Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the influence of black racial identity on perceived discrimination and professional success

Racial discrimination is detrimental to the professional success of Black Americans. Black racial identity can potentially mitigate the harmful effects of discrimination on professional success. The present study attempted to add to the literature exploring the interaction of racial identity and perceived discrimination, to measure its influence on educational attainment and occupational prestige. Using a sample of 365 adult Black Americans from the New England area of the United States, this study examined whether racial identity (i.e., Black private regard and Black centrality) moderated the effect of perceived discrimination stress on (a) educational attainment and (b) occupational prestige using two hierarchical multiple regression models. This study also assessed gender differences between Black males and females in their reports of perceived discrimination stress, racial identity, educational attainment and occupational prestige using two multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) models. Consistent with expectations, racial identity, more specifically Black centrality moderated the effect of perceived discrimination stress on educational attainment. However, results differed from expectations, as racial identity did not moderate the effect of perceived discrimination stress on occupational prestige. Furthermore, Black males reported greater amounts of stress from perceived discrimination, supporting the original hypothesis, but there were no significant differences between men and women in regards to educational attainment or occupational prestige. Future directions in research are discussed in consideration of study limitations.
Osteogenic differentiation of equine cord blood multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells within coralline hydroxyapatite scaffolds in vitro

Summary Objective: To investigate the osteogenic differentiation potential of equine umbilical cord blood-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (CB-MSC) within coralline hydro-xyapatite scaffolds cultured in osteogenic induction culture medium. Methods: Scaffolds seeded with equine CBMSC were cultured in cell expansion culture medium (control) or osteogenic induction medium (treatment). Cell viability and distribution were confirmed by the MTT cell viability assay and DAPI nuclear fluorescence staining, respectively. Osteogenic differentiation was evaluated after 10 days using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, alkaline phosphatase activity, and secreted osteocalcin concentration. Cell morphology and matrix deposition were assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after 14 days in culture. Results: Cells showed viability and adequate distribution within the scaffold. Successful osteogenic differentiation within the scaffolds was demonstrated by the increased expression of osteogenic markers such as Runx2, osteopontin, osteonectin, collagen IA increased levels of alkaline phosphatase activity increased osteocalcin protein secretion and bone-like matrix presence in the scaffold pores upon SEM evaluation. Clinical significance: These results demonstrate that equine CB-MSC maintain viability and exhibit osteogenic potential in coralline hydroxyapatite scaffolds when induced in vitro. Equine CB-MSC scaffold constructs deserve further investigation for their potential role as biologically active fillers to enhance bone-gap repair in the horse.
Determination of Motivation of 5 th Grade Students Living in Rural and Urban Environments towards Science Learning and their Attitudes towards Science-technology Course 1

In this research, determination of motivation of 5th grade students living in rural and urban environments towards science learning and their attitudes towards science-technology course is aimed. This research is conducted based on descriptive survey model. Samples are selected through teleological model in accordance with the aim of this research. Samples are formed of 861 5th grade students from a total of 13 schools in rural and urban environments within the provincial borders of Kütahya. "Scale of Towards Science Learning" developed by Dede and Yaman (2008) and "Scale of Attitudes towards Science and Technology Course for 4th and 5th Grade Elementary School Students" developed by Kenar and Balcı (2012) are utilized as data collection tools. It is identified as a result of this research that it is female students of the rural environment and male students of the urban environment who have better motivation towards science learning. It is determined that students living in rural environments whose families belong to high income group have better motivation towards science learning, while there is no significant difference depending on income groups in the case of students living in urban environments. It is concluded that attitudes of female students compared to male students towards science and technology course are more positive in both environments. No significant difference by family income status is found for students living in rural environment, while in the case of urban environments, an increase in family income status ends up with an increase in their attitudes towards science and technology course.
When Citizens and Journalists Interact on Twitter

Twitter has become the leading social media platform for journalists to break news, build a following, and interact with the public. Social media offer journalists and citizens a communication space, where they can discuss issues, provide context for the news, and foster community values. This study examines how expectations about journalistic practices on social media influence audience engagement with journalists, and in turn, perceptions of editorial bias. Drawing on a two-wave panel survey from the United States, we first find that expectations about the practice of “good journalism” on social media predict engagement with journalists on Twitter. Second, these personal interactions lead to lower levels of perceived bias in the news media. Finally, expectations of journalists’ performance on social media are explored as a moderator of perceived editorial bias. This study adds to the growing literature analyzing the causes and outcomes of audience engagement with journalists on social media.
Ubiquitination of K-Ras Enhances Activation and Facilitates Binding to Select Downstream Effectors

Cancers in which K-Ras activation drives tumor growth could be targeted by treatments blocking K-Ras ubiquitination. Ubiquitination for Activity Mutational activation of the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Ras occurs frequently in various cancers. Although the three mammalian isoforms—N-Ras, H-Ras, and K-Ras—couple to the same set of downstream signaling pathways, mutations in each isoform are associated with different types of cancers. In contrast to previous work showing that ubiquitination of N-Ras and H-Ras restricts their activity, Sasaki et al. found that monoubiquitination of Lys147 in K-Ras increased its activity and its ability to bind to downstream effector proteins. Cells expressing the oncogenic G12V mutant of Ras form tumors when injected into mice; however, cells expressing G12V Ras with an additional mutation abolishing ubiquitination of Lys147 formed smaller tumors in mice. Thus, cancers in which K-Ras activation drives tumor growth and survival could be targeted by treatments blocking K-Ras ubiquitination. The accompanying Perspective by Pfleger provides context on the distinct effects of ubiquitination on the abundance, activity, and access to effectors of different Ras isoforms. The guanosine triphosphate (GTP)–loaded form of the guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) Ras initiates multiple signaling pathways by binding to various effectors, such as the kinase Raf and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Ras activity is increased by guanine nucleotide exchange factors that stimulate guanosine diphosphate release and GTP loading and is inhibited by GTPase-activating proteins that stimulate GTP hydrolysis. KRAS is the most frequently mutated RAS gene in cancer. Here, we report that monoubiquitination of lysine-147 in the guanine nucleotide–binding motif of wild-type K-Ras could lead to enhanced GTP loading. Furthermore, ubiquitination increased the binding of the oncogenic Gly12Val mutant of K-Ras to the downstream effectors PI3K and Raf. Thus, monoubiquitination could enhance GTP loading on K-Ras and increase its affinity for specific downstream effectors, providing a previously unidentified mechanism for Ras activation.
Co-Delivery of Imiquimod and Plasmid DNA via an Amphiphilic pH-Responsive Star Polymer that Forms Unimolecular Micelles in Water

Dual functional unimolecular micelles based on a pH-responsive amphiphilic star polymer β-CD-(PLA-b-PDMAEMA-b-PEtOxMA)21 have been developed for the co-delivery of imiquimod and plasmid DNA to dendritic cells. The star polymer with well-defined triblock arms was synthesized by combining activator regenerated by electron-transfer atom-transfer radical polymerization with ring-opening polymerization. Dissipative particle dynamics simulation showed that core-mesophere-shell-type unimolecular micelles could be formed. Imiquimod-loaded micelles had a drug loading of 1.6 wt % and a larger average size (28 nm) than blank micelles (19 nm). The release of imiquimod in vitro was accelerated at the mildly acidic endolysosomal pH (5.0) in comparison to physiologic pH (7.4). Compared with blank micelles, a higher N:P ratio was required for imiquimod-loaded micelles to fully condense DNA into micelleplexes averaging 200–400 nm in size. In comparison to blank micelleplexes, imiquimod-loaded micelleplexes of the same N:P ratio displayed similar or slightly higher efficiency of gene transfection in a mouse dendritic cell line (DC2.4) without cytotoxicity. These results suggest that such pH-responsive unimolecular micelles formed by the well-defined amphiphilic star polymer may serve as promising nano-scale carriers for combined delivery of hydrophobic immunostimulatory drugs (such as imiquimod) and plasmid DNA with potential application in gene-based immunotherapy.
High-Temperature Operation of n- and p-Channel JFETs Fabricated by Ion Implantation Into a High-Purity Semi-Insulating SiC Substrate

Silicon carbide (SiC) n-channel and p-channel junction field-effect transistors (JFETs) were fabricated by direct ion implantation into a high-purity semi-insulating 4H-SiC substrate toward complementary-JFET integrated circuit applications under a harsh environment. The fabricated n-JFET and p-JFET on a common substrate without an epitaxial layer show normal transistor operations up to 400 °C. Their electrical characteristics are comparable with theoretical estimations obtained from material parameters of n- and p-type SiC epitaxial layers. The present results assure that not only JFETs but also a variety of devices can be made by direct ion implantation while keeping material properties of epitaxially grown SiC.
The effects of gender, clothing style, and alcohol consumption on the perception of sexual intent

Abstract Background: Alcohol consumption in women is known to be perceived by men as signaling sexual intent. The current study investigated the influence of gender, female clothing style, and female alcohol use on the perception of sexual intent. Method: Eighty-seven men and 72 women viewed a one-minute video of a male–female interaction where clothing style and alcohol use were experimentally manipulated. Participants were then asked to rate the female target on sexual intent. Results: The female actor was rated higher on sexual intent when she was dressed revealingly, and consuming alcohol, compared to when she was wearing conservative clothing and drinking water. Gender differences were not found with respect to the effect of personality characteristics (sociosexual effectiveness, sexually preoccupation, masculine sex role orientation, limited sexual experience and negative sexual attitudes, and low self-esteem and traditional attitudes toward women) on sexual intent. Conclusions: These findings suggest that alcohol may be a social cue used by men to process sexual intent. The implications of the findings are discussed with reference to how women are viewed when consuming alcohol.
Effect of Saccharomyces Boulardii Cell Wall Extracts on Colon Cancer Prevention in Male F344 Rats Treated with 1,2-Dimethylhydrazine

ABSTRACT The effect of Saccharomyces boulardii cell wall extracts on colon cancer prevention in rats treated with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine was investigated. A crude insoluble glucan (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg/day) and a crude mannoprotein extract (0.3 and 3.0 mg/kg/day) were administered in rats by gavage for 12 weeks along with a high fat low fiber diet whereupon rats were sacrificed and aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were counted in the colon. Moreover, NAD(P)H: quinone reductase (QR) and harmful fecal enzymes (β-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase) were quantified in the liver and in the caecum, respectively. Results showed a reduction in ACF counts, a decreased β-glucuronidase activity and an increased QR activity when rats were treated only with insoluble glucan. While these enzymatic modulations may be constituted one of the mechanisms that is responsible for the reduction of ACF counts observed, the reduction of ACF counts caused by insoluble glucan should be addressed, at least, as a biomarker of their cancer-prevention properties. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrated that crude cell wall extract obtained from S. boulardii could have a potential role in colon cancer prevention in vivo by revealing the potential implication of QR and β-glucuronidase modulation.
Denver Papillae Protocol for Objective Analysis of Fungiform Papillae

The goal of the Denver Papillae Protocol is to use a dichotomous key to define and prioritize the characteristics of fungiform papillae (FP) to ensure consistent scoring between scorers. This protocol builds off of a need that has arisen from the last two decades of taste research using FP as a proxy for taste pore density. FP density has historically been analyzed using Miller & Reedy’s 1990 characterizations of their morphology: round, stained lighter, large, and elevated. In this work, the authors forewarned that stricter definitions of FP morphology needed to be outlined. Despite this call to action, follow up literature has been scarce, with most studies continuing to cite Miller & Reedy’s original work. Consequently, FP density reports have been highly variable and, combined with small sample sizes, may contribute to the discrepant conclusions on the role of FP in taste sensitivity. The Genetics of Taste Lab explored this apparent inconsistency in counting and found that scorers were individually prioritizing the importance of these characteristics differently and had no guidance for when a papilla had some, but not all, of the reported qualities of FP. The result of this subjectivity is highly variable FP counts of the same tongue image. The Denver Papillae Protocol has been developed to remedy this consequence through use of a dichotomous key that further defines and prioritizes the importance of the characteristics put forth by Miller & Reedy. The proposed method could help create a standard way to quantify FP for researchers in the field of taste and nutritional studies.
Scale effects of vegetation and topography on burn severity under prevailing fire weather conditions in boreal forest landscapes of Northeastern China

Understanding the controlling factors of burn severity requires consideration of the scale at which these factors work. This investigation explored how well topography and vegetation factors can explain variation of burn severity in a boreal forest landscape of northern China under prevailing fire weather conditions. Eight grain sizes were examined that ranged from 30 to 2500 m. A burn severity map was derived from calculating the difference between pre- and post-fire Normalized Difference Vegetation Index of two Landsat Thematic Mapper images. Results indicate that (1) burn severity in the boreal forest landscape of northern China was mainly controlled by vegetation at grain sizes smaller than 500 m. At grain sizes larger than 1000 m, topography accounted for more variation in burn severity; (2) the relative importance of topography factors was stable with increasing grain sizes and generally ranked in order of aspect, slope, and elevation; (3) stand age appeared to be more important where canopy cover and understory cover substantially fluctuated with increasing grain sizes; and (4) the linear relationships between burn severity and specific factors of topography and vegetation decreased with increasing grain sizes. Our study can help managers to design fire management plans according to vegetation characteristics that are found important in controlling burn severity and prioritize management locations based on the relative importance of vegetation and topography.
A correlational study of the motivation and engagement in teachers: Experience and effectiveness

The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if there is a relationship between the motivation and engagement level of induction (first four years) teachers as compared to veteran (five or more years) teachers using the overall score on the Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES, 2013) and the Motivation and Engagement Scale (MES-W, 2012) developed by Martin (2012). Teachers from four participating districts located in northeast Georgia were divided into two groups based on years of teaching experience. Both groups participated in an online survey (MES-W, 2012), which collected demographic data as well as responses to the MES-W survey. School districts provided the researcher with the TKES overall score data. Data were analyzed using a series of statistical analyses, which included ANCOVA, t-tests, correlations, and multiple regressions. The MES-W (2012) results and the TKES overall scores were analyzed to investigate the relationship of motivation and engagement and the number of years of experience of the respondents. There was not a statistically significant relationship found between the criterion variable of the MES-W and the predictor variables of years of experience for the two groups (induction level n = 35; veteran level n = 126). A variety of limitations and implications were presented along with suggested future research opportunities.
Design and Optimization of Quadrilateral Shaped PVDF Cantilever for Efficient Conversion of Energy from Ambient Vibration

This paper addresses an efficient way of conversion of ambient vibrational energy to electrical by structure optimization of piezoelectric film. Polyvinylidene fluoride has been used for this study. The effects of shape variations of cantilever beam with multilayer configuration based on Euler–Bernoulli theorem without considering the proof mass attached at the free end has been investigated in this paper. Most of piezoelectric vibrational energy harvesters are designed considering the presence of proof mass and in this paper it has been tried to convey the idea, that with the new optimized shape, the cantilever itself can behave as a flexible proof mass for energy enhancement. The possibility of harvesting energy from three different geometries: 1) near edge width quadratic (NEWQ), 2) half quadratic (HQ), and 3) Trapezoidal has been presented. Scanning electron microscopy is used to measure the thickness of the various layers. The NEWQ design shows the best performance in terms of power and resonance frequency ( $\text{f}_{\text {r}}<200~\text {Hz}$ ) compared with the others. Here, the study of the piezo-film models using finite element method simulation software (COMSOL Multiphysics optimization module) and experimental validation are also presented. Using the models, the generation of voltage/power has been analyzed under various excitation frequency and load resistance. Moreover, stress/strain distribution and the displacement have also been highlighted in this paper.
Maternal Effects in a Wild Songbird Are Environmentally Plastic but Only Marginally Alter the Rate of Adaptation

Despite ample evidence for the presence of maternal effects (MEs) in a variety of traits and strong theoretical indications for their evolutionary consequences, empirical evidence to what extent MEs can influence evolutionary responses to selection remains ambiguous. We tested the degree to which MEs can alter the rate of adaptation of a key life-history trait, clutch size, using an individual-based model approach parameterized with experimental data from a long-term study of great tits (Parus major). We modeled two types of MEs: (i) an environmentally plastic ME, in which the relationship between maternal and offspring clutch size depended on the maternal environment via offspring condition, and (ii) a fixed ME, in which this relationship was constant. Although both types of ME affected the rate of adaptation following an abrupt environmental shift, the overall effects were small. We conclude that evolutionary consequences of MEs are modest at best in our study system, at least for the trait and the particular type of ME we considered here. A closer link between theoretical and empirical work on MEs would hence be useful to obtain accurate predictions about the evolutionary consequences of MEs more generally.
Cerebral Blood Flow Measurements in Adults: A Review on the Effects of Dietary Factors and Exercise

Improving cerebrovascular function may be a key mechanism whereby a healthy lifestyle, of which a healthy diet combined with increased physical activity levels is a cornerstone, protects against cognitive impairments. In this respect, effects on cerebral blood flow (CBF)—a sensitive physiological marker of cerebrovascular function—are of major interest. This review summarizes the impact of specific dietary determinants and physical exercise on CBF in adults and discusses the relation between these effects with potential changes in cognitive function. A limited number of randomized controlled trials have already demonstrated the beneficial effects of an acute intake of nitrate and polyphenols on CBF, but evidence for a relationship between these effects as well as improvements in cognitive functioning is limited. Moreover, long-term trans-resveratrol supplementation has been shown to increase CBF in populations at increased risk of accelerated cognitive decline. Long-term supplementation of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids may also increase CBF, but related effects on cognitive performance have not yet been found. Significant decreases in cerebral perfusion were observed by commonly consumed amounts of caffeine, while alcohol intake was shown to increase CBF in a dose-dependent way. However, the long-term effects are not clear. Finally, long-term exercise training may be a promising approach to improve CBF, as increases in perfusion may contribute to the beneficial effects on cognitive functioning observed following increased physical activity levels.