Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Absurdity and the “Blame Game” Within the Schengen Area: Analyzing Greek (Social) Media Discourses on the Refugee Crisis

ABSTRACT Drawing on the European threats regarding Greece's expulsion from the Schengen zone, we analyze Greek political and (social) media discourses on the refugee crisis. The main aim of this study is to explore whether and how the Greek media and social media discourses on the refugee crisis and the political decisions regarding it contribute to the discursive reconstruction of the Greek nation-state and its imaginaries. We assume that the refugee crisis led to a polarized climate that dominates the Greek and European political scene and questions European solidarity. Utilizing the Discourse-Historical Approach, we analyze the social media discourses of the Greek prime minister and the president of the main opposition party regarding the European debate on the Schengen agreement's suspension. Moreover, we employ content analysis to focus on the media coverage of the Schengen debate and the refugee crisis. Finally, based on Camus's allegoric novel The Plague, we emphasize the parallelism between the discourses on the Schengen agreement and the allegory of the plague. “Fortress Europe” and the emphasis on national borders within the European Union prompted us to utilize the allegory of Camus's The Plague to highlight the resurgence of the nation-state and the discursive deconstruction of European solidarity in times of crisis.
The small peptide OGP(10-14) reduces proliferation and induces differentiation of TPO-primed M07-e cells through RhoA/TGFβ1/SFK pathway

Summary Background Osteogenic growth peptide (OGP) is a 14-mer peptide found in relevant concentration in blood, and its carboxy-terminal fragment [OGP(10-14)] represents the active portion of the full-length peptide. In addition to stimulating bone formation, OGP(10-14) shows hematological activity. In fact, it highly enhances hematopoiesis-affecting stem progenitors. Moreover, OGP(10-14) reduces the growth and induces the differentiation of the hematological tumour cell line trombophoietin(TPO)-primed M07-e by interfering with RhoA and Src kinase pathways. In the present report, we went deeper into this mechanism and evaluated the possible interference of the OGP(10-14) signal pathway with TGFβ1 and TPO receptor Mpl. Material/Methods In OGP(10-14)-treated M07-e cells cultured with or without RhoA and Src kinases inhibitors (C3 and PP2), expression of TGFβ1, Mpl, and Src kinases was analyzed by immunoperoxidase technique. Activated RhoA expression was studied using the G-LISA™ quantitative test. Results In M07-e cells, both OGP(10-14) and PP2 activate RhoA, inhibit Src kinases, reduce Mpl expression and increase TGFβ1 expression. OGP(10-14) and PP2 show the same behavior, causing an additive effect when associated. Conclusions OGP(10-14) induces TPO-primed M07-e cells differentiation through RhoA/TGFβ1/SFKs signalling pathway. In particular OGP(10-14) acts as a Src inhibitor, showing the same effects of PP2.
Performance Evaluation of TCP Reno and Vegas over different routing protocols for MANETs

In this paper, we investigate the effects of node's mobility on the throughput of TCP variants such as Reno and Vegas. Reno views the packet loss as signal of network congestion, while Vegas uses the difference in the expected and actual throughput rates as network congestion indicator. Simulation results from the implementation of different simulation scenarios using NS-2 over different routing protocol such as, Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) and Distance Sequence Distance Vector (DSDV) show the performance of TCP variants (Reno, Vegas) over AODV is better than DSDV.
Economic Growth from a Classical Perspective

The efficiency schedule for an economy, a line having for its vertical intercept output per worker, or labor productivity, and for its horizontal intercept output per unit of capital, or capital productivity, is a method of visualizing patterns of economic growth and technical change over time. Efficiency schedules constructed from the long data series of Duménil and Lévy for the U.S. economy reveal a pattern of labor-saving, capital-using (Marx-biased) technical change, corresponding to the pattern underlying Marx's explanation of the falling rate of profit, punctuated by a period of pure factor-augmenting (Hicks-neutral) technical change. Data from the Penn World Tables supplemented by our capital stock estimates reveal a similar pattern of Marx-biased technical change over many economies in many time periods. The Marx-biased pattern of technical change appears in over half of the sample observations. There appears, however, to be no strong quantitative correlation in the data between the magnitudes of labor-saving and capital-using technical progress.
Properties and Applications of Polyvinyl Alcohol, Halloysite Nanotubes and Their Nanocomposites

The aim of this review was to analyze/investigate the synthesis, properties, and applications of polyvinyl alcohol–halloysite nanotubes (PVA–HNT), and their nanocomposites. Different polymers with versatile properties are attractive because of their introduction and potential uses in many fields. Synthetic polymers, such as PVA, natural polymers like alginate, starch, chitosan, or any material with these components have prominent status as important and degradable materials with biocompatibility properties. These materials have been developed in the 1980s and are remarkable because of their recyclability and consideration of the natural continuation of their physical and chemical properties. The fabrication of PVA–HNT nanocomposites can be a potential way to address some of PVA’s limitations. Such nanocomposites have excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability. PVA–HNT nanocomposites have been reported earlier, but without proper HNT individualization and PVA modifications. The properties of PVA–HNT for medicinal and biomedical use are attracting an increasing amount of attention for medical applications, such as wound dressings, drug delivery, targeted-tissue transportation systems, and soft biomaterial implants. The demand for alternative polymeric medical devices has also increased substantially around the world. This paper reviews individualized HNT addition along with crosslinking of PVA for various biomedical applications that have been previously reported in literature, thereby showing the attainability, modification of characteristics, and goals underlying the blending process with PVA.
The association of CAPN1 316 marker genotypes with growth and meat quality traits of steers finished on pasture

The objective of this paper was to determine the association of a SNP in the μ-calpain gene at position 316 with growth and quality of meat traits of steers grown on pasture. Fifty-nine Brangus and 20 Angus steers were genotyped for CAPN1 316. Warner Bratzler shear force was measured in l. lumborum samples after a 7-day aging period. A multivariate analysis of variance was performed, including shear force (WBSF), final weight (FW), average daily gain (ADG), backfat thickness (BFT), average monthly fat thickness gain (AMFTG), rib-eye area (REA), and beef rib-eye depth (RED) as dependent variables. The CAPN1 316 genotype was statistically significant. Univariate analyses were done with these variables. The marker genotype was statistically significant (p < 0.05) for WBSF (kg: CC: 4.41 ± 0.57; CG: 5.58 ± 0.20; GG: 6.29 ± 0.18), FW (kg: CC: 360.23 ± 14.71; CG: 381.34 ± 5.26; GG: 399.23 ± 4.68), and ADG (kg/d: CC: 0.675 ± 0.046; CG: 0.705 ± 0.016; GG: 0.765 ± 0.014) Shear force, final weight and average daily gain were significantly different according to the CAPN1 316 marker genotypes. The marker genotype was statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.001). The first characteristic root explained 89% of the differences among genotypes. WBSF, FW and ADG were the most important traits in the first vector, indicating that animals with the marker genotype for lowest WBSF also have the lowest FW and ADG.
Network Stability Under Alpha Fair Bandwidth Allocation With General File Size Distribution

Rate allocation among a fixed set of end-to-end connections in the Internet is carried out by congestion control, which has a well established model: it optimizes a concave network utility, a particular case of which is the alpha-fair bandwidth allocation. This paper studies the slower dynamics of connections themselves, that arrive randomly in the network and are served at the allocated rate. It has been shown that under the condition that the mean offered load at each link is less than its capacity, the resulting queueing system is stochastically stable, for the case of exponentially distributed file-sizes. The conjecture that the result holds for general file-size distributions has remained open, and is very relevant since heavy-tailed distributions are often the best models of Internet file sizes. In this paper, building on existing fluid models of the system, we use a partial differential equation to characterize the dynamics. The equation keeps track of residual file size and therefore is suitable for general file size distributions. For alpha fair bandwidth allocation, with any positive alpha parameter, a Lyapunov function is constructed with negative drift when the offered load is less than capacity. With this tool we answer the conjecture affirmatively in the fluid sense: we prove asymptotic convergence to zero of the fluid model for general file-size distributions of finite mean, and finite-time convergence for those of finite moment. In the stochastic sense, we build on recent work that relates fluid and stochastic stability subject to a certain light-tailed restriction. We further provide the supplementary fluid stability argument to establish the conjecture for this class that includes phase-type distributions. Results are supplemented by illustrative network simulations at the packet level.
Parthenolide and sulindac cooperate to mediate growth suppression and inhibit the nuclear factor-κB pathway in pancreatic carcinoma cells

Activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) has been implicated in pancreatic tumorigenesis. We evaluated the effect of a novel NF-κB inhibitor, parthenolide, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the herb feverfew, in three human pancreatic tumor cell lines (BxPC-3, PANC-1, and MIA PaCa-2). Parthenolide inhibited pancreatic cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner with substantial growth inhibition observed between 5 and 10 μmol/L parthenolide in all three cell lines. Parthenolide treatment also dose-dependently increased the amount of the NF-κB inhibitory protein, IκB-α, and decreased NF-κB DNA binding activity. We have previously shown that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) suppress the growth of pancreatic cancer cells. To determine whether inhibition of the NF-κB pathway by parthenolide could sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to NSAID inhibition, BxPC-3, PANC-1, and MIA PaCa-2 cells were treated with parthenolide and the NSAID sulindac, either alone or in combination. Treatment with the combination of parthenolide and sulindac inhibited cell growth synergistically in MIA PaCa-2 and BxPC-3 cells and additively in PANC-1 cells. In addition, treatment with the parthenolide/sulindac combination lowered the threshold for apoptosis. Increased levels of IκB-α protein were detected, especially in MIA PaCa-2 cells, after treatment with parthenolide and sulindac compared with each agent alone. Similarly, decreased NF-κB DNA binding and transcriptional activities were detected in cells treated with the combination compared with the single agents, demonstrating cooperative targeting of the NF-κB pathway. These data provide preclinical support for a combined chemotherapeutic approach with NF-κB inhibitors and NSAIDs for the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
PENGARUH PENDEKATAN PEMBELAJARAN BERBASIS MASALAH TERHADAP KEMAMPUAN KOMUNIKASI MATEMATIS SISWA

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach on students' mathematical communication ability. The method used was quasi-experimental research with Posttest-Only Design. The subjects were 36 seventh grade students in one of Junior High Schools in Ternate. Students were grouped as control class (conventional learning) and experimental class (Problem Based-Learning / PBL). Research instruments were initial mathematical ability and mathematical communication test. The data was analyzed using Two Way ANOVA. Results showed that students' understanding of triangle concept was still not deep. Statistical analysis of the collected data showed that PBL effect on students' mathematical communication ability was insignificant (p = 0.370). Result also indicated that initial mathematical ability also has an insignificant effect on mathematical communication ability (p = 0.732). ABSTRAK Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengkaji pengaruh pendekatan Problem Based-Learning (PBL) terhadap kemampuan komunikasi matematis siswa. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah penelitian kuasi eksperimen dengan Posttest-Only Design. Subjek penelitian adalah 36 siswa Kelas VII di salah satu Sekolah Menengah Pertama (SMP) di Ternate. Siswa dikelompokkan berdasarkan kelas kontrol (pembelajaran konvensional) dan kelas eksperimen (pembelajaran berbasis masalah/PBL). Instrumen penelitian yang digunakan adalah tes kemampuan awal matematis dan komunikasi matematis. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah uji Two Way Anova . Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pema- haman siswa tentang konsep segitiga masih belum mendalam. Analisis data secara statistik menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran PBL tidak berpengaruh terhadap kemampuan komunikasi matematis siswa (p =0,370) dan kemampuan komunikasi matematis siswa juga tidak dipengaruhi oleh kemampuan awal matematis (p = 0,732).
Increased Plasma-Immune Cytokines throughout the High-Dose Melphalan-Induced Lymphodepletion in Patients with Multiple Myeloma: A Window for Adoptive Immunotherapy

High-dose melphalan (HDM) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a standard treatment for patients with multiple myeloma. However, lymphocyte reconstitution is impaired after HDM. Recent work has suggested that the lymphopenia period occurring after various immunosuppressive or chemotherapy treatments may provide an interesting opportunity for adoptive antitumor immunotherapy. The objective of this study was to determine an immunotherapy window after HDM and ASCT, evaluating T cell lymphopenia, and measuring circulating immune cytokine concentrations in patients with multiple myeloma. The counts of T cell subpopulations reached a nadir at day 8 post-ASCT (day 10 post-HDM) and recovered by day 30. IL-6, IL-7, and IL-15 plasma levels increased on a median day 8 post-ASCT, respectively, 35-fold, 8-fold, and 10-fold compared with pre-HDM levels (p ≤ 0.05). The increases in IL-7 and IL-15 levels were inversely correlated to the absolute lymphocyte count, unlike monocyte or myeloid counts. Furthermore, we have shown that CD3 T cells present in the ASC graft are activated, die rapidly when they are cultured without cytokine in vitro, and that addition of IL-7 or IL-15 could induce their survival and proliferation. In conclusion, the early lymphodepletion period, occurring 4–11 d post-HDM and ASCT, is associated with an increase of circulating immune cytokines and could be an optimal window to enhance the survival and proliferation of polyclonal T cells present in the ASC autograft and also of specific antimyeloma T cells previously expanded in vitro.
Emergency endovascular repair of acute descending thoracic aortic dissection

Background Acute descending thoracic aortic dissection is a life-threatening emergency. It is not often considered as the initial diagnosis in patients presenting with epigastric pain and could easily be missed in a busy casualty department. Aim This case report is aimed to highlight the feasibility of the technique and the need for long-term surveillance following endovascular repair of acute thoracic aortic dissection. Results The patient presented with epigastric pain radiating to the interscapular region with a stable hemodynamic status. A computerized tomography (CT) scan demonstrated type B thoracic aortic dissection of the proximal descending thoracic aorta. A successful endovascular repair was carried out with uneventful recovery and follow-up CT scan six years after stent-grafting shows satisfactory position of the stent-graft, patent false lumen in the abdominal aorta perfusing the right kidney, and progressively enlarging diameter of the abdominal aorta. Conclusion Thoracic aortic dissection should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with epigastric and interscapular chest pain. Emergency endovascular repair of acute thoracic aortic dissection is feasible and relatively safe. Regular follow-up with CT scan is required to evaluate the long-term efficacy and identify the need for re-intervention.
B-cells and Inflammation in the Absence of the Abelson Related Gene ( Arg )

The Abelson non-receptor tyrosine kinases, c-Abl and Arg, are important regulators of cellular processes in cancer, inflammation, infection, and neuronal dynamics. Recent research on the role for these kinases in processes involving interactions with the cytoskeleton or signaling molecules, may lead to further insight into the pathogenesis of a variety of disorders, including chronic inflammatory diseases. In a mouse model for multiple sclerosis, we recently reported that Arg deficient mice develop T-cell mediated autoimmune neuro-inflammation with the same severity as littermate controls, but display a different B-cell phenotype upon immunization. Here we comment on these results and discuss the role for Arg in B-cell activation and homeostasis.
Sustainability in Higher Education

Sustainability describes how a system remains diverse and productive; this is the potential for long-term maintenance of well-being having ecological, economic, political, and cultural dimensions. Education for sustainable development (ESD) emphasizes on including the key sustainable development issues into teaching and learning, that is, climate change, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity, poverty reduction, and sustainable consumption. This effort requires effective pedagogy to ensure a participatory teaching and learning method that will motivate and empower future leaders to ensure sustainability in their social systems. Malaysia has incorporated the principles of Agenda 21 as one of the important sustainable development documents into its national planning process. However, the effectiveness of these teaching–learning programs, and their effective pedagogical approaches and endpoints are not satisfactorily ensured. Therefore, at first, this article reviews the existing various programs and research activities of public and private higher educational institutions in Malaysia that address sustainability. It then discusses the pedagogical approaches of these programs and how they are related to the key concept of the ESD. Finally, some conclusions and recommendations have been suggested to improve the initiatives to develop a scientifically sound and effective pedagogy for the ESD programs in higher education systems in Malaysia.
Evolution in the Halo Masses of Isolated Galaxies between z ~ 1 and z ~ 0: From DEEP2 to SDSS

We measure the evolution in the virial mass-to-light ratio (M200/LB) and virial-to-stellar mass ratio (M200/M*) for isolated ~L* galaxies between z ~ 1 and z ~ 0 by combining data from the DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Utilizing the motions of satellite galaxies around isolated galaxies, we measure line-of-sight velocity dispersions and derive dark matter halo virial masses for these host galaxies. At both epochs the velocity dispersion of satellites correlates with host galaxy stellar mass, σ ∝ M, while the relation between satellite velocity dispersion and host galaxy B-band luminosity may grow somewhat shallower from σ ∝ L at z ~ 1 to σ ∝ L at z ~ 0. The evolution in M200/M* from z ~ 1 to z ~ 0 displays a bimodality insofar as host galaxies with stellar mass below M* ~ 1011 h-1 M☉ maintain a constant ratio (the intrinsic increase is constrained to a factor of 1.1 ± 0.5) while host galaxies above M* ~ 1011 h-1 M☉ experience a factor of 3.3 ± 2.2 increase in their virial-to-stellar mass ratio. This result can be easily understood if galaxies below this stellar mass scale continue to form stars while star formation in galaxies above this scale is quenched and the dark matter halos of galaxies both above and below this scale grow in accordance with ΛCDM cosmological simulations. Host galaxies that are red in U - B color have larger satellite dispersions and hence reside on average in more massive halos than blue galaxies at both z ~ 1 and z ~ 0. The satellite population of host galaxies varies little between these epochs. The redshift and host galaxy stellar mass dependence of M200/M* agrees qualitatively with the Millennium Run semianalytic model of galaxy formation.
Assessing diversity and inclusivity within the Transition movement: an urban case study

ABSTRACT The Transition movement has experienced remarkable growth in its first decade, yet there remains considerable doubt about its ability to appeal to a diverse audience. To date, few studies have explicitly examined diversity of participation in the movement. Addressing this gap in the literature, a case study is presented of Transition Town Tooting (TTT). Results from a mixed methods approach comprising semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and a quantitative survey indicate that the demographic profiles of TTT participants do not represent the diversity of the Tooting population. This disparity is exacerbated by TTT’s ‘passive’ approach to inclusivity within the core group. Reflecting upon the implications for Transition’s goal of local resilience, it is suggested that, particularly within dense urban communities, initiatives may have more potential for engaging diverse voices through a local ‘brokering’ role between various subcommunities.
Dietary Patterns Associated with Weight Change in College Students

Objective: To examine associations between weight change and dietary patterns in college students. Design: A longitudinal observational study. Dietary intake and physical activity were selfreported on seven-day food records and compared to dietary guidelines for compliance with recommendations. Subjects/Setting: Data from 80 students enrolled in a fall semester introductory nutrition course at a large state university were analyzed in the fall and spring semester. Main outcome measures: Daily servings of total fruit (fruit and juice), total vegetables (fried and non-fried), dairy (regular and low-fat), whole grains, and dietary fiber, breakfast consumption, body weight changes and physical activity. Statistical Analysis Performed: Associations between diet quality and weight change were analyzed using Chi-square analysis. Weight change was analyzed by diet quality and breakfast consumption using t-test and by metabolic equivalents (METHRS/day) using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) (p<0.05). Significant associations were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation (two-sided, p<0.05). Results: Weight and body mass index (BMI kg/m) were significantly higher compared to baseline. The majority of students did not meet recommendations for daily servings of fruit, vegetable, dairy, whole grains, and dietary fiber. Higher diet quality was significantly associated with more frequent breakfast consumption and students who maintained or lost weight reported significantly higher intakes of total fruit, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Conclusion: Failure to meet dietary guidelines resulting in lower diet quality was distinctive of this population and was associated with significant changes in body weight over one academic year. Applications: Educational interventions aimed at improving diet quality may inhibit weight gain commonly seen in college students.