Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Implications of observing and writing field notes through different lenses

Background From a philosophy of science perspective, the literature has posited that different research approaches influence field studies. Studies addressing interdisciplinary research have focused on the challenges of organizing and running interdisciplinary teams, cultural differences between and within disciplines, and constraints in conducting interdisciplinary research. Studies exploring and discussing the process and outcome of transferring observations to notes from an interdisciplinary point of view are not identified. The aim of this paper is to explore the characteristics of field notes created by researchers representing different disciplines and experiences. Methods A case study using a modified dynamic observation method was employed. The analyses were initiated by a researcher who had not been involved in the data collection. The field notes were analyzed using three main steps. Results The structures of both researchers’ field notes were characterized by similarities in their descriptions, but the notes’ foci and analytical levels differed. Conclusion The findings contribute new insights concerning the execution of interdisciplinary observational studies. Our findings demonstrate that entering the field with different lenses produced richer and more varied data, providing a broader platform from which to discuss and interpret a study’s findings. From a theoretical point of view, the findings enable a more nuanced discussion and a conceptual elaboration regarding how observational approaches should be pursued in future studies. On a practical level, the findings show that even if the researchers agree on what the overall focus in the observations should be, differences can occur in both their focus and analytical level throughout the study.
Selection of antitumor displayed peptides for the specific delivery of the anticancer drug lactaptin

It has been previously demonstrated that lactaptin, the proteolytic fragment of human milk protein κ-casein, induces the death of various cultured cancer cells. The recombinant analog of lactaptin, RL2, effectively induces the apoptosis of mouse hepatocarcinoma-1 (HA-1) tumor cells in vitro and suppress the growth of HA-1 tumors and metastases in vivo. The antitumor drug Lactaptin developed on the basis of RL2 has been successful in preclinical trials. Lactaptin shows its efficiency in relation to mouse and human cancer cells and tumors. However, Lactaptin, as with the majority of protein-based therapeutic drugs, is distributed evenly throughout the organism, which reduces its antitumor efficacy. To develop the targeted delivery of lactaptin, the present study selected tumor-specific peptides by screening a phage display peptide library in vivo on A/Sn strain mice with subcutaneously transplanted HA-1 cells. Two genetic constructs were made for the production of recombinant fusion proteins composed of RL2 and the selected tumor-targeting peptide. In vitro experiments involving HA-1, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells cultures demonstrated that the fusion proteins induce apoptotic death in mouse and human tumor cells, as with RL2. The in vivo experiments involving the mouse HA-1 tumor model demonstrated that the tumor fluorescence intensity of the Cy5-fusion protein conjugates is higher than that of RL2-Cy5. As conjugation of the tumor-specific peptides to RL2 provided retention of RL2 in the tumor tissues, fusion proteins composed of lactaptin and peptides specific for human tumors are deemed promising to improve the antitumor efficiency of lactaptin.
Background Selection in Single Genes May Explain Patterns of Codon Bias

Background selection involves the reduction in effective population size caused by the removal of recurrent deleterious mutations from a population. Previous work has examined this process for large genomic regions. Here we focus on the level of a single gene or small group of genes and investigate how the effects of background selection caused by nonsynonymous mutations are influenced by the lengths of coding sequences, the number and length of introns, intergenic distances, neighboring genes, mutation rate, and recombination rate. We generate our predictions from estimates of the distribution of the fitness effects of nonsynonymous mutations, obtained from DNA sequence diversity data in Drosophila. Results for genes in regions with typical frequencies of crossing over in Drosophila melanogaster suggest that background selection may influence the effective population sizes of different regions of the same gene, consistent with observed differences in codon usage bias along genes. It may also help to cause the observed effects of gene length and introns on codon usage. Gene conversion plays a crucial role in determining the sizes of these effects. The model overpredicts the effects of background selection with large groups of nonrecombining genes, because it ignores Hill–Robertson interference among the mutations involved.
Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Modeling Applied to Poliey Gradient Reinforeement Learning

-Function approximation has been used extensively with rein forcement learning, even though theoretical support was based mainly on tabular representations. This paper proposes an actor-critic structure following the existing convergence proofs as much as possible. The actor and critic modules employ an adaptive neuro-fuzzy architecture based on fuzzy ARTMAP concepts and gradient descent. Results on the well-known mountain car task indicate the viability of this approach, which is probably the first one using a selfgrowing structure in this kind of tasks.
Are we building preservice Teacher self-efficacy? A large-scale study examining Teacher education experiences

ABSTRACT Teacher education programs are under great pressure to produce highly capable teachers. Teacher self-efficacy has been shown to correlate with teacher motivation and perseverance, yet little is known about how specific teacher education experiences predict teacher self-efficacy. Four sources contributing to teacher self-efficacy beliefs during teacher education programs include mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion from teacher educators, and verbal persuasion from cooperating teachers. In this study, perceptions of these sources were examined to determine how well they correlate with and predict preservice teacher self-efficacy. Results showed all four variables were strong predictors of preservice teacher self-efficacy, but that these variables accounted for only 18% of the variance, suggesting additional sources need to be examined. Perceptions of training experiences were examined across nine programs (N = 783). Implications for teacher educators and mentor teachers are provided so as to find ways to strengthen preservice teacher self-efficacy.
Akt Activation, but not Extracellular Signal–Regulated Kinase Activation, Is Required for SDF-1α/CXCR4–Mediated Migration of Epitheloid Carcinoma Cells

Emerging evidence shows that the stromal cell–derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXCR4 interaction regulates multiple cell signaling pathways and a variety of cellular functions such as cell migration, proliferation, and survival. There is little information linking the cellular functions and individual signaling pathways mediated by SDF-1 and CXCR4 in human cancer cells. In this study, we have shown that human epitheloid carcinoma HeLa cells express functional CXCR4 by reverse transcription-PCR, immunofluorescent staining, and 125I-SDF-1α ligand binding analyses. The treatment of HeLa cells with recombinant SDF-1α results in time-dependent Akt and extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) activations. The SDF-1α–induced Akt and ERK1/2 activations are CXCR4 dependent as confirmed by their total inhibition by T134, a CXCR4-specific peptide antagonist. Cell signaling analysis with pathway-specific inhibitors reveals that SDF-1α–induced Akt activation is not required for ERK1/2 activation and vice versa, indicating that activations of Akt and ERK1/2 occur independently. Functional analysis shows that SDF-1α induces a CXCR4-dependent migration of HeLa cells. The migration can be totally blocked by phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin or LY294002, whereas mitogen-activated protein/ERK kinase inhibitors, PD98059 and U0126, have no significant effect on SDF-1α–induced migration, suggesting that Akt activation, but not ERK1/2 activation, is required for SDF-1α–induced migration of epitheloid carcinoma cells.
Learning the ropes – the transition from a teacher to an administrator

ABSTRACT New vice-principals (VPs) inevitably experience high levels of uncertainty when assuming the position, and undergo a process of socialisation, involving engaging with both professional and relational sources of support in schools, to adjust to their changing role. Drawing on socialisation theories, this exploratory study proposes that novice VPs would rely on the school’s structural feedback mechanism, peer affirmation and principal’s sponsorship in their adaptation process; the first of these is professionally oriented whereas the remaining two are relationally oriented. The study further argues that VPs would experience varying degrees of dependence on these factors corresponding to the stage of their development in the socialisation process. Findings of the study, informed by a Hong Kong data set covering VPs in their first, second, and third years of tenure respectively, support these propositions. Peer affirmation appears to be a continuous source of support to VPs in all tenure groups and it stands at odds with principal’s sponsorship. The effects of the structural feedback mechanism and principal’s sponsorship on VP’s transition are only evident in the 2-year group, with the former being positive and the latter negative. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Hand gesture recognition framework for recognizing sign gestures and handling movement epenthesis using Level Building nested dynamic programming approach

-In this research paper, two crucial problems in continuous sign language recognition from unaided video sequences are considered. At the feature level, the problem of hand segmentation and grouping is considered and at the sentence level, the movement epenthesis problem is considered. A framework that can handle both of these problems based on an enhanced, nested version of the dynamic programming approach is constructed. To handle movement epenthesis problem, a nested version of a dynamic programming framework, called Level Building is used to simultaneously segment and to match signs from continuous sign language sentences. This approach is then coupled with a trigram grammar model to optimally segment and label sign language sentences. This approach will show improvement over past approaches in terms of the frame labeling rate and also our approach shows the flexibility when handling a changing context. The proposed approach is novel since it does not need explicit any models for movement epenthesis.
Biological activity of the essential oils from Cinnamodendron dinisii and Siparuna guianensis

This study had analyzed the antibacterial, antifungal and trypanocidal activity of the essential oils from Cinnamodendron dinisii Schwacke (Canellaceae) and Siparuna guianensis Aublet (Siparunaceae). The essential oils were obtained from fresh leaves by hydrodistillation, using a modified Clevenger apparatus. Chemical analysis by gas-liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed that these essential oils are rich in monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Activity against the pathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli , Listeria monocytogenes , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Salmonella choleraesuis and Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated with the agar cavity diffusion method, while activity on the filamentous fungi Aspergillus flavus , Aspergillus niger , Aspergillus carbonarius and Penicillium commune was evaluated by the disk diffusion technique. Trypanocidal activity was tested against Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, using the Tetrazolium salt (MTT) colorimetric assay. Both essential oils exhibited low inhibitory effect towards bacteria, showing high MIC values (125–500 μg mL −1 ), with Gram positive bacteria being more susceptible. Better inhibitory effect was obtained for the evaluated fungi, with lower MIC values (7.81–250 μg mL −1 ), being A. flavus the most susceptible species. Both essential oils presented low trypanocidal activity, with IC 50 /24 h values of 209.30 μg mL −1 for S. guianensis and 282.93 μg mL −1 for C. dinisii . Thus, the high values observed for the MIC of evaluated bacteria and for IC 50 /24 h of T. cruzi , suggest that the essential oils have a low inhibitory activity against these microorganisms. In addition, the low MIC values observed for the tested fungi species indicate good inhibitory activity on these microorganisms’s growth.
Culturally responsive pedagogy: A New Zealand case study

Abstract This paper examines the justification for a culturally responsive educational initiative to raise the educational underachievement of Māori students in New Zealand. The initiative is justified by claims that the recognition in the classroom of a student’s cultural identity will lead to the student’s educational achievement. Using an account of a small study of teachers and their beliefs regarding New Zealand’s culturally responsive educational policy Kia Eke Panuku, we argue that such a claim is not established and it is the development of an epistemic identity which is more likely to be the means for Māori to attain educational success.
Assessment of Mitral Regurgitation Severity by Doppler Color Flow Mapping of the Vena Contracta in Dogs

Background Quantitative and semiquantitative methods have been proposed for the assessment of MR severity, and though all are associated with limitations. Measurement of vena contracta width (VCW) has been used in clinical practice. Objective To measure the VCW in dogs with different levels of MR severity. Animals Two hundred and seventy‐nine dogs were classified according to 5 levels of MR severity. Methods This was a retrospective study. EROA and regurgitant volume calculated by the PISA method, were measured and indexed to BSA. Descriptive statistics were calculated for VCW and VCW index for all categories of MR severity. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (ρs) were calculated to compare the results of the different methods (VCW and VCW index vs RV PISA, RV PISA index, EROA, EROA index), and between VCW and VCW index versus MR severity. Results All Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were significant (P < .001). The median values of VCW resulted of 2.9 mm (IQR 3.4–2.5) and of 4.6 mm (IQR 5.4–4.1) in the groups previously classified as mild‐to‐moderate and moderate‐to‐severe, respectively. The median values of VCW index resulted of 4.4 mm/m2 (IQR = 5.5–4.2) in mild‐to‐moderate MR and of 10.8 mm/m2 (IQR = 12.8–9.4) in moderate‐to‐severe MR. Conclusion and Clinical Importance This is not a validation study against any previously validated invasive gold standard, the VCW method has proved easy to employ and it might be an additional tool in quantifying disease severity that supports, rather than replace, data coming from other techniques in daily clinical practice and research.
Le rôle de la galanine dans le remodelage cardiaque

La Galanine est un peptide ubiquitaire de 29 acides amines chez les mammiferes (30 chez l'homme) qui controle de nombreuses fonctions biologiques: (I) secretions endocrines (insuline, somatostatine, glucagon); (II) comportement (prise alimentaire, nociception, apprentissage, memoire); (III) tonicite musculaire dans le tractus digestif. Ce peptide a particulierement ete etudie dans le systeme nerveux central ou il joue un role dans l'evolution de certaines maladies neurodegeneratives telles que les maladies de Parkinson et d'Alzheimer. La galanine agit en se fixant sur 3 recepteurs connus, GalR1-2-3 qui appartient a la grande famille des recepteurs couples aux proteines G (GPCR). Bien que la Galanine et ses trois recepteurs soient fortement exprimes au niveau peripherique, leur role dans les effets peripheriques et leur implication en pathologie ont ete tres peu etudie. L'objectif de mon travail de these a ete d'identifier le role de la galanine dans le remodelage myocardique, qui constitue un determinant majeur dans la progression de l'insuffisance cardiaque. Dans un premier temps, nous avons demontre que la galanine possede des proprietes anti-apoptotiques et anti-oxydantes in vitro dans les cardiomyocytes. En effet, le traitement de cellules par la galanine entraine une diminution de l'apoptose et de la production de radicaux libres oxygenes en reponse a l'hypoxie. En accord avec ces effets benefiques au niveau cellulaire, les etudes in vivo realisees dans un modele d'ischemie-reperfusion cardiaque, ont montre que le traitement a la galanine dans la phase precoce de reperfusion reduit l'apoptose et la necrose myocardique. De plus, nous avons confirme in vivo l'importance de la galanine dans la defense contre le stress oxydant associe aux lesions mitochondriales post-ischemiques. Dans un deuxieme temps, nous avons mis en evidence le role important de la galanine dans le controle de l'activite des fibroblastes cardiaques in vitro. Nous avons montre que la galanine inhibe des etapes cles d'activation de la cascade pro-fibrotique dans les fibroblastes cardiaques. Les proprietes anti-fibrotiques de la galanine ont egalement ete confirmees in vivo dans un modele de surcharge en pression par constriction aortique chez la souris. Dans ce modele, nos resultats montrent que le traitement chronique a la galanine s'accompagne d'une amelioration de la fonction cardiaque. Ces donnees nous ont permis de demontrer que la galanine joue un role cle dans le remodelage cardiaque et de proposer la galanine comme un candidat potentiel dans le traitement de l'insuffisance cardiaque.
Genetic Association of HLA-A*26, -A*31, and -B*51 with Behcet’s Disease in Saudi Patients

Background HLA-B*51 has been universally associated with Behcet's disease (BD) susceptibility, while different alleles of HLA-A have also been identified as independent BD susceptibility loci in various ethnic populations. The objective of this study was to investigate associations of HLA-A and -B alleles with BD in Saudi patients. Materials and Methods Genotyping for HLA-A and HLA-B was performed using HLA genotyping kit (Lab type(R) SSO) in 120 Saudi subjects, including 60 BD patients and 60 matched healthy controls. Results Our results revealed that frequencies of HLA-A*26, -A*31, and -B*51 were significantly higher in BD patients than in controls, suggesting that HLA-A*26, -A*31, and -B*51 are associated with BD. The frequency of HLA-B*15 was significantly lower in BD patients than in controls. Stratification of genotyping results into active and nonactive forms of BD revealed that the frequency of HLA-A*31 was significantly higher in the nonactive form than in the active form of BD, while there was no significant difference in the distribution of other alleles between the two forms of BD. Conclusion This study suggests that HLA-A*26, -A*31, and -B*51 are associated with susceptibility risk to BD, while HLA-B*15 may be protective in Saudi patients. However, larger scale studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Emerging applications for ferumoxytol as a contrast agent in MRI

Ferumoxytol is an ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) agent initially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an iron replacement therapy for patients with anemia due to chronic renal failure. Recently, ferumoxytol has been investigated extensively as an intravenous contrast agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Since it causes regional T1 and T2* shortening in vivo, conventional pulse sequences can be used following ferumoxytol administration to demonstrate signal enhancement or loss. Ferumoxytol can be administered as a rapid bolus and has a long intravascular half‐life on the order of 14–15 hours, making it a potentially useful agent for vascular and perfusion‐weighted MRI. In comparison to other USPIOs, ferumoxytol is less limited by allergic and idiosyncratic reactions. Furthermore, since ferumoxytol is an iron‐based agent with no potential for causing nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, it may be useful as an alternative to gadolinium‐based contrast agents in patients with compromised renal function. Ferumoxytol is ultimately taken up by macrophages/the reticuloendothelial system in the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes, and this uptake mechanism is being explored as a novel imaging technique for vascular lesions, tumors, and lymph nodes. This article reviews the properties of ferumoxytol relevant to MRI as well as many of the uses for the agent currently under investigation. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:884–898. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Personal models for eHealth - improving user-dependent human activity recognition models using noise injection

In this paper, a noise injection method to improve personal recognition models is presented. The idea of the method is to build more general recognition models for eHealth using a small original data set and by expanding the area covered by training data using noise injection. This way, it is possible to train models that are less vulnerable to changing conditions, and thus more accurate, but still the data gathering phase can be non-burdensome. The proposed method was tested using two classifiers (linear discriminant analysis and quadratic discriminant analysis) and three human activity recognition data sets collected using inertial sensors of a smartphone. Two of these data sets are open data sets. The results show that noise injection improves the true positive recognition rates. With first data set the improvement varies from 1.3 to 2.0 percentage units, with second from 1.4 to 4.5 percentage units, and with third the highest improvement was 2.5 percentage units. Moreover, the results show that the method improves precision and reduces false positive rates. In addition, experiments were made using different training set sizes to show that the improvement in true positive rate is bigger if the original training data set is small. In this study, the method is experimented using human activity data sets but it is not limited to this application area and can be used with any time series data.