Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Memory Scanning: New Findings and Current Controversies

Introduction : the reaction-time method in memory research. The item-recognition paradigm. Early findings and interpretations : the exhaustive-search model. Generalizations and extensions of paradigm and phenomenon. Findings that challenge the model or limit its scope, and what to do about them. Alternative models of the comparison process. 6. I Self-terminating search. 6.2 Trace-strength discrimination. 6.3 Parallel comparisons. New findings. 7.1 The translation effect. 7.2 Partial selectivity of search. 7.3 7.4 7.5 Summary. References Relation between search structure and search rate. Exhaustive search in long-term memory. Relation between memory search and the memory span.
Effects of Resources, Inequality, and Privilege Bias on Achievement: Country, School, and Student Level Analyses

This study examined how resources, distribution inequality, and biases toward privileged students affected academic performance. Fifteen-year-olds from 41 countries completed a questionnaire and tests in mathematics, reading, and science. Multilevel regression analyses showed that students scored higher in all subjects when they had more resources in their country, family, or school. Students in countries with higher inequality, clustering of privileged students, or unequal distribution of certified teachers typically had lower scores. Distribution inequality favored privileged students, in that schools with more privileged students typically had more resources. Overall, students scored lower when parent job status had a larger effect on student performance (privileged student bias) in a school or country. These results suggest that equal opportunity is linked to higher overall student achievement.
An Examination of Ability Grouping for Reading Instruction.

MANY SCHOOL CHILDREN'S reading experiences occur almost exclusively within the context of homogeneous ability groups. The intent of this paper was to review what is known about the nature of processes within reading groups of different ability levels and the effects of these processes on children's reading development. A process-product model of classroom learning that emphasizes the instructional and social dimensions of learning contexts provided the framework for this examination. Finally, as a guide for future research and theory development, the paper presents a perspective on instructional-social contexts for reading instruction. This perspective emphasizes the need for identifying the role of different contexts in furthering various aspects of reading proficiency in children who vary in learning aptitudes.
Prototypicality-Effect in Surrealist Paintings

The previous experimental proofs of Martindale's preference-for-prototypes model (Martindale, 1984, 1988; Martindale, Moore, & West, 1988) did not use artworks as stimuli except the experiment of Hekkert and van Wieringen (1990a, 1990b, 1992) who applied reproductions of cubist paintings. In our experiment, the category of surrealism was taught to naive subjects by repeated presentations of a large assortment of surrealist paintings. In the main experiment, two experimental groups participated. The members of the first group learned the category of surrealism in four series, scaling 30 paintings selected out of 40 so that the 10 most prototypical paintings were left. These 10 paintings were entered in the fifth series, and they were more preferred than the other 30. A similar procedure was followed in the case of the other experimental group, but here the least prototypical elements were left and entered at the end of the experiment. These 10 paintings were less preferred than the other 30 in the first series. This finding proved that the phenomenon we found is a prototypicality-effect and not a novelty-effect.
Do extracellular matrix protein expressions change with cyclic reproductive hormones in pelvic connective tissue from women with stress urinary incontinence?

BACKGROUND To evaluate differential expression of transforming growth factor (TGF-beta1), latent transforming factor-binding proteins (LTBP-1, LTBP-2) and elastin microfibril components (fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2) in vaginal tissue from women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS In this case-control study, vaginal tissue from women in both phases of the menstrual cycle was obtained. Messenger RNA (mRNA) expressions of LTBP-1, LTBP-2, fibrillin-1, fibrillin-2 and TGF-beta1 were determined by relative real-time quantification PCR. Tissue localization was analysed by immunohistochemistry, and semiquantitative protein expression was evaluated by Western blot analysis. RESULTS Vaginal wall fibroblasts synthesized all proteins tested. LTBP-1, LTBP-2 and TGF-beta1 co-localized with elastin microfibrils, fibrillin-1 and fibrillin-2 in the extracellular matrix. LTBP-1 mRNA and protein expressions were higher in control versus women affected with SUI in the proliferative phase (P = 0.04), while in the secretory phase, mRNA expression in cases was higher (P = 0.04). Fibrillin-1 mRNA was higher in women affected by SUI versus controls in both phases, but no statistical differences in fibrillin-1 protein expression were observed between the two groups in either phase. LTBP-2 and TGF-beta1 mRNA expressions showed the same trends as LTBP-1. CONCLUSION LTBP-1, LTBP-2, TGF-beta1, fibrillin-1, and fibrillin-2 expressions are hormonally regulated in vaginal wall fibroblasts and differ in women affected by SUI when compared to controls. These data suggest a mechanism to regulate TGF-beta1 activity in pelvic connective tissue.
The Hidden Injuries of Class

This book deals with class not as a matter of dollars or statistics but as a matter of emotions. Richard Sennett and Jonathan Cobb isolate the “hidden signals of class” through which today’s blue-collar worker measures his own value against those lives and occupations to which our society attaches a special premium. The authors uncover and define the internal, emotionally hurtful forms of class difference in America now becoming visible with the advent of the “affluent” society. Perceiving our society as one that judges a human being against an arbitrary scale of “achievement,” that recognizes not a diversity of talents but a pyramid of them, and accords the world’s best welder less respect than the most mediocre doctor, the authors concentrate on the injurious game of “achievement” and self-justification that result. Examining intimate feelings in terms of a totality of human relations within and among classes and looking beyond, though never ignoring, the struggle for economic survival, The Hidden Injuries of Class takes a step forward in the sociological “critique of everyday life. ” The authors are critical both of the claim that workers are melting into a homogenous society and of the attempt to “save” the worker for a revolutionary role along conventional socialist lines. They conclude that the games of hierarchical respect we currently play will end in a fratricide in which no class can emerge the victor; and that true egalitarianism can be achieved only by rediscovering diverse concepts of human dignity to substitute for the rigidly uniform scale against which Americans are now forced to judge one another- and validate themselves.
Antigenic variation of core, NS3, and NS5 proteins among genotypes of hepatitis C virus

Assays that detect antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV) are used to screen blood donors and patients with hepatitis. Current enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based methods are invariably based upon antigens from expressed recombinant proteins or oligopeptides from HCV type 1. Some HCV antigens used in screening assays are coded by regions of the HCV genome that show extensive variability; therefore, HCV type 1-based assays may be less effective for the detection of antibody elicited by infection with other genotypes. In this study, we have measured antibody reactivity of sera from 110 hepatitis C patients infected with type 1b, 3a, or 4a to genotype-specific and cross-reactive epitopes present in recombinant proteins from HCV genotypes 1b (core, NS3, and NS5), 3a (NS3, NS5), and 4a (core, NS3), corresponding to those used in current third-generation screening ELISAs. By comparing the serological reactivities of sera to type-homologous and type-heterologous antigens, we detected a significant type-specific component to the reactivity to NS3 (61 to 77% of the total reactivity) and NS5 (60% of the total reactivity). Furthermore, despite the similarities in the amino acid sequences of the core antigens of type 1b and type 4a, we also found significantly greater reactivity to type-homologous antigens, with approximately 25% of reactivity being type specific. These findings are consistent with previous findings of fivefold weaker reactivity of sera from HCV type 2- and HCV type 3-infected blood donors in the currently used third-generation ELISAs and suggest that these assays are suboptimal for screening populations in which the predominant genotype is not type 1.
Survival of Hoxa13 homozygous mutants reveals a novel role in digit patterning and appendicular skeletal development

The loss of HOXA13 function severely disrupts embryonic limb development. However, because embryos lacking HOXA13 die by mid‐gestation, the defects present in the mutant limb could arise as a secondary consequence of failing embryonic health. In our analysis of the mutant Hoxa13GFP allele, we identified a surviving cohort of homozygous mutants exhibiting severe limb defects including: missing phalanx elements, fusions of the carpal/tarsal elements, and significant reductions in metacarpal/metatarsal length. Characterization of prochondrogenic genes in the affected carpal/tarsal regions revealed significant reduction in Gdf5 expression, whereas Bmp2 expression was significantly elevated. Analysis of Gdf5 mRNA localization also revealed diffuse expression in the carpal/tarsal anlagen, suggesting a role for HOXA13 in the organization of the cells necessary to delineate individual carpal/tarsal elements. Together these results identify Gdf5 as a potential target gene of HOXA13 target gene and confirm a specific role for HOXA13 during appendicular skeletal development. Developmental Dynamics 239:446–457, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
“What” and “where” in spatial language and spatial cognition

Fundamental to spatial knowledge in all species are the representations underlying object recognition, object search, and navigation through space. But what sets humans apart from other species is our ability to express spatial experience through language. This target article explores the language of objects and places , asking what geometric properties are preserved in the representations underlying object nouns and spatial prepositions in English. Evidence from these two aspects of language suggests there are significant differences in the geometric richness with which objects and places are encoded. When an object is named (i.e., with count nouns), detailed geometric properties – principally the object's shape (axes, solid and hollow volumes, surfaces, and parts) – are represented. In contrast, when an object plays the role of either “figure” (located object) or “ground” (reference object) in a locational expression, only very coarse geometric object properties are represented, primarily the main axes. In addition, the spatial functions encoded by spatial prepositions tend to be nonmetric and relatively coarse, for example, “containment,” “contact,” “relative distance,” and “relative direction. ” These properties are representative of other languages as well. The striking differences in the way language encodes objects versus places lead us to suggest two explanations: First, there is a tendency for languages to level out geometric detail from both object and place representations. Second, a nonlinguistic disparity between the representations of “what” and “where” underlies how language represents objects and places. The language of objects and places converges with and enriches our understanding of corresponding spatial representations.
Protein and DNA Sequence Determinants of Thermophilic Adaptation

There have been considerable attempts in the past to relate phenotypic trait—habitat temperature of organisms—to their genotypes, most importantly compositions of their genomes and proteomes. However, despite accumulation of anecdotal evidence, an exact and conclusive relationship between the former and the latter has been elusive. We present an exhaustive study of the relationship between amino acid composition of proteomes, nucleotide composition of DNA, and optimal growth temperature (OGT) of prokaryotes. Based on 204 complete proteomes of archaea and bacteria spanning the temperature range from −10 °C to 110 °C, we performed an exhaustive enumeration of all possible sets of amino acids and found a set of amino acids whose total fraction in a proteome is correlated, to a remarkable extent, with the OGT. The universal set is Ile, Val, Tyr, Trp, Arg, Glu, Leu (IVYWREL), and the correlation coefficient is as high as 0.93. We also found that the G + C content in 204 complete genomes does not exhibit a significant correlation with OGT (R = −0.10). On the other hand, the fraction of A + G in coding DNA is correlated with temperature, to a considerable extent, due to codon patterns of IVYWREL amino acids. Further, we found strong and independent correlation between OGT and the frequency with which pairs of A and G nucleotides appear as nearest neighbors in genome sequences. This adaptation is achieved via codon bias. These findings present a direct link between principles of proteins structure and stability and evolutionary mechanisms of thermophylic adaptation. On the nucleotide level, the analysis provides an example of how nature utilizes codon bias for evolutionary adaptation to extreme conditions. Together these results provide a complete picture of how compositions of proteomes and genomes in prokaryotes adjust to the extreme conditions of the environment.
Analysis of Fungal Flora in Indoor Dust by Ribosomal DNA Sequence Analysis, Quantitative PCR, and Culture

ABSTRACT In recent years increasing attention has been given to the potential health effects of fungal exposure in indoor environments. We used large-scale sequencing of the fungal internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA to describe the mycoflora of two office buildings over the four seasons. DNA sequencing was complemented by cultivation, ergosterol determination, and quantitative PCR analyses. Sequences of 1,339 clones were clustered into 394 nonredundant fungal operational taxonomical units containing sequences from 18 fungal subclasses. The observed flora differed markedly from that recovered by cultivation, the major differences being the near absence of several typical indoor mold genera such as Penicillium and Aspergillus spp. and a high prevalence of basidiomycetes in clone libraries. A total of 55% of the total diversity constituted of unidentifiable ITS sequences, some of which may represent novel fungal species. Dominant species were Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. herbarum, Cryptococcus victoriae, Leptosphaerulina americana and L. chartarum, Aureobasidium pullulans, Thekopsora areolata, Phaeococcomyces nigricans, Macrophoma sp. , and several Malassezia species. Seasonal differences were observed for community composition, with ascomycetous molds and basidiomycetous yeasts predominating in the winter and spring and Agaricomycetidae basidiomycetes predominating in the fall. The comparison of methods suggested that the cloning, cultivation, and quantitative PCR methods complemented each other, generating a more comprehensive picture of fungal flora than any of the methods would give alone. The current restrictions of the methods are discussed.
Approximate tracking of periodic references in a class of bilinear systems via stable inversion

This article deals with the tracking control of periodic references in single-input single-output bilinear systems using a stable inversion-based approach. Assuming solvability of the exact tracking problem and asymptotic stability of the nominal error system, the study focuses on the output behavior when the control scheme uses a periodic approximation of the nominal feedforward input signal $u_d$. The investigation shows that this results in a periodic, asymptotically stable output; moreover, a sequence of periodic control inputs $u_n$ uniformly convergent to $u_d$ produce a sequence of output responses that, in turn, converge uniformly to the output reference. It is also shown that, for a special class of bilinear systems, the internal dynamics equation can be approximately solved by an iterative procedure that provides of closed-form analytic expressions uniformly convergent to its exact solution. Then, robustness in the face of bounded parametric disturbances/uncertainties is achievable through dynamic compensation. The theoretical analysis is applied to nonminimum phase switched power converters.
Translocating myonuclei have distinct leading and lagging edges that require Kinesin and Dynein

Nuclei are precisely positioned within all cells, and mispositioned nuclei are a hallmark of many muscle diseases. Myonuclear positioning is dependent on Kinesin and Dynein, but interactions between these motor proteins and their mechanisms of action are unclear. We find that in developing Drosophila muscles, Dynein and Kinesin work together to move nuclei in a single direction by two separate mechanisms that are spatially segregated. First, the two motors work together in a sequential pathway that acts from the cell cortex at the muscle poles. This mechanism requires Kinesin-dependent localization of Dynein to cell cortex near the muscle pole. From this location Dynein can pull microtubule minus-ends and the attached myonuclei toward the muscle pole. Second, the motors exert forces directly on individual nuclei independently of the cortical pathway. However, the activities of the two motors on the nucleus are polarized relative to the direction of myonuclear translocation: Kinesin acts at the leading edge of the nucleus, whereas Dynein acts at the lagging edge of the nucleus. Consistent with the activities of Kinesin and Dynein being polarized on the nucleus, nuclei rarely change direction, and those that do, reorient to maintain the same leading edge. Conversely, nuclei in both Kinesin and Dynein mutant embryos change direction more often and do not maintain the same leading edge when changing directions. These data implicate Kinesin and Dynein in two distinct and independently regulated mechanisms of moving myonuclei, which together maximize the ability of myonuclei to achieve their proper localizations within the constraints imposed by embryonic development.
Hyperspectral Image Processing for Automatic Target Detection Applications

■ This article presents an overview of the theoretical and practical issues associated with the development, analysis, and application of detection algorithms to exploit hyperspectral imaging data. We focus on techniques that exploit spectral information exclusively to make decisions regarding the type of each pixel—target or nontarget—on a pixel-by-pixel basis in an image. First we describe the fundamental structure of the hyperspectral data and explain how these data influence the signal models used for the development and theoretical analysis of detection algorithms. Next we discuss the approach used to derive detection algorithms, the performance metrics necessary for the evaluation of these algorithms, and a taxonomy that presents the various algorithms in a systematic manner. We derive the basic algorithms in each family, explain how they work, and provide results for their theoretical performance. We conclude with empirical results that use hyperspectral imaging data from the HYDICE and Hyperion sensors to illustrate the operation and performance of various detectors.
Variables that influence diagnosis and treatment of the eating disorders within primary care settings: a vignette study.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the influence of clinical and nonclinical features of case presentation on the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders in primary care. METHOD Family physicians from a defined region of the UK were provided with two vignettes, characterizing eating disorder presentations in primary care. Case gender, ethnicity, weight status, and diabetes history were experimentally manipulated. Outcome variables included the primary diagnosis and the treatment course selected for each case. RESULTS Female cases were more likely to receive an eating disorder diagnosis, even when their symptoms were identical to those of males. Nonclinical demographic variables also influenced treatment decisions. Weight status and physical comorbidity had a limited influence on treatment pathways. CONCLUSION Nonclinical features of case presentations are used when making eating disorder diagnoses and in selecting treatment. Decision-making in primary care does not reflect recommendations from clinical guidance, and this disparity might increase the risk of complications in the care of sub-groups of eating-disordered patients.
Long-term maintenance of smoking cessation in pregnancy: an analysis of the birth cohort generation XXI.

INTRODUCTION Pregnancy affords opportunities for health promotion and disease prevention. We worked with a population-based cohort of women who gave birth in Portugal to quantify the proportion of women who quit smoking during pregnancy, the proportion of these women who continued to abstain 4 years after delivery, and the determinants of these outcomes. METHODS A birth cohort was assembled in public maternity units of Porto, Portugal, in 2005-2006, and all women were reevaluated at an average of 4 years after delivery. A total of 5,420 mothers were included in the analysis. Smoking status at baseline and at follow-up was ascertained by interview. Adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% CIs were computed using robust Poisson regression. RESULTS Overall, 47.4% of women who smoked ceased smoking and 41.7% reduced cigarette consumption during pregnancy. Four years after delivery, 32.1% of those who stopped smoking during pregnancy continued to abstain. Older women, first-time mothers, light smokers, those who were living with a partner at the time of follow-up, those who became pregnant again after the index pregnancy, those who breast fed for more than 52 weeks, and those with a child diagnosed with asthma and/or rhinitis were more likely to abstain from smoking. CONCLUSIONS Approximately half of all women stopped smoking during pregnancy and, among these, approximately one third continued to abstain 4 years after delivery. The high proportion of relapse may be attributable to poor awareness or skepticism regarding the adverse effects of secondhand smoke on children or physiological and psychological dependence on nicotine.
Kinship and Corruption in Contemporary Nigeria

This article explores the social reproduction of 'corruption' in Nigeria, using ethnographic data collected in the Igbo-speaking southeast. The author argues that corruption must be understood in the context of everyday instances of patronage as they occur in networks of kin, community, and interpersonal association. Kinship relationships, and other social ties rooted in similar moral obligations and affective attachments, enable Igbos to navigate Nigeria's clientelistic political economy. They also serve to perpetuate an ethic of appropriate redistribution that fuels corruption. The article analyzes a deep-seated ambivalence that is created as the reciprocal obligations of kinship articulate with structures of power and inequality that characterize contemporary Nigeria. Rather than withering away as Nigeria modernizes, the instrumental importance of kinship and community of origin may be greater than ever.