Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Some Problems in Proving the Existence of the Universal Common Ancestor of Life on Earth

Although overwhelming circumstantial evidence supports the existence of the universal common ancestor of all extant life on Earth, it is still an open question whether the universal common ancestor existed or not. Theobald (Nature 465, 219–222 (2010)) recently challenged this problem with a formal statistical test applied to aligned sequences of conservative proteins sampled from all domains of life and concluded that the universal common ancestor hypothesis holds. However, we point out that there is a fundamental flaw in Theobald's method which used aligned sequences. We show that the alignment gives a strong bias for the common ancestor hypothesis, and we provide an example that Theobald's method supports a common ancestor hypothesis for two apparently unrelated families of protein-encoding sequences (cytb and nd2 of mitochondria). This arouses suspicion about the effectiveness of the “formal” test.
The Tension between Professors' and Students' Perceptions Regarding the Academic Environment.

This study was initiated in response to perceived behavior problems of undergraduate law school students at a research university in Israel. It was found that increasing numbers of students stopped attending classes on a regular basis, were not reading assigned materials, avoided participating in discussions, studied only superficially for exams, and were reluctant to study theory, preferring to concentrate on practice. Interviews and questionnaires completed by a representative sample of faculty and students attempted to identify similarities and differences between professors' and students' thinking about and perceptions of goals in teaching, the responsibility for student learning, and problems in the teaching/learning/student assessment situation. The study identified major gaps between faculty and student perceptions concerning all aspects of the academic environment. A dividing issue is faculty emphasis on theory in teaching as opposed to students' wish for a more practical orientation. Views also diverge on who is responsible for students' failure to learn. While faculty perceive themselves as satisfactory teachers, students are highly critical of faculty's teaching, with students criticizing faculty's information-transmission approach to teaching despite students' preference for a more student-centered orientation. These findings are compared to similar observations made at a U.S. law school. Four data tables are appended. (Contains 53 references.) (CH) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. The Tension Between Professors' and Students' Perceptions Regarding the Academic Environment Nira Hativa, Tel Aviv University PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN RANTED BY
BRIDGING THE GAPS - TOWARDS A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF LEAN CONSTRUCTION

Since the start of the work on the Lean Construction theory and methods in 1993, two major contributions have governed the process as seen from practice. One is Lauri Koskela's understanding of construction as a production, based on the TransformationFlow-Value concept (the TFV-concept), the other is Glenn Ballard and Greg Howell's Last Planner method of production control. These two contributions still stand as two isolated islands even though a number of ideas have been presented in order to bridge the gap between them, concerning for instance the understanding of project management, the value generation process and the cooperation during the project life cycle. The paper highlights and discusses the primary understanding behind the two main lines of thinking and proposes minor modifications to the two major theories. Three more viewpoints on construction are then proposed as stepping-stones across the gap between the main islands. The use of these principles in project management is briefly touched upon with a reference to recent Danish experiences. Finally, areas for further research are proposed.
Diagnostic study on retrieving bulk microphysical properties of low-level stratiform clouds and its implication on climate research

The importance of low-level stratiform clouds to the planetary radiation balance is due to their persistence and coverage, and their effect on the planetary albedo. The vertical distribution of liquid water in these clouds is pertinent to many applications in atmospheric research. As a result, some cloud retrieval techniques have been developed with the assumptions, such as an adiabatic condition, no loss of liquid water via drizzle and/or a large liquid water path.
Proteomics Analysis of Cellular Proteins Co-Immunoprecipitated with Nucleoprotein of Influenza A Virus (H7N9)

Avian influenza A viruses are serious veterinary pathogens that normally circulate among avian populations, causing substantial economic impacts. Some strains of avian influenza A viruses, such as H5N1, H9N2, and recently reported H7N9, have been occasionally found to adapt to humans from other species. In order to replicate efficiently in the new host, influenza viruses have to interact with a variety of host factors. In the present study, H7N9 nucleoprotein was transfected into human HEK293T cells, followed by immunoprecipitated and analyzed by proteomics approaches. A series of host proteins co-immunoprecipitated were identified with high confidence, some of which were found to be acetylated at their lysine residues. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that spliceosome might be the most relevant pathway involved in host response to nucleoprotein expression, increasing our emerging knowledge of host proteins that might be involved in influenza virus replication activities.
A Flexible Ramping Capacity Model for Generation Scheduling with High Levels of Wind Energy Penetration

The penetration level of renewable generation has increased significantly in recent years, which has led to operational concerns associated with the system ramping capability. Here, we propose the flexible ramping capacity (FRC) model, which considers the practical ramping capability of generation resources as well as the uncertainty in net load. The FRC model also incorporates the demand curve of the ramping capacity, which represents the hourly economic value of the ramping capacity. The model is formulated mathematically using ramp constraints, which are incorporated into unit commitment (UC) and economic dispatch (ED) processes. Simulations are carried out using a 10-unit system to compare the FRC model with conventional methods. We show that the FRC method can improve reliability and reduce expected operating costs. The simulation results also show that, by using the FRC model, system reliability can be satisfied at high wind power generation levels while achieving economic efficiency.
The Power of Information: The Impact of Mobile Phones on Farmers'Welfare in the Philippines

The authors explore the impact of access to information on poor farmers consumption. The analysis combines spatially coded data on mobile phone coverage with household panel data on farmers from some of the poorest areas of the Philippines. Both the ordinary least squares and instrumental variable estimates indicate that purchasing a mobile phone has a large, positive impact on the household-level growth rate of per capita consumption. Estimates range from 11 to 17 percent, depending on the sample and the specification chosen. The authors perform a range of reliability tests, the results of which all suggest that the instruments are valid. They also present evidence consistent with the argument that easier access to information allows farmers to strike better price deals within their existing trading relationships and to make better choices in terms of where they choose to sell their goods.
Sparse Representations for Packetized Predictive Networked Control

Abstract We investigate a networked control architecture for LTI plant models with a scalar input. Communication from controller to actuator is over an unreliable network which introduces packet dropouts. To achieve robustness against dropouts, we adopt a packetized predictive control paradigm wherein each control packet transmitted contains tentative future plant input values. The novelty of our approach is that we seek that the control packets transmitted be sparse. For that purpose, we adapt tools from the area of compressed sensing and propose to design the control packets via on-line minimization of a suitable l 1 /l 2 cost function. We then show how to choose parameters of the cost function to ensure that the resultant closed loop system be practically stable, provided the maximum number of consecutive packet dropouts is bounded. A numerical example illustrates that sparsity reduces bit-rates, thereby making our proposal suited to control over unreliable and bit-rate limited networks.
IT Governance Practices for Electric Utilities: Insights from Brazil and Europe

We propose a framework of 14 IT governance practices tailored for the electric utilities sector. They were selected and ranked as “essential”, “important”, or “good” by top executives and IT staff from two multi-billion dollar companies – one in Brazil and another in Europe – from a generic set of 83 collected in the literature and in the field. Our framework addresses a need of electric utilities for which specific guidance was lacking. We have also uncovered a significant impact of social issues in IT governance, whose depth seems to be missing in the current research. As a byproduct of our work, the larger generic framework from which we have departed and the tailoring method that we have proposed can be used to customize the generic framework to different industries.
Contactless signal transmission for industrial bus at rotary joint

In multi-actuator mechatronic and distributed multi-sensor systems, signal transmission plays an important role via rotary joint. Comparing with wireless communication, industrial bus is preferred for real-time signal transmission due to its low latency. However, industrial bus with cables at rotary joint suffers from limit free rotation, frequent maintenance and complex routing. In this paper, a contactless signal transmission (CST) system for industrial bus at rotary joint is proposed. In particular, optical coupling is designed and evaluated via an air gap for rotation motion at rotary joint. Logical strategies are proposed in signal converter for bridging CAN bus with optical signal coupling. For experimental verification, a developed CST system is implemented in a communication with two motor drives via CAN bus.
Extract information of polarization imaging from local matching stereo

Since polarization of light was used in the field of computer vision, the research of polarization vision is rapidly growing. Polarization vision has been shown to simplify some important image understanding tasks that can be more difficult to be performed with intensity vision. Furthermore, it has computational efficiency because it only needs grayscale images and can be easily applied by a simple optical setup. Nowadays, we can find various types of polarization cameras in the market. However, they are very expensive. In our work, we will study and develop a low price polarization camera setup with parallel acquisition using a stereo system. This system requires only two general cameras equipped with three types of rotator polarizer in front of them. Polarization information are obtained by taking two images. Calculations are based on stereo matching to get the angle and degree of Polarization.
Robust test generation for power supply noise induced path delay faults

In deep sub-micron designs, the delay caused by power supply noise (PSN) can no longer be ignored. A PSN-induced path delay fault (PSNPDF) model is proposed in this paper, and should be tested to enhance chip quality. Based on precise timing analysis, we also propose a robust test generation technique for PSNPDF. Concept of timing window is introduced into the PSNPDF model. If two devices in the same feed region simultaneously switch in the same direction, the current waveform of the two devices will have an overlap and excessive PSN will be produced. Experimental results on ISCAS'89 circuits showed test generation can be finished in a few seconds.
Through-The-Lens Techniques for Motion, Navigation, and Remote Object Manipulation in Immersive Virtual Environments

In this paper, we present a set of techniques for interaction with, navigation through, and manipulation within virtual environments. The proposed techniques are based on a through-the-lens model, extending existing techniques like the eyeball-in-hand and the scene-in-hand. The significant improvement consists of an intuitive preview displayed on a hand-held personal interaction panel (pip), which acts like a magic lens. This allows for a better orientation, and adequate and precise adjustment of the virtual camera position. Once the desired target position is set, the user can ’beam’ himself/herself to the new location moving the hand-held pip to her/his face. In this way, an illusion of entering a new world through the provided window is created. Furthermore, we describe another application of these techniques: the manipulation of distant objects. Instead of ’beaming’, after the virtual camera is set appropriately, the user can use his/her dominant hand to manipulate objects as if he/she is standing in front of them. Thus, (1) no flying, or walking to the object’s location is necessary and (2) no confusing (automatic) scaling of the surrounding environment is performed. Finally, the navigation tool we describe in this work is a significant extension and improvement of the well-known world-in-miniature (WIM) paradigm. The proposed technique allows for the user to perform rather a controlled change of his/her position and view-orientation in the virtual world, than to really travel there. This is especially useful for navigation within large virtual worlds. In addition, when a tabletop display system is utilized this provides an useful tool, since walking is rather limited possible in such setups. We conclude the paper with a presentation and discussion of some preliminary usability studies, performed with the presented techniques.
3D surface reconstruction and panorama stitching based on LCD-based calibration and multi-baselines stereo matching

This paper presents an automatic method of 3D surface reconstruction and panorama stitching based on LCD-based calibration and multi-baselines stereo matching. In the method, calibration is carried out using a 2D control field composed by the completely flat Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), on which lots of circle points with known coordinates are drawn by a simple program. Then, the technology of multi-baselines stereo matching is introduced and applied to get highly reliable corresponding points to achieve good triangulation results using fast bundle adjustment. Finally, methods for 3D surface reconstruction and panorama stitching are also introduced.
RoboBuntu: A Linux distribution for mobile robotics

During last years Linux started to climb the market of operating systems (OSs), and Ubuntu, derived by Debian OS, has become a good alternative to common OSs like Windows XP or Vista. The mobile robotics scientific community makes use of Linux based OSs to avoid the lack of stability that affects Microsoft OSs, especially when real time conditions must be satisfied. In this paper we present the Linux distribution RoboBuntu, acronym formed by the union of ROBOt and uBUNTU, to overcome the almost totally independent robotic software platforms existing today. The key idea behind RoboBuntu is the integration of different tools for mobile robotics into an embedded Ubuntu distribution. Another important characteristics of RoboBuntu is that every “hard step”, like installation and configuration of OS and tools, is hidden to common users. In particular, RoboBuntu can be used either by students or researchers, as LiveCd, permanent installation on standard hard drive or, more interesting, on a USB storage flash disk.
Running from responsibility: athletic governing bodies, corporate sponsors, and the failure to support pregnant and postpartum elite female distance runners

Abstract This feminist qualitative research draws on data from 14 semi-structured interviews with pregnant or parenting elite female distance runners. Using three theoretical approaches (liberal feminism, radical feminist thought, and strategic essentialism) alongside of thematic analysis, we identified the following themes about elite female distance runners: women do not feel supported by corporate sponsors or athletic governing bodies during pregnancy or postpartum; due to the lack of support, the women plan/strategize pregnancies around competitions, contracts, and spousal support; due to all of the above, the women face stress and uncertainty in their careers that their male counterparts do not. The participants argue that athletic governing bodies and corporate sponsors must be more transparent in their practices and improve policies to create more equitable sporting environments.
Immune response from a resource allocation perspective

The immune system is a life history trait that can be expected to trade off against other life history traits. Whether or not a trait is considered to be a life history trait has consequences for the expectation on how it responds to natural selection and evolution; in addition, it may have consequences for the outcome of artificial selection when it is included in the breeding objective. The immune system involved in pathogen resistance comprises multiple mechanisms that define a host's defensive capacity. Immune resistance involves employing mechanisms that either prevent pathogens from invading or eliminate the pathogens when they do invade. On the other hand, tolerance involves limiting the damage that is caused by the infection. Both tolerance and resistance traits require (re)allocation of resources and carry physiological costs. Examples of trade-offs between immune function and growth, reproduction and stress response are provided in this review, in addition to consequences of selection for increased production on immune function and vice versa. Reaction norms are used to deal with questions of immune resistance vs. tolerance to pathogens that relate host health to infection intensity. In essence, selection for immune tolerance in livestock is a particular case of selection for animal robustness. Since breeding goals that include robustness traits are required in the implementation of more sustainable agricultural production systems, it is of interest to investigate whether immune tolerance is a robustness trait that is positively correlated with overall animal robustness. Considerably more research is needed to estimate the shapes of the cost functions of different immune strategies, and investigate trade-offs and cross-over benefits of selection for disease resistance and/or disease tolerance in livestock production.
Improving a fuzzy association rule-based classification model by granularity learning based on heuristic measures over multiple granularities

A multi-objective evolutionary fuzzy rule selection process extracts a subset of fuzzy rules from an initial set, by applying a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. Two approaches can be used to determine the number of terms (i.e. the granularity) associated with the linguistic variables that appear in the rules: a pre-established single granularity can be chosen, or a multiple granularities approach can be preferred. The latter favors a reduction in the number of extracted rules, but it also brings to a possible loss of interpretability. To prevent this problem, suitable granularities can be determined by applying automatic techniques before the initial rule generation process. In this contribution, we investigate how the application of a single granularity learning approach influences the performance of fuzzy associative rule-based classifiers. The aim is to reduce the complexity of the obtained models, trying to maintain a good classification ability.
Transient Stability Assessment Using Fuzzy SVM and Modified Preventive Control

— Transient Stability is an important issue in power systems planning, operation and extension. The objective of transient stability analysis problem is not satisfied with mere transient instability detection or evaluation and it is most important to complement it by defining fast and efficient control measures in order to ensure system security. This paper presents a new Fuzzy Support Vector Machines (FSVM) to investigate the stability status of power systems and a modified generation rescheduling scheme to bring back the identified unstable cases to a more economical and stable operating point. FSVM improves the traditional SVM (Support Vector Machines) by adding fuzzy membership to each training sample to indicate the degree of membership of this sample to different classes. The preventive control based on economic generator rescheduling avoids the instability of the power systems with minimum change in operating cost under disturbed conditions. Numerical results on the New England 39 bus test system show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Networks in internationalisation

Purpose – The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of literature that analyses the internationalisation of the firm, through the function and role of networks. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 23 papers (published between 1988 and 2008) explicitly using network as a research framework to study the internationalisation process of the firm were selected. They have been analysed according to a range of factors, including the author, journal, time frame in which they were published, type of focal firm, country of origin of focal firms, market entered, methods applied in the studies, theories adopted and research topic. Findings – Networks have emerged as one of the dominant frameworks used to explain the phenomenon of internationalisation. Having originally been applied in studies of firms from developed countries entering similar markets, network theories are now as popular in studies of firms both originating in and entering emerging markets. This review also finds that both qualitative and quantitative methods have been adopted in the studies; however, few papers have tried to combine the two. Furthermore, the network approach has been used for comparative analysis with findings from FDI theory, as well as to supplement international new venture (INV) and born global theories. Lastly, this review highlights topics that have been explored in previous studies and suggests areas for further research. Originality/value – This is the first review paper on this subject and as such it contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the network approach and assists in understanding the internationalisation phenomenon of the firm.