Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Demographic drivers of successional changes in phylogenetic structure across life-history stages in plant communities

To gain insight into the ecological processes driving community reassembly in disturbed ecosystems, we assessed the phylogenetic dispersion of early- and late-successional tree species occurring in lowland forests of northeastern Costa Rica. Early-successional species were more closely related than expected by chance, whereas late-successional species tended to be less closely related than expected by chance. Then, we evaluated temporal changes in the phylogenetic structure of seedling and tree assemblages in four 1-ha plots of secondary forests in this region. We found an increase in the phylogenetic evenness among tree individuals over time in all secondary tree assemblages, indicating that relatedness among tree individuals decreases as succession unfolds. This pattern was jointly promoted by recruitment and mortality processes, suggesting that increasing evenness was caused by the replacement of individuals of early-successional species from closely related lineages by late-successional species belonging to a wider diversity of lineages. Based on species occurrence, however, tree community reassembly did not show any significant phylogenetic trend over time. These results suggest that shifts in species abundance over succession have a greater impact on the phylogenetic structure of the community than the turnover of species. Seedling assemblages showed higher phylogenetic evenness than tree assemblages, suggesting that propagule colonization is an important process driving phylogenetic changes in species composition throughout succession. Overall, our findings showed that the phylogenetic structure of these successional communities varies at two temporal scales. At short timescales, decreased dominance by early-successional species over succession leads to increased evenness among tree individuals. At longer timescales, colonization processes result in increased phylogenetic evenness in seedling communities compared to tree communities, forecasting increasing phylogenetic evenness among adult individuals at late-successional stages.
Object detection and recognition by using sensor fusion

This paper studies a sensor fusion method focusing on a collision avoidance system, capable of high accurate object detection by blending a camera and 2D LIDAR with the aid of pixel analysis. Pixel analysis is performed via single camera under a concern that the free space in front of vehicles is limited by objects on almost vertical surfaces. The considered problem is defined as that how to efficiently analyze a large number of disparity data on image for the object identification. A solution comprising of vision, rangefinder, and inertial sensors is thus proposed. To reduce its computational costs in real-world applications, we fulfill the object detection and locating process in the laser space while completing the object classification in the vision space in the environments of expressway with a speed range [60, 70] (kph) and urban roads with a speed range [10, 30] (kph). Furthermore, verification results show the superiority of the constructed mechanism in the moving/stationary object recognition with the data fusion.
PERSON‐ORGANIZATION FIT: THE MATCH BETWEEN NEWCOMERS' AND RECRUITERS' PREFERENCES FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURES

This study examined the effects of two measures of fit on newcomers' commitment and turnover intentions, P-O fit and P-P fit. Newcomers preferences for organizational cultures were compared with supervisors' and peers' perceptions of organizational culture (P-O fit) and with their preferences for organizational culture (P-P fit). The supervisors and peers that were involved had been the newcomer's recruiters during the selection procedure and they had hired the newcomer. Subjects' culture preferences and perceptions yielded two dimensions of organizational culture: concern for people and concern for goal accomplishment. Results revealed that newcomers' concern for people P-P fit with their supervisor was related to organizational commitment and turnover intentions. P-O fit measures for both dimensions of organizational culture were not related to newcomer affective outcomes.
A learning network as a development method – an example of small enterprises and a university working together

Describes how the network concept could be used as a development method and to overcome some of the barriers for small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to initiate and work with sustainable development questions. The study has been done in close co‐operation with managers and employees from small enterprises, where the ISO 14001 work has been initiated and supported through the network, using each other and the network as an arena for joint reflection, support, and as a resource pool. The result from this study indicates that a university‐driven learning network makes a difference in the development work of SMEs – as a source for inspiration, in initiating and working with development projects, for reflection, and as a sounding board, and through its effectiveness in acting as a large organisation.
Impact of Health Conditions on Cognitive Change in Later Life: A Cross-Study Comparative Analysis

Supervisory Committee Dr. Scott M. Hofer, (Department of Psychology) Supervisor Dr. Andrea M. Piccinin, (Department of Psychology) Departmental Member Dr. Stuart W. S. MacDonald, (Department of Psychology) Departmental Member Relatively few studies have considered how changes in health are associated with changes in cognition in aging populations. Even fewer have investigated the similarities and differences of the health-cognition link evidenced across independent longitudinal studies of aging that differ in country and birth cohort. The main objective of the current research is to evaluate aging-related cognitive change in the context of physical health conditions and to compare patterns and synthesize results across several longitudinal studies of aging. This cross-study evaluation is based on data from three longitudinal studies of aging: 1) the OCTO-Twin Study, a longitudinal investigation of same-sex twin pairs drawn from the population-based Swedish Twin Registry (N = 702; 67% female; mean age is 83.5), 2) the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a study of middle-aged and older adults in the U.S. (N = 21,364; 57% female; mean age is 65.8), and 3) the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA), a study of middle-aged and older adults in the U.K. (N = 11,397; 54% female; mean age is 65.3). Data were analyzed using latent growth curve (LGC) analysis to evaluate 1) the impact of diagnosed health conditions and 2) the additive impact of comorbidity on level and rate of change in distinct cognitive outcomes. Our findings indicate that particular health conditions significantly impact initial status and rate of change in cognition, but do so differently across longitudinal studies of aging. The argument is made that the inclusion of health in our predictive models is essential as we try to parse out the effects of pathological aging vs. normative age-related change in cognition. The results of this study show the importance of replication in longitudinal research and for contrasting patterns of effects across independent studies in order to build a cumulative basis for further understanding of the dynamics among aging, health, and cognition in populations that differ in cohort, culture, and country.
Learning Item Temporal Dynamics for Predicting Buying Sessions

Predicting whether a session is a buying session (e.g. will end with buying an item) is an ongoing research task. Drawing from recent experience in Web search and movie recommenders, we explore the effect of temporal trends and characteristics on the ability to predict buying sessions. We suggest a new approach, based on items' temporal dynamics, together with sessions' temporal aspects for predicting whether a session is going to end up with a purchase. We suggest a model for estimating the probability of a session to end with a purchase, according to the purchase history of items clicked on during the session over the past few days. The predictions can be used by recommender systems, enabling them to take relevant actions, thus improving shoppers experience as well as increasing sales for e-commerce companies. Our findings shed light on the importance of considering temporal dynamics in items recommendations in e-commerce sites. Empirical results on imbalanced e-commerce dataset with more than nine million sessions demonstrate that we achieve high Precision, Recall and ROC in predicting whether session ends up with a purchase or not.
Modulation of the Innate Immune Response by NMDA Receptors Has Neuropathological Consequences

The aim of this study was to determine whether glutamate receptors modulate the innate immune response in the brain of C3H/HeN and C3H/HeJ mice; the latter bear a loss of function in the toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 gene. Mice received an intrastriatal (IS) infusion of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the exogenous ligand for TLR4, and were killed at several times thereafter. This treatment activated the transcription of a wide variety of genes involved in the control of the innate immune response. MK-801, an antagonist of NMDA glutamate receptor subtype, exacerbated the effects of the endotoxin in the brain of C3H/HeN mice but not in TLR4-deficient animals. The ipsilateral side of C3H/HeN mice exhibited stronger hybridization signals for the mRNA encoding TLR2, CD14, tumor necrosis factor-α, and inhibitory factor-κBα at various times after the treatment combining MK-801 and LPS. This robust inflammatory response in the brain of C3H/HeN mice was not associated with any convincing signs of neurodegeneration or demyelination that was verified via numerous approaches and at time up to 2 weeks after injection. However, animals that received long-term IS infusion of LPS, together with MK-801, exhibited a significant increase in demyelination levels within the ipsilateral side. Our results demonstrate that binding of glutamate to its cognate NMDA receptor modulates LPS-induced innate immune reaction in a TLR4-dependent manner. This acute response may be crucial to eliminate bacterial cell wall components and minimizing tissue injury. However, sustained deregulation of proinflammatory signaling involving NMDA receptors leads to demyelination and is likely to be a mechanism participating in such pathological conditions.
An FFT-Based Full-Search Block-Matching Algorithm With SSD Criterion

An FFT-based full-search block-matching algorithm is described that uses the sum of squared difference(SSD) crite- rion. The proposed method focuses on the relationship between the circular cross-correlation and the SSD criterion. Because FFT is used to calculate the cross-correlation between signals of different sizes, the processing speed of block matching is greatly increased. If the macroblock is composed of real signals, two blocks can be matched at the same time. In a simulation of motion estimation, the proposed method achieved the same performance as a direct SSD full search, but with a processing speed 8 to 700 times higher.
Increased Inhibitor of Differentiation 4 (Id4) Expression in Glioblastoma: A Tissue Microarray Study

Background: The inhibitor of differentiation/DNA binding protein family (Id1-4) is involved in cell cycle control, tumorigenesis and angiogenesis through the negative regulation of helix-loop-helix transcription factors. Of these proteins, Id4 is known to play an important role in neural stem cell differentiation, and deregulation has been implicated in glial neoplasia. However, the expression and significance of Id4 in astrocytomas has not been fully addressed. Herein we report the differential expression of Id4 in astrocytomas of various grades using tissue microarrays (TMA) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Design: The GBM TMA was constructed from 53 archival cases at Georgetown University Hospital and a TMA with normal brain controls and grades II-III astrocytoma was obtained from Cybrdi (Rockville, MD). TMA sections were stained with Id4 antibody and the slides were scored according to the percentage of staining astrocytic nuclei (<9% -, 10-50% +, >51% ++). The Fisher Exact test was used to test for statistical significance. Results: Nuclear staining for Id4 was seen in 73.58% GBMs, 25% grade III, and 12.5% grade II astrocytomas; staining was absent in normal brain tissue. There was a statistically significant difference between GBM and grades II, III astrocytoma (p <0.01). Significant Id4 expression was not detected in normal brain. Conclusions: Our study confirms the frequent upregulation of Id4 expression in GBM, which lends support to its role in tumorigenesis, possibly in the transformation of low to high-grade astrocytoma (i.e. GBM). Further studies are warranted to determine the precise role of Id4 in glial neoplasia and its potential use in targeted therapy for GBM.
SRAM Cell Optimization for Ultra-Low Power Standby

This paper proposes a comprehensive SRAM cell optimization scheme that minimizes leakage power under ultra-low standby supply voltage (VDD). The theoretical limit of data retention voltage (DRV), the minimum VDD that preserves the states of a memory cell, was derived to be 50 mV for an industrial 90 nm technology. A DRV design model was developed on parameters including body bias, sizing, and channel length. A test chip was implemented and measured to attain DRV sensitivities to key design parameters. Based on this, a low-leakage SRAM cell design methodology is derived and the feasibility of a 270 mV standby VDD was demonstrated, including a safety margin of 100 mV. As a result, the SRAM leakage power was reduced by 97%.
Liderazgo transformacional y desempeño grupal: unidos por el engagement grupal

Resumen Este estudio pone a prueba las relaciones entre liderazgo transformacional, engagement grupal y desempeño grupal, a partir del Modelo de Organizaciones Saludables y Resilientes (HERO—HEalthy & Resilient Organizations) (Salanova, 2008; Salanova, Martínez, Cifre y Llorens, 2009) poniendo de manifiesto el papel mediador del engagement grupal en esta relación. La muestra está compuesta por 519 empleados pertenecientes a 58 equipos de trabajo de 12 Pequeñas y Medianas Empresas (PyMEs) españolas. Los Coeficientes de Correlación Intraclase (CCI1 y CCI2) y el Indice de Desviación Promedio (ADMJ)), permiten la agregación de los datos al nivel de equipos de trabajo para el desarrollo de los análisis correspondientes. Los resultados obtenidos a nivel de equipos de trabajo, apoyan la hipótesis planteada, esto es, el engagement grupal media totalmente la relación entre liderazgo transformacional y desempeño grupal. Finalmente, se discuten los resultados y sus implicaciones teóricas así como las posibles aplicaciones prácticas.
Impact of One Year of Shift Work on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether the reported increased cardiovascular disease risk in shift workers could be explained by changes in cardiovascular risk factors. In a cohort of 239 shift and 157 daytime workers, 1-year changes in biological and lifestyle cardiovascular risk factors were monitored between the start of a new job and 1 year later. Both body mass index and low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio decreased significantly in shift workers compared with daytime workers (body mass index change: −0.31 and +0.13 kg/m2; low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein ratio change: −0.33 and −0.13 respectively). Cigarettes smoked per day increased significantly in shift compared with daytime workers (+1.42 and −1.03, respectively). Therefore, only for smoking, an unfavorable change was observed. This may explain, at most, only a part of the excess cardiovascular disease risk reported in shift workers.
Concepciones iniciales sobre la enseñanza en profesores de ciencias de secundaria en formación

The conceptions on teaching science are studied in a group of 140 graduated enrolled in a pre-service education course for secondary teachers. Six categories (two about the nature of science and four referred to the pedagogical content) are used as criteria of evaluation. The degree of agreement between teacher's conceptions and an appropriate conception of teaching science is very low, and also we come across erroneous conceptiOns on the nature of science and pedagogical content that show significant differences between scientific and non scientific grades. Improving this situation should be an objective for teacher education.
IPclip: An architecture to restore Trust-by-Wire in packet-switched networks

During the last decades, the Internet has steadily developed into a mass medium. The target group radically changed compared to, e.g., the 90s. Because virtually everyone has access to the Internet, threats due to insecurity and anonymity reach critical levels and have to be tackled by both carriers and Internet Service Providers. Regaining trust-by-wire, comparable to classic fixed line telephones, could mitigate or even solve problems like Spam, Phishing, and the localization of VoIP emergency calls. This paper presents the hardware implementation of a new and highly flexible solution-Internet protocol-calling line identification presentation-which provides additional support for new services to restore peoplepsilas confidence into the Internet. Supported services are VoIP emergency calls, Spam detection and prevention, and phishing prevention. Already in the access network, the hardware adds unambiguous location information on the packetpsilas origin to IP packets. We document the hardware design of the solution. Furthermore, hardware consumption and performance of a prototype are presented.
Presentation Names: Their Distribution in Space and Time

Abstract The name forms by which we present ourselves publicly are shown to be sociolinguistic variables. A 1996 study of the preferred name forms of state legislators in the US found that informal presentation names were common in much of the south and west of the country, and generally absent in the northeast. A 2007 replication of that study both confirmed the earlier findings and showed that the public use of informal name forms had increased. The practice of using informal presentation names originated in the south and northwest and spread to all parts of the country except the northeast. The increasing use of informal names is seen as part of a general societal shift toward greater informality.
An Improved Adaptive Filter for Voltage and Current Reference Extraction

A novel improved adaptive filter is presented is this paper for extraction of fundamental components of voltage and current signals. The filter uses the concept of least square method to cancel the distortions. Mathematical analysis of the proposed filter is described. The application of this filter includes active filters, UPS systems, and other power quality conditioners. The simulation and experimental results of the system are also presented to verify the viability of this filter
The Curious Case of George

This research is a case study of a “semiretired” career criminal. The subject, George, an 82-year-old career offender admits to over 200 arrests and numerous convictions between age 16 and the present. He has served over 20 years in state and federal prisons for racketeering, arson, burglary, and other serious offenses. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with George regularly over a 6-month period. Despite his openness regarding his criminal career and attachment to the criminal subculture in which he flourished, he readily made use of techniques of neutralization and despite his reputation as a local criminal godfather, considers himself a good person. George was unusual in that he was proud of his criminal reputation but also thought of himself and wished to be perceived by others as a good person. The use of neutralizations allowed him to maintain these two diametrically opposed perceptions of self. The authors conclude that due to over 60 years of cognitive distortions through the use of techniques of neutralizations, the subject has compartmentalized his diametrically opposed perceptions of self to the point where he believes them both. The authors borrow the term doublethink from George Orwell’s book, 1984, to describe this phenomenon.
Drug Delivery Systems, CNS Protection, and the Blood Brain Barrier

Present review highlights various drug delivery systems used for delivery of pharmaceutical agents mainly antibiotics, antineoplastic agents, neuropeptides, and other therapeutic substances through the endothelial capillaries (BBB) for CNS therapeutics. In addition, the use of ultrasound in delivery of therapeutic agents/biomolecules such as proline rich peptides, prodrugs, radiopharmaceuticals, proteins, immunoglobulins, and chimeric peptides to the target sites in deep tissue locations inside tumor sites of brain has been explained. In addition, therapeutic applications of various types of nanoparticles such as chitosan based nanomers, dendrimers, carbon nanotubes, niosomes, beta cyclodextrin carriers, cholesterol mediated cationic solid lipid nanoparticles, colloidal drug carriers, liposomes, and micelles have been discussed with their recent advancements. Emphasis has been given on the need of physiological and therapeutic optimization of existing drug delivery methods and their carriers to deliver therapeutic amount of drug into the brain for treatment of various neurological diseases and disorders. Further, strong recommendations are being made to develop nanosized drug carriers/vehicles and noninvasive therapeutic alternatives of conventional methods for better therapeutics of CNS related diseases. Hence, there is an urgent need to design nontoxic biocompatible drugs and develop noninvasive delivery methods to check posttreatment clinical fatalities in neuropatients which occur due to existing highly toxic invasive drugs and treatment methods.
School Effectiveness Research: Which Way at the Crossroads?

ABSTRACT This article, a revised version of the plenary speech presented at the Fourth International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, provides a state of the art view of research on school effectiveness. In the first part, the notion of effectiveness is related to the idea of quality. The necessity of taking the nature of the student intake into account, when making a judgement about the quality of a school, is also stressed. After a presentation of research, mainly from the United Kingdom and the United States, different directions for the future are discussed. These directions range from the application of concepts and methodology to other aspects of the education service, to school improvement projects based on the equity dimension of education. It is concluded that no single direction can be followed but that, as far as possible, all the directions identified should be pursued.
Deliberately Designed Asynchronous Transmission Scheme for MIMO Systems

Oversampling at each receive antenna is equivalent to having multiple polyphase components with correlated channel gains and colored noise, provided that the signal bandwidth is higher than Nyquist bandwidth. To exploit the potential of these polyphase components in the MIMO systems, this letter advocates the approach of using deliberately designed asynchronous transmission instead of the synchronous transmission usually employed. Simulations show that the asynchronous transmission can easily outperform its synchronous counterparts. Moreover, it opens up the possibility of using fewer antennas at the receiver, particularly in a subscriber unit where there are severe constraints on size, weight, and power consumption.