Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional Characterization of Calcineurin Homologs PsCNA1/PsCNB1 in Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici Using a Host-Induced RNAi System

Calcineurin plays a key role in morphogenesis, pathogenesis and drug resistance in most fungi. However, the function of calcineurin genes in Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is unclear. We identified and characterized the calcineurin genes PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 in Pst. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 form a calcium/calmodulin regulated protein phosphatase belonging to the calcineurin heterodimers composed of subunits A and B. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that both PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 expression reached their maximum in the stage of haustorium formation, which is one day after inoculation. Using barely stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) as a transient expression vector in wheat, the expression of PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 in Pst was suppressed, leading to slower extension of fungal hyphae and reduced production of urediospores. The immune-suppressive drugs cyclosporin A and FK506 markedly reduced the germination rates of urediospores, and when germination did occur, more than two germtubes were produced. These results suggest that the calcineurin signaling pathway participates in stripe rust morphogenetic differentiation, especially the formation of haustoria during the early stage of infection and during the production of urediospores. Therefore PsCNA1 and PsCNB1 can be considered important pathogenicity genes involved in the wheat-Pst interaction.
Fiber optic instrumentation for the wide-field AAT prime focus: the 2dF

Results are reported from design studies of a fiber positioner and dedicated spectrographs for use in multiobject blue-UV spectroscopy at the new 2dF wide-field prime focus of the 3.9-m AAT. The technology of the present 64-fiber Autofib-1 system is being adapted to handle the 400 fibers and multiple spectrographs needed for the 2-deg unvignetted 2dF field; requirements include reconfiguration time 8 sec/fiber with iterative centroiding, position accuracy 0.2 arcsec (10 microns), button diameter 3 mm, and fiber probe freedom + or - 45 deg in theta and 75 percent diameter in R, with multiple crossovers. The spectrograph specifications include high throughput at 100-350 nm, spectral resolving power 5000 or less, efficient collimators, fast camera optics, and ability to resolve spatially all 400 fibers or subsets at different wavelengths and dispersions. Data from tests of fiber focal-ratio degradation are presented in graphs and discussed in detail.
Retrieval of model initial fields from single-Doppler observations of a supercell thunderstorm

In this two-part study, a single-Doppler parameter retrieval technique is developed and applied to a real-data case to provide initial conditions for a short-range prediction of a supercell thunderstorm. The technique consists of the sequential application of a single-Doppler velocity retrieval (SDVR), followed by a variational velocity adjustment, a thermodynamic retrieval, and a moisture specification step. By utilizing a sequence of retrievals in this manner, some of the difficulties associated with full-model adjoints (possible solution nonuniqueness and large computational expense) can be circumvented. In Part I, the SDVR procedure and present results from its application to a deep-convective storm are discussed. Part II focuses on the thermodynamic retrieval and subsequent numerical prediction. For the SDVR, Shapiro’s reflectivity conservation-based method is adapted by applying it in a moving reference frame. Verification of the retrieved wind fields against corresponding dual-Doppler analyses indicates that the best skill scores are obtained for a reference frame moving with the mean wind, which effectively reduces the problem to a perturbation retrieval. A decomposition of the retrieved wind field into mean and perturbation components shows that the mean wind accounts for a substantial portion of the total retrieved azimuthal velocity. At low levels, where the retrieval skill scores are especially good, the retrieved perturbation azimuthal velocity is mostly associated with the polar component of vorticity. Missing from the retrieved fields (compared to the dual-Doppler analysis) is most of the low-level azimuthal convergence. Consistent with this result, most of the retrieved updraft is associated with convergence of the perturbation radial velocity, which is calculated from the observed radial velocity and directly used in the wind retrieval.
Optimal Monetary Policy in a Model of Money and Credit

The authors study optimal monetary policy in a model in which fiat money and private debt coexist as a means of payment. The credit system is endogenous and allows buyers to relax their cash constraints. However, it is costly for agents to publicly report their trades, which is necessary for the enforcement of private liabilities. If it is too costly for the government to obtain information regarding private transactions, then it relies on the public information generated by the private credit system. If not all private transactions are publicly reported, the government has imperfect public information to implement monetary policy. In this case, the authors show that there is no incentive-feasible policy that can implement the socially efficient allocation. Finally, they characterize the optimal policy for an economy with a low record-keeping cost and a large number of public transactions, which results in a positive long-run inflation rate.
Molecular responses of Lotus japonicus to parasitism by the compatible species Orobanche aegyptiaca and the incompatible species Striga hermonthica

Lotus japonicus genes responsive to parasitism by the compatible species Orobanche aegyptiaca and the incompatible species Striga hermonthica were isolated by using the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) strategy. O. aegyptiaca and S. hermonthica parasitism specifically induced the expression of genes involved in jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and phytoalexin biosynthesis, respectively. Nodulation-related genes were almost exclusively found among the Orobanche-induced genes. Temporal gene expression analyses revealed that 19 out of the 48 Orobanche-induced genes and 5 out of the 48 Striga-induced genes were up-regulated at 1 dai. Four genes, including putative trypsin protease inhibitor genes, exhibited systemic up-regulation in the host plant parasitized by O. aegyptiaca. On the other hand, S. hermonthica attachment did not induce systemic gene expression.
Teacher Perspectives of Professional Learning Community Teams with Respect to Their Collective Inquiries: A Case Study

3 Dedication 4 List of Tables 10 List of Figures 11 List of Abbreviations 12 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 13 Background 13 Situation to Self 19 Problem Statement 20 Purpose Statement 21 Significance of the Study 22 Research Questions 24 Guiding Questions 25 Research Plan 27 Delimitations and Limitations 28 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 30 Introduction 30 Theoretical Framework 31 Related Literature 36 Change Forces 38 History of PLCs 40 PLC Dimensions 42
Acoustic-Based Security System: Towards Robust Understanding of Emergency Shout

We have been investigating a speech processing system for ensuring safety and security, namely, acoustic-based security system. Focusing on indoor security, we have been studying for an advanced security system which can discriminate emergency shout from the other acoustic sound events based on automatic understanding of speech events.In this paper, we present our investigations, and describe fundamental results.
Lithium Depletion of Nearby Young Stellar Associations

We estimate cluster ages from lithium depletion in five pre-main-sequence groups found within 100 pc of the Sun: the TW Hydrae association, η Chamaeleontis cluster, β Pictoris moving group, Tucanae-Horologium association, and AB Doradus moving group. We determine surface gravities, effective temperatures, and lithium abundances for over 900 spectra through least-squares fitting to model-atmosphere spectra. For each group, we compare the dependence of lithium abundance on temperature with isochrones from pre-main-sequence evolutionary tracks to obtain model-dependent ages. We find that the η Cha cluster and the TW Hydrae association are the youngest, with ages of 12 ± 6 Myr and 12 ± 8 Myr, respectively, followed by the β Pic moving group at 21 ± 9 Myr, the Tucanae-Horologium association at 27 ± 11 Myr, and the AB Dor moving group at an age of at least 45 Myr (whereby we can only set a lower limit, since the models—unlike real stars—do not show much lithium depletion beyond this age). Here the ordering is robust, but the precise ages depend on our choice of both atmospheric and evolutionary models. As a result, while our ages are consistent with estimates based on Hertzsprung-Russell isochrone fitting and dynamical expansion, they are not yet more precise. Our observations do show that with improved models, much stronger constraints should be feasible, as the intrinsic uncertainties, as measured from the scatter between measurements from different spectra of the same star, are very low: around 10 K in effective temperature, 0.05 dex in surface gravity, and 0.03 dex in lithium abundance.
Case-Based Merging Techniques in OAKPLAN

Case-based planning can take advantage of former problem-solving experiences by storing in a plan library previously generated plans that can be reused to solve similar planning problems in the future. Although comparative worst-case complexity analyses of plan generation and reuse techniques reveal that it is not possible to achieve provable efficiency gain of reuse over generation, we show that the case-based planning approach can be an effective alternative to plan generation when similar reuse candidates can be chosen.
Evolution of Communities of Learning Practice in Higher Education: Collective Units of Analysis

This study explores the development of Communities of Learning Practice (CoLP) over time, using Wenger, McDermott and Snyder’s (2002) indicative developmental model of communities of practice (CoP) as a point of reference. The participants were 23 international graduate students from two different cohorts enrolled in a two-year Learning Sciences master’s program. Students from each cohort formed a different community, with Community 1 having thirteen participants and Community 2 having ten participants. A mixed methods approach was adopted to capture community development from different angles. Data were collected through video recordings of community meetings and a needs analysis questionnaire. Results show that although the stages of development suggested by Wenger, McDermott and Snyder (2002) are apparent in a similar fashion in both communities, they do not follow a linear and smooth sequence, which signifies that communities go through the stages but in their own “living” way.
Analysis of lipoprotein profiles of healthy cats by gel-permeation high-performance liquid chromatography

Density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGUC) and gel electrophoresis are conventionally used to obtain lipoprotein profiles of animals. We recently applied high-performance liquid chromatography with a gel permeation column (GP-HPLC) and an on-line dual enzymatic system to dogs for lipoprotein profile analysis. We compared the GP-HPLC with DGUC as a method to obtain a feline lipoprotein profile. The lipoprotein profiles showed large and small peaks, which corresponded to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), respectively, whereas very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and chylomicron (CM) were only marginally detected. This profile was very similar to that of dogs reported previously. Healthy cats also had a small amount of cholesterol-rich particles distinct from the normal LDL or HDL profile. There was no difference in lipoprotein profiles between the sexes, but males had a significantly larger LDL particle size (P=0.015). This study shows the feasibility of GP-HPLC for obtaining accurate lipoprotein profiles with small sample volumes and provides valuable reference data for healthy cats that should facilitate diagnoses.
Enhancing the performance and fairness of shared DRAM systems with sharing-aware scheduling

CMP (chip multiprocessor) is simply getting more ubiquitous these days. Most of the processors used in servers, desktop and even in embedded applications are featuring several cores. And it is predicted that chips with many more cores will become widespread in the near future. As cores on the same chip share the DRAM memory system, multiple threads executing simultaneously will interfere with each other's memory requests. While recent studies have focused a lot on the multi-programmed applications, less work is done in the single multi-threaded domain. In this paper, we examine polices for managing the fairness of off-chip memory bandwidth among different threads in parallel applications. First, we show that there are also fairness problems existing between different threads from the same parallel program. Then we find one cause to this is that the shared data memory accesses are not explicitly classified. Based on this observation, we propose a sharing-aware DRAM scheduler design that provides fair service to different threads in parallel programs. Experimental results show that this scheme can effectively improve the fairness among different threads and also improve the performance of whole system.
Layered Attractor Selection for Clustering and Data Gathering in Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper we propose a clustering and data gathering scheme for wireless sensor networks, based on a biologically-inspired approach that uses the concept of adaptive response by attractor selection as observed in a gene network. The approach uses a layered concept of clustering and routing that work independently, yet, resulting in an interdependent interaction via a common activity factor. This approach is aimed at establishing resilience and robustness in a two-layered protocol, where the network would perform a distributed clustering and routing of data to a sink. In this scheme, cluster heads are chosen according to their relative residual energy and routing is performed upon the relative cached data sizes and energy recharging rates of the next hop gateway nodes.
Is Cognitive Dissonance an Intrinsic Property of the Human Mind? An Experimental Solution to a Half-Century Debate

Cognitive Dissonance can be conceived both as a concept related to the tendency to avoid internal contradictions in certain situations, and as a higher order theory about information processing in the human mind. In the last decades, this last sense has been strongly surpassed by the former, as nearly all experiment on the matter discuss cognitive dissonance as an output of motivational contradictions. In that sense, the question remains: is cognitive dissonance a process intrinsically associated with the way that the mind processes information, or is it caused by such specific contradictions? Objective: To evaluate the effects of cognitive dissonance in the absence of rewards or any mechanisms to manipulate motivation. Method: To solve this question, we introduce a new task, the hypothetical social arrays paradigm, which was applied to 50 undergraduate students. Results: Our findings support the perspective that the human mind shows a tendency to avoid internal dissonance even when there are no rewards or punishment involved. Moreover, our findings also suggest that this principle works outside the conscious level. Keywords—Cognitive Dissonance, Cognitive Psychology, Information Processing.
A 3.7 mW Low-Noise Wide-Bandwidth 4.5 GHz Digital Fractional-N PLL Using Time Amplifier-Based TDC

A digital fractional-N PLL that employs a high resolution TDC and a truly ΔΣ fractional divider to achieve low in-band noise with a wide bandwidth is presented. The fractional divider employs a digital-to-time converter (DTC) to cancel out ΔΣ quantization noise in time domain, thus alleviating TDC dynamic range requirements. The proposed digital architecture adopts a narrow range low-power time-amplifier based TDC (TA-TDC) to achieve sub 1 ps resolution. By using TA-TDC in place of a BBPD, the limit cycle behavior that plagues BB-PLLs is greatly suppressed by the TA-TDC, thus permitting wide PLL bandwidth. The proposed architecture is also less susceptible to DTC nonlinearity and has faster settling and tracking behavior compared to a BB-PLL. Fabricated in 65 nm CMOS process, the prototype PLL achieves better than -106 dBc/Hz in-band noise and 3 MHz PLL bandwidth at 4.5 GHz output frequency using 50 MHz reference. The PLL consumes 3.7 mW and achieves better than 490 fsrms integrated jitter. This translates to a FoMJ of -240.5 dB, which is the best among the reported fractional-N PLLs.
Parallel DEM Software for Simulation of Granular Media

The paper describes the development and performance of parallel algorithms for the discrete element method (DEM) software. Spatial domain decomposition strategy and message passing inter-processor communication have been implemented in the DEMMAT code for simulation of visco-elastic frictional granular media. The novel algorithm combining link-cells for contact detection, the static domain decomposition for parallelization and MPI data transfer for processors exchanging particles has been developed for distributed memory PC clusters. The parallel software DEMMAT_PAR has been applied to model compacting of spherical particles in the rectangular box. Two benchmark problems with different numbers of particles have been solved in order to measure parallel efficiency of the code. The inter-processor communication has been examined in order to improve domain decomposition topology and to achieve better load balancing. The speed-up equal to 11 has been obtained on 16 processors. The parallel performance study has been performed on the PC cluster VILKAS of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania.
IP movement detection and indoor positioning based on Integrating RFID and WLAN

Location awareness in an indoor environment and wireless access to Internet applications are major research areas towards the overwhelming success of wireless and mobile communications. However, the unpredictable indoor radio propagation and handover latency due to node mobility are the main challenging issues that need to be addressed. For tackling efficiently both problems of indoor localization and hand over management, we propose combining key benefits of two outstanding wireless technologies, i.e. Radio frequency identification (RFID) and a wireless local area network (WLAN) infrastructure. In the paper, tag IDs of a RFID tag deployment are correlated with both location and topology information in order to determine the position and predict the next subnetwork of a Mobile Node (MN) with a reader attached to its mobile device. The role of the WLAN is to coordinate the readers when accessing the RFID channel for retrieving tags' IDs, hence compensating the persisting RFID collision problem among multiple readers. Numerical results based on extensive simulations validate the efficiency of the proposed hybrid system in providing accurate and time efficient localization and reducing the IP handover latency.
Discrete time-varying attitude complementary filter

This paper presents the development of an attitude complementary filter for an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS). Using strapdown inertial measurements and vector observations, the proposed complementary filter provides attitude estimates in Euler angles representation, while compensating for rate gyro bias. Stability and performance properties of the proposed filter under operating conditions usually found in oceanic applications are derived, and the tuning of the filter parameters in the frequency domain is emphasized. The proposed solution poses small computational requirements, and is suitable for implementation on low-power hardware using low-cost sensors. Experimental results obtained with an implementation of the algorithm running on-board the DELFIMx catamaran are presented and discussed.
Spam filtering system study based on 2v-SVM

A novel spam filtering algorithm based on 2v-SVM is proposed on the basis of researching of existing spam filtering algorithms in the paper. 2v-SVM can address the difficulties that arise when the class frequencies in training data do not accurately reflect the true prior probabilities of the classes, which is more superiority than standard SVM. Experiment results show that this method can effectively improve spam filtering accurateness.
On the Relationship between Linear Programming Decoding and Min-Sum Algorithm Decoding

We are interested in the characterization of the decision regions when decoding a low-density parity-check code with the min-sum algorithm. Observations made in [1] and experimental evidence suggest that these decision regions are tightly related to the decision regions obtained when decoding the code with the linear programming decoder. We introduce a family of quadratic programming decoders that aims at explaining this behavior. Moreover, we also point out connections to electrical networks.
Voxel-Based 3-D Modeling of Individual Trees for Estimating Leaf Area Density Using High-Resolution Portable Scanning Lidar

A method for accurate estimation of leaf area density (LAD) and the cumulative leaf area index (LAI) profiles of small trees (Camellia sasanqua and Deutzia crenata) under different conditions was demonstrated, which used precise voxel-based tree models produced by high-resolution portable scanning lidar. In this voxel-based canopy profiling (VCP) method, data for each horizontal layer of the canopy of each tree were collected from symmetrical azimuthal measurement points around the tree using optimally inclined laser beams. The data were then converted into a voxel-based three-dimensional model that reproduced the tree precisely, including within the canopy. This precise voxel model allowed the LAD and LAI of these trees, which have extremely dense and nonrandomly distributed foliage, to be computed by direct counting of the beam-contact frequency in each layer using a point-quadrat method. Corrections for leaf inclination and nonphotosynthetic tissues reduced the estimation error. A beam incident zenith angle near 57.5deg offered a good correction for leaf inclination without knowledge of the actual leaf inclination. Non-photosynthetic tissues were removed by image-processing techniques. The best LAD estimations showed errors of 17% at the minimum horizontal layer thickness and of 0.7% at the maximum thickness. The error of the best LAI estimations was also 0.7%
The public space and informal accountability: Verdandi’s study manual, the press and Uppsala University

Abstract This article is concerned with the introduction of new forms of accountability. Instead of studying political reforms in the present, it explores a process in 19th century Sweden where the university became informally accountable to the public. It focuses not on large-scale government interventions but on seemingly mundane educational documentation: the study handbook published by Verdandi, a fraternity at Uppsala University, in 1887. The study is concerned with the impact of the handbook on the infrastructure of control, transparency and agency of the university. It shows how the handbook rearranged the academic structure of agency and provided new venues of assessment. The handbook was the first of its kind and it received nation-wide press coverage. It provided the press and the public with an official point of reference to informally and publicly assess, question and judge university education. At the same time, students were enabled to strengthen their influence within and without the university. The study illuminates a dual process of agency and accountability that was arguably an integral part to the 19th century “modern” university emerging in relation to the public space and contemporary political and social developments.