Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On-line learning of non-monotonic rules by simple perceptron

We study the generalization ability of a simple perceptron which learns unlearnable rules. The rules are presented by a teacher perceptron with a non-monotonic transfer function. The student is trained in the on-line mode. The asymptotic behaviour of the generalization error is estimated under various conditions. Several learning strategies are proposed and improved to obtain the theoretical lower bound of the generalization error.
What is the impact of age of second language acquisition on the production of consonants and vowels among childhood bilinguals?

This study investigated bilinguals’ ability to produce language-specific acoustic values for consonants and vowels that are highly similar across the two languages. To investigate this ability, we targeted early bilinguals who had acquired two languages before the age of 12 and continued to use both languages on a daily basis. These adult bilinguals were separated into two groups: simultaneous bilinguals (or nearly so) who acquired both languages by their third year, and sequential bilinguals who acquired their second language between the ages of 8 and 12 years. Their speech production was studied through an acoustic analysis of stop consonants (voice onset time) and vowels (formant structure). Despite the differences in age of acquisition, these bilinguals used both languages on a regular basis at work and at home and were very proficient in both languages. In contrast to other early bilinguals who undergo a change in language dominance from their first language to their second, the participants in this study maintained relatively balanced abilities in both languages. This study revealed that childhood bilinguals can maintain contrasts across their two languages, even for very similar phonemes.
Managerial perceptions of competition in knitwear producers

Economist’s conceptualisations of managers as rational utility‐maximising beings stands in contrast to cognitive models which see managers as possessing limited and incomplete knowledge which they use to “generate” subjective interpretations and assumptions about competitive strategy and rivalry. Using data from interviews with knitwear producers in the Shetland Isles, Scotland, discusses how perceptions of competition are enacted through social interaction between knitwear producers. In addition to supporting the existence of industry groups, these data suggest that this process occurs at a deeper level of analysis, limiting perceptions of competition at both industry and individual levels. Discusses how membership of a trade association can facilitate marketing and cooperation but may, in the process, inadvertantly constrain managers’ ability to conceptualise and respond to changing market conditions. The implications of these issues for strategic planning are considered.
Population dynamics

This week and next we are thinking about dynamical models for both population sizes and gene frequencies. This material is very nicely covered by Otto and Day in chapters 3-5 for 1-d systems. To begin, let’s consider population size and how it changes through time. We will discuss both discrete and continuous time models, but to start out, let’s just say that we are thinking about a change in population size that happens over a time increment of size ∆t. In a closed population, we have the very general statement that the numbers of individuals in a given area at time t+ ∆t must be given by the numbers that are there now, the plus the numbers that are born minus the numbers that die. That is,
The 6Ds™: a new paradigm for executive education

Purpose – Today's executive education programmes must lend themselves to comprehensive evaluation and measurement, in order that return on investment can be clearly demonstrated in the boardroom. This requires a unique approach to programme design from the outset, providing scope to ensure that outcomes can be continually followed up, long after an event has taken place. This paper aims to examine proven methods used to achieve this objective, creating programmes that deliver proof of lasting results. Design/methodology/approach – This is the 6DsTM approach pioneered by Calhoun Wick and Roy Pollock of the Fort Hill Company, on the basis of research undertaken amongst 30,000 learners. This method focuses on instigating behavioural change interventions over many months. It has been shown to significantly improve return on investment in executive education. Findings – The paper states the evidence for the effectiveness of this technique but also highlights the fact that the majority of programmes are still not designed with the long‐term evaluation of performance and behavioural change in mind. Originality/value – The paper challenges the paradigm of the traditional two‐day workshop where the trainer is centre‐stage. It instead concentrates on a new and innovative approach where the learner's line manager is pivotal, and success is measured in terms of measurable improvements in business performance. It will be of interest to educators and purchasers of executive education programmes.
Emotional geographies of young people's aspirations for adult life

For the last decade, the aspirations of working class young people have been a significant policy concern in the UK, with a range of interventions being implemented to work on and ‘raise’ them (particularly through initiatives to widen participation in higher education). This paper considers the emotional geographies of young people's aspirations. Interventions to ‘raise’ young people's aspirations act on an emotional/affective level (creating ‘wow’ moments that affect their perceptions of what is possible) but seldom engage holistically with the full range of emotions that young people experience in relation to their imagined adult lives. The prioritisation of progression to higher education (and, by extension, professional careers) as the most acceptable ‘aspirations’ to have overlooks the wide range of other ambitions young people have for their adult lives (and how these often rest upon the desire for emotional security and happiness). This disconnection between working class young people's aspirations and those promoted by policy interventions undermines efforts to inspire more working class teenagers to progress to HE and creates greater emotional risk for those that do so.
The Natural Plant Product Rottlerin Activates Kv7.1/KCNE1 Channels

Background/Aims: Acquired as well as inherited channelopathies are disorders that are caused by altered ion channel function. A family of channels whose malfunction is associated with different channelopathies is the Kv7 K+ channel family; and restoration of normal Kv7 channel function by small molecule modulators is a promising approach for treatment of these often fatal diseases. Methods: Here, we show the modulation of Kv7 channels by the natural compound Rottlerin heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and on iPSC cardiomyocytes overexpressing Kv7.1 channels. Results: We show that currents carried by Kv7.1 (EC50 = 1.48 μM), Kv7.1/KCNE1 (EC50 = 4.9 μM), and Kv7.4 (EC50 = 0.148 μM) are strongly enhanced by the compound, whereas Kv7.2, Kv7.2/Kv7.3, and Kv7.5 are not sensitive to Rottlerin. Studies on Kv7.1/KCNE1 mutants and in silico modelling indicate that Rottlerin binds to the R-L3-activator site. Rottlerin mediated activation of Kv7.1/KCNE1 channels might be a promising approach in long QT syndrome. As a proof of concept, we show that Rottlerin shortens cardiac repolarisation in iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes expressing Kv7.1. Conclusion: Rottlerin or an optimized derivative holds a potential as QT interval correcting drug.
Haptic display device with fingertip presser for motion/force teaching to human

The purpose of this study is to establish a method of virtual-reality-mediated motion/force teaching from human teacher to human "teachee". For effective teaching, position and force information of the teacher's action have to be communicated to the teachee. Position information is easy to display, but force information is difficult to display by conventional haptic devices. In this paper, we propose a new type of haptic interface with fingertip presser which could make it possible to display both position and force information. The teacher's finger force of pushing a surface is displayed as a mechanical pressing force onto the teachee's fingertip, and position is displayed by active multijoint linkage. The results of basic experiments show that the proposed method is effective as a media of motion/force teaching, but reveal some limitations.
Aging is No Longer an Unsolved Problem in Biology

Abstract: For much of the 20th century, the accumulation of a considerable amount of information about the processes of aging did not reveal the underlying mechanisms. Toward the end of that century, the biological basis for aging became very much clearer. It became apparent that the best strategy for animals' survival was to develop to an adult, but not to invest resources in maintaining the body, or soma, indefinitely. In their natural environment, animals do not survive environmental hazards (predators, disease, starvation, and drought) to reach a long life span. There is thus a trade‐off between the investment of resources in reproduction, and the survival time of the soma. At a stroke, this solves the problem of different rates of aging in different species, because those that develop and reproduce fast also have short life spans, and those that develop and reproduce slowly have long life spans. This difference is due to actual resources invested in the maintenance of the adult soma. There is now much evidence that long‐lived mammals have much more efficient maintenance mechanisms than short‐lived mammals. Thus, aging can be defined as the eventual failure of maintenance. It also became apparent that many different maintenance mechanisms exist, and that these depend on very many genes and a considerable investment in metabolic resources. Most individual theories of aging revolve around the failure of a given maintenance system, but as there are many of these, it is likely that most of the important theories have some degree of truth. A broad interpretation of the different degenerative changes during senescence should therefore be adopted, with the major conclusion that aging is multicausal. It is also evident that the evolved design of many components of complex animals is incompatible with indefinite survival. We can therefore conclude that this evolved design is intrinsically related to the fact of aging. This in turn means that aging cannot be reversed, although it may be modulated, as, for example, by calorie restriction.
Long-term Variability in the Length of the Solar Cycle

The recent paucity of sunspots and the delay in the expected start of Solar Cycle 24 have drawn attention to the challenges involved in predicting solar activity. Traditional models of the solar cycle usually require information about the starting time and rise time as well as the shape and amplitude of the cycle. With this tutorial, we investigate the variations in the length of the sunspot number cycle and examine whether the variability can be explained in terms of a secular pattern. We identified long-term cycles in archival data from 1610–2000 using median trace analyses of the cycle length and power spectrum analyses of the (O−C) residuals of the dates of sunspot minima and maxima. Median trace analyses of data spanning 385 years indicate a cycle length with a period of 183–243 yr, and a power spectrum analysis identifies a period of 188 ± 38 yr. We also find a correspondence between the times of historic minima and the length of the sunspot cycle, such that the cycle length increases during the time when the number of spots is at a minimum. In particular, the cycle length was growing during the Maunder minimum when almost no sunspots were visible on the Sun. Our study suggests that the length of the sunspot number cycle should increase gradually, on average, over the next ∼75 yr, accompanied by a gradual decrease in the number of sunspots. This information should be considered in cycle prediction models to provide better estimates of the starting time of each cycle.
Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Combustion in a Spark-Assisted Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition Engine

A large eddy simuation (LES) model is presented for simulation of spark-assisted homogeneous charge compression ignition combustion. The model is based on tabulated chemical kinetic rate for ignition and flame surface density for flame propagation, taking into account interaction between flame propagation introduced by the spark and auto-ignition due to charge compression. The model is used to simulate the combustion process in an experimental HCCI engine, with operation conditions ranging from spark-ignition controlled flame propagation to auto-ignition controlled HCCI combustion. The model is shown to be able to predict the combustion behavior observed in previous engine experiments. With low initial temperature, the SI flame mode prevails; with high initial temperature, the HCCI mode prevails. With moderate initial temperature, the SI flame and HCCI ignition interact more closely, which results in higher sensitivity to the initial temperature and turbulence conditions. This may be the reason of the observed high cyclic variation in the experiments.
Training female entrepreneurs: lessons from the FEIW project

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the authors' experiences of designing and implementing an enterprise development programme for female entrepreneurs. The programme targets those women who already have a business and wish to grow it further.Design/methodology/approach – The paper describes the motivation for the programme and the range of issues which is encountered in its design and delivery. It concludes with a brief assessment of lessons learned.Findings – In addition to the importance of design and focus, the experiences of the Female Entrepreneurship Ireland‐Wales (FEIW) project indicate the need for appropriate programme presentation and marketing; networking and mentoring aspects are also hightlighted.Research limitations/implications – As this is a pilot project with flexibility to adapt to the needs of the participants, it is not possible to apply a robust evaluative framework, although such a framework will need to be developed in due course. That said, the qualitative data colle.
A Review on Antimicrobial Activity of Mushroom (Basidiomycetes) Extracts and Isolated Compounds

Abstract Despite the huge diversity of antibacterial compounds, bacterial resistance to first-choice antibiotics has been drastically increasing. Moreover, the association between multiresistant microorganisms and nosocomial infections highlight the problem, and the urgent need for solutions. Natural resources have been exploited in the last years and among them, mushrooms could be an alternative source of new antimicrobials. In this review, we present an overview of the antimicrobial properties of mushroom extracts and highlight some of the active compounds identified, including low- and high-molecular weight (LMW and HMW, respectively) compounds. LMW compounds are mainly secondary metabolites, such as sesquiterpenes and other terpenes, steroids, anthraquinones, benzoic acid derivatives, and quinolines, but also primary metabolites such as oxalic acid. HMW compounds are mainly peptides and proteins. Data available from the literature indicate a higher antimicrobial activity of mushroom extracts against gram-positive bacteria. Among all the mushrooms, Lentinus edodes is the most studied species and seems to have a broad antimicrobial action against both gram-postive and gram-negative bacteria. Plectasin peptide, obtained from Pseudoplectania nigrella, is the isolated compound with the highest antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria, while 2-aminoquinoline, isolated from Leucopaxillus albissimus, presents the highest antimicrobial activity against gram-negative bacteria.
Recognizing Cars

License Plate Recognition (LPR) is a fairly well explored problem and is already a component of several commercially operational systems. Many of these systems, however, require sophisticated video capture hardware possibly combined with infrared strobe lights or exploit the large size of license plates in certain geographical regions and the (artificially) high discriminability of characters. In this paper, we describe an LPR system that achieves a high recognition rate without the need for a high quality video signal from expensive hardware. We also explore the problem of car make and model recognition for purposes of searching surveillance video archives for a partial license plate number combined with some visual description of a car. Our proposed methods will provide valuable situational information for law enforcement units in a variety of civil infrastructures.
Chi-square analysis of the reduction of ATP levels in L-02 hepatocytes by hexavalent chromium

This study explored the reduction of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels in L-02 hepatocytes by hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) using chi-square analysis. Cells were treated with 2, 4, 8, 16, or 32 µM Cr(VI) for 12, 24, or 36 h. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) experiments and measurements of intracellular ATP levels were performed by spectrophotometry or bioluminescence assays following Cr(VI) treatment. The chi-square test was used to determine the difference between cell survival rate and ATP levels. For the chi-square analysis, the results of the MTT or ATP experiments were transformed into a relative ratio with respect to the control (%). The relative ATP levels increased at 12 h, decreased at 24 h, and increased slightly again at 36 h following 4, 8, 16, 32 µM Cr(VI) treatment, corresponding to a “V-shaped” curve. Furthermore, the results of the chi-square analysis demonstrated a significant difference of the ATP level in the 32-µM Cr(VI) group (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the chi-square test can be applied to analyze the interference effects of Cr(VI) on ATP levels in L-02 hepatocytes. The decreased ATP levels at 24 h indicated disruption of mitochondrial energy metabolism and the slight increase of ATP levels at 36 h indicated partial recovery of mitochondrial function or activated glycolysis in L-02 hepatocytes.
The anti-tumor NC1 domain of collagen XIX inhibits the FAK/ PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway through αvβ3 integrin interaction

Type XIX collagen is a minor collagen associated with basement membranes. It was isolated for the first time in a human cDNA library from rhabdomyosarcoma and belongs to the FACITs family (Fibril Associated Collagens with Interrupted Triple Helices). Previously, we demonstrated that the NC1 domain of collagen XIX (NC1(XIX)) exerts anti-tumor properties on melanoma cells by inhibiting their migration and invasion. In the present work, we identified for the first time the integrin αvβ3 as a receptor of NC1(XIX). Moreover, we demonstrated that NC1(XIX) inhibits the FAK/PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, by decreasing the phosphorylation and activity of the major proteins involved in this pathway. On the other hand, NC1(XIX) induced an increase of GSK3β activity by decreasing its degree of phosphorylation. Treatments targeting this central signaling pathway in the development of melanoma are promising and new molecules should be developed. NC1(XIX) seems to have the potential for the design of new anti-cancer drugs.
Software-defined networking (SDN) control message classification, verification, and optimization system

A traditional network reliability architecture consists of many distributed protocols, built-in dedicated network devices, and treats both data and control failures as an interrelated problem according to the physical network topologies. However, in Software-Defined Networking (SDN) architecture where the control plane is separated from the data plane, the issue of reliability is significantly related to the scalability of SDN controllers, as they are responsible for the intelligent decision of virtualization and switch policies. In this paper, we propose a novel control message classification, verification, and optimization system that serves as a fundamental approach to improve the scalability and then reliability for SDN. Unlike the traditional solutions, the proposed solution analyzes, verifies, and reduces the detrimental impact of an overloaded system by incorporating the vitality of individual control messages.
A complex-integration approach to the saddlepoint approximation for random-coding bounds

This paper derives a saddlepoint approximation for the random-coding bound to the error probability of channel coding by using complex-integration techniques. The approximation is given by a sum of two terms: one with Gallager's exponent, and a second one with Arimoto's strong converse exponent (above capacity) or the sphere-packing exponent (below the critical rate).
Interaction with the Physical Environment in Everyday Occupation after Stroke: A Phenomenological Study of Persons with Visuospatial Agnosia

This study examines how persons with visuospatial agnosia following stroke experience their interaction with the physical environment in everyday occupations. Eight clients with cerebrovascular lesions agreed to participate. These participants were interviewed twice and the data were collected and analysed using the empirical phenomenological psychological (EPP) method. The findings describe three main themes comprising six main characteristics of how the physical world was experienced in a new, unfamiliar, and confusing way that interfered with the participants’ occupational performance and also with their experiences of being an individual “self-person”. Furthermore, the study highlights their constant strife for mastery over the problematic physical world, a world that did not seem to provide them with support in their everyday occupations. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge within occupational therapy concerning the occupational consequences of cognitive-perceptual impairments from the client's perspective.
Learning styles in vocational work experience

A critical discussion of existing instruments for measuring learning styles in work-based learning situations resulted in a new instrument: the Questionnaire Practice-oriented Learning (QPL). It consists of bipolar items, intended to measure five bipolar constructs: immersion, reflection, conceptualisation, experimentation, and regulation. In a pilot study testing the usefulness of the instrument, data were gathered about the work-based learning of 407 students of a Dutch vocational school. A cluster analysis, followed by a discriminant analysis, resulted in three well interpretable work-based learning styles: (1) focused on doing with incidental learning; (2) learning on the basis of external regulation; and (3) self-regulated learning on the basis of theory and reflection. Some suggestions for further research on the instrument and the learning style model behind the instrument are offered in conclusion.