Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ocean acidification causes structural deformities in juvenile coral skeletons

3D imaging exposes deformities and shows how ocean acidification can change the way juvenile corals build their skeletons. Rising atmospheric CO2 is causing the oceans to both warm and acidify, which could reduce the calcification rates of corals globally. Successful coral recruitment and high rates of juvenile calcification are critical to the replenishment and ultimate viability of coral reef ecosystems. Although elevated Pco2 (partial pressure of CO2) has been shown to reduce the skeletal weight of coral recruits, the structural changes caused by acidification during initial skeletal deposition are unknown. We show, using high-resolution three-dimensional x-ray microscopy, that ocean acidification (Pco2 ~900 μatm, pH ~7.7) not only causes reduced overall mineral deposition but also a deformed and porous skeletal structure in newly settled coral recruits. In contrast, elevated temperature (+3°C) had little effect on skeletal formation except to partially mitigate the effects of elevated Pco2. The striking structural deformities we observed show that new recruits are at significant risk, being unable to effectively build their skeletons in the Pco2 conditions predicted to occur for open ocean surface waters under a “business-as-usual” emissions scenario [RCP (representative concentration pathway) 8.5] by the year 2100.
The cause of sarkaran in sugarcane.

Sarkaran is a polysaccharide that contributes to viscosity in cane processing and so is linked to associated processing problems such as decreased heat transfer and poor crystallisation rates. It is generally found in poor quality, drought or frost-affected cane. Results from selected factories over the past five years show that it occurs predominantly in the Midlands cane growing area. It has, however, also been observed in other areas of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) from time to time as well as in neighbouring countries. The levels appear to be worse in drought seasons. Although the supply of low purity cane is inevitable, factory simulated trials indicate that it is possible to remove sarkaran enzymically and so reduce syrup viscosity slightly. Several fungi were isolated from poor quality, drought or frost-affected cane from the Midlands. One of these fungi, cultivated from several different cane samples, was the stalk pathogen Phaeocytostroma sacchari. This was shown to produce sarkaran from sucrose solutions or mixed juice in the laboratory. This suggests that sarkaran is produced as a result of infection of susceptible cane by P. sacchari.
The Changing Role of Hollywood in the Global Movie Market

Does Hollywood dominate world cinema markets with American taste, culture, and values through the exportation of films produced mainly for its domestic (US and Canada) market? Or does Hollywood supply the films that world audiences demand and, because of the logistics of distribution, screen these films first in the domestic market prior to exhibition in foreign markets? In this article, the authors empirically analyzed the global market for motion pictures to provide statistical evidence that can speak to these questions. They examined data on nearly 2,000 films exhibited from 1997–2007, inclusive, in the United States and Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, and the United Kingdom—markets that today collectively account for over 75% of worldwide cinema box-office revenue. The empirical evidence provides support for the hypothesis that the supply of Hollywood films has accommodated global demand as the relative size of the U.S. domestic market has decreased. There is no evidence that box-office success in the United States creates a contagion that spreads to other film exhibition markets; however, box-office success in international markets appears to be less uncertain for films that have been successful in their U.S. releases.
The Prevalence of Malocclusion and Oral Habits among 5–7-Year-Old Children

Background Digit sucking, tongue thrust swallowing, and mouth breathing are potential risk factors for development of malocclusion. The purpose of this study was to verify the prevalence of different occlusal traits among 5–7-year-old children and assess their relationship with oral habits. Material/Methods The study included 503 pre-school children (260 boys and 243 girls) with a mean age of 5.95 years. Different occlusal traits were verified by intraoral examination. Oral habits were diagnosed using data gathered from clinical examination of occlusion and extra-oral assessment of the face, combined with a questionnaire for parents. Results The study demonstrated that 71.4% of the children presented with 1 or more attributes of malocclusion and 16.9% had oral habits. The vertical and sagittal malrelation of incisors, as well as spacing, were the predominant features. This study showed that digit suckers have higher incidence of anterior open bite (P=0.013) and posterior crossbite (P=0.005). The infantile type of swallowing demonstrated strong association (P=0.001) with anterior open bite. Conclusions Non-nutritive sucking habits and tongue thrust swallowing are significant risk factors for the development of anterior open bite and posterior crossbite in pre-school children.
Combining user-based and item-based collaborative filtering techniques to improve recommendation diversity

Nowadays collaborative filtering technologies are widely used in many websites, while the majority research literatures focused on improving recommendation accuracy. However, it had been recognized that improving recommendation accuracy was not the only requirement for achieving user satisfaction. One important aspect of recommendation quality, recommendation diversity gained focus recently. It was important that recommending a diverse set of items for improving user satisfaction since it provided each user with a richer set of items to choose from and increased the chance of discovering potential interest. In this study, a synthetically collaborative filtering model was proposed, which combined the user-based and item-based collaborative filtering techniques. This model gave each user an option to adjust the diversity of their own recommendation list by using the prevalence rate and novelty rate parameters. Experiments using real-world rating datasets indicated the proposed model had effectively increased the recommendation diversity with little decrease in accuracy and surpassed the traditional collaborative filtering techniques.
Energy Expenditures for Activities of Daily Living in Korean Young Adults: A Preliminary Study

Objective To investigate the energy expenditure (EE) of Korean young adults based on activities refined to a deskbound lifestyle. Methods Sixty-four healthy office workers aged between 25 and 46 years participated in this study. EE was expressed as metabolic equivalent of task (MET). Participants were evaluated in terms of their EE during physical activities of sleeping (n=22), typing (n=37), folding laundry (n=34), dishwashing (n=32), studying (n=18), mopping (n=35), walking (n=33), stair climbing (n=23), and running (n=29). Volume of oxygen consumption was measured by indirect calorimetry K4b2 (COSMED). The results were compared to the established Compendium MET. Results The MET of activities were: sleeping, 1.24±0.43; typing, 1.35±0.25; folding laundry, 1.58±0.51; dishwashing, 2.20±0.51; studying, 2.11±0.90; mopping, 2.72±0.69; walking at 4 km/hr, 3.48±0.65; stair climbing of five stories, 6.18±1.08; and running at 8 km/hr, 7.57±0.57. The values of typing and mopping were similar to those in the Compendium, whereas those of sleeping, folding laundry, dishwashing, studying, walking, stair climbing and running were different. Conclusion To our knowledge, this estimation of EE in MET during activities of daily living is the first data of young adults in Korea. These data could be used as a reference to modify the guidelines of physical activities for the age group examined in this study.
Changing epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in paediatric intensive-care units

SUMMARY Community-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus (CA-MRSA) accounts for a growing proportion of hospital-onset infections, and colonization is a risk factor. This study aimed to determine changes in the prevalence of CA-MRSA colonization in paediatric intensive-care units (ICUs). A total of 495 paediatric patients colonized with MRSA from neonatal, medical, surgical, and cardiac ICUs between 2001 and 2009 were identified. Isolates were characterized by spa type, staphylococcal cassette chromosome (SCC) mec type and the presence of the genes encoding Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL). The proportion of patients colonized with MRSA remained stable (average 3·2%). The proportion of isolates with spa type 1, SCCmec type IV and PVL increased over time to maximums in 2009 of 36·1% (P < 0·001), 54·2% (P = 0·03) and 28·9% (P = 0·003), respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns showed increasing proportions susceptible to clindamycin, gentamicin, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (P values <0·001). In conclusion, the proportion of MRSA-colonized children in ICUs with CA-MRSA increased significantly over time.
A study of economic reform : the case of New Zealand

Economic growth, V.B. Hall productivity growth, R. Fare et al income distribution, B. Easton unemployment, S. Chapple et al labour markets and policy, T. Maloney and J. Savage fiscal policy, G. Wells monetary policy, A. Grimes financial markets - volatility and policy, R.J. Bowden and B. O'Donovan international trade, R. Lattimore and P. Wooding manufacturing industries, T. Hazledine and A. Murphy public enterprises, I. Duncan natural resource management, B.M. H. Sharp social services, R. Stephens.
Needs Analysis of Engineering Students’ English Needs at the University of Tabuk

This study aimed to identify the English language needs of the engineering students at University of Tabuk in the academic year 2013/2014 in Saudi Arabia. More specifically, it attempted to address the following question:What are the English language needs of the engineering students at University of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia? The sample of the study consisted of one hundred and fifty four students, twelve teachers from the University of Tabuk. A questionnaire was developed by the researcher and addressed to the students and teachers. The findings of the study revealed that there are some real special English language needs and interests of students in engineering faculty at the University of Tabuk. These needs motivate students to learn and build their self –confidence towards the learning process.It is recommended that curriculum designers make use of the resulting identifying these needs and to conduct similar studies for other specializations in Saudi Arabia and further afield. Keywords : ESP: English for specific purposes, Communicative Needs Processor, needs analysis
Adaptive generation of desired velocity field for leader-follower type cooperative mobile robots with decentralized PVFC

We propose an adaptive generation method of desired velocity field for leader-follower type cooperative mobile robots with decentralized passive velocity field control (PVFC) which is a decentralized control algorithm of multiple robots handling a common object in coordination. The proposed control method for cooperative mobile robots is constructed by extending the PVFC. This research is different from the previous work in which a common desired velocity field for cooperative PVFC and all cooperative mobile robots was only following the same desired velocity field using the proposed method supervisor can easily specify the behavior of the mobile robots. The stability and boundedness of the resultant system with the proposed control algorithm is also guaranteed. Finally, the proposed control algorithm is examined by computer simulations for cooperative tasks with two mobile robots, and the results illustrate the validity of the proposed control algorithm.
Psoriasin promotes invasion, aggregation and survival of pancreatic cancer cells; association with disease progression

Psoriasin (S100A7) is an 11-kDa small calcium binding protein initially isolated from psoriatic skin lesions. It belongs to the S100 family of proteins which play an important role in a range of cell functions including proliferation, differentiation, migration and apoptosis. Aberrant Psoriasin expression has been implicated in a range of cancers and is often associated with poor prognosis. This study examined the role of Psoriasin on pancreatic cancer cell functions and the implication in progression of the disease. Expression of Psoriasin was determined in a cohort of pancreatic tissues comprised of 126 pancreatic tumours and 114 adjacent non-tumour pancreatic tissues. Knockdown and overexpression of Psoriasin in pancreatic cancer cells was performed using specifically constructed plasmids, which either had anti-Psoriasin ribozyme transgene or the full length human Psoriasin coding sequence. Psoriasin knockdown and overexpression was verified using conventional RT-PCR and qPCR. The effect of manipulating Psoriasin expression on pancreatic cancer cell functions was assessed using several in vitro cell function assays. Local invasive pancreatic cancers extended beyond the pancreas expressed higher levels of Psoriasin transcripts compared with the cancers confined to the pancreas. Primary tumours with distant metastases exhibited a reduced expression of Psoriasin. Psoriasin overexpression cell lines exhibited significantly increased growth and migration compared to control cells. In addition, Psoriasin overexpression resulted in increased pancreatic cancer cell invasion which was associated with upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9. Overexpression of Psoriasin also promoted aggregation and survival of pancreatic cancer cells when they lost anchorage. Taken together, higher expression of Psoriasin was associated with local invasion in pancreatic cancers. Psoriasin expression is associated with pancreatic cancer cell growth, migration, cell-matrix adhesion, and invasion via regulation of MMPs. As such, the proposed implications of Psoriasin in invasion, disease progression and as a potential therapeutic target warrant further investigation.
Observing Pair-Work Task in an English Speaking Class.

This paper reports on students’ pair-work interactions to develop their speaking skills in an ELT classroom which consisted of international learners. A number of 16 learners of intermediate proficiency with IELTS score band 5.5 were observed. The teacher had paired those he considered among them to be the more competent ones (hereafter, stronger) with the less competent ones (hereafter, weaker); therefore, eight pairs were observed during the lesson. The task given to the students was to express ‘Agree and Disagree’ in the context of giving opinions related to social life. Based on the observations, the task was successfully implemented by six pairs; thus, the two others faced some problems. From the first pair, it was seen that the stronger student had intimated the weaker one into speaking during the task. The other pair, who was both of the same native, did not converse in English as expected and mostly used their native language to speak with one another presumably due to respect from the stronger student towards the weaker one. In situations like this, when pair-work becomes unproductive, rotating pairs is recommended to strengthen information sharing and assigning roles to avoid a student from taking over the activity from his or her pair. In conclusion, pairing international learners with mixed speaking proficiency by teachers must be conducted as effectively as possible by initially identifying their ability and learning culture to profoundly expand the students’ language resources
Dysregulated expression of cell surface glycoprotein CDCP1 in prostate cancer

CUB-domain-containing protein 1 (CDCP1) is a trans-membrane protein regulator of cell adhesion with a potent pro-migratory function in tumors. Given that proteolytic cleavage of the ectodomain correlates with outside-in oncogenic signaling, we characterized glycosylation in the context of cellular processing and expression of CDCP1 in prostate cancer. We detected 135 kDa full-length and proteolytic processed 70 kDa species in a panel of PCa cell models. The relative expression of full-length CDCP1 correlated with the metastatic potential of syngeneic cell models and an increase in surface membrane expression of CDCP1 was observed in tumor compared to adjacent normal prostate tissues. We demonstrated that glycosylation of CDCP1 is a prerequisite for protein stability and plasma membrane localization, and that the expression level and extent of N-glycosylation of CDCP1 correlated with metastatic status. Interestingly, complex N-linked glycans with sialic acid chains were restricted to the N-terminal half of the ectodomain and absent in the truncated species. Characterization of the extracellular expression of CDCP1 identified novel circulating forms and revealed that extracellular vesicles provide additional processing pathways. Employing immunoaffinity mass spectrometry, we detected elevated levels of circulating CDCP1 in patient urine with high-risk disease. Our results establish that differential glycosylation, cell surface presentation and extracellular expression of CDCP1 are hallmarks of PCa progression.
The Impact of Tenure on Chief Executive Officer Role Perceptions and Time Spent in Roles

This paper presents research on the impact of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) tenure, or time worked as a CEO, on the CEOâ€™s perception of their role. For purposes of this paper tenure refers to the amount of time the CEO has spent working as a CEO. Tenure was broken into four major categories: 0 to 10 years; 11 to 20 years; 21 to 30 years; and over 31 years spent as a CEO. In terms of role agreement results indicate a statistically significant difference in agreement with the strategic role category for CEOs with over 31 years of tenure. These CEOs do not agree as strongly with their counterparts that this is a CEOâ€™s role. In terms of time spent in the role categories there are statistically significant differences in CEOs with over 31 years of tenure and their counterparts in how they estimate they spend their time. Further research is necessary to understand the reasons behind these quantitative results.
Mountains of Maize, Persistent Poverty

The past two years are a tribute to Zambian farmers; they have responded admirably to government efforts to promote maize production. But ironically, rural poverty remains stubbornly high despite the fact that the government has spent over 2% of the nation’s gross domestic product in supporting maize production and subsidizing inputs for farmers. Why is it that maize production has increased so impressively without making a serious dent in rural poverty? And what are the lessons for the new government?
Information Precision and the Cost of Debt 1

Several information features of the debt market suggest that private information may play a different role in the debt market than in the equity market. We show that while higher precision of public information is associated with lower cost of debt, higher precision of private information is also associated with lower cost of debt. This is in contrast to the previous finding from the equity market that higher precision of private information is associated with higher cost of equity. In addition, we find a substitution effect between the two sources of information. Our results suggest that, when assessing their reporting strategy, managers should not only consider the relation between public and private information, but also weigh the relative importance of the cost of debt and the cost of equity.
Measuring Coverage in MNCH: Testing the Validity of Women's Self-Report of Key Maternal and Newborn Health Interventions during the Peripartum Period in Mozambique

Background As low-income countries strive to meet targets for Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5, there is growing need to track coverage and quality of high-impact peripartum interventions. At present, nationally representative household surveys conducted in low-income settings primarily measure contact with the health system, shedding little light on content or quality of care. The objective of this study is to validate the ability of women in Mozambique to report on facility-based care they and their newborns received during labor and one hour postpartum. Methods and Findings The study involved household interviews with women in Mozambique whose births were observed eight to ten months previously as part of a survey of the quality of maternal and newborn care at government health facilities. Of 487 women whose births were observed and who agreed to a follow-up interview, 304 were interviewed (62.4%). The validity of 34 indicators was tested using two measures: area under receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) and inflation factor (IF); 27 indicators had sufficient numbers for robust analysis, of which four met acceptability criteria for both (AUC >0.6 and 0.75<IF<1.25). Two of these indicators are considered high demand and are recommended for incorporation into international survey programs: presence of a support person during labor/delivery and placement of the newborn skin to skin against the mother. Nine indicators met acceptability criteria for one of the validity measures. All 13 indicators are recommended for use in in-depth maternal/newborn health surveys. Conclusions Women are able to report on some aspects of peripartum care. Larger studies may be able to validate some indicators that this study could not assess due to the sample size. Future qualitative research may assist in improving question formulation for some indicators. Studies of similar design in other low-income settings are needed to confirm these results.
Fallibility and Sequential Decision-Making

Individuals typically make errors in evaluating information. In this paper, we consider a project selection problem, where fallible managers screen projects sequentially, and provide independent opinions on its quality. We compare the relative performance of the hierarchy and polyarchy when η (n > 2) managers are employed to evaluate projects. In addition to generalizing the existing results on the optimal screening standards, I discuss and characterize the optimal organizational size, and how the relative desirability of the two sequential decision processes are affected by changing the project quality. Finally, I also discuss the effect of variable evaluation costs on the optimal evaluation standards. (JEL: D 81)