Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Histories with Communism and Post-Communism – the Pathways in and the Pathways out

The book by Zenonas Norkus is highly welcome for at least three reasons. First, it offers a broad interdisciplinary picture, combining economic and political perspectives on the post-communist transition. Secondly, it puts forward many theoretical innovations and new concepts, while explaining divergent post-communist pathways in a non-teleological manner. Thirdly, it manages to avoid the so-called ‘Visegrad bias’: the book is focused on transition in lesser-discussed smaller post-communist countries like the Baltic States (particularly Lithuania) and Slovenia. The major novel theoretical contributions are made in the first half of the book analyzing the various types of communist legacies, nature of transition, its major drivers and multiple outcomes both in economical and political terms. The author makes use of a heuristic concept, ‘orientations of transformation’ in his book. Norkus distinguishes between: continuational orientation (e.g., Belarus), mimetic orientation (to be like the West – e.g., the Visegrad countries, and later the Baltic states), restitutional orientation (the restoration of the society of the pre-communist period – e.g., the Baltic states in the early 1990s) and innovative orientation (to find its own novel ways – only Slovenia adopted that orientation). Although the orientation of transformation has not been a genuinely novel idea, it proves to be a useful analytical tool for the holistic explanation of the divergent post-communist pathways. The book casts light on an astonishing diversity of the post-communist economies. The author relies on the theory of varieties of capitalism developed by Hall and Soskice (2001). The major argument is that while capitalism in a majority of the new EU member states in CEE can meet the criteria of Western rational entrepreneurial capitalism (REC), the economies in these countries are still substantially less developed than in the West and do not belong to the capitalist core of the world economy. Because of their semi-peripheral position the economies in CEE could be classified as dependent market economies (DME; Nölke and Vliegenthart 2009), with their own varieties: Anglo-American style capitalism in its less BOOK REVIEW ESSAYS EUROPEAN SOCIETIES
Efficient Benchmarking of Hyperparameter Optimizers via Surrogates

Hyperparameter optimization is crucial for achieving peak performance with many machine learning algorithms; however, the evaluation of new optimization techniques on real-world hyperparameter optimization problems can be very expensive. Therefore, experiments are often performed using cheap synthetic test functions with characteristics rather different from those of real benchmarks of interest. In this work, we introduce another option: cheap-to-evaluate surrogates of real hyperparameter optimization benchmarks that share the same hyperparameter spaces and feature similar response surfaces. Specifically, we train regression models on data describing a machine learning algorithm’s performance depending on its hyperparameter setting, and then cheaply evaluate hyperparameter optimization methods using the model’s performance predictions in lieu of running the real algorithm. We evaluated a wide range of regression techniques, both in terms of how well they predict the performance of new hyperparameter settings and in terms of the quality of surrogate benchmarks obtained. We found that tree-based models capture the performance of several machine learning algorithms well and yield surrogate benchmarks that closely resemble real-world benchmarks, while being much easier to use and orders of magnitude cheaper to evaluate.
Role of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel-mediated PKC-ε in delayed protection against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in isolated hearts of sevoflurane-preconditioned rats

This study aimed to determine the role of mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (mitoKATP) channels and protein kinase C (PKC)-ε in the delayed protective effects of sevoflurane preconditioning using Langendorff isolated heart perfusion models. Fifty-four isolated perfused rat hearts were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=9). The rats were exposed for 60 min to 2.5% sevoflurane (the second window of protection group, SWOP group) or 33% oxygen inhalation (I/R group) 24 h before coronary occlusion. The control group (CON) and the sevoflurane group (SEVO) group were exposed to 33% oxygen and 2.5% sevoflurane for 60 min, respectively, without coronary occlusion. The mitoKATP channel inhibitor 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD) was given 30 min before sevoflurane preconditioning (5-HD+SWOP group). Cardiac function indices, infarct sizes, serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) concentrations, and the expression levels of phosphorylated PKC-ε (p-PKC-ε) and caspase-8 were measured. Cardiac function was unchanged, p-PKC-ε expression was upregulated, caspase-8 expression was downregulated, cTnI concentrations were decreased, and the infarcts were significantly smaller (P<0.05) in the SWOP group compared with the I/R group. Cardiac function was worse, p-PKC-ε expression was downregulated, caspase-8 expression was upregulated, cTnI concentration was increased and infarcts were larger in the 5-HD+SWOP group (P<0.05) compared with the SWOP group. The results suggest that mitoKATP channels are involved in the myocardial protective effects of sevoflurane in preconditioning against I/R injury, by regulating PKC-ε phosphorylation before ischemia, and by downregulating caspase-8 during reperfusion.
Politicizing Culture: Negating Ethnic Identity in Greek Macedonia

Nation-building directly affects ethnic identity as it transforms the peoples of a region into the people of a nation-state. Since the incorporation of Macedonia into the expanding Greek state in 1913, Greek authorities have attempted to wrest control of enculturation away from the private domain of the family and to place it under the control of state institutions. In the process, Slavic speakers of the area have found themselves forbidden to use their Slavic language or to engage in songs, dances, and other public cultural activities. Some have resisted, protesting that such restrictions destroy their distinct local culture. This paper investigates such charges, examining Slavo-Macedonian claims to a distinct ethnic heritage and minority status, as well as reactions and counter-claims by Greek authorities to such assertions. I argue that the politicization of culture in Greek Macedonia has directly contributed to the denial of ethnic identity among Slavic speaking inhabitants there.
UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Pyndri: a Python Interface to the Indri Search Engine

We introduce pyndri , a Python interface to the Indri search engine. Pyndri allows to access Indri indexes from Python at two levels: (1) dictionary and tokenized document collection, (2) evaluating queries on the index. We hope that with the release of pyndri, we will stimulate reproducible, open and fast-paced IR research.
A Survey of Data Management in Peer-to-Peer Systems

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) systems attempt to provide a decentralized infrastructure for resource sharing. In particular, file sharing was the initial motivation behind many of the first successful P2P systems. As P2P systems evolve to support sharing of structured and semantically rich data, several data management issues must be addressed. Specifically, P2P systems need to deal with data location, data integration, data querying, and data consistency issues. Data management is further complicated in P2P systems due to the volatility and scale of these systems. In this survey we propose a reference architecture for P2P systems that focuses on the data management activities required to support sharing of structured data. Based on this reference architecture, we present and classify technologies that have been proposed to solve the data management issues particular to P2P systems.
General Anesthetics Sensitize the Capsaicin Receptor Transient Receptor Potential V1

General anesthetics (GAs) are central nervous system depressants that render patients unresponsive to external stimuli. In contrast, many of these agents are also known to stimulate peripheral sensory nerves, raising the possibility that they may exacerbate tissue inflammation. We have found that pungent GAs excite sensory neurons by directly activating the transient receptor potential (TRP) A1 ion channel. Here, we show that GAs also sensitize the capsaicin receptor TRPV1, a key ion channel expressed in nociceptive neurons. Clinically relevant concentrations of isoflurane, sevoflurane, enflurane, and desflurane sensitize TRPV1 to capsaicin and protons and reduce the threshold for heat activation. Furthermore, isoflurane directly activates TRPV1 after stimulation of protein kinase C. Likewise, isoflurane excites TRPV1 and sensory neurons during concomitant application of bradykinin, a key inflammatory mediator formed during tissue injury. Thus, GAs can enhance the activation of TRPV1 that occurs during surgically induced tissue damage. These results support the hypothesis that some GAs, through direct actions at TRP channels, increase postsurgical pain and inflammation.
Design and Application of a Gradient-weighted Moving Finite Element Code, Part Ii, in 2-d

In Part I the authors reported on the design of a robust and versatile gradient-weighted Moving Finite Element code in 1-D and on its application to a variety of PDE's and PDE systems. This companion paper does the same for the 2-D case. These moving node methods are especially suited to problems which develop sharp moving fronts, especially problems where one needs to resolve the ne-scale structure of the fronts. The many potential pitfalls in the design of GWMFE codes and the special features of the implicit 1-D and 2-D codes which contribute to their robustness and eeciency are discussed at length in Part I; this paper concentrates on issues unique to the 2-D case. Brief explanations are given of the variational interpretation of GWMFE, the geometrical-mechanical interpretation, simpliied regularization terms, and the treatment of systems. A catalog of inner products which occur in GWMFE is given, with particular attention to those involving second order operators. After presenting an example of the 2-D phenomenon of grid collapse and discussing the need for long-time regularization, the paper reports on the application of the 2-D code to several nontrivial problems|nonlinear arsenic diiusion in the manufacture of semiconductors, the drift-diiusion equations for semiconductor device simulation, the Buckley-Leverett black oil equations for reservoir simulation, and the motion of surfaces by mean curvature.
Influencing Adolescent Social Perceptions of Alcohol Use to Facilitate Change through a School-Based Intervention

The current study examines the effectiveness of a voluntary high school-based alcohol intervention by investigating one proposed mechanism of change in adolescent alcohol involvement: perception of peer use. High school students reporting lifetime drinking (N = 2055) completed fall and spring surveys that assessed demographic information, substance use, risk factors, and intervention attendance (N = 327). The motivational enhancement-based intervention used school and grade-specific normative data to facilitate change in adolescent perceptions regarding the frequency and quantity of peer alcohol use. Results indicate that intervention participants were more likely to increase the accuracy of their peer frequency estimates over the course of the year in comparison to the general student body. Furthermore, students demonstrating decreases in peer perceptions of alcohol use exhibited a greater reduction in number of binge episodes, lower maximum number of drinks consumed per episode, and average number of drinks consumed per drinking occasion (ps < .05); teens with the greatest alcohol use history demonstrated the largest reductions. Although we found no significant main effect for intervention attendance, findings support the role of reduced peer drinking estimates in decreasing alcohol involvement among teen drinkers.
Psychological concomitants and predictors of violence during political upheaval in Zimbabwe: A content analysis study

Predicting when political violence is likely to erupt is a major problem for international, national, and local governments and agencies. In this study, thematic content analysis (TCA) was used to measure integrative complexity (IC) and power motive imagery (PMI) in editorials written by the spokesman for President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. Decreased IC and increased PMI have been shown to precede and accompany war versus negotiation in international confrontations. Here, they were used for the first time in the case of a prolonged history of domestic political violence committed by an oppressive government and its supporters. A less time- and labor-intensive, computerized method of content analysis, Profiler Plus, was also tested as a possible alternative to TCA. The scores were correlated with levels of political violence at the time of the publication of the editorial and with levels of violence 2, 3, and 4 weeks later. Although violence was significantly correlated with changes in several measures, IC decrease was the only variable that was also significantly correlated with violence at all three prediction periods. Together, decreasing IC and rising PMI provided unique predictive utility. The overall model accounted for 73% of the variance in log-transformed violence.
A systematic review of grandparents’ influence on grandchildren’s cancer risk factors

Many lifestyle patterns are established when children are young. Research has focused on the potential role of parents as a risk factor for non communicable disease in children, but there is limited investigation of the role of other caregivers, such as grandparents. The aim of this review was to identify and synthesise evidence for any influence grandparents’ care practices may have on their grandchildren’s long term cancer risk factors. A systematic review was carried out with searches across four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO) as well as searches of reference lists and citing articles, and Google Scholar. Search terms were based on six areas of risk that family care could potentially influence–weight, diet, physical activity, tobacco, alcohol and sun exposure. All study designs were included, as were studies that provided an indication of the interaction of grandparents with their grandchildren. Studies were excluded if grandparents were primary caregivers and if children had serious health conditions. Study quality was assessed using National Institute for Health and Care Excellence checklists. Grandparent impact was categorised as beneficial, adverse, mixed or as having no impact. Due to study heterogeneity a meta-analysis was not possible. Qualitative studies underwent a thematic synthesis of their results. Results from all included studies indicated that there was a sufficient evidence base for weight, diet, physical activity and tobacco studies to draw conclusions about grandparents’ influence. One study examined alcohol and no studies examined sun exposure. Evidence indicated that, overall, grandparents had an adverse impact on their grandchildren’s cancer risk factors. The theoretical work in the included studies was limited. Theoretically underpinned interventions designed to reduce these risk factors must consider grandparents’ role, as well as parents’, and be evaluated robustly to inform the evidence base further.
PI3K target based novel cyano derivative of betulinic acid induces its signalling inhibition by down‐regulation of pGSK3β and cyclin D1 and potentially checks cancer cell proliferation

In spite of the Betulinic acid (BA) being recognized as anticancerous source; its further use in clinical development is greatly hampered because of its poor pharmacokinetic properties. To circumvent these limitations, we synthesized a PI3K target based library of 18 triazole based derivatives and we identified a C‐3 cyano analog of betulinic acid (CBA) with significant cell death effects with 5–7 fold higher potency than BA in various cancers. Importantly, no such report is available demonstrating the involvement of BA or its structural analogs in the modulation of PI3K pathway. Using, human leukemia HL‐60 cells as a model, we for the first time report that CBA decreased expression of PI3K p110α, p85α, and pAKT in HL‐60. Furthermore, we could find significant depletion of pGSK3β, cyclin D1 and increased expression of p21/cip, p27/Kip proteins. CBA induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, increased sub‐G0 DNA fraction and annexin V binding of the cells besides imparting the typical surface features of cell death. Also, this target specific inhibition was associated with mitochondrial apoptosis as was reflected by expression studies of various proteins together with reactive oxygen species generation and decline in mitochondrial trans membrane potential. The apoptotic effectors i.e., caspase 8 and caspase 9 were found to get upregulated besides PI3K associated DNA repair enzyme i.e., PARP cleavage was observed. Thus, our results elucidated that CBA or other BA based small molecules inhibit PI3K/AKT pathway with induction of subsequent cancer cell death which may be useful therapeutic strategy against leukemias and possibly other cancers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Flexible and Reliable Web Service Execution

The next generation of Internet applications is emerging: Web services . In this work, we present novel techniques for a ﬂexible and reliable execution and deployment of Web services which can be integrated into current service platforms. Dynamic service selection allows selecting Web service instances during runtime by means of semantic clas-si(cid:12)cations. The selection can be inﬂuenced by specifying di(cid:11)erent constraints. We present a generic approach for load balanced and high available services using automatic service replication. Both approaches, dynamic service selection and automatic service replication, support the development of reliable services. Additionally, our system supports mobile code, i.e., Web services can be distributed and instantiated during runtime on demand. This feature opens a great optimization potential and additionally contributes to reliable service execution because unavailable hosts can be replaced dynamically by available hosts. We present these techniques within the scope of the ServiceGlobe system, an open platform for Web service speci(cid:12)cation, execution, and deployment.
Lyapunov Stability Analysis of Switching Controllers in Presence of Sliding Modes and Parametric Uncertainties With Application to Pneumatic Systems

This paper concerns the control and the stability analysis of pneumatic actuators, which are nowadays of widespread use in the industry. A problem related to the use of such actuators is the so-called stick-slip, due to the presence of dry friction in the system. In this paper, we provide an empirical switching control law that avoids this phenomenon as well as a general approach to the stability analysis of nonlinear systems that will let us prove the stability of the closed-loop system. The approach is based on casting the closed-loop system into a piecewise-affine form and finding a Lyapunov function for it. Such an approach will be able to cope with the special features of the controlled pneumatic system model, namely, the presence of sliding modes, a whole equilibrium set, and uncertainties on the values of a few parameters. At the end of this paper, we will show how such a method can be successfully applied to our experimental setup under several hypotheses.
Virulence of a spaP Mutant ofStreptococcus mutans in a Gnotobiotic Rat Model

ABSTRACT Streptococcus mutans, the principal etiologic agent of dental caries in humans, possesses a variety of virulence traits that enable it to establish itself in the oral cavity and initiate disease. A 185-kDa cell surface-localized protein known variously as antigen I/II, antigen B, PAc, and P1 has been postulated to be a virulence factor in S. mutans. We showed previously that P1 expression is necessary for in vitro adherence of S. mutansto salivary agglutinin-coated hydroxyapatite as well as for fluid-phase aggregation. Since adherence of the organism is a necessary first step toward colonization of the tooth surface, we sought to determine what effect deletion of the gene for P1, spaP, has on the colonization and subsequent cariogenicity of this organism in vivo. Germ-free Fischer rats fed a diet containing 5% sucrose were infected with either S. mutans NG8 or an NG8-derivedspaP mutant strain, PC3370, which had been constructed by allelic exchange mutagenesis. At 1-week intervals for 6 weeks after infection, total organisms recovered from mandibles were enumerated. At week 6, caries lesions also were scored. A significantly lower number of enamel and dentinal carious lesions was observed for the mutant-infected rats, although there was no difference between parent and mutant in the number of organisms recovered from teeth through 6 weeks postinfection. Coinfection of animals with both parent and mutant strains resulted in an increasing predominance of the mutant strain being recovered over time, suggesting that P1 is not a necessary prerequisite for colonization. These data do, however, suggest a role for P1 in the virulence of S. mutans, as reflected by a decrease in the cariogenicity of bacteria lacking this surface protein.
Segment-based recognition on the phonebook task: initial results and observations on duration modeling

This paper describes preliminary recognition experiments on PhoneBook [1], a corpus of isolated, telephone-bandwidth, read words from a large (almost 8,000-word) vocabulary. We have chosen this corpus as a testbed for experiments on the language model-independent parts of a segment-based recognizer. We present results showing that a segment-based recognizer performs well on this task, and that a simple Gaussian mixture phone duration model significantly reduces the error rate. We compare context-independent, stress-dependent, and word position-dependent duration models and obtain relative error rate reductions of up to 12% on the test set. Finally, we make some observations regarding the effects of stress and word position in this isolated-word task and discuss our plans for further research using PhoneBook.
An exploratory investigation into dating among later‐life women

Much of the previous research on dating focused on the close relationships of younger adults, with little attention given to individuals dating in their later life. In addition, the opportunity for intergenerational relationships, such as friendships among members of different age cohorts and non‐typical romantic relationships have significantly increased. The purpose of this study was to describe the dating experiences among later‐life women. Fifteen women participated in in‐depth interviews that examined their communicative experiences, impressions, and struggles while dating later‐life men. Three themes emerged from this study: the need for independence, the need for companionship, and gender role conflict between dating partners. The results were also discussed in terms of the paradoxes that dating creates for later‐life women. Finally, these results are discussed in terms of the unique relational challenges facing later‐life women.