Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FINNET—a homogeneous multiprocessor network

FINNET is an approach to computer systems design that utilizes the economy, reliability, and flexibility of small computers functioning in a cohesive fashion to provide large scale computer power at a fraction of the usual cost. This approach is valid over a wide range of equipment configurations and will support system growth ranging from a single computer to a large geographically distributed network of processors, each capable of performing in stand-alone fashion under a variety of operating systems or participating with other processors in the solution of problems too large or complex for a single machine. The basic component of this design approach is NETCOM, a straightforward inter-process communication system that supports local high speed data channels as well as full duplex, multi-line, multi-drop, remote synchronous lines. By providing location independent support for the concept of functional processes, NETCOM allows their distribution among multiple processors, thereby providing not only increased throughput, but also yielding improved reliability and the capability for system expansion or reconfiguration (both hardware and software) without programming modifications.
Modelling arithmetic strategies

This thesis examines children's arithmetic strategies and their relation to the concepts of commutativity and associativity. Two complementary methods were used in this research: empirical studies and computational models. Empirical studies were carried out to identify the strategies children used for solving problems like 3 + 4, and 3 + 4 + 7, and the conceptual knowledge associated with them. Their understanding of subtraction problems where the minuend is less than the subtrahend (e.g. 6 - 8) was also considered. A study with 105 subjects revealed a variety of strategies and information about children's knowledge of commutativity and associativity. Four levels of performance of commutativity were also identified. A longitudinal study was carried out with 12 children in order to obtain details of children's changes in strategy, and to double check the results obtained in the main study. The strategies observed to be used by children over a 20 month period parallel those found in previous studies, which show a general transition to more efficient methods. However, the longitudinal study revealed that development of such arithmetic strategies is a slow process. Furthermore, the studies indicated that knowledge of commutativity is a prerequisite for associativity. Models of the observed strategies have been implemented in the form of production rules in a computer program called PALM. The process of implementation highlighted features of children's problem solving that had not been 'detected during the studies. In addition to models that describe the space of strategies, a model of learning has been implemented for the transition from procedural knowledge of commutativity to that of associativity. The model is capable of generalizing its inbuilt knowledge, for instance, its ability to solve 2-term arithmetic expressions, to allow it to solve more complex problems, such as 3-term arithmetic expressions. A further model has been constructed for learning arithmetic strategies that are more efficient than those already represented in the program. It learns specific rules by adding conditions for efficient problem solving to its previous general rules.
Coded excitation reconstruction by impulse response estimation and retrospective acquisition

Coded excitation (CE) imaging enables large time-bandwidth waveform transmissions, which are often pulse-compressed by matched filtering (MF). Much research investigates schemes for reducing MF sidelobes to decrease clutter with distributed targets. The goal of this presentation is to harmonize CE transmission with the image quality of Synthetic Transmit Aperture (STA) imaging at high frame rates. We propose a two-step process that estimates medium impulse responses (IR), then retrospectively images using the IR set. In this way, the probing code sequence is used optimally yet is decoupled from the imaging step, circumventing the sidelobe problem. The method first estimates transmit-receive (TR) pair IR of the acoustic medium, using random codes transmitted simultaneously across channels and acquisition intervals. Linear model theory solves for unbiased estimates of the IR set. In the second step, retrospective STA imaging excites the estimated IR set, using it as a simulation of the medium. Retrospective transmit signals and apodizing can differ at each pixel. We show the resulting beamformed pixels are unbiased estimates of STA pixels, and that time diversity in codes improves estimation error over static codes. To address tissue motion, the model is extended to polynomial and Fourier basis. We also demonstrate retrospective transmission of a transducer-compensated pulse in the imaging step, bypassing the limited precision of tri-state transmitter hardware.
Neurons Exclusively Express N-Bak, a BH3 Domain-only Bak Isoform That Promotes Neuronal Apoptosis*

Bak is generally recognized as a multidomain, pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family. Bak and Bax are functionally redundant in non-neuronal cells and represent a mitochondrial convergence point for cell death signaling pathways. This functional redundancy, however, may not exist in neurons in which the single deletion of Bax is sufficient to confer protection against a variety of cytotoxic insults. In the present study, we demonstrate that postnatal cortical and cerebellar granule neurons exclusively express an alternatively spliced, BH3 domain-only form of Bak (N-Bak), whereas astrocytes express only the full-length, multidomain form. Overexpression of N-Bak promotes Bax translocation in HeLa cells and induces neuronal cell death in cortical, hippocampal, and cerebellar granule neurons in a Bax-dependent manner. N-Bak interacts with Bcl-XL but not BAX, suggesting an indirect mechanism for promoting Bax translocation to the mitochondria. N-Bak message and protein levels are elevated in cortical neurons in response to DNA damage, and subsequent induction of neuronal death is significantly delayed by expressing a full-length Bak antisense plasmid. These results demonstrate that postnatal neurons solely express a BH3 domain-only form of Bak, which contributes to DNA damage-induced neuronal apoptosis. The absence of full-length Bak expression explains the near exclusive requirement for Bax in neuronal apoptosis.
Death, Hope, and Sex: Life-History Theory and the Development of Reproductive Strategies [and Comments and Reply]

Many social scientists reject evolutionary views of human behavior because of their supposed genetic determinism. To establish that not all evolutionary models are inherently deterministic the author first reviews the perennial adaptationist-mechanist controversy in evolutionary biology. He then outlines life-history theory a burgeoning field of biology devoted to the study of reproduction growth and development and ecology in an evolutionary context. He undertakes next to show how life-history theory can provide a satisfactory resolution to the adaptationist-mechanist debate. Combining Promislow and Harveys arguments about the role of mortality rates in the evolution of life-history traits with Belsky Steinberg and Drapers attachment-theory model of the development of alternative reproductive strategies in humans the author proposes that the allocation of reproductive ("mating" and "parenting") effort in adults may be partially contingent on their early experience with the causes and correlates of local high death rates. The author concludes with a discussion of some implications of this proposal for the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. (authors)
Cell-mediated immune activation rapidly decreases plasma carotenoids but does not affect oxidative stress in red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa)

SUMMARY In animals yellow-orange-red sexual traits pigmented by carotenoids have been suggested to act as signals of current health. Because carotenoids have important physiological functions, individuals might trade-off allocating these pigments to self-maintenance versus coloration. Carotenoids may act as scavengers of free radicals that are released during an immune response. Here, we experimentally assessed whether a local cell-mediated immune response affects circulating carotenoids, antioxidant status, oxidative damage and the expression of a carotenoid-based trait. Male red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) were subcutaneously injected with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) or with phosphate buffer solution (controls). The effect of the treatment on circulating carotenoids, total plasma antioxidant status (TAS), lipid oxidative damage in erythrocytes (TBARS) and ornamentation was assessed. Immune challenge induced a 13% decrease in circulating carotenoids within 24 h. However, this treatment did not affect TAS, TBARS or coloration. Coloration, circulating carotenoids and cell-mediated immune response were positively correlated, but these were not related to TAS or TBARS. Carotenoids were only weakly related to TAS after controlling for the effect of uric acid levels. These results suggest that carotenoid-based ornaments may honestly indicate immunocompetence but probably not antioxidant capacity in this species, and that carotenoids might be relatively weak antioxidants in the plasma. Furthermore, even a relatively harmless and locally elicited immune challenge had important effects on circulating carotenoids, but this effect did not appear to be associated with oxidative stress. Alternative mechanisms linking carotenoids to immunity (not necessarily relying on the use of these pigments as antioxidants) should be considered in future studies on birds.
Changes in neurotransmitter levels associated with the deficiency of some essential amino acids in the diet

The contents of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites were measured in rat substantia nigra and corpus striatum following dietary changes, including restriction of protein content (low-protein diet; LPD) and the contents of several large neutral amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and valine) for 25 d. The LPD produced an increase in the concentration of tyrosine (TYR) in the two regions of the brain studied. This effect was also observed with all amino acid deficiencies studied except for valine in the substantia nigra, tryptophan in the striatum and phenylalanine in both regions. Likewise, the concentration of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), the main metabolite of 5-HT, increased in the substantia nigra but not in the striatum after LPD, as well as with all the amino acid deficiencies studied, with the exception of tryptophan deficiency. In this case there was a dramatic effect on all components of the serotoninergic system, with decreases in the concentration of tryptophan (TRP; precursor), 5-HT and 5-HIAA. This behaviour clearly shows an interrelationship between precursor (TRP) availability and 5-HT synthesis and metabolism. With valine deficiency, dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems demonstrated opposite effects in the substantia nigra and the corpus striatum, and the behaviour of the two monoamines was also opposite within each structure. The significance of these changes is discussed.
Measuring Quality and Performance in Higher Education

The main argument of this paper emanates from an understanding that 'quality' is a highly contested concept and has multiple meanings to people who conceive higher education and quality differently. This paper attempts to analyse ways of thinking about higher education and quality; consider their relevance to the measurement of performance of universities and colleges; and explore their implications for the selection of criteria, approaches and methods for the assurance of quality in higher education. This paper also investigates various models of measuring quality in higher education, consider their value and discuss both their shortcomings and contributions to the assessment of higher education institutions. These models include the simple 'production model', which depicts a direct relationship between inputs and outputs; the 'value-added approach', which measures the gain by students before and after they receive higher education; and the 'total quality experience approach', which aims to capture the entire learning experience undergone by students during their years in universities or colleges.
A 4Gbps clock and data recovery circuit and its bit error rate estimation

This paper describes a reference-less 4Gbps Clock and Data Recovery (CDR) circuit. A novel compensation technique is used to initialize the Voltage Controlled Oscillator's (VCO) frequency close to the data rate. A new method for the theoretical estimation of filtered phase noise power responsible for bit error is presented and is verified experimentally. CDR is implemented in 65nm CMOS technology on 1.8V supply and consumes 50mA current.
The Processing Cost of Reference Set Computation: Acquisition of Stress Shift and Focus

This article is concerned with the correspondence conditions that hold between certain semantic relations—including part-whole relations, possession, location, and the semantic features [± animate] or [± count]—and certain syntactic structures including genitives and relative clauses. The objective is to determine the extent to which these correspondence conditions derive from Universal Grammar or are "learned" by children in response to input from caretakers and others. Interface conditions imposed by Universal Grammar (UG) are expected to appear early in the course of language development despite the vagaries of the primary linguistic data. In this article, we show that children as young as 3 years old adhere to specific semantic distinctions and to specific constraints on the mapping of these distinctions onto syntactic structures. Moreover, the children show more stringent adherence to interface conditions than adult speakers of the same languages do, indicating that children's mapping relations between syntax and semantics are not based on their experience but rather are projected from UG.
A Multi-objective Cluster Algorithm Based on GEP

Clustering is one of the main methods in data mining. Many clustering algorithms have been proposed so far. Among them, GEP-Cluster, a single-objective clustering algorithm, can automatically cluster with unknown clustering number. However, it is difficult for GEP-Cluster to find the high-quality solution in the limited search space. Aiming at the problems, a multi-objective clustering algorithm based on gene expression programming, MOGEP-Cluster, is proposed in this paper. To validate the effectiveness of MOGEP-Cluster, a set of experiments are performed on 5 benchmark datasets. The experimental results show that MOGEP-Cluster can find better solutions than GEP-Cluster.
Host sex-specific parasites in a functionally dioecious fig: a preference way of adaptation to their hosts

Host–parasites interaction is a common phenomenon in nature. Diffusive coevolution might maintain stable cooperation in a fig–fig wasps system, in which the exploiter might diversify their genotype, phenotype, or behavior as a result of competition with pollinator, whereas the figs change flower syconia, fruits thickness, and syconia structure. In functionally dioecious Ficus auriculata, male figs and female figs contain two types of florets on separate plant, and share high similarities in outside morphology. Apocryptophagus (Sycophaginae, Chalcidoidea, Hymenoptera) is one of few groups of nonpollinating fig wasps that can reproduce within both male and female figs. On the basis of the morphology and DNA barcoding, evidence from partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I and nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2, we found that there are two nonsibling Apocryptophagus species living on male and female F. auriculata figs, respectively. We estimated that these two species diverged about 19.2 million years ago. Our study suggests that the host shift from Ficus variegate or Ficus prostrata fig species to male figs is a preference way for Apocryptophagus wasps to adapt to the separation of sexual function in diecious figs. Furthermore, to escape the disadvantage or sanction impact of the host, the exploiter Apocryptophagus wasps can preferably adapt to exploiting each sex of the figs, by changing their oviposition, niche shift, and habitat.
Quality of Life Outcomes for Young Children with Disabilities: Legislative and Service Delivery Implications

Improving the quality of life for people with disabilities through early intervention has been a major focus over the past 20 years. However, much of the direction of intervention has been upon quality of process rather than upon quality of outcome. If early intervention is to have a significant impact upon the lifestyles of people with disabilities, it is important that a longitudinal perspective be adopted and quality of life defined and appropriate measures developed. In this paper a longitudinal perspective on early intervention is discussed along with quality of outcome and programmatic features of quality programs.
Profile-guided optimization across process boundaries

We describe a profile-driven compiler optimization technique for inter-process optimization, which dynamically inlines the effects of sending messages. Profiling is used to find optimization opportunities, and to dynamically trigger recompilation and optimization at run-time. We apply the optimization technique on the concurrent programming language ERLANG, letting recompilation take place in a separate ERLANG process, and taking advantage of the facilities provided by ERLANG to dynamically replace code at run-time. We have implemented a prototype inter-process profiler and optimizer, that can handle small programs. Measurements on synthetic benchmarks show encouraging speedups of up to 1.8 times.
Test Length and Decision Quality in Personnel Selection: When Is Short Too Short?

Personnel selection shows an enduring need for short stand-alone tests consisting of, say, 5 to 15 items. Despite their efficiency, short tests are more vulnerable to measurement error than longer test versions. Consequently, the question arises to what extent reducing test length deteriorates decision quality due to increased impact of measurement error. A distinction was made between decision quality at the group level and the individual level. Using simulations, we found that short tests had a large negative impact on individual-level decision quality, in particular for selecting suited candidates when base rates or selection ratios are low. Negative effects on group-level decision quality were smaller than those for individual-level decision quality. Results were similar for dichotomous-item tests and rating-scale tests, and also for top-down and cut-score selection.
Role of STAT3 in Cancer Metastasis and Translational Advances

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a latent cytoplasmic transcription factor, originally discovered as a transducer of signal from cell surface receptors to the nucleus. It is activated by tyrosine phosphorylation at position 705 leading to its dimerization, nuclear translocation, DNA binding, and activation of gene transcription. Under normal physiological conditions, STAT3 activation is tightly regulated. However, compelling evidence suggests that STAT3 is constitutively activated in many cancers and plays a pivotal role in tumor growth and metastasis. It regulates cellular proliferation, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis that are critical for cancer metastasis. In this paper, we first describe the mechanism of STAT3 regulation followed by how STAT3 is involved in cancer metastasis, then we summarize the various small molecule inhibitors that inhibit STAT3 signaling.
Chapter 4: Extracurricular and Other After-School Activities for Youth

There is growing interest in the developmental consequences of extracurricular and after-school programs for youth, fueled by (a) concerns about the possible role of such activities in both promoting school achievement and preventing school dropout and school disengagement, (b) the continuing disparities in the school achievement of poor youth of all ethnic and racial groups relative to White middleclass youth, (c) the underachievement of American youth relative to youth in other industrialized countries, (d) concerns about whether youth are adequately prepared to enter an increasingly demanding and technical labor market, and (e) the amount of unsupervised time spent by so many youth (e.g., Cooper, Denner, & Lopez, 1999; Dryfoss, 1999; Eccles & Gootman, 2002; Gambone & Arbreton, 1997; Halpern, 1999; Larson, 1994; Lerner & Galambos, 1998; Pittman, Ferber, & Irby, 1999; Quinn, 1999; Scales, 1999). Other critical forces and events highlighting these concerns include the Carnegie Foundation’s publication of A Matter of Time (1992), the growing interest in positive youth development among both youth advocates in the policy world and developmental and educational researchers interested in adolescence, the growing interest in positive psychology launched by Martin Seligman when he was president of the American Psychological Association, the publication of When School Is Out (1999) by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation in their Future of Children series, the increasing concern with violence at schools and declining school engagement among many youth as they move into and through secondary school, and the growing evidence of strong relations between school experiences and socioemotional development. Added to this list is the growing interest in education outside of the school building and outside of normal school hours. As continued evidence of educational outcome
The Spo0A regulon of Bacillus subtilis

The master regulator for entry into sporulation in Bacillus subtilis is the DNA‐binding protein Spo0A, which has been found to influence, directly or indirectly, the expression of over 500 genes during the early stages of development. To search on a genome‐wide basis for genes under the direct control of Spo0A, we used chromatin immunoprecipitation in combination with gene microarray analysis to identify regions of the chromosome at which an activated form of Spo0A binds in vivo. This information in combination with transcriptional profiling using gene microarrays, gel electrophoretic mobility shift assays, using the DNA‐binding domain of Spo0A, and bioinformatics enabled us to assign 103 genes to the Spo0A regulon in addition to 18 previously known members. Thus, in total, 121 genes, which are organized as 30 single‐gene units and 24 operons, are likely to be under the direct control of Spo0A. Forty of these genes are under the positive control of Spo0A, and 81 are under its negative control. Among newly identified members of the regulon with transcription that was stimulated by Spo0A are genes for metabolic enzymes and genes for efflux pumps. Among members with transcription that was in‐hibited by Spo0A are genes encoding components of the DNA replication machinery and genes that govern flagellum biosynthesis and chemotaxis. Also in‐cluded in the regulon are many (25) genes with products that are direct or indirect regulators of gene transcription. Spo0A is a master regulator for sporulation, but many of its effects on the global pattern of gene transcription are likely to be mediated indirectly by regulatory genes under its control.