Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IS THE GALACTIC DISC OLDER THAN THE HALO

The aim of this study is to infer the age of the Galactic disc by means of the ages of old open clusters, and comment on some recent claims that the Galactic disc may be older than the halo. To this purpose, we analyse the colour–magnitude diagrams (CMDs) of six very old open clusters, namely NGC 188, NGC 6791, Collinder 261, Melotte 66, Berkeley 39 and Berkeley 17, and determine their ages. For each cluster we use the most recent photometric and spectroscopic data and metallicity estimates. The ages are derived from the isochrone-fitting method using the stellar models of the Padua library. We find that the ages of these clusters fall in the range 4 to 9–10 Gyr: Melotte 66 is the youngest whereas NGC 6791 and Berkeley 17 have ages of about 9–10 Gyr. Previous estimates for Berkeley 17 indicated an age as great as Gyr, almost falling within the range of classical globular clusters. In our analysis, this cluster is always very old, but perhaps somewhat younger than in previous studies. However, we call attention to the fact that the above ages should be taken as provisional estimates, because of the many uncertainties still affecting stellar models in the mass range 1.0–1.5 M⊙. Despite this drawback of extant theory of stellar structure, if NGC 6791 and Berkeley 17 set a limit on the age of the Galactic disc, this component of the Milky Way can be as old as about 9–10 Gyr, but must surely be younger than the Galactic halo, at least as inferred from recent determinations of the age of globular clusters. Finally, it is worth recalling that open clusters can only provide a lower limit to the age of the Galactic disc, while other indicators – like white dwarfs – are perhaps more suited to this task.
Teaching accounting in the new millennium

Cooperative learning models of teaching are the most suitable teaching models for the development of professional accounting competencies in the new millennium. Currently, the role of accountants has changed from being a technical job to one more client-oriented. The teaching and learning of accounting is adjusting accordingly to match the challenges of this new accounting role. Universities are searching for a number of strategies to teach the professional accounting competencies currently required in the profession. Australian accounting teaching and learning standards provide a thorough set of criteria for determining what is necessary in accounting education. Joyce, Weil, and Calhoun (2009) categorised a wide variety of teaching models into four families including: information processing, behavioural, personal, and social models. This paper applied the Australian Accounting Teaching and Learning Standards criteria to the models of teaching categorised by Joyce, Weil and Calhoun (2009) to evaluate which teaching and learning model would be most appropriate in the education of future accountants. The findings indicate that the social interdependence theory and the cooperative learning model are the most appropriate to test for teaching accounting in the new millennium.
Flow fairness using aggregate packet marking for wireless mesh networks

Wireless mesh networks have received considerable attention recently. If these networks were to reach their projected potential, some practical problems experienced in the first-generation deployments need to be addressed. One such problem is assuring that clients can share the (somewhat scarce) bandwidth fairly and that no client is forced to starve for bandwidth. We propose to make use of an aggregate packet marking approach that holds client flows in compliance with the established traffic parameters for the access network. As opposed to the other approaches which generally concentrate on scheduling and rate allocation mechanisms, our approach provides a simple yet viable mechanism that could be used by a queue management module (at an Internet Gateway for example) to discard out-of-profile packets. Our approach has the advantages of not requiring per-flow state, transport protocol independence as well as not requiring changes to the MAC protocol.
A real-time communication method for wormhole switching networks

In this paper we propose a real-time communication scheme that can be used in general point-to-point real-time multicomputer systems with wormhole switching. Real-time communication should satisfy the two requirements of predictability and priority handling. Since traditional wormhole switching does not support priority handling which is essential in real-time computing, flit-level preemption is adopted in our wormhole switching. Also, we develop an algorithm to determine the message transmission delay upper bound to predict worst-case message delay. Simulation results show that the delay upper bounds calculated using the proposed algorithm are very close to actual average message transmission delays for messages with high priorities.
A LIE THEORETIC GALOIS THEORY FOR THE SPECTRAL CURVES OF AN INTEGRABLE SYSTEM. II

In the study of integrable systems of ODE’s arising from a Lax pair with a parameter, the constants of the motion occur as spectral curves. Many of these systems are algebraically completely integrable in that they linearize on the Jacobian of a spectral curve. In an earlier paper the authors gave a classification of the spectral curves in terms of the Weyl group and arranged the spectral curves in a hierarchy. This paper examines the Jacobians of the spectral curves, again exploiting the Weyl group action. A hierarchy of Jacobians will give a basis of comparison for flows from various representations. A construction of V. Kanev is generalized and the Jacobians of the spectral curves are analyzed for abelian subvarieties. Prym-Tjurin varieties are studied using the group ring of the Weyl group W and the Hecke algebra of double cosets of a parabolic subgroup of W. For each algebra a subtorus is identified that agrees with Kanev’s Prym-Tjurin variety when his is defined. The example of the periodic Toda lattice is pursued.
Sharing Memories of Smart Products and their Consumers in Instrumented Environments (Austausch digitaler Gedächtnisse von Produkten und Konsumenten in instrumentierten Umgebungen)

Summary Intelligent assistants need precise knowledge about activity sequences and the habits of their users so as to support them in an adequate manner. The following contribution addresses an approach to user support, which takes advantage of the object centred nature of many day-to-day activities. By means of application examples from the everyday, we illustrate how a combination of smart items and digital memories allows for realizing innovative support mechanisms, which take into account static knowledge about objects as well as situational observations and historical data. Here, we devote special attention to applications originating from the sharing of data gathered this way between users and systems. Zusammenfassung Intelligente Assistenten benötigen präzises Wissen über Handlungsabläufe und Gewohnheiten ihres Benutzers, um diesen in adäquater Weise unterstützen zu können. Der folgende Beitrag behandelt einen Ansatz zur Benutzerunterstützung, der sich die objektzentrierte Natur vieler Alltagshandlungen zu Nutze macht. Wir illustrieren anhand von Anwendungsbeispielen, wie durch die Kombination von Smart Items und digitalen Gedächtnissen innovative Formen der Benutzerunterstützung möglich werden, die statisches Wissen über Objekte mit dynamischen Informationen und historischen Daten kombinieren. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit widmen wir hierbei Anwendungsmöglichkeiten, die aus dem Austausch der so gewonnenen Daten zwischen Benutzern und Systemen entstehen.
Brain barriers: Crosstalk between complex tight junctions and adherens junctions

Unique intercellular junctional complexes between the central nervous system (CNS) microvascular endothelial cells and the choroid plexus epithelial cells form the endothelial blood–brain barrier (BBB) and the epithelial blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), respectively. These barriers inhibit paracellular diffusion, thereby protecting the CNS from fluctuations in the blood. Studies of brain barrier integrity during development, normal physiology, and disease have focused on BBB and BCSFB tight junctions but not the corresponding endothelial and epithelial adherens junctions. The crosstalk between adherens junctions and tight junctions in maintaining barrier integrity is an understudied area that may represent a promising target for influencing brain barrier function.
Brief Announcement : A Theory of Goal-Oriented Communication ∗

We put forward a general theory of goal-oriented communication, where communication is not an end in itself, but rather a means to achieving some goals of the communicating parties. Focusing on goals provides a framework for addressing the problem of potential“misunderstanding”during communication, where the misunderstanding arises from lack of initial agreement on what protocol and/or language is being used in communication. Despite the enormous diversity among the goals of communication, we propose a simple model that captures all goals.
Phase-space structure in the local dark matter distribution and its signature in direct detection experiments

We study predictions for dark matter phase-space structure near the Sun based on highresolution simulations of six galaxy halos taken from the Aquarius Project. The local DM density distribution is predicted to be remarkably smooth; the density at the Sun differs from the mean over a best-fit ellipsoidal equidensity contour by less than 15% at the 99.9% confidence level. The local velocity distribution is also very smooth, but it differs systematically from a (multivariate) Gaussian distribution. This is not due to th e presence of individual clumps or streams, but to broad features in the velocity modulus and energy distributions that are stable both in space and time and reflect the detailed assembly histo ry of each halo. These features have a significant impact on the signals predicted for WIMP an d axion searches. For example, WIMP recoil rates can deviate by � 10% from those expected from the best-fit multivariate Gaussian models. The axion spectra in our simulations typically peak at lower frequencies than in the case of multivariate Gaussian velocity distribu tions. Also in this case, the spectra show significant imprints of the formation of the halo. Th is implies that once direct DM detection has become routine, features in the detector sign al will allow us to study the dark matter assembly history of the Milky Way. A new field, “dark ma tter astronomy”, will then emerge.
Gesture recognition based relative intensity profiler for different light sources

In this conference proceeding, a novel intensity profile measuring systems is presented that is controlled by gesture recognition principles. This low-cost device works much faster and can be used to measure profiles of wide variety of light sources oriented in elevation and azimuth. Presently, it provides relative intensity measurement but can potentially be used for absolute intensity, if suitably modified. From, the profiles of the standard sources clearly the faulty light sources can be identified and therefore, can save a lot effort.
Ageing with bilingualism: benefits and challenges

ABSTRACT Much of the world’s population speaks more than one language, and there has been a great deal of media attention given to the potential benefits of bilingualism. In this paper we provide a critical overview of the literature on bilingualism as it relates to older adults. We address whether there is indeed a cognitive advantage from speaking more than one language, and whether it can help preserve cognitive and linguistic function as we age, and potentially reduce the impact of dementia. We also focus on the patterns of language impairment after stroke (aphasia) in bilingual speakers and the issues relating to clinical management of bilingual aphasia.
Low-glycemic-index treatment: A liberalized ketogenic diet for treatment of intractable epilepsy

The ketogenic diet is often effective for intractable epilepsy, but many patients have trouble complying with the strict regimen. The authors tested an alternative diet regimen, a low-glycemic-index treatment, with more liberal total carbohydrate intake but restricted to foods that produce relatively little increase in blood glucose (glycemic index < 50). Ten of 20 patients treated with this regimen experienced a greater than 90% reduction in seizure frequency.
Gene profiling and bioinformatics analyses reveal time course differential gene expression in surgically resected colorectal tissues

It has previously been reported that gene profiles in surgically-resected colorectal cancer tissues are altered over time possibly due to the different tissue-acquisition methods and sample extraction timing that were used. However, the changes that occur are still not clearly understood. In the present study, time-dependent changes in gene expression profiling in colorectal surgical specimens were analyzed. Normal and tumor tissues at several time-points (0, 30, 60 and 120 min) were extracted, and RNA quality, microarray experiments, quantitative PCR and bioinformatics clustering were performed. Although RNA integrity was preserved 2 h after resection, inherent increased/decreased gene expression was observed from 30–120 min in approximately 10% of genes. Bioinformatics clustering could not distinguish case-by-case, probably due to gene profiling changes. Irregular changes in gene expression after surgical resection were found, which could be a crucial confounding factor for quantitative analyses.
An Adaptive FEC Algorithm for Mobile Wireless Networks

large portion of packets due to propagation errors. To improve reliability over noisy wireless channels, wireless networks can employ forward error correction (FEC) techniques. Static FEC algorithms, however, can degrade the performance by poorly matching their overhead to the degree of the underlying channel error, especially when the channel path loss rate fluctuates widely. This paper investigates the benefits of an adaptable FEC mechanism for wireless networks with severe packet loss. We show that our adaptive FEC technique improves the performance by dynamically tuning FEC strength to the current amount of wireless channel loss. We quantify these benefits through a hybrid simulation integrating packet-level simulation with bit-level details and validate the simulation model through experimentation.
A novel long-reach robot with propulsion through water-jet

Long-reach robots offer good performance developing tasks in areas where the access is difficult or dangerous. Due to their multiple degrees of freedom, they are able to adapt easily to different environments. These robots base their locomotion to two different elements: tendon cables or fluid pressure elements. Normally these robots are divided in sections and each section has its independent degrees of freedom. Therefore, if the length of the robot increases, the number of sections increases as well. This also means an increment in the diameter for each section and a more complex control for the whole system. In this paper we introduce the concept of a novel water-jet long-reach robot, which allows increasing the length of the robot without affect its number of elements, control complexity and diameter. Due to its characteristics, it is possible to use this robot in different environments, confined or opened spaces. We test the performance of the first prototype in different scenarios in order to validate our concept.
Capacity Building for School Gardening: A Swedish Case Study

This article reflects on experiences from Swedish research on school gardening and greening school grounds. A process-orientated case study in two Swedish cities is discussed, based on future workshops as a platform for situated capacity building in interaction between stakeholders in the in-school context and stakeholders from outside the local school, such as school ground planners and school ground administrators. The case study indicates that using the future workshop as a research method is a way to involve the stakeholders as subjects in the production of new knowledge, which means a collaborative production of both articulated and tacit knowledge. The case study shows that new approaches to school ground management could help a school make its outdoor environment more suitable for educational purposes, including gardening.
Reanalysis in Sentence Processing: Evidence against Current Constraint-Based and Two-Stage Models

Abstract Two eye-tracking experiments investigated processing of VP-NP attachment ambiguities. Experiment 1 tested sentences in which there was an initial bias toward VP attachment. Readers experienced more difficulty when semantic information disambiguated the sentences to NP attachment than when it disambiguated them to VP attachment or when it was consistent with either analysis. Experiment 2 tested sentences in which there was no initial bias toward either VP or NP attachment. Readers experienced more difficulty when semantic information disambiguated the sentences to NP attachment or VP attachment than when it was consistent with either analysis. We argue that these results challenge theories that assume a competition mechanism, such as constraint-based lexicalist accounts (e.g., MacDonald, Pearlmutter, & Seidenberg, 1994; McRae, Spivey-Knowlton, & Seidenberg, 1998; Spivey-Knowlton & Sedivy, 1995) and fixed-choice two-stage models (e.g., Frazier, 1987). We interpret the results in terms of the unrestricted race model (cf. Traxler, Pickering, & Clifton, 1998).
History Textbooks and the Construction of National Identity in Burma

Political leaders have often used state education systems as a tool for nation building, using school curricula to shape citizens’ national identity to be consistent with their long-term political goals. In this paper, I analyze the narratives of past kings in government-issued history textbooks in Burma examine the political and social values the Burmese State attempts to transmit to students in the process of building a national identity. Using a qualitative content analysis and coding methods, I examine 6 – 8 grade history textbooks. My findings indicate that the Burmese State uses narratives of ancient Burmese kings to promote: (1) the rule of skilled military leaders who are able to defend and unite the nation and improve national development, (2) the unity of different national races as one homogenous group for national peace and prosperity, (3) cautious interactions with “others”, such as foreigners or dissenting ethnic minorities, and (4) Buddhism as the State religion. History Textbooks and the Construction of National Identity in Burma Chai 3
Output signal correlation of dual polarized base station antennas in a Rayleigh environment

We have shown that for a /spl plusmn/45/spl deg/ polarised base station antenna the important parameter is the far-field coupling of the fields of the two channels. The cross-polar level alone does not reveal if an antenna is suited for polarization diversity reception. Even when the vertical-horizontal power ratio differs from 1, the far-field coupling still provides valuable insight into the diversity performance. Further, of the two investigated antennas, the aperture coupled patch antenna is seen to be superior to the dipole antenna in terms of lower output correlation.
Introduction to the Microsoft Kinect for Computational Photography and Vision

We introduce the depth sensor Microsoft Kinect and show how to start its use for developing applications on Linux. We discuss the options for frameworks and drivers and show an (original) installation tutorial on Fedora. Finally, we explain the calibration and we introduce tools to manipulate the depth data using point clouds. Introducing the Kinect Microsoft released the Kinect for Xbox 360 inputdevice in November of 2010, as the first large-scale, commercial release of a depth camera device(a camera that can see in 3D! ). A very similar sensor, now specific for developing, the Kinect for Windows, was released in February of 2012. These sensor come with a proprietary algorithms for feature selection, scene analysis, motion tracking, skeletal tracking, and gesture recognition [1]. In addition, the company that developed the, the PrimeSense Ltd. [2], has also released another sensor with the similar technology, the ASUS Xtion [3].
A Literature Survey on Various Approaches of Word Sense Disambiguation

Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD) is the process of selecting the correct sense for a word in a context. WSD has become a growing research area in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP). Over the decades, lot of studies had been carried out to suggest different approaches for WSD process. A break-through in this field would have a significant impact on many relevant web-based applications, such as information retrieval (IR), information extraction etc. This paper describes various approaches of WSD like knowledge based approach, supervised approach, unsupervised approach and semi-supervised approach. It also describes various applications of WSD like information retrieval (IR), machine translation (MT), speech recognition, computational advertising, text processing, classification of documents and biometrics.
Determining configuration parameter dependencies via analysis of configuration data from multi-tiered enterprise applications

Multi-tiered enterprise applications, which comprise of many (heterogeneous and possibly loosely coupled) components at various layers of the IT stack, typically have configuration dependencies between these different components. A change in the value of a configuration parameter of a component may require changing one or more parameters of other components to the same value. Keeping track of these dependencies is not a mean task as they are typically cross product and requires in-depth product/system knowledge. Our aim in this paper is to introduce techniques that do not require a system administrator to have in-depth knowledge about a multi-tiered system in order to be aware of the possible configuration dependencies in a system. Our focus in this paper does not include, for example, the performance-related dependencies such as the one that exists between the maximum number of threads and session timeout in an Apache server. In this paper we provide a method for analyzing existing deployments (that are functioning properly) to infer the configuration dependencies in a probabilistic sense. Firstly, we analyze the values of the configuration parameters of the various components to determine a candidate list of dependencies which includes both true and false ones. We then provide a heuristic that makes use of the statistics on the parameter name and value strings, computed from the configuration data and also the information on the web, to compute a rank for a dependency to be true. We provide a rank-ordered list of dependencies so that administrators can consult it to quickly and systematically identify the true dependencies. To complement our proposed approach we have performed an extensive study and experimentation to show the efficacy of our technique on data from two real-world solutions.
Visualizing Multivariate Time Series Data to Detect Specific Medical Conditions

Efficient unsupervised algorithms for the detection of patterns in time series data, often called motifs, have been used in many applications, such as identifying words in different languages, detecting anomalies in ECG readings, and finding similarities between images. We present a process that creates a personalized multivariate time series representation a Multivariate Time Series Amalgam (MTSA) of physiological data and laboratory results that physicians can visually interpret. We then apply a technique that has demonstrated success with the interpretation of univariate data, named Symbolic Aggregate Approximation (SAX), to visualize patterns in the MTSAs that may differentiate between medical conditions such as renal and respiratory failure.