Our findings indicate that further research should be done to analyze the evolution of security bugs. Given the fact that our experiment included only Java projects, similar research could be done for another ecosystem. Finally, the fact that projects have their own idiosyncrasies concerning security bugs, could help us find the common characteristics of the projects where security bugs increase over time.
Upregulation of sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9) promotes cell proliferation and tumorigenicity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Sex-determining region Y-box 9 (SOX9), a vital transcription factor, play important roles in numerous biological and pathological processes. However, the clinical significance and biological role of SOX9 expression has not been characterized in human esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Herein, we found that SOX9 was markedly upregulated, at both mRNA and protein level, in ESCC cell lines and ESCC tissues and that SOX9 expression was significantly correlated with tumor clinical stage, T classification, N classification, M classification, pathological differentiation, and shorter overall survival. The proliferation and tumorigenicity of ESCC cells were dramatically induced by SOX9 overexpression but were inhibited by SOX9 knockdown both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrated that upregulation of SOX9 increased the expression of phosphorylated Akt, the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) regulator cyclin D1, phosphorylated forkhead box O (FOXO)1, and phosphorylated FOXO3, but SOX9 downregulation decreased their expression, whereas the levels of the CDK inhibitors p21Cip1 and p27Kip1 were attenuated in SOX9-transduced cells. Taken together, our results suggest that SOX9 plays an important role in promoting the proliferation and tumorigenesis of ESCC and may represent a novel prognostic marker for the disease.
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Research Department Staff Report 249 Using Simulation Methods for Bayesian Econometric Models: Inference, Development, and Communication

This paper surveys the fundamental principles of subjective Bayesian inference in econometrics and the implementation of those principles using posterior simulation methods. The emphasis is on the combination of models and the development of predictive distributions. Moving beyond conditioning on a fixed number of completely specified models, the paper introduces subjective Bayesian tools for formal comparison of these models with as yet incompletely specified models. The paper then shows how posterior simulators can facilitate communication between investigators (for example, econometricians) on the one hand and remote clients (for example, decision makers) on the other, enabling clients to vary the prior distributions and functions of interest employed by investigators. A theme of the paper is the practicality of subjective Bayesian methods. To this end, the paper describes publicly available software for Bayesian inference, model development, and communication and provides illustrations using two simple economet-ric models. and four anonymous referees provided helpful comments on earlier versions. My understanding of the issues in this paper has greatly benefited from discussions over the years with these and many other individuals, but misconceptions conveyed in this work are entirely my own. The views expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis or the Federal Reserve System. This document may be freely reproduced for educational and research purposes provided that (i) this copyright notice is included with each copy, (ii) no changes are made in the document, and (iii) copies are not sold, but retained for individual use or distributed free of charge.
Forecasting Rainfall and Floods : Advances and Way Forward

Better understanding of the physics of natural systems, the power of information technology and remote sensing tools, and the advances in statistics and simulation of complex nonlinear systems have revolutionized the way civil and environmental engineers approach traditional and new challenges. This paper describes new developments in the area of distributed rainfall and flood forecasting over large river basins. The potential benefits of this research could be significant. Put on a dreamer hat and imagine that the entire Ganga basin, from the hills and plains of Uttar Pradesh to the fertile lands of Bengal, is being simulated in real time from one centralized location. Rainfall is being forecast for the entire basin, and likelihood of floods are being predicted for every village. Real-time warning systems save lives and property. This paper briefly discusses new developments that could someday help us realize this vision.
The Association between Attachment and Mental Health Symptoms among School-Going Adolescents in Northern Uganda: The Moderating Role of War-Related Trauma

Background The association between attachment and mental health symptoms in adolescents in a post-conflict low resource setting has not been documented. Methods We investigated the relationship between parent and peer attachment and posttraumatic stress, depression and anxiety symptoms in a sample of 551 adolescents aged 13–21 years old. Attachment quality was assessed using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA). Post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Impact of Events Scale Revised (IESR) and Hopkins Symptom Checklist for Adolescents (HSCL-37A) respectively. Gender differences in attachment relationships were determined using independent t-tests. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess whether attachment relationships were independently associated with posttraumatic stress, depression and anxiety symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to explore the moderating role of war-related trauma. Results Our analyses revealed gender differences in attachment to parents, with males reporting stronger attachment than females. Parental attachment was protective against depression and anxiety symptoms but not posttraumatic stress symptoms after adjusting for potential confounders. Alienation by parents was independently associated with an increase in these mental health symptoms while peer attachment was not associated with any of these symptoms. However, in situations of severe trauma, our analyses showed that peer attachment was significantly protective against post-traumatic stress symptoms. Conclusions Secure parental attachment is associated with better psychosocial adjustment in adolescents affected by war. Further, adolescents with secure peer attachment relationships in situations of severe war trauma may be less likely to develop posttraumatic stress symptoms. Interventions to enhance peer support in this post conflict setting would benefit this vulnerable population.
Association of Uric acid with type II diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels that results from defects in insulin secretion or action or both. Some recent studies had shown that elevated level of uric acid is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes, regardless of other characteristics of subjects. Our aim was to investigate the association of serum uric acid concentration or level with diabetes mellitus in Bangladeshi population. One hundred and fifty type 2 diabetes mellitus subjects (male 83, female 67) and fifty non-diabetic subjects (25 male, 25 female) were included in the study over six months. Uric acid was measured by enzymatic colorimetric method. The level of uric acid was higher in male and female diabetic subjects (p<0.05 and p<0.001) compared to non-diabetic subjects. Uric acid showed a positive association with fasting blood sugar (FBS), diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c in case of diabetes subjects. These data strongly suggest that compared to non-diabetic subjects, diabetic subjects have significantly higher uric acid level. Copyright: @ 2012 Masum, N. et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Common Attribution 3.0 License.
A hybrid-cascaded framework for MLEM based image reconstruction

This paper proposed a hybrid-cascaded framework for image reconstruction. This framework consists of breaking the reconstruction process into two parts viz. primary and secondary. The primary part consists of simple algebraic iterative technique using Simultaneous Algebraic Reconstruction Technique (SART) for image reconstruction. The task of primary reconstruction will be to provide an enhanced image to secondary part to be used as an initial estimate for reconstruction process. The secondary part is a hybrid combination of two parts namely the reconstruction part and the prior part. The reconstruction is done using Maximum Likelihood Expectation Maximization (MLEM) while median anisotropic diffusion (MedAD) filter is used as prior to deal with ill-posedness. Using primary and secondary reconstruction steps in a cascaded manner, yields significant improvements in reconstructed image quality. It also accelerates the convergence and provides enhanced results using the projection data. The obtained results justify the applicability of the proposed method.