Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transnational Populism? Representative Claims, Media and the Difficulty of Constructing a Transnational “People”

What does populism look like beyond the nation-state? This article introduces the concept of transnational populism as a way of understanding how populists construct “the people” above the national level, thus disentangling the oft-conflated concepts of populism and nationalism. It defines transnational populism, distinguishes it from international cooperation between populists and provides illustrative examples from across the globe to demonstrate what it looks like in practice. The article also addresses why transnational populism is so rare, arguing that “the people” of transnational populism is far more difficult to construct than nationally bounded conceptions of “the people”. To flesh out this claim, the article draws Ernesto Laclau’s work on populism together with the work of those authors associated with the “constructivist turn” in political representation, exploring the role of both audiences and constituencies in answering representative claims made on behalf of the transnational “people”. Finally, the article turns to the role of media—both old and new—in broadcasting and (more problematically) answering transnational populist claims.
Emotional reactions of peers influence decisions about fairness in adolescence

During adolescence, peers take on increasing importance, while social skills are still developing. However, how emotions of peers influence social decisions during that age period is insufficiently known. We therefore examined the effects of three different emotional responses (anger, disappointment, happiness) on decisions about fairness in a sample of 156 adolescents aged 12–17 years. Participants received written emotional responses from peers in a version of the Dictator Game to a previous unfair offer. Adolescents reacted with more generous offers after disappointed reactions compared to angry and happy reactions. Furthermore, we found preliminary evidence for developmental differences over adolescence, since older adolescents differentiated more between the three emotions than younger adolescents. In addition, individual differences in social value orientation played a role in decisions after happy reactions of peers to a previous unfair offer, such that participants with a “proself” orientation made more unfair offers to happy peers than “prosocial” participants. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that adolescents take emotions of peers into account when making social decisions, while individual differences in social value orientation affect these decisions, and age seems to influence the nature of the reaction.
Parent–child attachment as a mechanism of intergenerational (dis)advantage

A growing literature connects childhood socio-emotional skills to adult socio-economic outcomes. But what explains differing levels of socio-emotional skills? Current theories consider parental investment and socialisation, but neglect the emotional and relational aspects of parenting. Attachment theory offers a model of the micro-level mechanisms that connect parenting processes and socio-emotional development intergenerationally. It has, however, tended to de-emphasise macro, contextual socio-economic factors. Through an extensive, integrative review of the empirical literature on the effects and antecedents of parent–child attachment, we argue that attachment is a mechanism through which socio-emotional – and socio-economic – (dis)advantages persist.
When and why does animation enhance learning ? A review

Does the use of animation in a learning context improve comprehension and / or knowledge acquisition, compared with static graphics? Animated graphics enable to depict the spatial organization of the components and its changes over time (Bétrancourt, Morisson and Tversky, 2001), or make explicit the dynamic changes of a process (Lowe & Schnotz, 2003). Several research reviews (Bétrancourt and Tversky, 2000; Schneider, 2007; Tversky, BauerMorisson & Bétrancourt, 2002) found no conclusive findings regarding the benefit of animation compared to static graphics on learning outcomes. Using a quantitative approach through factorial analysis, Schneider (2007) pointed out that the effect of animation varied according to the content domain. Nonetheless, a domain approach does not provide the reasons why animation benefits to some domains and not others. A recent meta-analysis (Höffler & Leutner, 2007) found an overall positive effect of the use of animation over static pictures and identified some significant moderator variables, such as the realism and the type of learning content. However, the inclusion criteria defined by the authors excluded some famous studies. In addition, some moderator variables, suggested in the literature on animation, were not taken into account in the analysis. In order to further identify the conditions under which animated graphics are beneficial for learning, we collected 57 articles (66 studies) comparing instructional materials containing animated versus static graphics. First, a qualitative review was conducted in order to draw the global picture that will be compared to previous reviews. Then, a meta-analysis will be conducted in order to assess the role of moderator variables suggested by previous literature,. This meta-analysis will identify the conditions under which animation can be beneficial to learning and provide new assumptions regarding the cognitive processes involved in learning from animation. (287 words)
A unified approach to power control for multiuser detectors

In this paper, a unified approach to power control is proposed for a large family of receivers which includes the matched filter, decorrelator, and minimum mean square error detectors as well as the individually and jointly optimal multiuser detectors. The proposed algorithm exploits the linear relationship that has been shown to exist between the transmit power and the output signal to noise plus interference ratio in large systems. Simulation is used to show the convergence of the proposed power control scheme and demonstrate its performance in finite-size systems. Keywords— Power control, multiuser detection, multiuser efficiency, large-system analysis.
Real-time 3D visual tracking of laparoscopic instruments for robotized endoscope holder

The robotized endoscope holder in laparoscopic surgery allows a surgeon to control the endoscope without the intervention of an assistant. For providing the more convenient interactions between the surgeon and a robotized endoscope holder, we propose a new method for the automatic 3D-tracking of laparoscopic instruments in real-time. The method is based on the measurement of the 3D positions of the insertion points of the instruments and the strip markers, and the constraints of the depth estimation of the instruments. We present the encouraging results in our experiment, which show that our method is rapid and robust in the simulated laparoscopic surgery.
Post-Fire Seedling Recruitment and Morpho-Ecophysiological Responses to Induced Drought and Salvage Logging in Pinus halepensis Mill. Stands

Salvage logging is the commonest post-fire emergency action, but has unclear ecological effects. In the Mediterranean Basin, drought periods and fire regimes are changing and forest management should be adapted. In summer 2009, a mid-high severity fire burned 968 ha of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) forest in southeast Spain, which was submitted to salvage logging six months later. In spring 2010, plots were set in untreated and logged areas to monitor the recruitment and survival of the main tree species and three companion species: Stipa tenacissima L. (resprouter), Cistus clusii Dunal and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (obligate seeders). We evaluated responses to different scenarios in relation to intensification of summer droughts and forest management to obtain differences in water stress, growth, and gas exchange to cope with summer drought. Drought was induced by using rain-exclusion shelters and recorded ecophysiological characteristics were obtained with a portable gas exchange system. The main tree species recruitment was poor, but companion species showed a high survival ratio. Lower water stress was found for obligate seeder seedlings, which was higher in logged areas with induced drought. The initial post-fire stage was similar for the studied areas. However, after two drought periods (2010 and 2011), significant differences were found in the morphological and ecophysiological responses. In the unmanaged area, the biggest size of individuals due to the most marked increases in height and coverage were observed mainly in resprouter S. tenacissima. In the area submitted to salvage logging, the growth ratios in plots with induced drought were lower, mainly for seeders. Greater productivity was related to higher transpiration, stomatal conductance, and net photosynthetic ratio, but lower water use efficiency was found in obligate seeders with no drought induction, and S. tenacissima obtained higher values in untreated areas. Our results confirm that both forest management and intensification of summer droughts influenced the resilience and productivity of the ecosystems in the short term. Adaptive forest management after fire can imply successful survival and recovery of plant communities in the mid to long term. This study provide a scientific basis to develop tools for the post-fire restoration of serotinous pine forests occurring in low-altitudinal areas of the Mediterranean Basin, prone to summer droughts and fire events.
Effect of raloxifene on bone mineral density in premenopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer.

CONTEXT Raloxifene is a promising breast cancer prevention agent in postmenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer. The effects of raloxifene in premenopausal women are unknown. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the effect of raloxifene in premenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer on bone mineral density (BMD). DESIGN This was a phase II clinical trial. SETTING This study was conducted at an academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-seven premenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer enrolled in the trial. Thirty subjects began treatment and 27 were evaluable. INTERVENTION Raloxifene (60 mg daily) and elemental calcium (500 mg daily) were given for 2 yr. Subjects were followed up off medications for 1 yr. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The primary end point was the intrasubject percent change in BMD at 1 yr measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS The mean baseline lumbar spine density was 1.027 g/cm(2). Lumbar spine density decreased 2.3% at 1 yr (P < 0.00001) and 3.5% at 2 yr (P < .00001). Percent change from yr 2 to 3 was +1.4%. The mean baseline total hip bone density was 0.905 g/cm(2). Total hip density decreased 0.3% at 1 yr and 1.0% at 2 yr (P = 0.033). Percent change from yr 2 to 3 was +1.7%. CONCLUSIONS Raloxifene use is associated with a decrease in BMD in premenopausal women at increased risk for breast cancer. The clinical significance of this decrease is unknown and is attenuated with stopping raloxifene.
Neurological Effects of Honey: Current and Future Prospects

Honey is the only insect-derived natural product with therapeutic, traditional, spiritual, nutritional, cosmetic, and industrial value. In addition to having excellent nutritional value, honey is a good source of physiologically active natural compounds, such as polyphenols. Unfortunately, there are very few current research projects investigating the nootropic and neuropharmacological effects of honey, and these are still in their early stages. Raw honey possesses nootropic effects, such as memory-enhancing effects, as well as neuropharmacological activities, such as anxiolytic, antinociceptive, anticonvulsant, and antidepressant activities. Research suggests that the polyphenol constituents of honey can quench biological reactive oxygen species and counter oxidative stress while restoring the cellular antioxidant defense system. Honey polyphenols are also directly involved in apoptotic activities while attenuating microglia-induced neuroinflammation. Honey polyphenols are useful in improving memory deficits and can act at the molecular level. Therefore, the ultimate biochemical impact of honey on specific neurodegenerative diseases, apoptosis, necrosis, neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, and behavior-modulating neural circuitry should be evaluated with appropriate mechanistic approaches using biochemical and molecular tools.
Blockage of Spontaneous Ca2+ Oscillation Causes Cell Death in Intraerythrocitic Plasmodium falciparum

Malaria remains one of the world’s most important infectious diseases and is responsible for enormous mortality and morbidity. Resistance to antimalarial drugs is a challenging problem in malaria control. Clinical malaria is associated with the proliferation and development of Plasmodium parasites in human erythrocytes. Especially, the development into the mature forms (trophozoite and schizont) of Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) causes severe malaria symptoms due to a distinctive property, sequestration which is not shared by any other human malaria. Ca2+ is well known to be a highly versatile intracellular messenger that regulates many different cellular processes. Cytosolic Ca2+ increases evoked by extracellular stimuli are often observed in the form of oscillating Ca2+ spikes (Ca2+ oscillation) in eukaryotic cells. However, in lower eukaryotic and plant cells the physiological roles and the molecular mechanisms of Ca2+ oscillation are poorly understood. Here, we showed the observation of the inositol 1,4,5-trisphospate (IP3)-dependent spontaneous Ca2+ oscillation in P. falciparum without any exogenous extracellular stimulation by using live cell fluorescence Ca2+ imaging. Intraerythrocytic P. falciparum exhibited stage-specific Ca2+ oscillations in ring form and trophozoite stages which were blocked by IP3 receptor inhibitor, 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate (2-APB). Analyses of parasitaemia and parasite size and electron micrograph of 2-APB-treated P. falciparum revealed that 2-APB severely obstructed the intraerythrocytic maturation, resulting in cell death of the parasites. Furthermore, we confirmed the similar lethal effect of 2-APB on the chloroquine-resistant strain of P. falciparum. To our best knowledge, we for the first time showed the existence of the spontaneous Ca2+ oscillation in Plasmodium species and clearly demonstrated that IP3-dependent spontaneous Ca2+ oscillation in P. falciparum is critical for the development of the blood stage of the parasites. Our results provide a novel concept that IP3/Ca2+ signaling pathway in the intraerythrocytic malaria parasites is a promising target for antimalarial drug development.
The Rate of Plasmodium vivax Infectivity within Gloucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Deficient Individuals in Hormozgan Province, Iran

Background One of the most important enzymatic disorders that interact with malaria is deficiency of G6PD (Gloucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase). This enzyme protects red blood cells from hydrogen peroxide and other oxidative damages. Distribution of this enzyme deficiency usually accompanies with low level distribution of malaria disease in most malarious areas. So this hypothesis may be considered that the G6PD deficiency could be protective against malaria. Methods Totally 160 samples were taken from vivax malaria infected and non-infected individuals. Preparing blood smears and quantitative test for G6PD deficiency were employed for all of the samples. To ensure accuracy of the malaria in negative samples besides using microscopical examination, semi-nested multiplex PCR was also performed for the two groups. Results In microscopical examination 36 and 124 samples were vivax malaria positive and negative respectively. Out of 36 P.vivax positive cases 3 (8.3%) cases were detected to be G6PD deficient versus 30 (24.2%) cases out of 124 P. vivax negative cases. The results showed a significant differentiation between P. vivax positive and P. vivax negative cases in the rate of G6PD deficiency (3/36 in positive cases versus 30/124 in negative cases) (P<0.05). Conclusion vivax malaria positive individuals with G6PD deficiency showed too mild symptoms of Malaria or even asymptomatic.
Effect of Dexamethasone, Insulin and EGF on the Myogenic Potential on Human Endometrial Stem Cell

Human endometrium contains mesenchymal stem cells (eMSC) which have the ability to differentiate into three cell lineages and the potential in therapeutic applications. We hypothesize that using environmental induction in culture media such as dexamethasone, human recombinant insulin and human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) can differentiate endometrial stem cells into myoblast. These agents have a broad range of effects in myoblast differentiation in-vitro. We used immunohystochemistry analysis and RT –PCR to evaluate the presence of skeletal muscle - specific proteins some of which are expressed in the early stage of differentiation including myoD and Desmin which expressed at later stages of differentiation. In conclusion eMSC can differentiate in culture media which contains above mentioned factors and use for therapeutic purpose in muscular degenerative disease.
Busulfan in Infant to Adult Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients: A Population Pharmacokinetic Model for Initial and Bayesian Dose Personalization

Purpose: Personalizing intravenous busulfan doses to a target plasma concentration at steady state (Css) is an essential component of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We sought to develop a population pharmacokinetic model to predict i.v. busulfan doses over a wide age spectrum (0.1–66 years) that accounts for differences in age and body size. Experimental Design: A population pharmacokinetic model based on normal fat mass and maturation based on postmenstrual age was built from 12,380 busulfan concentration time points obtained after i.v. busulfan administration in 1,610 HCT recipients. Subsequently, simulation results of the initial dose necessary to achieve a target Css with this model were compared with pediatric-only models. Results: A two-compartment model with first-order elimination best fit the data. The population busulfan clearance was 12.4 L/h for an adult male with 62 kg normal fat mass (equivalent to 70 kg total body weight). Busulfan clearance, scaled to body size—specifically normal fat mass, is predicted to be 95% of the adult clearance at 2.5 years postnatal age. With a target Css of 770 ng/mL, a higher proportion of initial doses achieved the therapeutic window with this age- and size-dependent model (72%) compared with dosing recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (57%) or the European Medicines Agency (70%). Conclusion: This is the first population pharmacokinetic model developed to predict initial i.v. busulfan doses and personalize to a target Css over a wide age spectrum, ranging from infants to adults. Clin Cancer Res; 20(3); 754–63. ©2013 AACR.
A simple TCP throughput model and analytic characterization of fairness

In this paper, we develop a simple and accurate stochastic model for the steady-state throughput of a TCP bulk data transfer as a function of round-trip time, loss event rate and burstiness of loss. Our model generalizes the TCP window adaptation policy and provides the analytical characterization of the fast recovery algorithm. We validated our model by conducting a large number of simulations using the ns-2 simulator. The proposed model can accurately predict the steady-state TCP NewReno throughput for a wide range of network conditions. Based on the model, we analytically determine the Jainpsilas fainess index for multiple concurrent flows passing through the same bottleneck.
AST‐120 (spherical carbon adsorbent) lowers ammonia levels and attenuates brain edema in bile duct–ligated rats

The pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy is multifactorial, involving gut‐derived toxins such as ammonia, which has been demonstrated to induce oxidative stress. Therefore, a primary hepatic encephalopathy treatment target is reducing ammonia production in the gastrointestinal tract. AST‐120, an oral adsorbent of engineered activated carbon microspheres with surface areas exceeding 1600 m2/g, acts as a sink for neurotoxins and hepatotoxins present in the gut. We evaluated the capacity of AST‐120 to adsorb ammonia in vitro and to lower blood ammonia, oxidative stress and brain edema in cirrhotic rats. Cirrhosis was induced in rats by bile duct ligation for 6 weeks. AST‐120 was administered by gavage preventively for 6 weeks (0.1, 1, and 4 g/kg/day). In addition, AST‐120 was evaluated as a short‐term treatment for 2 weeks and 3 days (1 g/kg/day) and as a sink to adsorb intravenously infused ammonium acetate. In vitro, AST‐120 efficiently adsorbed ammonia. Ammonia levels significantly decreased in a dose‐dependent manner for all AST‐120–treated bile duct‐ligated rats (nontreated: 177.3 ± 30.8 μM; AST‐120, 0.1 g/kg/day: 121.9 ± 13.8 μM; AST‐120, 1 g/kg/day: 80.9 ± 30.0 μM; AST‐120, 4 g/kg/day: 48.8 ± 19.6 μM) and significantly correlated with doses of AST‐120 (r = −0.6603). Brain water content and locomotor activity normalized after AST‐120 treatments, whereas arterial reactive oxygen species levels remained unchanged. Furthermore, AST‐120 significantly attenuated a rise in arterial ammonia after ammonium acetate administration (intravenously). Conclusion:AST‐120 treatment decreased arterial ammonia levels, normalized brain water content and locomotor activity but did not demonstrate an effect on systemic oxidative stress. Also, AST‐120 acts as an ammonia sink, efficiently removing blood‐derived ammonia. Additional studies are warranted to evaluate the effects of AST‐120 on hepatic encephalopathy in patients with advanced liver disease. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;)
Performance analysis of MIMO-OFDM communication system

Using MIMO-OFDM technology a simple wireless communication system is modeled and simulated based on the principles of technical analysis. MIMO-OFDM system performs better when the diversity of antennas is increased especially at receiver side. However, this comes at the cost of sub-carrier interference which increases with the increase in the carrier number in the system. Using the powerful tool of MATLAB, the system is simulated for different antenna diversity and carrier configurations and results are analyzed.
Endoscopic Management of Afferent Loop Syndrome after a Pylorus Preserving Pancreatoduodenecotomy Presenting with Obstructive Jaundice and Ascending Cholangitis

Afferent loop syndrome is a rare complication of gastrojejunostomy. Patients usually present with abdominal distention and bilious avomiting. Afferent loop syndrome in patients who have undergone a pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy can present with ascending cholangitis. This condition is related to a large volume of reflux through the biliary-enteric anastomosis and static materials with bacterial overgrowth in the afferent loop. Patients with afferent loop syndrome after pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy frequently cannot be confirmed as surgical candidates due to poor medical condition. In that situation, a non-surgical palliation should be considered. Herein, we report two patients with afferent loop syndrome presenting with obstructive jaundice and ascending cholangitis. The patients suffered from the recurrence of pancreatic cancer after pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy. The diagnosis of afferent loop syndrome was confirmed, and the patients were successfully treated by inserting an endoscopic metal stent using a colonoscopic endoscope.