Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulating the IHOP_2002 fair-weather CBL with the WRF-ARW-Noah modeling system. Part II: Structures from a few kilometers to 100 km across

Abstract Fair-weather data along the May–June 2002 International H2O Project (IHOP_2002) eastern track and the nearby Argonne Boundary Layer Experiments (ABLE) facility in southeast Kansas are compared to numerical simulations to gain insight into how the surface influences convective boundary layer (CBL) structure, and to evaluate the success of the modeling system in replicating the observed behavior. Simulations are conducted for 4 days, using the Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled to the Noah land surface model (LSM), initialized using the High-Resolution Land Data Assimilation System (HRLDAS). Because the observations focus on phenomena less than 60 km in scale, the model is run with 1-km grid spacing, offering a critical look at high-resolution model behavior in an environment uncomplicated by precipitation. The model replicates the type of CBL structure on scales from a few kilometers to ∼100 km, but some features at the kilometer scales depend on .
Detachment From Parents, Problem Behaviors, and the Moderating Role of Parental Support Among Italian Adolescents

This study examined the relationship of emotional detachment from parents, parental support, and problem behaviors and focused on the unique and common contribution that detachment and parental support made to internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. A total of 461 young adolescents, 13 to 14 years old (M = 13.4; SD = 0.44), 234 boys and 227 girls, completed self-reporting measures of detachment, parental support, and internalizing and externalizing problems. Data showed that detachment was related positively to internalizing problem behaviors. Results revealed that parental support played a moderating role in the relationship between detachment and internalizing problems, such that, at higher levels of detachment, internalizing problems tended to be lower when parental support was high.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1 and MMP10 but not MMP12 are potential oral cancer markers

The aim of this study was to investigate the mRNA performance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1, MMP10 and MMP12 as oral cancer markers. With gingiva as the control, the areas under the receiver- operating characteristic curves (AUCs) of the relative gene expressions for MMP1, MMP10 and MMP12 were 0.715, 0.727 and 0.513, respectively. With the margins or neck platysma muscles as controls, the AUCs of MMP1, MMP10 and MMP12 were 0.746 vs 0.626, 0.712 vs 0.683 and 0.697 vs 0.630, respectively. MMP10 displayed the best sensitivity for oral cancer detection with any controls. MMP1 and MMP10 were suitable markers for cancer detection with gingiva and margin as controls. Using neck tissue as the control, only MMP10 was suitable for cancer detection. With margin and neck controls, there were no significant differences for MMP1, MMP10 and MMP12 in different stages, invasion and locations or different habits. Therefore, MMP1 and MMP10 but not MMP12 are potential oral cancer markers.
Tunable photon blockade in a hybrid system consisting of an optomechanical device coupled to a two-level system

We study photon blockade and antibunching in the cavity of an optomechanical system in which the mechanical resonator is coupled to a two-level system (TLS). In particular, we analyze the effects of the coupling strength (to the mechanical mode), transition frequency, and decay rate of TLS on the photon blockade. The statistical properties of the cavity field are affected by the TLS, because the TLS changes the energy-level structure of the optomechanical system via dressed states formed by the TLS and the mechanical resonator. We find that the photon blockade and tunneling can be significantly changed by the transition frequency of the TLS and the coupling strength between the TLS and the mechanical resonator. Therefore, our study provides a method to tune the photon blockade and tunneling using a controllable TLS.
University, Community College, and High School Students' Evaluations of Textbook Pedagogical Aids

We compared university, community college, and high school students' evaluations of common learning aids. Over 500 participants rated 15 pedagogical aids on 3 dimensions: familiarity, probability of use, and educational value. Overall, there was striking agreement about which learning aids are most useful. The pedagogical aids that earned the highest marks were boldface technical terms, running or chapter glossaries, chapter summaries, and self-tests.
Cross‐subject comparison of principal diffusion direction maps

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data differ fundamentally from most brain imaging data in that values at each voxel are not scalars but 3 × 3 positive definite matrices also called diffusion tensors. Frequently, investigators simplify the data analysis by reducing the tensor to a scalar, such as fractional anisotropy (FA). New statistical methods are needed for analyzing vector and tensor valued imaging data. A statistical model is proposed for the principal eigenvector of the diffusion tensor based on the bipolar Watson distribution. Methods are presented for computing mean direction and dispersion of a sample of directions and for testing whether two samples of directions (e.g., same voxel across two groups of subjects) have the same mean. False discovery rate theory is used to identify voxels for which the two‐sample test is significant. These methods are illustrated in a DTI data set collected to study reading ability. It is shown that comparison of directions reveals differences in gross anatomic structure that are invisible to FA. Magn Reson Med 53:1423–1431, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Secular trends in caesarean section rates over 20 years in a regional obstetric unit in Hong Kong.

INTRODUCTION Although caesarean section rates have been increasing over the years in both public and private sectors in Hong Kong, there has been a paucity of formal surveys on local trends in such rates. This study aimed to examine the trends in caesarean section rates over a 20-year period at a public regional obstetric unit in Hong Kong using the Robson's Ten-group Classification System. METHODS All deliveries in a single obstetric unit during a 20-year period (1995-2014) were classified into 10 subgroups according to the Robson's classification. The annual caesarean section rate for each subgroup was calculated and then stratified into 5-year intervals to analyse any significant trends. RESULTS The caesarean section rates in a total of 86 262 births with complete data were analysed. The overall caesarean section rate increased modestly from 15.4% to 24.6% during the study period. There was an obvious increasing trend for caesarean section in those with previous caesarean section (Robson's category 5), breech presentation at delivery (category 6 and 7), multiple pregnancy (category 8), and preterm labour (category 10). A gradual fall in caesarean section rate from 14.4% to 10.8% was seen in primiparous women with term spontaneous labour (category 1). Statistically significant differences (P<0.001) in these trends were confirmed when the data were stratified into 5-year intervals for comparison. CONCLUSION The rising caesarean section rate may be associated with clinical management policies that allow women with relative risk factors (such as breech, previous caesarean section, or multiple pregnancy) to opt for caesarean section. This rise was counterbalanced by a decrease in primary caesarean section rate in primiparous women with spontaneous labour. The trend for caesarean section was more in line with patient expectations rather than evidence-based practice.
Lipoatrophy and severe metabolic disturbance in mice with fat-specific deletion of PPARγ

Significance Obesity, due to increased adipose (fat) tissue, predisposes to metabolic diseases, including diabetes. Thus, it is important to understand adipose development and function. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is widely believed to be the master regulator of adipocyte biology. Surprisingly, however, previous studies attempting to delete the PPARγ gene specifically in mouse adipose tissue did not demonstrate a dramatic phenotype. By using newer methods, the present study reports that fat-specific loss of PPARγ causes dramatic loss of adipose tissue, severe insulin resistance and diabetes, fatty liver, and abnormalities of bone, skin, and mammary glands, all of which contain adipose tissue. We show that adipocyte PPARγ is required for normal fat development and metabolic function in vivo. Adipose tissue is an important metabolic organ, the dysfunction of which is associated with the development of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is considered the master regulator of adipocyte differentiation and function. Although its cell-autonomous role in adipogenesis has been clearly demonstrated in cell culture, previous fat-specific knockouts of the murine PPARγ gene did not demonstrate a dramatic phenotype in vivo. Here, using Adipoq–Cre mice to drive adipose-specific recombination, we report a unique fat-specific PPARγ knockout (PPARγ FKO) mouse model with almost no visible brown and white adipose tissue at age 3 mo. As a consequence, PPARγ FKO mice had hugely enlarged pancreatic islets, massive fatty livers, and dramatically elevated levels of blood glucose and serum insulin accompanied by extreme insulin resistance. PPARγ FKO mice also exhibited delayed hair coat formation associated with absence of dermal fat, disrupted mammary gland development with loss of mammary fat pads, and high bone mass with loss of bone marrow fat, indicating the critical roles of adipose PPARγ in these tissues. Together, our data reveal the necessity of fat PPARγ in adipose formation, whole-body metabolic homeostasis, and normal development of fat-containing tissues.
Learning Adaptable Patterns for Passage Reranking

This paper proposes passage reranking models that (i) do not require manual feature engineering and (ii) greatly preserve accuracy, when changing application domain. Their main characteristic is the use of relational semantic structures representing questions and their answer passages. The relations are established using information from automatic classifiers, i.e., question category (QC) and focus classifiers (FC) and Named Entity Recognizers (NER). This way (i) effective structural relational patterns can be automatically learned with kernel machines; and (ii) structures are more invariant w.r. t. different domains, thus fostering adaptability.
Downsizing, rightsizing or dumbsizing? Quality, human resources and the management of sustainability

Abstract In recent years, sustainability has become a ‘hot topic’ and something all organizations want to be seen as being identified with. The twin disciplines of quality and HRM have joined this bandwagon. In HR terms, this has meant a shift in emphasis away from human management to resource management with the argument that organizations need to allow the needs and aspirations of individuals to be placed at the heart of the workplace (Gollan, 2004). However, this does not fit with our knowledge of the reality of the contemporary workplace where downsizing remains the order of the day and there are now concerns as to the effectiveness of the post-downsizing ‘anorexic organization’. This paper looks at the debates and raises a number of issues for academics and managers in organizations.
Thinking Differently about Cultural Diversity: Using Postcolonial Theory to (Re)Read Science Education.

This paper makes use of postcolonial theory to think differently about aspects of cultural diversity within science education. It briefly reviews some of the increasing scholarship on cultural diversity, and then describes the genealogy and selected key themes of postcolonial theory. Postcolonial theory as oppositional or deconstructive reading practice is privileged, and its practical application illustrated by using some of these key ideas to (re)read Gloria Snively and John Corsiglia's (2001) article “Discovering indigenous science: implications for science education” and their rejoinder, from the special issue of Science Education (Vol. 85, pp. 6–34) on multiculturalism and science education. While many would regard the expressed views on diversity, inclusivity, multiculturalism, and sustainability to be just and equitable, postcolonial analysis of the texts reveals subtle and lingering referents that unwittingly work against the very attitudes Snively and Corsiglia (2001) seek to promote. Such postcolonial analyses open up thinking about the material and cultural conditions in which science education is produced, circulated, interpreted, and enacted. They also privilege a unique methodology already prominent in academic inquiry that is yet to be well explored within science education. Finally, I conclude this paper with some general comments regarding postcolonialism and the science education scholarship on cultural diversity. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed88:819–836, 2004
Correlates of Relationship Satisfaction in Lesbian Couples

This study broadens the construct of intimate relationships to include the experience of lesbian couples. Various psychological variables were assessed in both partners of 275 lesbian couples who considered themselves to be dual career. Because of the paucity of information on lesbian relationships in the literature, considerable attention is first given to describing this sizable sample. Individual and couple scores on each variable were correlated with relationship satisfaction scores. Among individuals, role conflict and personal autonomy were found to correlate negatively with relationship satisfaction, whereas dyadic attachment, power, intimacy, self-esteem, and life satisfaction were all positively correlated with relationship satisfaction. Although career commitment was not correlated with relationship satisfaction among individuals, differences between partners' levels of career commitment correlated negatively with each partner's relationship satisfaction. The findings counter extant stereotypes regarding lesbian relationships and provide a more accurate basis for developing an heuristic model of intimate relationships among women.
Identification of Acoustically Modified Mandarin Tones by Non-native Listeners

This study investigated identification of fragmented Mandarin tones by non-native listeners. Monosyllabic Mandarin words were digitally processed to generate intact, silent-center, center-only, and onset-only syllables. The syllables were recorded with two carrier phrases such that the offset of the carrier tone and the onset of the target tone were either continuous or discontinuous in fundamental frequency (F0). The syllables were presented with an original carrier phrase, excised from the carrier phrase, or excised and cross-spliced with another carrier phrase. Response accuracy and reaction time were measured, and tone confusion patterns were analyzed. Overall, tone identification varied as a function of modification and tone. Intact and center-only syllables were identified more accurately than silent-center and onset-only syllables. Tone 2 was consistently the most challenging tone to identify. Although the performance level of the third-year students approached that of native listeners reported in Lee, Tao, and Bond (2008), the non-native listeners did not show evidence of using coarticulatory information. Nonetheless, the continuity or discontinuity in F0 between the carrier and target tones did affect tone identification, suggesting the influence of context in non-native tone identification.
Rare Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor α4 Subunit (CHRNA4) Variants Affect Expression and Function of High-Affinity Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Nicotine, the primary psychoactive component in tobacco smoke, produces its behavioral effects through interactions with neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). α4β2 nAChRs are the most abundant in mammalian brain, and converging evidence shows that this subtype mediates the rewarding and reinforcing effects of nicotine. A number of rare variants in the CHRNA4 gene that encode the α4 nAChR subunit have been identified in human subjects and appear to be underrepresented in a cohort of smokers. We compared three of these variants (α4R336C, α4P451L, and α4R487Q) to the common variant to determine their effects on α4β2 nAChR pharmacology. We examined [3H]epibatidine binding, interacting proteins, and phosphorylation of the α4 nAChR subunit with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in HEK 293 cells and voltage-clamp electrophysiology in Xenopus laevis oocytes. We observed significant effects of the α4 variants on nAChR expression, subcellular distribution, and sensitivity to nicotine-induced receptor upregulation. Proteomic analysis of immunopurified α4β2 nAChRs incorporating the rare variants identified considerable differences in the intracellular interactomes due to these single amino acid substitutions. Electrophysiological characterization in X. laevis oocytes revealed alterations in the functional parameters of activation by nAChR agonists conferred by these α4 rare variants, as well as shifts in receptor function after incubation with nicotine. Taken together, these experiments suggest that genetic variation at CHRNA4 alters the assembly and expression of human α4β2 nAChRs, resulting in receptors that are more sensitive to nicotine exposure than those assembled with the common α4 variant. The changes in nAChR pharmacology could contribute to differences in responses to smoked nicotine in individuals harboring these rare variants.
Late Pleistocene – Holocene environmental changes – records from submerged speleothems along the Eastern Adriatic coast (Croatia)

U-Th and 14 C dating, and X-ray diffraction of the parts of 16 submerged speleothems taken from the depths of 1.5−41.5 m from 7 submarine caves and pits along the Eastern Adriatic coast, provided insight to the sea-level fluctuations during the last 220 ka and to the palaeogeographic changes caused by sea-level changes. Due to the climate changes, palaeoenvironmental settings also varied, but not so abrupt and intensive as in the rest of Europe . Namely, owing to the Alps and Dinarides acting as orographic barriers, Eastern Adriatic coast was the border region between periglacial Europe and temperate Mediterranean region. It was, also, refuge area for plant species from the north. This study showed that appropriate temperature, humidity and vegetation cover ensured favourable conditions for karstification and speleothems formation processes even during Last Glacial Maximum.
Personality Change from Experiential Techniques: Relaxation versus Catharsis

Relates measures of two treatment-experiences to the measures of personality-change as treatment-outcome. Sixteen of the fifty-eight volunteers for catharsis were randomly allocated to relaxation for comparison. Multivariate analysis of the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI) reveals that relaxation vs. catharsis are significantly different treatment-experiences. Univariate analysis, however, reveals significant differences on three PCI dimensions only, i.e., Negative Affect, Arousal, and Memory, with no significant differences for the self-altering features. Treatment-outcome analysis, pre-to-post, reveals significant increases in Positive Emotionality, Wellbeing, and Control, with significant decreases in Negative Emotionality, Stress Reaction, and Alienation, with no significant changes over the six-month follow-up no-treatment period. With PCI measures as the predictors for outcome, there are no unique factors between groups or common factors across groups to predict the variance on outcome measures. Suggests future research to implicate separate functions in personality as predictors for the treatment-experience and the treatment-outcome independently.
Mediated memories: personal cultural memory as object of cultural analysis

Like many people born in the 1950s and 1960s, I own a shoebox containing a variety of personal items signalling my personal past: photos, letters, diaries, and so on. In the course of several decades, its treasured contents have expanded considerably. Adding my collection of recorded content (audiocassettes with taped music and videocassettes with recorded films and television programmes) I could easily fill a large suitcase with what I prefer to call my ‘mediated memories’. Many people wield media technologies—everything from writing tools to digital cameras—to inscribe, record, store and recall personal experiences. We commonly cherish our mediated memories as a formative part of our autobiographical and cultural identities; the accumulated items typically reflect the shaping of an individual in an historical time frame. Besides being of personal value, collections of mediated memories, however, are also interesting as objects of cultural analysis. In fact, both memory and media constitute intermediaries between individual and society, and between past and present. Historians and social scientists have theorized individual memory primarily as a particularized view on the grand narratives of history; they tend to value individual memories only as retrospective angles on, or as representations of, collective history. In this article, I propose to conceive of personal memory as a cultural phenomenon that encompasses both the activities and products of remembering. We inscribe experiences in the present to facilitate future recall; such material inscriptions are always filtered through discursive conventions, social and cultural practices, and technological tools. In recent years, historians have frequently commented upon the mediation of memory—the role of media as interlinking past and present. This article will try to counteract the common
Women’s Pathways Into Activism

This article explores women’s pathways to participation in environmental justice advocacy in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Many scholars find that women become environmental justice activists according to a common set of experiences in which apolitical women personally experience an environmental problem that launches them into a life activism to protect the health of their families. Although a small group of the 25 women the author interviewed fit this description, overall the interviews reveal a much more diverse array of paths into environmental justice activism. The author’s data complicate the idea that environmental justice activism is the first political activity for most women environmental justice activists and that they are motivated to become activists primarily in order to protect the health of their families. The author discusses the significance of these findings and concludes with a call for scholars to revisit the question of women’s pathways into environmental justice activism.
Physiological, Behavioral, and Psychological Effects Associated with Television Viewing in Schoolboys: An Exploratory Study

This study of 50 eleven-year-old boys demonstrates a new procedure for gathering physiological, psychological, and behavioral data on television viewing in the home environment on a normal school day, using a special ambulatory monitoring device capable of storing 23-hour records. The mean time spent watching TV was 123 minutes per day, during which the boys watched mostly entertainment and action shows. Heart rate as compared to the other programs was low for entertainment and high for action shows. Additional heart rate indicating emotional arousal was highest for action shows as well. Compared to school and leisure time, additional heart rate during TV viewing was much higher As opposed to boys who watched little TV, those with high TV consumption displayed lower heart rate and lower emotional arousal during TV viewing. Boys with high TV consumption read fewer books, showed diminished activities outside home, a tendency for reduced school-related homework, and reduced interest in hobbies.