Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cloud Computing's Killer App: Gaming

In recognition of the huge importance of graphics and gaming to the future of computing, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), of Sunnyvale, Calif. , is building the fastest commercial supercomputer in the world and selling its use to makers of online games. When it's ready, in the second half of 2009, it will manage a thousand million million floating-point operations per second-a petaflop. That will put it on a par with Roadrunner, the U.S. Department of Energy's most powerful machine.
Revisiting the Divisive Primary Hypothesis: 2008 and the Clinton—Obama Nomination Battle

The 2008 Democratic primary was marked by divisiveness as notable as its historic candidates. And while Barack Obama won the general election,political scientists would be remiss in studying divisive primary effects only when they are electorally decisive. Accordingly, we examine this largely forgotten storyline, searching for these effects throughout different segments of the electorate. Our analysis pursues evidence at multiple levels, focusing on the illustrative case of Franklin County in the bellwether state of Ohio. First, we use aggregate data and ecological inference to ascertain levels of abstention and defection among Clinton supporters, noting patterns in precincts. Next, we analyze original survey data drawn from individuals observed displaying yard signs, examining rates of participation within this engaged population. Overall, the evidence suggests that the primary produced lasting effects in terms of turnout, defection, and other participatory acts—effects that might have cost Obama the presidency under different circumstances.
Crash-testing the CAULDRON code for joint lensing and dynamics analysis of early-type galaxies

We apply the joint lensing and dynamics code for the analysis of early-type galaxies, 'Combined Algorithm for Unified Lensing and Dynamics ReconstructiON (CAULDRON)', to a rotating N-body stellar system with dark matter halo which significantly violates the two major assumptions of the method, i.e. axial symmetry supported by a two-integral distribution function. The goal is to study how CAULDRON performs in an extreme case, and to determine which galaxy properties can still be robustly recovered. Three data sets, corresponding to orthogonal lines of sight, are generated from the N-body system and analysed with the identical procedure followed in the study of real lens galaxies, adopting an axisymmetric power-law total density distribution. We find that several global properties of the N-body system are recovered with remarkable accuracy, despite the fact that the adopted power-law model is too simple to account for the lack of symmetry of the true density distribution. In particular, the logarithmic slope of the total density distribution is robustly recovered to within less than 10 per cent (with the exception of the ill-constrained very inner regions), the inferred angle-averaged radial profile of the total mass closely follows the true distribution, and the dark matter fraction of the system (inside the effective radius) is correctly determined within similar to 10 per cent of the total mass. Unless the line-of-sight direction is almost parallel to the total angular momentum vector of the system, reliably recovered quantities also include the angular momentum, the V/sigma ratio and the anisotropy parameter delta. We conclude that the CAULDRON code can be safely and effectively applied to real early-type lens galaxies, also providing reliable information for the systems that depart significantly from the method's assumptions.
The Spillover Effects of Health IT Investments on Regional Health Care Costs

Electronic health records (EHR) are often presumed to reduce the significant and accelerating healthcare costs in the United States. However, evidence on the relationship between EHR adoption and costs is mixed, leading to skepticism about the effectiveness of EHR in decreasing costs. We argue that simply looking at the hospital-level effects can be misleading because the benefits of EHR can go beyond the adopting hospital by creating regional spillovers via information and patient sharing. When patients move between hospitals, timely and high-quality records received at one hospital can affect the costs of care at another hospital. We provide evidence that although EHR adoption increases the costs of the adopting hospital, it has significant spillover effects by reducing the costs of neighboring hospitals. We further show that these spillovers are linked to information and patient sharing. Specifically, the spillovers are stronger when more hospitals in the region are in health information exchange netwo.
Combined effect of olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) intravitreal injection on optic nerve injury in rats

Purpose To investigate the combined effect of olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation and recombinant human glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (rhGDNF) intravitreal injection on optic nerve functional recovery following incomplete injury in adult rats. Methods The optic nerves of adult rats were crushed by forceps and then GDNF was injected into vitreous cavity, OECs transplanted into injured optic nerve, or GDNF vitreous injection combined with OECs transplantation, and balanced salt solution was injected into vitreous cavity of control group rats respectively. Flash visual evoked potential (F-VEP) was performed on the injured eye immediately after injury and at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after injury. Results The F-VEP waveforms were almost silent immediately after the optic nerve injury. The latency of the F-VEP (LP1) recovered nearly to the normal value 1 week after injury in the treatment groups. The amplitude recovered more slowly. It recovered more obviously and rapidly in the rhGDNF combined with OEC group. At 8 weeks after injury, the amplitude was restored to 64.5% of the pre-injury level in the control group and to 91.8% in the GDNF+OEC treatment group. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) labeling showed retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axon regeneration and prolongation in the combined group, and the regenerated axons extended across the traumatized area and reached the distal end of the injured optic nerve. Conclusions The combination of OEC transplantation and rhGDNF intravitreal injection will be more effective in promoting the recovery of visual function after incomplete injury of the optic nerve in adult rats.
Web Privacy: an Essential Part of Electronic Commerce

Web users’ concerns about their privacy result in reduction of online shopping activity. Widely spread Web marketing is not possible without an appropriate protection of customers’ privacy. The significance of privacy in electronic commerce is illustrated in this article. We present a classification of Web privacy risks and describe an evolution of privacy enhancing technologies. It includes a review of Client-side Utilities, new protocol – P3P, simple Third Party Proxy Servers and more sophisticated Chaining with Encryption technique. The possibilities of mentioned solutions and their disadvantages are specified. Effective solutions are characterized by low performance and high costs of their realization. Electronic society’s unrealized demands are highlighted against this background. Our proposal of a new method of providing versatile anonymity for Web users is included in the summary of this discussion. The solution overcomes mentioned weaknesses.
Bifidobacterium-Rich Fecal Donor May Be a Positive Predictor for Successful Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in Patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Background/Aims: Dysbiosis is associated with various systemic disorders including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) might restore intestinal microbial balance. The study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of FMT in IBS patients, as well as also positive predictors for FMT. Methods: This was a single-arm, open-label study. Eligible patients were diagnosed based on Rome III Diagnostic Criteria. Fecal materials were administered to the patient via colonoscopy. The primary end point was a change in the Bristol stool form scale at 4 weeks after FMT. Recovery to types 3-4 was considered a clinical response. The secondary end point was a change in intestinal microbiota and psychological status using the Hamilton Rating Scale. Results: Ten patients were enrolled. Six patients achieved a clinical response. The diversity of patients 4 weeks after FMT increased significantly compared with patients before FMT, and that of responding patients was significantly higher than non-responder patients. The abundance of Bifidobacterium in effective donors was significantly higher than in ineffective donors and patients. Psychological status of all patients was significantly improved after FMT. Conclusions: FMT for patients with IBS is safe, and relatively effective. Bifidobacterium-rich fecal donor may be a positive predictor for successful FMT. Key Summary: (1) Dysbiosis is associated with various gastrointestinal disorders including IBS. (2) FMT has potential to restore intestinal microbial balance. (3) We showed that FMT improved stool form and psychological status of IBS patients. (4) Bifidobacterium-rich donor efficiently induced symbiosis in IBS patients.
Accumulating Knowledge Across Self-Studies in Teacher Education

This article examines the issue of strengthening self-study research in teacher education by consciously situating individual studies within coherent research programs on particular substantive issues. Although acknowledging the positive professional development impact of self-study on teacher educators, this article calls for more closely connecting the self-studies of teacher educators to the mainstream of teacher education research so that the voices of practicing teacher educators are incorporated into syntheses of research on particular aspects of teacher education. The article rejects the dualism of research either contributing to greater theoretical understanding or to the improvement of practice and argues that self-study research should attempt to work on both goals simultaneously.
Scheme of Parameter Estimation for Generalized Gamma Distribution and Its Application to Ship Detection in SAR Images

In the detection applications of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, a crucial problem is developing precise models for clutter statistics. Generalized gamma distribution (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{G}\Gamma \text{D}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) has been widely applied in many fields of signal processing, and it has been demonstrated to be an appropriate model for describing the statistical behaviors of SAR sea clutter, wherein parameter estimation is a key issue for determining the practical application of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{G}\Gamma \text{D}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. Work that contains three major aspects is performed in this paper. First, an approximate estimator for <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{G}\Gamma \text{D}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> parameters based on the well-known “method-of-log-cumulants” is derived; a theoretical comparison between the approximate estimator and other known estimators is also presented. Second, based on this estimator, a scheme of parameter estimation is further given by comprehensively considering estimation precision, speed, and applicable conditions. The simulation results show that the presented scheme is fast and effective. Third, we assess the fitting performance of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{G}\Gamma \text{D}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and the proposed scheme using real SAR sea clutter data, and compare the model with generalized-K distribution. The experiments on single-look complex and multilook-processing L-band ALOS-PALSAR and C-band RADARSAT-2 SAR data verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{G}\Gamma \text{D}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> parameter estimation. Moreover, several examples of ship detection in real SAR images testify to the usefulness of the proposed scheme in practical applications.
Effects of the Combination of Favipiravir (T-705) and Oseltamivir on Influenza A Virus Infections in Mice

ABSTRACT Favipiravir (T-705 [6-fluoro-3-hydroxy-2-pyrazinecarboxamide]) and oseltamivir were combined to treat influenza virus A/NWS/33 (H1N1), A/Victoria/3/75 (H3N2), and A/Duck/MN/1525/81 (H5N1) infections. T-705 alone inhibited viruses in cell culture at 1.4 to 4.3 μM. Oseltamivir inhibited these three viruses in cells at 3.7, 0.02, and 0.16 μM and in neuraminidase assays at 0.94, 0.46, and 2.31 nM, respectively. Oral treatments were given twice daily to mice for 5 to 7 days starting, generally, 24 h after infection. Survival resulting from 5 days of oseltamivir treatment (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg/day) was significantly better in combination with 20 mg/kg of body weight/day of T-705 against the H1N1 infection. Treatment of the H3N2 infection required 50 mg/kg/day of oseltamivir for 7 days to achieve 60% protection; 25 mg/kg/day was ineffective. T-705 was ≥70% protective at 50 to 100 mg/kg/day but inactive at 25 mg/kg/day. The combination of inhibitors (25 mg/kg/day each) increased survival to 90%. The H5N1 infection was not benefited by treatment with oseltamivir (≤100 mg/kg/day for 7 days). T-705 was 30 to 70% protective at 25 to 100 mg/kg/day. Survival improved slightly with combination treatments. Increased activity was seen against H5N1 infection by starting treatments 2 h before infection. Oseltamivir was ineffective at ≤40 mg/kg/day. T-705 was 100% protective at 40 and 80 mg/kg/day and inactive at 20 mg/kg/day. Combining ineffective doses (20 mg/kg/day of T-705 and 10 to 40 mg/kg/day of oseltamivir) afforded 60 to 80% protection and improved body weights during infection. Thus, synergistic responses were achieved with low doses of T-705 combined with oseltamivir. These compounds may be viable candidates for combination treatment of human influenza infections.
Self-ratings of ADHD symptomas in auts II: Reliability, validity, and diagnostic sensitivity

Background: The Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) was designed to assess the manifestations of ADHD in adults. Prior factor analyses suggested a 4-factor structure for the CAARS, includingdimensions related to Inattention/Cognitive Problems, Hyperactivity/Restlessness, Impulsivity/Emotional Liability, and Problems with Self-Concept. Method: The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, criterion validity, and diagnostic utility for the CAARS were examined. Results: Coefficient alphas ranged from . 86 to . 92. Median test-retest reliability for the four factors was . 89. Al/ four CAARS factors correlated significantly with scores from an established measure used in the evaluation of ADHD in adults. Criterion validity was assessed on the basis of comparisons of matched samples with and without ADHD. Sensitivity and specificity were high, with an overall diagnostic efficiency rate of 85%. Conclusion: The CAARS provides researchers and clinicians with a carefully constructed and psychometrically sound scale for the evaluation of current ADHD symptomatology in adults.
Identification of a Putative P-Transporter Operon in the Genome of a Burkholderia Strain Living inside the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungus Gigaspora margarita

ABSTRACT This article reports the identification of a putative P-transporter operon in the genome of a Burkholderia sp. living in the cytoplasm of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Gigaspora margarita. Its presence suggests that Burkholderiasp. has the potential for P uptake from this environment. This finding raises new questions concerning the importance of intracellular bacteria for mycorrhizal symbiosis.
On the extendability of elliptic surfaces of rank two and higher

We study threefolds X in a projective space having as hyperplane section a smooth surface with an elliptic fibration. We first give a general theorem about the possible embeddings of such surfaces with Picard number two. More precise results are then proved for Weierstrass fibrations, both of rank two and higher. In particular we prove that a Weierstrass fibration of rank two that is not a K3 surface is not hyperplane section of a locally complete intersection threefold and we give some conditions, for many embeddings of Weierstrass fibrations of any rank, under which every such threefold must be a cone.
Martingale problems and path properties of solutions

Existence and uniqueness of solutions to martingale problems, not only in the class of r.c. l.l. or continuous process, but also in the class of progressively measurable processes has become important. In this article we give several examples which show that existence or uniqueness in any one class need not imply the same in another class. We also give an example of a well-posed martingale problem where the operator is not a core for the generator of the corresponding Markov process.
Recommendations for physical activity, recreation sport, and exercise training in paediatric patients with congenital heart disease: a report from the Exercise, Basic & Translational Research Section of the European Association of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, the European Congenital

All children have a natural need to move, play, and perform activities. Physical activity is necessary for optimal physical, emotional, and psychosocial development for healthy children as well as children with congenital heart disease (CHD). In this paper we provide recommendations for physical activity, recreational sport, and exercise training in children and adolescents with CHD. In general, children with CHD should be advised to comply with public health recommendations of daily participation in 60 min or more of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity that is developmentally appropriate and enjoyable and involves a variety of activities. While all patients with CHD can participate and benefit from physical activity and exercise, those with specific lesions or complications may require counselling regarding precautions and recommendations.
Analytical examinations and compensation for slow settling response in precise positioning based on rolling friction model

This paper presents a rolling friction model-based friction compensation in the precise positioning of linear motor-driven table systems. The rolling friction in mechanisms behaves as a nonlinear elastic element in the micro displacement region and deteriorates the positioning performance due to slow settling responses. In this research, therefore, the rolling friction characteristic is mathematically formulated to examine the slow responses in the settling region, and the rolling friction model is adopted to controller design to improve the settling performance. In the analytical examinations, a rheology-based rolling friction model is introduced to construct a precise simulator and clarifies the mechanism of the slow settling response. In the compensator design, on the other hand, the rolling friction model is adopted to a friction compensator to suppress effects of the rolling friction on the precise positioning at the settling region. The proposed examinations and friction compensation for the slow settling response have been verified by simulations and experiments using a prototype of industrial positioning devices.
A first order semantic approach to adjectival inference

As shown in the formal semantics literature, adjectives can display very different inferential patterns depending on whether they are intersective, privative, subsective or plain non-subsective. Moreover, many of these classes are often described using second order constructs. In this paper, we adopt Hobbs's ontologically promiscuous approach and present a first order treatment of adjective semantics which opens the way for a sophisticated treatment of adjectival inference. The approach was implemented and tested using first order automated reasoners.
Single Image Appearance Measurement

Creating realistic renderings in computer graphics depends on having knowledge of the reflectance properties of materials in the scene. For opaque materials the bi-directional reflectance function (BRDF) captures these properties. Full BRDFs can be measured using highly-accurate gonioreflectometers or more recently with techniques using digital cameras. These approaches sample the BRDF either densely and use simple interpolation for rendering with the BRDF or acquire data sparsely and fit to a BRDF. Previous methods require images from a number of camera positions with a variety of known light positions. We present a technique to recover appearance model parameters from a single image under arbitrary lighting. Using a single high dynamic range image of material sample of known geometry, an environment map, and an iterative rendering and optimization approach we can recover parameters for a wide variety of materials in short amount of time with less stringent experimental constraints as compared to previous techniques. Our technique in not limited to recovering BRDF parameters for opaque materials. We can fit parameters for any low parameter appearance model that is used in a typical renderer. We have measured a number of opaque and transparent materials and we present results showing comparisons of an image of a sample material and the rendered counterpart using the recovered parameters. We further use our optimization approach to recover BRDF model parameters from a single render image of a number of materials rendered from a data-driven BRDF model.
Considering Bias in Government Audit Reports

Government auditors collect data and assess, via written reports, the operations of a government; however, little is known about what can affect and govern their representations of those operations. This analysis examines research studies about author bias and government audit manuals in order to understand how government auditors' neutrality is threatened. While bias may be an overt function of preferential or prejudicial thoughts, most sources of bias that influence auditors derive from less explicit sources including prior expectations, media coverage, nondiagnostic information, and other significantly less direct channels. To determine how government guidelines address this issue for their auditors, the principle audit manuals for Canada and the United States were reviewed for their references to bias, impartiality, and objectivity. Neither manual provides a significant amount of guidance to assist auditors in addressing the problems of bias in data collection, interpretation, and representation. If bias is to be reduced in audit reports, more must be done.
High-Interactive Gaming Learning: Bring Different Learning Benefits to Team Players and Individual Players

In our study, we will look at how the substantial context-embedded authentic tasks had been done under a high-interactive gaming structure in classroom basis. We analyzed the difference of intrinsic motivation (enjoyment, perceived competence, pressure, etc) and learning effectiveness between team players and individual players in the game-based learning environments.