Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multivariate amortized resource analysis

We study the problem of automatically analyzing the worst-case resource usage of procedures with several arguments. Existing automatic analyses based on amortization or sized types bound the resource usage or result size of such a procedure by a sum of unary functions of the sizes of the arguments. In this article we generalize this to arbitrary multivariate polynomial functions thus allowing bounds of the form mn which had to be grossly overestimated by m2 + n2 before. Our framework even encompasses bounds like ∑i,j≤ n mi mj where the mi are the sizes of the entries of a list of length n. This allows us for the first time to derive useful resource bounds for operations on matrices that are represented as lists of lists and to considerably improve bounds on other superlinear operations on lists such as longest common subsequence and removal of duplicates from lists of lists. Furthermore, resource bounds are now closed under composition which improves accuracy of the analysis of composed programs when some or all of the components exhibit superlinear resource or size behavior. The analysis is based on a novel multivariate amortized resource analysis. We present it in form of a type system for a simple first-order functional language with lists and trees, prove soundness, and describe automatic type inference based on linear programming. We have experimentally validated the automatic analysis on a wide range of examples from functional programming with lists and trees. The obtained bounds were compared with actual resource consumption. All bounds were asymptotically tight, and the constants were close or even identical to the optimal ones.
Case study interpretation—Fort Lauderdale: Case 4

CASE HISTORY A 46-year-old Hispanic man presented to his primary care physician with “chest pressure” and shortness of breath upon exertion. He had a past medical history of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and Kaposi sarcoma, for which he was status post chemotherapy with complete response two years prior to the current visit. He was compliant for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). His current CD4 T-cell absolute count was 176 cells/lL (Nl range 416–1751). A chest X-ray and an echocardiogram revealed significant pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade. He underwent a pericardiocentesis with placement of a drain. The pericardial fluid was bloody with a high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and contained 5,240 nucleated cells/lL. Seventy-nine percent of the fluid cells were interpreted as “atypical cells. ” The fluid was sent to flow cytometry and cytology for further work up. A complete blood count (CBC) with differential count showed a mild lymphopenia.
A VLSI network of spiking neurons with an asynchronous static random access memory

In this paper we present an asynchronous VLSI neuromorphic architecture comprising an array of integrate and fire neurons and dynamic synapse circuits with programmable weights. To store synaptic weight values, we designed a novel asynchronous SRAM block, integrated it on chip and connected it to the dynamic synapse circuits, via a fast current-mode DAC. The control and data signals used for programming the weights into the SRAM, as well as the standard input and output signals, are encoded using the AER representation. The device acts as a transceiver, both receiving Address-Events in input and transmitting them as output spikes. The possibility of changing the synaptic weights via the AER protocol allows the flexibility of exploring different STDP learning algorithms in a mixed SW/HW setup. We provide experimental results measured from the chip that demonstrate the correct behavior of all the circuit blocks implemented on the chip.
Semiparametric Difference-in-Differences Estimators

The difference-in-differences (DID) estimator is one of the most popular tools for applied research in economics to evaluate the effects of public interventions and other treatments of interest on some relevant outcome variables. However, it is well known that the DID estimator is based on strong identifying assumptions. In particular, the conventional DID estimator requires that, in the absence of the treatment, the average outcomes for the treated and control groups would have followed parallel paths over time. This assumption may be implausible if pre-treatment characteristics that are thought to be associated with the dynamics of the outcome variable are unbalanced between the treated and the untreated. That would be the case, for example, if selection for treatment is influenced by individual-transitory shocks on past outcomes (Ashenfelter's dip). This article considers the case in which differences in observed characteristics create non-parallel outcome dynamics between treated and controls. It is shown that, in such a case, a simple two-step strategy can be used to estimate the average effect of the treatment for the treated. In addition, the estimation framework proposed in this article allows the use of covariates to describe how the average effect of the treatment varies with changes in observed characteristics. Copyright 2005, Wiley-Blackwell.
The recording of drug sensitivities for older people living in care homes.

AIMS The aims of this study were to determine the recording of drug sensitivities of elderly care home residents, to describe the nature of sensitivities and to identify and describe discrepancies in the documentation of drug sensitivity status in general practices, pharmacies and care homes. METHODS A random sample of residents within a purposive sample of care homes (nursing and residential) was selected. A clinical pharmacist inspected the GP medical record, the medicines administration record, and the care home record for each resident to identify drug sensitivities and discrepancies between records and to describe the nature of the recorded sensitivities. RESULTS The records of 121 residents in 31 care homes were studied. Thirty-one (26%) residents had at least one documented drug sensitivity in one of the sources inspected, with 48 sensitivities in total recorded. There was no description of the nature of the sensitivities recorded in 39/48 (81%) cases. The number of sensitivities recorded on the medicines administration record, care home record and the GP record were 3 (6%), 29 (60%) and 35 (73%), respectively. Only two sensitivities were simultaneously recorded on all three records. CONCLUSIONS It was of concern that over 90% of drug sensitivities were not recorded on the medicines administration record which is the final checking document when administering medication. The reason for this was that the dispensing pharmacy was responsible for generating the medicines administration record; however, drug sensitivity status is seldom shared between the GP and the dispensing pharmacy. Printing sensitivities on prescriptions would help to resolve this.
Evaluation of standardized sample collection, packaging, and decontamination procedures to assess cross-contamination potential during Bacillus anthracis incident response operations

ABSTRACT Sample collection procedures and primary receptacle (sample container and bag) decontamination methods should prevent contaminant transfer between contaminated and non-contaminated surfaces and areas during bio-incident operations. Cross-contamination of personnel, equipment, or sample containers may result in the exfiltration of biological agent from the exclusion (hot) zone and have unintended negative consequences on response resources, activities and outcomes. The current study was designed to: (1) evaluate currently recommended sample collection and packaging procedures to identify procedural steps that may increase the likelihood of spore exfiltration or contaminant transfer; (2) evaluate the efficacy of currently recommended primary receptacle decontamination procedures; and (3) evaluate the efficacy of outer packaging decontamination methods. Wet- and dry-deposited fluorescent tracer powder was used in contaminant transfer tests to qualitatively evaluate the currently-recommended sample collection procedures. Bacillus atrophaeus spores, a surrogate for Bacillus anthracis, were used to evaluate the efficacy of spray- and wipe-based decontamination procedures. Both decontamination procedures were quantitatively evaluated on three types of sample packaging materials (corrugated fiberboard, polystyrene foam, and polyethylene plastic), and two contamination mechanisms (wet or dry inoculums). Contaminant transfer results suggested that size-appropriate gloves should be worn by personnel, templates should not be taped to or removed from surfaces, and primary receptacles should be selected carefully. The decontamination tests indicated that wipe-based decontamination procedures may be more effective than spray-based procedures; efficacy was not influenced by material type but was affected by the inoculation method. Incomplete surface decontamination was observed in all tests with dry inoculums. This study provides a foundation for optimizing current B. anthracis response procedures to minimize contaminant exfiltration.
A spectral technique for random satisfiable 3CNF formulas

Let I be a random 3CNF formula generated by choosing a truth assignment ϕ for variables x1, xn uniformly at random and including every clause with i literals set true by ϕ with probability pi, independently. We show that for any constants 0 ≤ η2,η3 ≤ 1 there is a constant dmin so that for all d ≥ dmin a spectral algorithm similar to the graph coloring algorithm of Alon and Kahale will find a satisfying assignment with high probability for p1 = d/n2, p2 = η2d/n2, and p3 = η3d/n2. Appropriately setting the ηi's yields natural distributions on satisfiable 3CNFs, not‐all‐equal‐sat 3CNFs, and exactly‐one‐sat 3CNFs. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 2008
A Miniature Tactor Design for Upper Extremity Prosthesis

We have been developing a miniature haptic device - a tactor that can display pressure, vibration, shear force, and temperature to the skin of upper extremity amputees, especially those who have undergone targeted nerve rein-nervation (TRI) surgery. In TRI patients, regions of the rein-nervated skin are perceived as being on the phantom hand. This paper presents the mechanical design of the tactor.
Enhancing vertical localization with image-guided selection of non-individual head-related transfer functions

A novel approach to the selection of generic head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) for binaural audio rendering through headphones is formalized and described in this paper. A reflection model applied to the user's ear picture facilitates extraction of the relevant anthropometric cues that are used for selecting two HRTF sets in a database fitting that user, whose localization performances are evaluated in a complete psychoacoustic experiment. The proposed selection increases the average elevation performances of 17% (with a peak of 34%) with respect to generic HRTFs from an anthropomorphic mannequin. It also significantly enhances externalization and reduces the number of up/down reversals.
Eyes Wide Shut? – A Conceptual and Empirical Critique of Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Background: Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has been the ‘gold standard’ pharmacotherapy treatment for illicit opioid dependence for over 30 years. It has been widely evaluated, and is generally claimed to be ‘effective’. Methods: The objective of this paper is to review the rationale of MMT as an intervention for a biomedical disorder with primary social objectives as well as the methodological quality and evidence of MMT outcome research. Data sources included opioid dependence treatment practice, review and outcome research literature (1965–2001) in the form of peer-reviewed articles, books, monographs and reports that are preeminently cited and reviewed international studies on MMT. Results/Data Synthesis: Rigorous and appropriate evaluation (i.e., RCTs, intent-to-treat, patient-centered) methods in MMT evaluations are rare. Evidence of MMT’s effectiveness on primary treatment objectives is mixed and appears to be largely partial and short-term. Positive outcomes may be the result of selection effects of compliant patients and loss in proportion when more rigorous standards of analysis are applied. Conclusions: The quality of existing MMT research, and evidence for its general effectiveness are limited. Key concepts of self-medication and psychiatric comorbidity are largely ignored in MMT treatment and research frameworks, although they may serve to explain MMT’s limited treatment success. Emerging new opioid pharmacotherapies require the fundamental review of the existing MMT paradigm as well as the application of rigorous and appropriate evaluation methods for future treatment.
Challenges for Institutional Theory

This essay offers a critical summation of the use of neo-institutionalism to study organizations. While institutionalism has succeeded in becoming the dominant theory to study macro-organizational phenomena, there is a danger that the theory has been stretched far beyond its core purpose—to understand how organizational structures and processes acquire meaning and continuity beyond their technical goals. I discuss some possible reasons for this displacement and identify four nascent threads of research that hold strong potential for bringing institutional theory back to its core assumptions and objectives; categories, language, work, and aesthetics.
Nla18, a Key Regulatory Protein Required for Normal Growth and Development of Myxococcus xanthus

ABSTRACT NtrC-like activators regulate the transcription of a wide variety of adaptive genes in bacteria. Previously, we demonstrated that a mutation in the ntrC-like activator gene nla18 causes defects in fruiting body development in Myxococcus xanthus. In this report, we describe the effect that nla18 inactivation has on gene expression patterns during development and vegetative growth. Gene expression in nla18 mutant cells is altered in the early stages of fruiting body development. Furthermore, nla18 mutant cells are defective for two of the earliest events in development, production of the intracellular starvation signal ppGpp and production of A-signal. Taken together, these results indicate that the developmental program in nla18 mutant cells goes awry very early. Inactivation of nla18 also causes a dramatic decrease in the vegetative growth rate of M. xanthus cells. DNA microarray analysis revealed that the vegetative expression patterns of more than 700 genes are altered in nla18 mutant cells. Genes coding for putative membrane and membrane-associated proteins are among the largest classes of genes whose expression is altered by nla18 inactivation. This result is supported by our findings that the profiles of membrane proteins isolated from vegetative nla18 mutant and wild-type cells are noticeably different. In addition to genes that code for putative membrane proteins, nla18 inactivation affects the expression of many genes that are likely to be important for protein synthesis and gene regulation. Our data are consistent with a model in which Nla18 controls vegetative growth and development by activating the expression of genes involved in gene regulation, translation, and membrane structure.
Impaired Cerebellar Synaptic Plasticity and Motor Performance in Mice Lacking the mGluR4 Subtype of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor

The application of the glutamate analogl-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (l-AP4) to neurons produces a suppression of synaptic transmission. Althoughl-AP4 is a selective ligand at a subset of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), the precise physiological role of thel-AP4-activated mGluRs remains primarily unknown. To provide a better understanding of the function of l-AP4 receptors, we have generated and studied knockout (KO) mice lacking the mGluR4 subtype of mGluR that displays high affinity forl-AP4. The mGluR4 mutant mice displayed normal spontaneous motor activity and were unimpaired on the bar cross test, indicating that disruption of the mGluR4 gene did not cause gross motor abnormalities, impairments of novelty-induced exploratory behaviors, or alterations in fine motor coordination. However, the mutant mice were deficient on the rotating rod motor-learning test, suggesting that mGluR4 KO mice may have an impaired ability to learn complex motor tasks. Patch-clamp and extracellular field recordings from Purkinje cells in cerebellar slices demonstrated that l-AP4 had no effect on synaptic responses in the mutant mice, whereas in the wild-type mice 100 μml-AP4 produced a 23% depression of synaptic responses with an EC50 of 2.5 μm. An analysis of presynaptic short-term synaptic plasticity at the parallel fiber→Purkinje cell synapse demonstrated that paired-pulse facilitation and post-tetanic potentiation were impaired in the mutant mice. In contrast, long-term depression (LTD) was not impaired. These results indicate that an important function of mGluR4 is to provide a presynaptic mechanism for maintaining synaptic efficacy during repetitive activation. The data also suggest that the presence of mGluR4 at the parallel fiber→Purkinje cell synapse is required for maintaining normal motor function.
Subjective and Objective Compliance : Choosing What to Know in Normative Choice Situations Preliminary — Comments

We propose a cognitive-dissonance model of norm compliance to identify conditions for strategic information acquisition under uncertainty due to incomplete information. The model distinguishes between: (i) objective norm compliers, for whom the right action is a function of the state of the world; (ii) subjective norm compliers, for whom it is a function of their epistemic state. The former seek as much information as possible; the latter will acquire no information (if norms require Bayesian updating) or only information that justifies selfish acts (if norms leave “moral wiggle room”). In a novel experimental setup, we find evidence for such strategic information uptake. JEL Classification: C91, D63, D83
The emerging role of Polycomb repressors in the response to DNA damage

Summary Polycomb group (PcG) genes encode chromatin modifiers that are involved in the maintenance of cell identity and in proliferation, processes that are often deregulated in cancer. Interestingly, besides a role in epigenetic gene silencing, recent studies have begun to uncover a function for PcG proteins in the cellular response to DNA damage. In particular, PcG proteins have been shown to accumulate at sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Several signaling pathways contribute to the recruitment of PcG proteins to DSBs, where they catalyze the ubiquitylation of histone H2A. The relevance of these findings is supported by the fact that loss of PcG genes decreases the efficiency of cells to repair DSBs and renders them sensitive to ionizing radiation. The recruitment of PcG proteins to DNA breaks suggests that they have a function in coordinating gene silencing and DNA repair at the chromatin flanking DNA lesions. In this Commentary, we discuss the current knowledge of the mechanisms that allow PcG proteins to exert their positive functions in genome maintenance.
A process modelling success model: insights from a case study

Contemporary concepts such as Business Pro cess Re-engineering and Process Innovation emphasize the importance of process-oriented management concepts as a businesses paradigm. Large scaled multimillion-dollar implementations of Enterpri se Systems explicitly and implicitly state the importance of process modeling and its contribution to the success of these project. While there has been much research and publications on alterna tive process modeling techniques and tools, little attention has focused on post-hoc evaluation of actual process modeling activities or on deriving comprehensive guidelines on ‘how-to’ conduct process modeling effectively. This study aims at addressing this gap. A comprehensive a priori pro cess modeling success model has been derived and this paper reports on the results obtained from a detailed case study at a leading Australian logistics service provider, which was conducted with the aim of testing and re-specifying the model.
An assimilation analysis of clinician-assisted emotional disclosure therapy with survivors of intimate partner sexual assault

Abstract This study examined clinician-assisted emotional disclosure therapy among college women with a history of intimate partner sexual assault. Assimilation analysis, a method for tracking client movement in psychotherapy, was used to document changes in dominant and submissive voices during clients’ disclosure of the trauma. Self-blame, traditional gender-role assumptions, and internalized rape myth ideology emerged as prominent themes in clients’ formations of problem statements. The two case studies presented illustrate the difficulty in clearly formulating experiences of intimate partner sexual assault as problematic, integrating submissive and dominant voices and empowering adaptive voices that speak for the well-being and self-assertion of the individual. Implications for psychotherapy with survivors of intimate partner sexual assault are discussed.
The effects of high-frequency hearing loss on speech perception in people with aphasia

Julie Marie Gaven The Effects of High-Frequency Hearing Loss on Speech Perception in People with Aphasia. (Under the direction of Katarina Haley) Whereas many studies have investigated hearing loss in non-aphasic elderly populations, relatively little is known about the effects of hearing loss on people with aphasia (PWA). Due to the exclusion of individuals with hearing loss from the majority of speech perception studies, the link between PWA's hearing ability and their performance on tests of speech perception has not been addressed in the literature (despite the fact that many PWA also have hearing loss). This pilot study was designed as a four-group comparison to examine the influence of hearing loss on the perception of stop consonant place of articulation in PWA. Specifically, we were interested in exploring whether perception of place of articulation or voice onset time would be more affected by aphasia or the presence of hearing loss, and whether the combination of these two conditions would deteriorate participants' performance on a speech discrimination task more than either condition in isolation. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to recognize and thank the following individuals for their invaluable contributions to this project: all of the remarkable people who volunteered to participate, without whom this study would never have happened; my advisor, Dr. Katarina Haley, for her incredible mentorship, guidance, patience, and support throughout this endeavor; Dr. Adam Jacks, for his computer programming expertise and willingness to offer assistance at every step along the way; Dr. Barbara Warren, for generously sharing her time and talent to test the hearing of all the subjects; Dr. Mark Hedrick, for so kindly designing and describing the unique continua of synthetic stimuli used in this study; Dr. Sharon Williams, for her help in developing and editing this manuscript; and last but not least my family and friends for their continuous sharing of love and encouragement over the past two years.