Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bifurcation analysis of an Internet congestion control model

We investigate the bifurcation behavior of a discrete-time model of Internet congestion control system, which stands for a single link shared by multiple sources. By choosing the gain parameter and the number of sources as bifurcation parameters, we prove the existence of period doubling bifurcation in the model and study the stability of bifurcation. We also find that chaotic behavior of the model can be controlled by limiting the amplitudes of the sending rates.
Effects of brassinosteroids on microspore embryogenesis in Brassica species

SummaryExperiments were conducted to determine the effects of brassinosteroids on microspore embryogenesis in Brassica species. Two compounds, 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) and brassinolide (BL), were evaluated. An increase in embryogenesis was observed in all Brassica napus lines evaluated, including Topas 4079 and several recalcitrant cultivars: Garrison, Westar, and Allons. Microspore embryogenesis, calculated as the number of embryos at 21 d of culture, was increased in the recalcitrant cultivars up to 12 times that of the control. An increase in microspore embryogenesis was also observed for B. juncea when EBR or BL was added to the culture medium. In constrast, no significant increases in embryogenesis was observed for several other Brassica species evaluated (i.e. B. carinata, B. nigra, and B. rapa). The addition of brassinosteroids to the induction media did not affect the subsequent conversion of the embryos to plantlets, but did appear to influence chromosome doubling.
Stress measure based on a structural equation model

The scientific literature has widely recognized Depression and Emotional Exhaustion as part of the work stress process and outcomes (Duquette, Kerouac, Sandhu & Bedauet, 1994; Rahim & Psenicka, 1996; Rout, Cooper & Rout, 1996 ; Corrigan, Williams & McCraken, 1998; Vilhjalmsson, 1998 ; Vinokur, Pierce & Buck, 1999; Ito, Kurita & Shiiya, 1999; O’Connor, O’Connor, White & Bundred, 2000a; O’Connor, O’Connor, White & Bundred, 2000b; Mackie, Holdhan & Gottlieb, 2001; Tummers, Janssen, Landeweerd & Houkes, 2001).
Evolving intentions for social interaction: from entrainment to joint action

This article discusses four different scenarios to specify increasingly complex mechanisms that enable increasingly flexible social interactions. The key dimension on which these mechanisms differ is the extent to which organisms are able to process other organisms' intentions and to keep them apart from their own. Drawing on findings from ecological psychology, scenario 1 focuses on entrainment and simultaneous affordance in ‘intentionally blind’ individuals. Scenario 2 discusses how an interface between perception and action allows observers to simulate intentional action in others. Scenario 3 is concerned with shared perceptions, arising through joint attention and the ability to distinguish between self and other. Scenario 4 illustrates how people could form intentions to act together while simultaneously distinguishing between their own and the other's part of a joint action. The final part focuses on how combining the functionality of the four mechanisms can explain different forms of social interactions. It is proposed that basic interpersonal processes are put to service by more advanced functions that support the type of intentionality required to engage in joint action, cultural learning, and communication.
Sharp Bounds on the Number of Resonances for Conformally Compact Manifolds with Constant Negative Curvature Near Infinity

Abstract The purpose of this article is to prove a sharp bound on the number of resonances for the Laplacian on conformally compact manifolds with constant negative curvature near infinity, thus improving the polynomial bound of Guillopé and Zworki (Guillopé, L., Zworski, M. ([1995b]). Polynomial bound on the number of resonances for some complete spaces of constant negative curvature near infinity. Asympt. Anal. 11:1–22).
Probiotics and Subclinical Psychological Symptoms in Healthy Participants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION/AIM Interest in the gut-brain axis and emerging evidence that the intestinal microbiota can influence central nervous system function has led to the hypothesis that probiotic supplementation can have a positive effect on mood and psychological symptoms such as depression and anxiety. Although several human clinical trials have investigated this, results have been inconsistent. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analytic approach was chosen to examine if probiotic consumption has an effect on psychological symptoms. METHODS The online databases PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies up to July 2016. Those that were randomized and placebo controlled and measured preclinical psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress in healthy volunteers pre and post supplementation with a probiotic were included. To control for differences in scales of measurement, data were converted to percentage change, and the standardized mean difference between the probiotic and control groups was investigated using Revman software. A random effects model was used for analysis. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Quality assessment was undertaken using the Rosendal scale. RESULTS Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and provided data for nine comparisons. All studies passed the quality analysis. The meta-analysis showed that supplementation with probiotics resulted in a statistically significant improvement in psychological symptoms (standardized mean difference 0.34; 95% confidence interval 0.07-0.61, Z = 2.49) compared with placebo. CONCLUSION These results show that probiotic consumption may have a positive effect on psychological symptoms of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress in healthy human volunteers.
Quarky Calcium Release in the Heart

Rationale: In cardiac myocytes, “Ca2+ sparks” represent the stereotyped elemental unit of Ca2+ release arising from activation of large arrays of ryanodine receptors (RyRs), whereas “Ca2+ blinks” represent the reciprocal Ca2+ depletion signal produced in the terminal cisterns of the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum. Emerging evidence, however, suggests possible substructures in local Ca2+ release events. Objective: With improved detection ability and sensitivity provided by simultaneous spark–blink pair measurements, we investigated possible release events that are smaller than sparks and their interplay with regular sparks. Methods and Results: We directly visualized small solitary release events amid noise: spontaneous Ca2+ quark-like or “quarky” Ca2+ release (QCR) events in rabbit ventricular myocytes. Because the frequency of QCR events in paced myocytes is much higher than the frequency of Ca2+ sparks, the total Ca2+ leak attributable to the small QCR events is approximately equal to that of the spontaneous Ca2+ sparks. Furthermore, the Ca2+ release underlying a spark consists of an initial high-flux stereotypical release component and a low-flux highly variable QCR component. The QCR part of the spark, but not the initial release, is sensitive to cytosolic Ca2+ buffering by EGTA, suggesting that the QCR component is attributable to a Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release mechanism. Experimental evidence, together with modeling, suggests that QCR events may depend on the opening of rogue RyR2s (or small cluster of RyR2s). Conclusions: QCR events play an important role in shaping elemental Ca2+ release characteristics and the nonspark QCR events contribute to “invisible” Ca2+ leak in health and disease.
Area-specific analysis of the distribution of hypothalamic neurons projecting to the rat ventral tegmental area, with special reference to the GABAergic and glutamatergic efferents

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a main regulator of reward and integrates a wide scale of hormonal and neuronal information. Feeding-, energy expenditure-, stress, adaptation- and reproduction-related hypothalamic signals are processed in the VTA and influence the reward processes. However, the neuroanatomical origin and chemical phenotype of neurons mediating these signals to the VTA have not been fully characterized. In this study we have systematically mapped hypothalamic neurons that project to the VTA using the retrograde tracer Choleratoxin B subunit (CTB) and analyzed their putative gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and/or glutamate character with in situ hybridization in male rats. 23.93 ± 3.91% of hypothalamic neurons projecting to the VTA was found in preoptic and 76.27 ± 4.88% in anterior, tuberal and mammillary hypothalamic regions. Nearly half of the retrogradely-labeled neurons in the preoptic, and more than one third in the anterior, tuberal and mammillary hypothalamus appeared in medially located regions. The analyses of vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) and glutamate decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) mRNA expression revealed both amino acid markers in different subsets of retrogradely-labeled hypothalamic neurons, typically with the predominance of the glutamatergic marker VGLUT2. About one tenth of CTB-IR neurons were GAD65-positive even in hypothalamic nuclei expressing primarily VGLUT2. Some regions were populated mostly by GAD65 mRNA-containing retrogradely-labeled neurons. These included the perifornical part of the lateral hypothalamus where 58.63 ± 19.04% of CTB-IR neurons were GABAergic. These results indicate that both the medial and lateral nuclear compartments of the hypothalamus provide substantial input to the VTA. Furthermore, colocalization studies revealed that these projections not only use glutamate but also GABA for neurotransmission. These GABAergic afferents may underlie important inhibitory mechanism to fine-tune the reward value of specific signals in the VTA.
Primal beats dual on online packing LPs in the random-order model

We study packing LPs in an online model where the columns are presented to the algorithm in random order. This natural problem was investigated in various recent studies motivated, e.g., by online ad allocations and yield management where rows correspond to resources and columns to requests specifying demands for resources. Our main contribution is a 1 -- O(√(log d/B))-competitive online algorithm. Here d denotes the column sparsity, i.e., the maximum number of resources that occur in a single column, and B denotes the capacity ratio B, i.e., the ratio between the capacity of a resource and the maximum demand for this resource. In other words, we achieve a (1--ε)-approximation if the capacity ratio satisfies B=Ω(logd/ε2), which is known to be best-possible for any (randomized) online algorithms. Our result improves exponentially on previous work with respect to the capacity ratio. In contrast to existing results on packing LP problems, our algorithm does not use dual prices to guide the allocation of resources over time. Instead, the algorithm simply solves, for each request, a scaled version of the partially known primal program and randomly rounds the obtained fractional solution to obtain an integral allocation for this request. We show that this simple algorithmic technique is not restricted to packing LPs with large capacity ratio of order Ω(logd), but it also yields close-to-optimal competitive ratios if the capacity ratio is bounded by a constant. In particular, we prove an upper bound on the competitive ratio of Ω(d--1/(B--1)), for any B ≥ 2. In addition, we show that our approach can be combined with VCG payments and obtain an incentive compatible (1 -- ε)-competitive mechanism for packing LPs with B = Ω(logm/ε;2), where m is the number of constraints. Finally, we apply our technique to the generalized assignment problem for which we obtain the first online algorithm with competitive ratio O(1).
Detection of objects including persons using image processing

We studied methods for observing objects including persons. First, we clarified the limit of exponential smoothing using fixed point operations executed by general image processors, then we proposed a method for detecting objects that are left in a crowd using exponential smoothing with accumulation of binarized images. The experimental results of left objects detection had a higher than 90% recognition rate. Finally, we proposed a doubtful objects detection method by analyzing objects movements. We clarified the suitability of the proposed method by experiments.
A monolithic thulium doped single mode fiber laser with 1.5ns pulsewidth and 8kW peak power

Here we report a compact monolithic 2000nm pulsed laser with a single spatial mode output, ~1.5ns pulse duration, 8kW peak power and >200mW average power at 20 kHz repetition rate. The gain-switched laser, consisting of a pair of fiber Bragg gratings and 0.5m of thulium-doped single cladding fiber, was core pumped by a high peak power pulsed 1. 5μm laser. When the input pulse energy of the 20 kHz pump pulses was sufficient enough to saturate the Thulium doped fiber, a stable 20 kHz pulse train was observed with measured linewidth of 0.05nm which corresponds to the limit of resolution for the Optical Spectrum Analyzer. This compact, pulsed 2000 nm laser, to the authors' limited knowledge, represents the first Tm-doped fiber laser with 8kW peak power and several ns pulse duration; which is less than the previously reported tens of ns pulsewidth previously reported from gain-switched Tm-doped fiber lasers.
LETTER-LEVEL EFFECTS IN REPETITION PRIMING

The repetition effect is often accounted for as the result of a process that increases the baseline activation of primed lexical representations. However, the lexical activation account cannot explain several aspects of repetition priming, including pseudoword priming and similarity effects. The present experiments test an extension of the activation account: namely, that priming increases the baseline activation of both lexical and letter-level representations. In the first experiment, priming facilitated the identification of individually presented letters. However, in subsequent experiments, it was found that priming individual letters had no effect on the identification of pseudowords composed of those letters. The implications for models of word identification and repetition priming are discussed.
Heat Waves and Morbidity: Current Knowledge and Further Direction-A Comprehensive Literature Review

In the past few decades, several devastating heat wave events have significantly challenged public health. As these events are projected to increase in both severity and frequency in the future, it is important to assess the relationship between heat waves and the health indicators that can be used in the early warning systems to guide the public health response. Yet there is a knowledge gap in the impact of heat waves on morbidity. In this study, a comprehensive review was conducted to assess the relationship between heat waves and different morbidity indicators, and to identify the vulnerable populations. The PubMed and ScienceDirect database were used to retrieve published literature in English from 1985 to 2014 on the relationship between heat waves and morbidity, and the following MeSH terms and keywords were used: heat wave, heat wave, morbidity, hospital admission, hospitalization, emergency call, emergency medical services, and outpatient visit. Thirty-three studies were included in the final analysis. Most studies found a short-term negative health impact of heat waves on morbidity. The elderly, children, and males were more vulnerable during heat waves, and the medical care demand increased for those with existing chronic diseases. Some social factors, such as lower socioeconomic status, can contribute to heat-susceptibility. In terms of study methods and heat wave definitions, there remain inconsistencies and uncertainties. Relevant policies and guidelines need to be developed to protect vulnerable populations. Morbidity indicators should be adopted in heat wave early warning systems in order to guide the effective implementation of public health actions.
Nutritional recommendations for n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the challenge to the food industry

There are no internationally recognized nutritional recommendations for h-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) simply because the evidence pointing to nutritional requirement in man is mainly only recently derived. The purpose of the present paper is to summarize that evidence and to consider the opportunities and difficulties of incorporating n-3 long-chain PUFA in foods.
mut-16 and other mutator class genes modulate 22G and 26G siRNA pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans

Argonaute-associated siRNAs and Piwi-associated piRNAs have overlapping roles in silencing mobile genetic elements in animals. In Caenorhabditis elegans, mutator (mut) class genes mediate siRNA-guided repression of transposons as well as exogenous RNAi, but their roles in endogenous RNA silencing pathways are not well-understood. To characterize the endogenous small RNAs dependent on mut class genes, small RNA populations from a null allele of mut-16 as well as a regulatory mut-16(mg461) allele that disables only somatic RNAi were subjected to deep sequencing. Additionally, each of the mut class genes was tested for a requirement in 26G siRNA pathways. The results indicate that mut-16 is an essential factor in multiple endogenous germline and somatic siRNA pathways involving several distinct Argonautes and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases. The results also reveal essential roles for mut-2 and mut-7 in the ERGO-1 class 26G siRNA pathway and less critical roles for mut-8, mut-14, and mut-15. We show that transposons are hypersusceptible to mut-16–dependent silencing and identify a requirement for the siRNA machinery in piRNA biogenesis from Tc1 transposons. We also show that the soma-specific mut-16(mg461) mutant allele is present in multiple C. elegans laboratory strains.
Identifying the Challenges and Opportunities to Meet the Needs of Children with Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties.

The views of experienced educational practitioners were examined with respect to the terminology used to describe children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), associated problems and the impact of speech and language difficulties in the classroom. Results showed that education staff continue to experience challenges with the range of terminology used to refer to the children's needs. Terms used to refer to difficulties with speech were least familiar to the respondents. Difficulties were noted in distinguishing between children with SLCN and children where English was an additional language. Respondents indicated a variety of additional difficulties experienced by the children. Literacy difficulties were reported to be more prevalent in children with language difficulties, while levels of bullying and anxiety were reported to be higher in children with speech problems. Respondents reported that tools for identifying speech and language difficulties and procedures for accessing effective resources are required.
Fostering Positive Social Interactions between Parents and Infants

• Transactional Family Systems Model, Experimental Education Unit, University of Washington WJ10, Seattle, Washington 98195, (206)543-4011, Director: Rebecca Fewell, Coordinator: Rodd Hedlund. • Charlotte Circle Outreach, Department of Curriculum and Instruction. , The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, (704)547-2531, Director: Mary Lynne Calhoun, Research Coordinator: Terry L. Rose.
Cytotoxicity Evaluation of High-Temperature Annealed Nanohydroxyapatite in Contact with Fibroblast Cells

Biomaterials are substances manufactured for medical purposes in direct contact with the tissues of organisms. Prior to their use, they are tested to determine their usefulness and safety of application. Hydroxyapatites are used in medicine as a bony complement because of their similarity to the natural apatite therein. Thanks to their bioactivity, biocompatibility, stability and non-toxicity hydroxyapatite are the most commonly used materials in osteoimplantology. The use of materials at the nanoscale in medicine or biology may carry the risk of undesirable effects. The aim of the study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of high-temperature annealed nanohydroxyapatites on the L929 murine fibroblasts. Nanohydroxyapatites in powder form were obtained by the wet chemistry method: in the temperature range of 800–1000 °C and used for the study. Based on performed studies evaluating the morphology and fibroblast viability, it was found that nanohydroxyapatites show no cytotoxic effects on the L929 cell line.
What's Wrong with Sexual Harassment

T h e term "sexual harassment" covers a wide range of activities and behaviour. A t the extreme we have cases i n w h i c h men blatantly force themselves u p o n women, us ing their power to establish coercive condit ions such as loss of a job, a demotion, or a reassignment to work conditions that are intolerable as penalty for a failure to be cooperative w i t h sexual demands. W i t h i n the university, the extreme cases include m a k i n g sexual overtures to women students w i t h coercive conditions attached such as failure i n a course, failure to be recommended for graduate school or for a job, or s imply m a k i n g sure that the student is not free to pursue her o w n work i n the way she chooses.
Exploring user social behaviors in mobile social applications

Mobile social applications are popular as the proliferating of mobile devices. Understanding user social behaviors is important to improve mobile social applications and enhance its quality of service. However, there is still lack of data for real deployment mobile social application on data analysis of human interaction and social behaviors in mobile social networks. In this paper, we introduce the experiment methodology of deploying the Goose software in two campuses located in Germany and China respectively. Goose is a mobile social network application allows microblogging, message sending. With the help of volunteers, we collect user interaction data in the duration of 15 days. Based on the collected data, our observation reveals the following aspects of user interactions and their influences. First, user overall activities approximately match user daily life work pattern with a slightly longer time duration and periodically appearance. Second, user encounters in mobile social network follow the heavy tail distribution in small social communities, and user interactions follow the Pareto principle, where about 20% of users make close connections to the other users. Third, communication path between a pair of mobile nodes is mostly within 6 hops, and information diffusion using an epidemic strategy demonstrates that the informed population reaches to 50% in a short term and approaches to 80% in a long term.
Learning Organization Models

Learning Organization is a concept where the organization is considered to give continuous learning independently, and the organization has a speed of thinking and acting in responding any change. Thus, the organization can create supporting atmosphere and give a wide opportunity to individuals to learn in groups and individually, and to apply the result of learning into the process and activities of the organization. According to Senge, there are five things that must be mastered namely, personal mastery, mental models, building shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking). These five basics were developed to establish the scope of the Learning Organization towards a learning in organization. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2016. v7n2s1p172