Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
All-Path Routing Protocols: Analysis of Scalability and Load Balancing Capabilities for Ethernet Networks

This paper presents a scalability and load balancing study of the All-Path protocols, a family of distributed switching protocols based on path exploration. ARP-Path is the main protocol and it explores every possible path reaching from source to destination by using ARP messages, selecting the lowest latency path. Flow-Path and Bridge-Path are respectively the flow-based and bridge-based versions, instead of the source address-based approach of ARP-Path. While preserving the main advantages of ARP-Path, Flow-Path has the advantages of full independence of flows for path creation, guaranteeing path symmetry and increased path diversity. While Bridge-Path increases scalability by reducing forwarding table entries at core bridges. We compare the characteristics of each protocol and the convenience of using each one depending on the topology and the type of traffic. Finally, we prove their load balancing capabilities analytically and via simulation.
Habanero-Scala: Async-Finish Programming in Scala

With the advent of the multicore era, it is clear that improvements in application performance will require parallelism. Programming models that utilize multiple cores offer promising directions for the future where core counts are expected to increase. There is, hence, a renewed interest in programming models that simplify the reasoning and writing of efficient parallel programs. In this paper, we present Habanero-Scala (HS) which implements a generic task parallel programming model that can be used to parallelize both regular and irregular applications. HS is a library extension of Scala and supports a hybrid programming model combining the previously developed Async/Finish Model (AFM) and Actor Model (AM). HS extends Scala’s actor-based concurrency model with creation of lightweight tasks embodied in async, future, and foreach constructs; termination detection using the finish construct; locality in the form of places; weak isolation usingisolated blocks; and task coordination patterns using phasers, data-driven futures. HS offers a simpler parallel programming model compared to writing programs using threads and adds to the tools available for the programmer to aid in productivity and performance while developing parallel software.
Base station acoustic source locating system analysis and design

As a fact, when sound wave generated from an acoustic source transmits through the air, its frequency and intensity will be attenuated which depends on the propagation distance. The speed of sound is also affected by other factors like temperature. In this paper, three points acoustic receiving base station design approach is studied and reviewed. The acoustic wave receiving circuits is proposed and the algorithm of the acoustic source positioning is analyzed. Some key issues like accuracy, error compensation are addressed.
The functional neurophysiological sequelae associated with high frequency dream recallers

Background: Dreaming is a universal experience, yet there is considerable inter-individual variability with regard to dream recall frequency (DRF). Research on DRF has been prolific leading to the development of various models delineating possible processes involved in dream recall. One such model is the ‘arousal-retrieval’ model positing that intra-sleep wakefulness is required for dream traces to be encoded into long-term storage, essentially proposing increased DRF as a product of a better memory for dreams. Results from recent studies support this model by demonstrating longer periods of intra-sleep wakefulness in high frequency recallers (HFRs) compared to low frequency recallers (LFRs). Furthermore, results showed heightened brain reactivity, as well as increased regional cerebral blood flow in areas in the brain associated with dream production. These results are indicative of the existence of a functional neurophysiological trait innate to HRs, while also supporting the premise that apart from a better memory for dreams, HRs also may produce more dreams. Awakenings from rapid eye movement (REM) sleep yield the highest dream recall rates, rendering REM sleep as a reasonable starting point for studying rates of dream production. Furthermore, increased dream production during REM sleep might also affect related processes, for example, leading to enhanced overnight emotional memory consolidation and emotion regulation. Hypotheses: The current study investigated the functional neurophysiological sequelae associated with HFRs in a design where HFRs are compared to LFRs. Hypotheses include: (1) HFRs will score significantly higher on certain personality dimensions; (2) HFRs will experience significantly more awakenings, as well as longer periods of intra-sleep wakefulness; (3) HFRs will have significantly higher rates of dream production as measured by the frequency of eye movements (REM density) during REM sleep; and (4) increased dream production during REM sleep will lead to enhanced overnight emotional memory consolidation and emotion regulation in HFRs. Methods: The study consisted of two groups of healthy young adults: high frequency recallers
Relation of plasma renin to end organ damage and to protection of K+ feeding in stroke-prone hypertensive rats.

We studied the effects of regular diet (0.35% NaCl/1.1% potassium), high sodium diet (4% NaCl/0.75% potassium), or high sodium and high potassium diet (4% NaCl/2.11% potassium) on blood pressure, plasma renin activity, renal and cerebrovascular lesions, and incidence of stroke and mortality in male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). In the first 4 weeks, the rise in blood pressure was higher in high NaCl than in high NaCl/high potassium or regular diet groups. However, by 8 and 12 weeks, the blood pressure in all three groups was similar. After 4 weeks of diet, plasma renin activity was similar in the three groups (3.4 +/- 0.8, 4.1 +/- 0.9, and 5.2 +/- 1.6 ng/ml/hr, in high NaCl, high NaCl/high potassium, and regular diet groups, respectively) and were not related to sodium excretion. After 8 weeks, plasma renin activity was significantly increased only in the high NaCl group (13.7 +/- 3.7 ng/ml/hr), and by 12 weeks plasma renin activity was significantly higher in the high NaCl group (25.3 +/- 3.6 ng/ml/hr) than in the high NaCl/high potassium (11.1 +/- 2.9 ng/ml/hr) or in the regular diet (7.8 +/- 4.6 ng/ml/hr) groups. Moderate to severe renal vascular lesions were first detected in the high NaCl group by 8 weeks of diet. At 12 weeks, renal vascular damage index (RVDI), estimated histologically, was significantly higher in the high NaCl group (RVDI = 79 +/- 14) than in the high NaCl/high potassium (RVDI = 40 +/- 11) and regular diet (RVDI = 7.8 +/- 4.6) groups. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Markov convexity and local rigidity of distorted metrics

The geometry of discrete tree metrics is studied from the following perspectives: Markov p-convexity, which was shown by Lee, Naor, and Peres to be a property of p-convex Banach space, is shown here to be equivalent to p-convexity of Banach spaces. On the other hand, there exists an example of a metric space which is not Markov p-convex for any finite p, but does not uniformly contain complete binary trees. Note that the previous item implies that Banach spaces contain complete binary trees uniformly if and only if they are not Markov p-convex for any finite p. For every B>4, a metric space X is constructed such that all tree metrics can be embedded in X with distortion at most B, but when large complete binary trees are embedded in X, the distortion tends to B. Therefore the class of finite tree metrics do exhibit a dichotomy in the distortions achievable when embedding them in other metric spaces. This is in contrast to the dichotomy exhibited by the class of finite subsets of L_1, and the class of all finite metric spaces.
From Numerosity to Ordinal Rank: A Gain-Field Model of Serial Order Representation in Cortical Working Memory

Encoding the serial order of events is an essential function of working memory, but one whose neural basis is not yet well understood. In the present work, we advance a new model of how serial order is represented in working memory. Our approach is predicated on three key findings from neurophysiological research: (1) prefrontal neurons that code conjunctively for item and order, (2) parietal neurons that represent count information through a graded and compressive code, and (3) multiplicative gain modulation as a mechanism for information integration. We used an artificial neural network, integrating across these three findings, to simulate human immediate serial recall performance. The model reproduced a core set of benchmark empirical findings, including primacy and recency effects, transposition gradients, effects of interitem similarity, and developmental effects. The model moves beyond previous accounts by bridging between neuroscientific findings and detailed behavioral data, and gives rise to several testable predictions.
Alternative schedules or integration strategies to maximise treatment duration with sunitinib in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumour of the gastrointestinal tract. The advent of targeted kinase-inhibitors has revolutionised treatment strategies and clinical outcomes for patients with advanced GIST. In the majority of countries, sunitinib is the only approved second-line treatment option for advanced GIST patients, who are resistant or intolerant to imatinib. However, sunitinib is associated with various adverse events, which often result in a reduction of the dosage, and interruption or suspension of therapy. Effective therapy management is essential to obtain the maximum clinical benefit, and includes adequate side effect management as well as optimization of dosing and treatment duration. In the current study, examples of maximization of treatment with sunitinib are presented, describing three clinical cases in which therapy with sunitinib was continued via the adoption of alternative reduced schedules or an additional loco-regional treatment, in order to manage toxicities or overcome progressive disease.
Survival associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among SEER-Medicare beneficiaries with non-small-cell lung cancer

Objective: We investigated the impact of preexisting COPD and its subtypes, chronic bronchitis and emphysema, on overall survival among Medicare enrollees diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Using SEER-Medicare data, we included patients ≥66 years of age diagnosed with NSCLC at any disease stage between 2006 and 2010 and continuously enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B in the 12 months prior to diagnosis. Preexisting COPD in patients with NSCLC were identified using ICD-9 codes. Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank tests were used to examine overall survival by COPD status and COPD subtype. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were fit to assess the risk of death after cancer diagnosis. Results: We identified 66,963 lung cancer patients. Of these, 22,497 (33.60%) had documented COPD before NSCLC diagnosis. For each stage of NSCLC, median survival was shorter in the COPD compared to the non-COPD group (Stage I: 692 days vs 1,130 days, P<0.0001; Stage II: 473 days vs 627 days, P<0.0001; Stage III: 224 days vs 229 days; P<0.0001; Stage IV: 106 days vs 112 days, P<0.0001). For COPD subtype, median survival for patients with preexisting chronic bronchitis was shorter compared to emphysema across all stages of NSCLC (Stage I: 672 days vs 811 days, P<0.0001; Stage II 582 days vs 445 days, P<0.0001; Stage III: 255 days vs 229 days, P<0.0001; Stage IV: 105 days vs 112 days, P<0.0001). In Cox proportional hazard model, COPD patients exhibited 11% increase in risk of death than non-COPD patients (HR: 1.11, 95%CI: 1.09–1.13). Conclusion: NSCLC patients with preexisting COPD had shorter survival with marked differences in early stages of lung cancer. Chronic bronchitis demonstrated a greater association with time to death than emphysema.
Relationships among Owner / Manager Personal Values , Business Strategies , and Enterprise Performance by

The aim of the research was to test empirically the relationships among personal values of owner/managers, the strategies they adopt in operating their businesses, and the performance of their husinesses. '/TTC research fills gaps in empirical research on strategy and strategic management in small firms. l! nlike in exLiting research, a holistic approach to strategy is adopted. Data for the research were obtained from a mail survey of small furniture manufacturers. The sample was divided into clusters using Wards minimum variance method. Differences among the clusters with respect to personal values, strategies, and performance were examined by multivahate atialyses of variance using deviation contrasts. It was found tbat certain profiles of personal values correspond with certain strategic orientations. In conformity with previous research, an association between business strategy and enterprise {wrformance was cotifirmed. Recommendations are made in the areas of government policy delivery, and financial and management assistance to small firms. hi many countries, the small enterprise sector is a major source of employment, revenue generation, innovation, and technological advancement. In some industries, small enterprises are more effective at servicing customers than large firms. The importance of the small enterprise sector to economic development cannot be overemphasized. In Australia, as in many countries, the level of economic dependence on small and medium enterprises has increased in recent years as a result of increasing laytJr. Kdlty is u letturtT in ihe Faculiy of Business at Sunshine Coast Llniversiiy Coliejjc in Au.siralia. Her research inierest.s ineliide m;inagemeni prjctices (if owner/iiunant-rs, the p.sycholi >ny of the entrepreneur, wiimen in small bii.sjness. antl . >;iii:ill husine.s. s ptjlities ;inJ
Attention disruption in agent-based modeling of vocabulary formation

This work studies the role of attention disruption on an agent-based model of the formation of language. Simulations describe the evolution of an energy function for different values of a parameter that measures the amount of attention. The main finding is that the parameter modulates the appearance of drastic transitions in the consensus of the entire population of agents.
Reliable Activation of Immature Neurons in the Adult Hippocampus

Neurons born in the adult dentate gyrus develop, mature, and connect over a long interval that can last from six to eight weeks. It has been proposed that, during this period, developing neurons play a relevant role in hippocampal signal processing owing to their distinctive electrical properties. However, it has remained unknown whether immature neurons can be recruited into a network before synaptic and functional maturity have been achieved. To address this question, we used retroviral expression of green fluorescent protein to identify developing granule cells of the adult mouse hippocampus and investigate the balance of afferent excitation, intrinsic excitability, and firing behavior by patch clamp recordings in acute slices. We found that glutamatergic inputs onto young neurons are significantly weaker than those of mature cells, yet stimulation of cortical excitatory axons elicits a similar spiking probability in neurons at either developmental stage. Young neurons are highly efficient in transducing ionic currents into membrane depolarization due to their high input resistance, which decreases substantially in mature neurons as the inward rectifier potassium (Kir) conductance increases. Pharmacological blockade of Kir channels in mature neurons mimics the high excitability characteristic of young neurons. Conversely, Kir overexpression induces mature-like firing properties in young neurons. Therefore, the differences in excitatory drive of young and mature neurons are compensated by changes in membrane excitability that render an equalized firing activity. These observations demonstrate that the adult hippocampus continuously generates a population of highly excitable young neurons capable of information processing.
Road segment partitioning towards anomalous trajectory detection for surveillance applications

Recently, the low cost and high availability of location acquisition technologies has significantly increased the demands for online anomalous trajectory detection. It is being used in social as well as commercial areas to provide human life care applications like healthcare, theft protection and taxi fraud detection. However, anomalous trajectory detection is still a challenging problem. The main complications involved in it, are inaccuracy in obtaining trajectory traces and evaluation of partial anomalous trajectories. In this study we contribute towards resolving these complications by proposing a novel method of Road segment Partitioning towards Anomalous Trajectory Detection (RPat). Our proposed method partitions the trajectory on the basis of road segments. Then, these sub-trajectories are evaluated, independently based on contemporary behavior of moving objects to accurately analyze the trajectories that possess abnormal behavior at any intermediate parts. The evaluation score of each sub-trajectory is aggregated to reflect the attitude of an overall itinerary as anomalous or regular. Further, the accuracy in the reconstruction of trajectories is achieved by plotting the itinerary traces on real world road maps. Experimental studies are conducted on real datasets and an accuracy of more than 81% is achieved.
Methods for Evaluating a Natural Language Call Routing Application –

In this master’s thesis, methods for evaluating a natural language call routing application are presented and reviewed with respect to usability and relevance. It is common to evaluate the classifiers employed in such applications with respect to accuracy, but the accuracy metric is regarded as insufficient for this kind of application as it only makes the binary distinction between correct/incorrect and thus fails to distinguish potentially incorrect classifications from partially correct classifications, which are valuable as they provide more information than a misclassification. The methods presented herein describe a suite of metrics that are used for this very purpose, such as measuring modified accuracy, evaluating the classifier assuming perfect speech recognition, and weighing the number of speaker turns against an optimal value per category. By applying these and other metrics on a live call routing application from TeliaSonera, we expect to find one or several evaluation methods that are suitable for recurring evaluations of this type of industrial application. Further, we expect to get a thorough assessment of the aforementioned application.
Promoting Diversity: A Focus on the Family, Community, and Early Child Education Learning Objectives

This chapter outlines the roles of family, community, and early child education learning objectives as they relate to promoting diversity within early child education environments. Specifically, concepts such as parenting approaches, the ecological systems theory, early child education program models, and diversity are all discussed in this chapter. Early child education learning objectives such as those outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) are also applied as they relate to promoting children’s developmental domains (social, emotional, cognitive, social) while further encouraging the integration of diversity and appreciation of everyone’s cultures and backgrounds within early child education environments.
Captcha Recognition and Robustness Measurement using Hybrid Approaches

— Completely Automatic Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) is a HIP (Human interactive Proof) system. CAPTCHAs are used to improve the security of Internet based applications in order to ensure that a web based application which is intended to be used by a human being is not maliciously used by Artificially Intelligent programs called bots. As the current CAPTCHA methods are striving to turn out to be difficult for bots, they are gradually becoming difficult and annoying for human users as well. This paper carries out a systematic study of various Text-based Captchas and proposes the application of Forepart based prediction and Row-wise mapping to break these captchas to evaluate their robustness. Captcha segmentation and recognition is based on Forepart prediction, necessity sufficiency matching and masking.
Exploring Rural University Access Programme Students’ Experience of Mathematics Anxiety in Academic Settings

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to explore rural university access programme students’ experience of mathematics anxiety in academic settings. Mathematics anxiety has been found to have an adverse effect on students’ confidence, motivation and achievement. The quantitative study was exploratory and descriptive in nature. The participants were 655 university access programme students doing a mathematics foundation course at the Qwaqwa campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa. The participants completed a 20-item questionnaire and 650 (99.2%) questionnaires were found to contain valid responses and were analysed by a professional statistician at UFS. The questionnaire was tested for reliability using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and was found to have a reliability score of . 804, thus indicating an acceptable reliability coefficient. The findings revealed that all students sometimes, often and always experience mathematics anxiety in academic settings. Therefore, it is important for teachers and authorities in education to observe its prevalence and to implement strategies towards the alleviation of the effects of mathematics anxiety.
Nitrogen and Food Production: Proteins for Human Diets

Abstract Nitrogen was the most commonly yield-limiting nutrient in all pre-industrial agricultures. Only the Haber-Bosch synthesis of ammonia broke this barrier. The rising dependence on nitrogenous fertilizers, which represents the largest human interference in the biospheric N cycle, has two different roles. In affluent nations it helps to produce excess of food in general, and of animal foods in particular, and it boosts agricultural exports. But for at least a third of humanity in the world's most populous countries the use of N fertilizers makes the difference between malnutrition and adequate diet. Our understanding of human N (protein) needs has undergone many revisions and although some uncertainties still remain it is clear that average protein intakes are excessive in rich countries and inadequate for hundreds of millions of people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. More dietary protein will be needed to eliminate these disparities but the future global use of N fertilizers can be moderated not just by better agronomic practices but also by higher feeding efficiencies and by gradual changes of prevailing diets. As a result, it could be possible to supply adequate nutrition to the world's growing population without any massive increases of N inputs.