Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Real-Time Primary-Backup Replication Service

This paper presents a real-time primary-backup replication scheme to support fault-tolerant data access in a real-time environment. The main features of the system are fast response to client requests, bounded inconsistency between primary and backup, temporal consistency guarantee for replicated data, and quick recovery from failures. The paper defines external and interobject temporal consistency, the notion of phase variance, and builds a computation model that ensures such consistencies for replicated data deterministically where the underlying communication mechanism provides deterministic message delivery semantics and probabilistically where no such support is available. It also presents an optimization of the system and an analysis of the failover process which includes failover consistency and failure recovery time. An implementation of the proposed scheme is built within the x-kernel architecture on the MK 7.2 microkernel from the Open Group. The results of a detailed performance evaluation of this implementation are also discussed.
Family in the Making of Educational Inequality: A Comparative Analysis of Taiwan and the U.S. *

* This research was supported by Academia Sinica through the Learning 2000 Project. Direct correspondence to Tony Tam, Academia Sinica, Institute of European and American Studies, Nankang, Taipei, 11529, TAIWAN (email: tam@sinica.edu.tw). We thank Evelyn Lin and Vivien Chen for excellent research assistance. The data used is based on a working subsample of TEPS generated for the purpose of on-site research and development. Some of the data used are still being audited for future public release. All statistical analyses were done with STATA 7. TEPS is an on-going data collection project jointly funded by the Ministry of Education, the National Science Council, and Academia Sinica. The views expressed here do not reflect the opinions of the funding agencies.
The origin, evolution, and functional impact of short insertion–deletion variants identified in 179 human genomes

Short insertions and deletions (indels) are the second most abundant form of human genetic variation, but our understanding of their origins and functional effects lags behind that of other types of variants. Using population-scale sequencing, we have identified a high-quality set of 1.6 million indels from 179 individuals representing three diverse human populations. We show that rates of indel mutagenesis are highly heterogeneous, with 43%–48% of indels occurring in 4.03% of the genome, whereas in the remaining 96% their prevalence is 16 times lower than SNPs. Polymerase slippage can explain upwards of three-fourths of all indels, with the remainder being mostly simple deletions in complex sequence. However, insertions do occur and are significantly associated with pseudo-palindromic sequence features compatible with the fork stalling and template switching (FoSTeS) mechanism more commonly associated with large structural variations. We introduce a quantitative model of polymerase slippage, which enables us to identify indel-hypermutagenic protein-coding genes, some of which are associated with recurrent mutations leading to disease. Accounting for mutational rate heterogeneity due to sequence context, we find that indels across functional sequence are generally subject to stronger purifying selection than SNPs. We find that indel length modulates selection strength, and that indels affecting multiple functionally constrained nucleotides undergo stronger purifying selection. We further find that indels are enriched in associations with gene expression and find evidence for a contribution of nonsense-mediated decay. Finally, we show that indels can be integrated in existing genome-wide association studies (GWAS); although we do not find direct evidence that potentially causal protein-coding indels are enriched with associations to known disease-associated SNPs, our findings suggest that the causal variant underlying some of these associations may be indels.
The Remarkable X-Ray Spectrum of the Broad-Line Radio Galaxy 3C 445

We present the results of the analysis of an archival 15 ks XMM-Newton observation of the nearby (z = 0.057) radio-loud source 3C 445, optically classified as a broad-line radio galaxy. While the RGS data are of insufficient quality to allow a meaningful analysis, the EPIC data show a remarkable X-ray spectrum. The 2-10 keV continuum is described by a heavily absorbed (NH ~ 1022-1023 cm-2) power law with photon index Γ ~ 1.4 and strong (R ~ 2) cold reflection. A narrow, unresolved Fe Kα emission line is detected, confirming previous findings, with EW ~ 120 eV. A soft excess is present below 2 keV over the extrapolation of the hard X-ray power law, which we model with a power law with the same photon index as the hard power law, absorbed by a column density NH = 6 × 1020 cm-2 in excess to Galactic. A host of emission lines are present below 2 keV, confirming previous indications from ASCA, due to H- and He-like O, Mg, and Si. We attribute the origin of the lines to a photoionized gas, with properties very similar to radio-quiet obscured AGNs. Two different ionized media, or a single stratified medium, are required to fit the soft X-ray data satisfactorily. The similarity of the X-ray spectrum of 3C 445 to Seyferts underscores that the central engines of radio-loud and radio-quiet AGNs similarly host both cold and warm gas.
Melatonin Beyond Its Classical Functions

The perception of melatonin as a mediator of darkness, formed in a circadian fashion, circulating in subnano- molar concentrations, and removed as 6-sulfatoxymelatonin, reflects only a sector within a spectrum of actions. This ubiquitous compound present in bacteria and eucaryotes is exceptionally pleiotropic, in terms of binding proteins, receptor distribution, G protein coupling, electron-exchange reactions, and secondary effects by metabolites, such as 5- methoxytryptamine and methoxylated kynuramines. Membrane receptors are located, e.g., in the vertebrate suprachias- matic nucleus, pars tuberalis, brain, vasculature, and leukocytes. Binding proteins include quinone reductase 2, ROR/RZR transcription factors, calmodulin, calreticulin, nuclear and mitochondrial proteins. Actions via hormonal subsystems, growth factors, neurotransmission and immune system lead to further secondary effects. Single-electron transfer reactions are basis of radical scavenging, non-enzymatic metabolism and interactions with electron transport systems. The metabo- lite, N 1 -acetyl-5-methoxykynuramine, is a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis and of neuronal NO synthase, an NO scavenger and a mitochondrial modulator.
Policy-based service-oriented management for centralized networks: Model, specification and enforcement

Policy-based concept and service-oriented design are two promising techniques in network management. In this paper we show that integrating policy-based management with service-oriented design can significantly improve the autonomic and flexible capabilities for management. In particular, we propose an architecture that covers policy modeling, specification and enforcement in a service-oriented manner. We develop the key components of this architecture: notification collection service, eXPath parsing engine, policy event matching component, policy condition evaluation component, policy action parser, policy action executor, policy repository, and web services pool. The results from our preliminary performance evaluation demonstrate that the proposed architecture generates an acceptable policy response delay and transmission bandwidth cost.
Visualization method of emotion information for long distance interaction

A visualization method of users' emotion information is proposed for long distance interaction such as telecommuting and distance learning, where 3D emotion vectors in Affinity Pleasure-Arousal space are illustrated by using shape-brightness-size (SBS) figure. It gives users easily understandable emotional profile information, and provides administrator strategic suggestion to improve the interaction between the users and the system. In the matching experiment between 7 basic emotions and 7 SBS figures for 8 subjects, 83.93% matching is achieved, and the administrator finds contents improvement hint in the questionnaire of emotions for 5 reading-text-tasks by 8 subjects. It is planning to be implemented in a language learning application to provide a more comfortable learning experience by contents selection based on user's emotion.
Numbered sequence detection in documents

We present in this work a method to detect numbered sequences in a document. The method relies on the following steps: first, all potential "numbered patterns" are automatically extracted from the document. Secondly, possible coherent sequences are built using pattern incrementality (called incremental relation). Finally possible wrong links between items are corrected using the notion of optimization context. An evaluation of the method is presented and weaknesses and possible improvements are discussed.
Effects of star cluster evolution on emission line ratios and the application to H II galaxies - Including a calibration of the R-23 vs. 12+log(O/H) relationship

A model of spectral evolution of star forming galax- ies of various metallicity has been used to study the rela- tion between the optical emission line ratio R23= ((OII)3727 +(OIII)4959,5007)/H and the nebular oxygen abundance. It is shown that the scatter in an empirical comparison sample could be due to various upper stellar mass limits or different slopes of the stellar initial mass function in these objects. How- ever, it is more likely to be an effect of evolution of the un- derlying stellar population, i.e. the star forming knots observed are of different ages, or equally, the temperature of the ionizing radiation is different. This is particularly evident studying the evolutionafewmillionyearsafterthestarformationhasceased. These calculations show that the so called lower branch of the relation is much less sensitive to age than the turn-over region or the upper branch using an instantaneous burst of star forma- tion. This is because massive stars, which dominate the light in a young stellar population, of low metallicity remain at higher effectivetemperaturecomparedtoastarofhighermetallicity.In a region of active star formation the R23 vs. oxygen abundance relation is even more pronounced since it proves to be very in- sensitive to age. In the absence of a temperature-sensitive line for the oxygen abundance determination an empirical or semi- empirical approach is normally utilized relying on a calibration of the R23 vs. oxygen abundance relation. In this analysis a new calibration of the upper branch, based on a t of theoretical curves to empirical data of the lower branch, is attempted.
Multiple Receptors Coupled to Phospholipase C Gate Long-Term Depression in Visual Cortex

Long-term depression (LTD) in sensory cortices depends on the activation of NMDA receptors. Here, we report that in visual cortical slices, the induction of LTD (but not long-term potentiation) also requires the activation of receptors coupled to the phospholipase C (PLC) pathway. Using immunolesions in combination with agonists and antagonists, we selectively manipulated the activation of α1 adrenergic, M1 muscarinic, and mGluR5 glutamatergic receptors. Inactivation of these PLC-coupled receptors prevents the induction of LTD, but only when the three receptors were inactivated together. LTD is fully restored by activating any one of them or by supplying intracellular d-myo-inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3). LTD was also impaired by intracellular application of PLC or IP3 receptor blockers, and it was absent in mice lacking PLCβ1, the predominant PLC isoform in the forebrain. We propose that visual cortical LTD requires a minimum of PLC activity that can be supplied independently by at least three neurotransmitter systems. This essential requirement places PLC-linked receptors in a unique position to control the induction of LTD and provides a mechanism for gating visual cortical plasticity via extra-retinal inputs in the intact organism.
Causalité dans l'apprentissage des sciences

Cet article presente comment sont abordees les questions de la causalite dans l'enseignement scientifique, en particulier de la physique, a des niveaux elementaires (10 -18 ans). Dans une premiere partie, nous partons des travaux piagetiens pour presenter l'importance de la causalite dans l'interpretation du monde materiel par les enfants. Nous abordons ensuite les travaux en didactique des sciences en nous appuyant sur des ceux des annees 80 et 90 et sur la revue faite dans quelques journaux essentiels en didactiques des sciences pour les annees plus recentes. Cette etude nous a conduit a regrouper les resultats selon trois approches : la causalite chez les eleves, la conception d'un enseignement qui prend en compte la causalite, et l'evolution de la causalite chez les eleves avec un enseignement scientifique. Les resultats obtenus dans ces travaux varies se renforcent mutuellement sur un point essentiel. L'evolution chez les eleves d'une causalite simple vers une causalite complexe plus scientifique necessite des acquis nombreux et de nature diverse relatifs aux connaissances specifiques, aux raisonnements, et aussi a l'epistemologie. Les travaux montrent aussi que l'enseignement ne peut ignorer la causalite simple avec laquelle les eleves fonctionnent et que celle-ci n'est pas necessairement un obstacle mais peut constituer un facteur d'apprentissage.
Efficient Target Detection from Infrared Image Sequences Using the Sequential Monte Carlo Method

This paper presents an efficient target detection algorithm from a sequence of infrared images using the sequential Monte Carlo method (SMC). The algorithm employs an evolution process of the particles which correspond to the candidates of the target position and whose evolution is controlled by the weight of the target feature. Through the iterative process on the differential images, a valve of the particle set is proposed to decide if there is a target in the image, and the state of the particle set is used to position the target. The experimental results demonstrated that the algorithm can detect the target with sea-sky background effectively regardless of the existence of serious non-Gaussian noises. The experiments also showed real-time efficiency of the algorithm for target detection
Circulating angiotensin II deteriorates left ventricular function with sympathoexcitation via brain angiotensin II receptor

Sympathoexcitation contributes to the progression of heart failure. Activation of brain angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1R) causes central sympathoexcitation. Thus, we assessed the hypothesis that the increase in circulating angiotensin II comparable to that reported in heart failure model affects cardiac function through the central sympathoexcitation via activating AT1R in the brain. In Sprague‐Dawley rats, the subcutaneous infusion of angiotensin II for 14 days increased the circulating angiotensin II level comparable to that reported in heart failure model rats after myocardial infarction. In comparison with the control, angiotensin II infusion increased 24 hours urinary norepinephrine excretion, and systolic blood pressure. Angiotensin II infusion hypertrophied left ventricular (LV) without changing chamber dimensions while increased end‐diastolic pressure. The LV pressure–volume relationship indicated that angiotensin II did not impact on the end‐systolic elastance, whereas significantly increased end‐diastolic elastance. Chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of AT1R blocker, losartan, attenuated these angiotensin II‐induced changes. In conclusion, circulating angiotensin II in heart failure is capable of inducing sympathoexcitation via in part AT1R in the brain, subsequently leading to LV diastolic dysfunction.
Correlations among leaf traits provide a significant constraint on the estimate of global gross primary production

Current estimates of gross primary productivity (GPP) of the terrestrial biosphere vary widely, from 100 to 175 Gt C year−1. Ecosystem GPP cannot be measured directly, and is commonly estimated using models. Among the many parameters in those models, three leaf parameters have strong influences on the modelled GPP: leaf mass per area, leaf lifespan and leaf nitrogen concentration. The first two parameters affect the modelled canopy leaf area and the last two determine the maximal leaf photosynthetic rate. Ecological studies have firmly established that these three parameters are significantly correlated at regional to global scales, but this knowledge is yet to be used in predicting global GPP. We hypothesize that incorporating multi‐trait covariance can reduce uncertainties of model predictions in a way likely to provide improved realism. Using the Australian community land surface model (CABLE), we find that correlations among these three parameters reduce the variance among GPP estimates by CABLE by over 20% for shrub, C4 grassland and tundra, and by between 5% and 20% for most other PFTs, as compared with the simulated GPP without considering the correlations. Globally the correlations do not alter the mean but reduce the variance of modeled GPP by CABLE by 28% and result in fewer extremely high or extremely low (and unlikely) global GPP predictions. Therefore correlations among the three leaf parameters, and possibly other parameters, can be used as a significant constraint on the estimates of model parameters or predictions by those models.
Inclusion of temporal priors for automated neonatal EEG classification

The aim of this paper is to use recent advances in the clinical understanding of the temporal evolution of seizure burden in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy to improve the performance of automated detection algorithms. Probabilistic weights are designed from temporal locations of neonatal seizure events relative to time of birth. These weights are obtained by fitting a skew-normal distribution to the temporal seizure density and introduced into the probabilistic framework of the previously developed neonatal seizure detector. The results are validated on the largest available clinical dataset, comprising 816.7 h. By exploiting these priors, the receiver operating characteristic area is increased by 23% (relative) reaching 96.74%. The number of false detections per hour is decreased from 0.45 to 0.25, while maintaining the correct detection of seizure burden at 70%.
Myogenic-specific ablation of Fgfr1 impairs FGF2-mediated proliferation of satellite cells at the myofiber niche but does not abolish the capacity for muscle regeneration

Skeletal muscle satellite cells (SCs) are Pax7+ myogenic stem cells that reside between the basal lamina and the plasmalemma of the myofiber. In mature muscles, SCs are typically quiescent, but can be activated in response to muscle injury. Depending on the magnitude of tissue trauma, SCs may divide minimally to repair subtle damage within individual myofibers or produce a larger progeny pool that forms new myofibers in cases of overt muscle injury. SC transition through proliferation, differentiation and renewal is governed by the molecular blueprint of the cells as well as by the extracellular milieu at the SC niche. In particular, the role of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family in regulating SCs during growth and aging is well recognized. Of the several FGFs shown to affect SCs, FGF1, FGF2, and FGF6 proteins have been documented in adult skeletal muscle. These prototypic paracrine FGFs transmit their mitogenic effect through the FGFRs, which are transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors. Using the mouse model, we show here that of the four Fgfr genes, only Fgfr1 and Fgfr4 are expressed at relatively high levels in quiescent SCs and their proliferating progeny. To further investigate the role of FGFR1 in adult myogenesis, we have employed a genetic (Cre/loxP) approach for myogenic-specific (MyoDCre-driven) ablation of Fgfr1. Neither muscle histology nor muscle regeneration following cardiotoxin-induced injury were overtly affected in Fgfr1-ablated mice. This suggests that FGFR1 is not obligatory for SC performance in this acute muscle trauma model, where compensatory growth factor/cytokine regulatory cascades may exist. However, the SC mitogenic response to FGF2 is drastically repressed in isolated myofibers prepared from Fgfr1-ablated mice. Collectively, our study indicates that FGFR1 is important for FGF-mediated proliferation of SCs and its mitogenic role is not compensated by FGFR4 that is also highly expressed in SCs.
Mechanisms of methotrexate resistance in osteosarcoma cell lines and strategies for overcoming this resistance

The aim of the present study was to investigate the underlying mechanisms of methotrexate (MTX) resistance in the human osteosarcoma cell line, Saos-2/MTX4.4, and to evaluate various methods of overcoming the resistance to this chemotherapeutic agent. MMT assays were performed to determine the resistance of the primary (Saos-2) and resistant (Saos-2/MTX4.4) cell lines to MTX, cisplatin [cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (DDP)], ifosfamide (IFO), Adriamycin (ADM), epirubicin (EPI) and theprubicin (THP). The Saos-2/MTX4.4 cells exhibited a low resistance to IFO, ADM, EPI and THP; however, no resistance to DDP was identified. Overall, the Saos-2/MTX4.4 cells exhibited a greater resistance to all the chemotherapeutic agents investigated compared with the Saos-2 cells. Rhodamine 123 (R123) fluorescence was measured in the Saos-2/MTX4.4 and Saos-2 cells 30 and 60 min after the addition of R123, and R123 plus verapamil (VER). VER administration increased the intracellular accumulation of R123. In addition, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the mRNA expression levels of multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1) in the two cell lines. Although the Saos-2/MTX4.4 cells were more resistant to the chemotherapeutic agents than the Saos-2 cells, no significant difference was identified between the relative mRNA expression levels of MDR1 in the Saos-2/MTX4.4 and Saos-2 cells (0.4350±0.0354 vs. 0.3886±0.0456; P>0.05).
The Effects of Self-Reinforcing Mechanisms on Firm Performance

This study empirically investigates the influence of the market-bound (i.e., interaction and network effects) on the firm-bound (i.e., scale and learning effects) self-reinforcing mechanisms, and their combined effect on product and organizational performance. The findings from a sample of 257 manufacturing firms reveal that interaction effects have a positive effect on network effects. Network effects have a positive impact on the potential for firms to realize scale and learning effects, which in turn, is positively related to their actual realization of these effects. The actual realization of scale and learning effects has a positive effect on product performance, which in turn positively influences organizational performance. These effects are robust across industries and provide ample opportunities for future research.