Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Polarization microvariability of BL Lacertae objects

We present the results of a systematic observational campaign designed to search for microvariability in the optical polarization of BL Lac objects. We observed a sample formed by 8 X-ray-selected and 10 radio-selected sources, looking for rapid changes in both the degree of linear polarization and the corresponding polarization angle. The whole campaign was carried out during the last three years, and most of the objects were observed on at least two consecutive nights. The statistical properties of both classes of BLLac objects are compared, and some general conclusions on the nature of the phenomenon are drawn. In general, radio selected sources seem to display higher duty cycles for polarimetric microvariability and, on average, they have a stronger polarization.
A Study of Stress Perceived by the Parents of Mentally Challenged Children from Low and Middle Social Class

Abstract The present paper assessed and compared the type and level of perceived stress by the parents of 150 mentally challenged children across their social class. Sample was drawn randomly in equal proportions from mild, moderate and severe categories of mental challenge. The levels of parental stress were assessed by using Family Interview for Stress and Coping in Mental Retardation (Section-I). The findings of the present paper revealed that LIG parents of both genders were more stressed than those from MIG on marital issues, other interpersonal issues and financial implications. Both mothers and fathers of LIG and MIG made extra efforts for the care of their child; their leisure time and activity get equally affected and perceived equal stress because other family members are being neglected; had continuous vigilant on the disturbed behavior of the child; had equal family worries, social life altered equally as well as perceived same level of social embarrassment.
Community Mapping as a Tool for Developing Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

ABSTRACT Despite more than two decades of research supporting the use of culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) to increase academic outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse students, teacher education programs continue to struggle with helping preservice teachers to develop this pedagogical stance. This article explores the process and outcomes of a class community mapping project as a pedagogical method for developing CRP with early childhood preservice teachers. Using culturally relevant pedagogy to frame our investigation, we report our findings on the impact of the community mapping project on the preservice teachers’ development of CRP as it relates to the theory’s pedagogical tenets of conceptions of self and others, social relations, and conceptions of knowledge. The findings suggest that community mapping is comprehensive in that it incited new understandings and beginning beliefs about each dimension of CRP.
Object attitude estimation using passive RFID tag arrays

A technique to estimate the attitude of an object using RFID tags is presented in this paper. The approach is based on the application of MUSIC algorithm to the phase measurements of an array of RFID tags attached to the object. The cost and infrastructure of the system is minimized since a single transmitter antenna is required. The performance of this technique was validated through simulations and measurements in an anechoic chamber. Results showed that the estimated attitude accuracy is within the uncertainty margin of the RFID reader employed in wide angular range. In addition, the calibration of the array turns out to be critical in order to reduce errors mainly caused by the difference between the effective separation between RFID tags and its expected value.
Umace Filter for Detection of Abnormal Changes In Eeg: A Report of 6 Cases

It is well known that the UMACE filter is mostly used for face detection system, text recognition and fingerprint verification. However, in this study, the potential of UMACE to detect changes in EEG data from epilepsy monitoring routine is explored using only one channel of EEG recording. A novel method to analyse and detect variances in scalp EEG is performed by comparing the abnormal region to the normal segment of the patient's EEG. The changes occurred in the zero plot is examined and initial results showed that these changes can be employed to distinguish irregularities in EEG. The proposed method is capable to produce first rate results too.
The CXCR4/CXCR7/CXCL12 Axis Is Involved in a Secondary but Complex Control of Neuroblastoma Metastatic Cell Homing

Neuroblastoma (NB) is one of the most deadly solid tumors of the young child, for which new efficient and targeted therapies are strongly needed. The CXCR4/CXCR7/CXCL12 chemokine axis has been involved in the progression and organ-specific dissemination of various cancers. In NB, CXCR4 expression was shown to be associated to highly aggressive undifferentiated tumors, while CXCR7 expression was detected in more differentiated and mature neuroblastic tumors. As investigated in vivo, using an orthotopic model of tumor cell implantation of chemokine receptor-overexpressing NB cells (IGR-NB8), the CXCR4/CXCR7/CXCL12 axis was shown to regulate NB primary and secondary growth, although without any apparent influence on organ selective metastasis. In the present study, we addressed the selective role of CXCR4 and CXCR7 receptors in the homing phase of metastatic dissemination using an intravenous model of tumor cell implantation. Tail vein injection into NOD-scid-gamma mice of transduced IGR-NB8 cells overexpressing CXCR4, CXCR7, or both receptors revealed that all transduced cell variants preferentially invaded the adrenal gland and typical NB metastatic target organs, such as the liver and the bone marrow. However, CXCR4 expression favored NB cell dissemination to the liver and the lungs, while CXCR7 was able to strongly promote NB cell homing to the adrenal gland and the liver. Finally, coexpression of CXCR4 and CXCR7 receptors significantly and selectively increased NB dissemination toward the bone marrow. In conclusion, CXCR4 and CXCR7 receptors may be involved in a complex and organ-dependent control of NB growth and selective homing, making these receptors and their inhibitors potential new therapeutic targets.
Enforcing Information Flow Guarantees in Reconfigurable Systems with Mix-trusted IP

Trusted systems fundamentally rely on the ability to tightly control the flow of information both in-to and out-of the device. Due to their inherent programmability, reconfigurable systems are riddled with security holes (timing channels, undefined behaviors, storage channels, backdoors) which can be used as a foothold for attackers to strike. System designers are constantly forced to respond to these attacks, often only after significant damage has been inflicted. We propose to use the reconfigurable nature of the system to our advantage by taking a bottom-up, hardware based approach to security. Using an information flow secure hardware foundation, which can precisely verify all information flows from Boolean gates, security can be verified all the way up the system stack. This can be used to ensure private keys are never leaked (for secrecy), and that untrusted information will not be used in the making of critical decisions (for safety and fault tolerance).
PENGARUH MOTIVASI BERPRESTASI TERHADAP KINERJA GURU DI SMK TUNAS PEMUDA

Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh motivasi berprestasi terhadap kinerja guru di SMK Tunas Pemuda. Peneliti menggunakan metode penelitian survei. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh guru SMK Tunas Pemuda yang berjumlah 40 guru. Sampel dalam penelitian ini berjumlah 30 yang diambil dengan random sampling atau acak sederhana. Sumber data penelitian yaitu guru-guru SMK Tunas Pemuda. Teknik pengumpulan data yaitu angket dengan skala likert. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah teknik analisis korelasi product moment, regresi sederhana, dan uji t untuk menguji hipotesis penelitian. Hasil penelitian sebagai berikut: 1. Hasil pengujian regresi menghasilkan persamaan regresi ? = 13,071 + 0,677 X yang artinya setiap kenaikan satu unit variabel motivasi berprestasi akan meningkatkan variabel kinerja guru sebesar 0,677 dan apabila tidak ada variabel motivasi berprestasi maka kinerja guru akan tetap sebesar 13,071. 2. Hasil pengujian korelasi sederhana menghasilkan nilai 0,743 yang artinya hubungan antara variabel motivasi berprestasi dengan variabel kinerja guru sebesar 0,743 yang artinya hubungan tersebut positif dan kuat. Hubungan yang positif tersebut mengartikan bahwa apabila motivasi berprestasi guru naik maka kinerja guru akan naik dan apabila motivasi berprestasi guru turun maka kinerja guru akan turun. Koefisien determinan menghasilkan nilai 55,2 % yang artinya motivasi berprestasi menjelaskan kinerja guru sebesar 55,2 % dan sisanya sebesar 44,8 % dari variabel lain. 3. Hasil pengujian menjelaskan bahwa t hitung sebesar 5,871 > t tabel sebesar 2,048 maka H0 ditolak yang artinya artinya terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan variabel motivasi berprestasi terhadap variabel kinerja guru di SMK Tunas Pemuda. Kata Kunci: Motivasi berprestasi, kinerja guru
Bidirectional long-term modification of synaptic effectiveness in the adult and immature hippocampus

Previously we showed that delivering 900 pulses to the Schaffer collateral-CA1 pathway at 1–3 Hz causes a lasting depression of synaptic effectiveness that is input specific and dependent on NMDA receptor activation (Dudek and Bear, 1992a). Here we describe experiments aimed at further characterizing this homosynaptic long-term depression (LTD) and comparing it with long-term potentiation (LTP). To address the question of whether depressed synapses can still be potentiated and vice versa, LTP was saturated with repeated high- frequency tetani, and then LTD was induced with low-frequency stimulation (LFS). A second strong tetanus then restored the potentiation, indicating that the same synapses whose transmission had been depressed by LFS were capable of subsequently supporting potentiation. In a complementary experiment, LTD was induced first and then a strong high-frequency tetanus was delivered. We found that the resulting LTP achieved the same absolute magnitude as that observed in control slices that had received the high-frequency stimulation alone. Next, the postnatal development of LTD was investigated in slices prepared from rats at 6–35 d of age. The consequences of LFS were far more pronounced in slices from young rats. LTD following 900 pulses at 1 Hz measured -45 +/- 4% in CA1 of rats less than 2 weeks old as compared with -20 +/- 4 in animals at 5 weeks postnatal. It was also found that LTD precedes the developmental onset of LTP in CA1. Finally, we addressed the question of whether LTD could be saturated by repeated episodes of LFS in slices prepared from 3-week-old rats. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Diverse and Targetable Kinase Alterations Drive Histiocytic Neoplasms.

UNLABELLED Histiocytic neoplasms are clonal, hematopoietic disorders characterized by an accumulation of abnormal, monocyte-derived dendritic cells or macrophages in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis (non-LCH), respectively. The discovery of BRAF(V600E) mutations in approximately 50% of these patients provided the first molecular therapeutic target in histiocytosis. However, recurrent driving mutations in the majority of patients with BRAF(V600E)-wild-type non-LCH are unknown, and recurrent cooperating mutations in non-MAP kinase pathways are undefined for the histiocytic neoplasms. Through combined whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing, we identified recurrent kinase fusions involving BRAF, ALK, and NTRK1, as well as recurrent, activating MAP2K1 and ARAF mutations in patients with BRAF(V600E)-wild-type non-LCH. In addition to MAP kinase pathway lesions, recurrently altered genes involving diverse cellular pathways were identified. Treatment of patients with MAP2K1- and ARAF-mutated non-LCH using MEK and RAF inhibitors, respectively, resulted in clinical efficacy, demonstrating the importance of detecting and targeting diverse kinase alterations in these disorders. SIGNIFICANCE We provide the first description of kinase fusions in systemic histiocytic neoplasms and activating ARAF and MAP2K1 mutations in non-Langerhans histiocytic neoplasms. Refractory patients with MAP2K1- and ARAF-mutant histiocytoses had clinical responses to MEK inhibition and sorafenib, respectively, highlighting the importance of comprehensive genomic analysis of these disorders.
Cortex Moutan Induces Bladder Cancer Cell Death via Apoptosis and Retards Tumor Growth in Mouse Bladders

Cortex Moutan is the root bark of Paeonia suffruticosa Andr. It is the herbal medicine widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of blood-heat and blood-stasis syndrome. Furthermore, it has been reported that Cortex Moutan has anticancer effect. In this study, the Cortex Moutan extract was evaluated in bladder cancer therapy in vitro and in vivo. Cortex Moutan extract reduces cell viability with IC50 between 1~2 mg/ml in bladder cancer cells, and it has lower cytotoxicity in normal urotheliums. It arrests cells in G1 and S phase and causes phosphatidylserine expression in the outside of cell membrane. It induces caspase-8 and caspase-3 activation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase degradation. The pan caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk reverses Cortex Moutan-induced cell death. Cortex Moutan also inhibits cell invasion activity in 5637 cells. In mouse orthotopic bladder cancer model, intravesical application of Cortex Moutan decreases the bladder tumor size without altering the blood biochemical parameters. In summary, these results demonstrate the antiproliferation and anti-invasion properties of Cortex Moutan in bladder cancer cells and its antibladder tumor effect in vivo. Cortex Moutan may provide an alternative therapeutic strategy for the intravesical therapy of superficial bladder cancer.
Electrophysiological Analysis of Cloned Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channels1

Electrophysiological studies were conducted on the cloned plant cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels AtCNGC2 and AtCNGC1 from Arabidopsis, and NtCBP4 from tobacco (Nicotiana tobacum). The nucleotide coding sequences for these proteins were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes or HEK 293 cells. Channel characteristics were evaluated using voltage clamp analysis of currents in the presence of cAMP. AtCNGC2 was demonstrated to conduct K+ and other monovalent cations, but exclude Na+; this conductivity profile is unique for any ion channel not possessing the amino acid sequence found in the selectivity filter of K+-selective ion channels. Application of cAMP evoked currents in membrane patches of oocytes injected with AtCNGC2 cRNA. Direct activation of the channel by cyclic nucleotide, demonstrated by application of cyclic nucleotide to patches of membranes expressing such channels, is a hallmark characteristic of this ion channel family. Voltage clamp studies (two-electrode configuration) demonstrated that AtCNGC1 and NtCBP4 are also cyclic nucleotide-gated channels. Addition of a lipophilic analog of cAMP to the perfusion bath of oocytes injected with NtCBP4 and AtCNGC1 cRNAs induced inward rectified, noninactivating K+currents.
THE PHYSICS OF THE FAR-INFRARED–RADIO CORRELATION. I. CALORIMETRY, CONSPIRACY, AND IMPLICATIONS

The far-infrared (FIR) and radio luminosities of star-forming galaxies are linearly correlated over a very wide range in star formation rate, from normal spirals like the Milky Way to the most intense starbursts. Using one-zone models of cosmic ray (CR) injection, cooling, and escape in star-forming galaxies, we attempt to reproduce the observed FIR–radio correlation (FRC) over its entire span. The normalization and linearity of the FRC, together with constraints on the CR population in the Milky Way, have strong implications for the CR and magnetic energy densities in star-forming galaxies. We show that for consistency with the FRC, ∼2% of the kinetic energy from supernova explosions must go into high-energy primary CR electrons and that ∼10%–20% must go into high-energy primary CR protons. Secondary electrons and positrons are likely comparable to or dominate primary electrons in dense starburst galaxies. We discuss the implications of our models for the magnetic field strengths of starbursts, the detectability of starbursts by Fermi, and CR feedback. Overall, our models indicate that both CR protons and electrons escape from low surface density galaxies, but lose most of their energy before escaping dense starbursts. The FRC is caused by a combination of the efficient cooling of CR electrons (calorimetry) in starbursts and a conspiracy of several factors. For lower surface density galaxies, the decreasing radio emission caused by CR escape is balanced by the decreasing FIR emission caused by the low effective UV dust opacity. In starbursts, bremsstrahlung, ionization, and inverse Compton cooling decrease the radio emission, but they are countered by secondary electrons/positrons and the dependence of synchrotron frequency on energy, both of which increase the radio emission. Our conclusions hold for a broad range of variations in our fiducial model, such as those including winds, different magnetic field strengths, and different diffusive escape times.
Prognostic Value of VEGF in Patients Submitted to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

We examined the longitudinal changes of VEGF levels after percutaneous coronary intervention for predicting major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. VEGF was measured in 94 CAD patients' serum before revascularization, 1-month and 1-year after. Independently of clinical presentation, patients had lower VEGF concentration than a cohort of healthy subjects (median, IQ: 15.9, 9.0–264 pg/mL versus 419, 212–758 pg/mL; P < 0.001) at baseline. VEGF increased to 1-month (median, IQ: 276, 167–498 pg/mL; P < 0.001) and remained steady to 1-year (median, IQ: 320, 173–497 pg/mL; P < 0.001) approaching control levels. Drug eluting stent apposition and previous medication intake produced a less steep VEGF evolution after intervention (P < 0.05). Baseline VEGF concentration <40.8 pg/mL conveyed increased risk for MACE in a 5-year follow-up. Results reflect a positive role of VEGF in recovery and support its importance in CAD prognosis.
Postgenomic Analysis of Streptococcus thermophilus Cocultivated in Milk with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus: Involvement of Nitrogen, Purine, and Iron Metabolism

ABSTRACT Streptococcus thermophilus is one of the most widely used lactic acid bacteria in the dairy industry, in particular in yoghurt manufacture, where it is associated with Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus. This bacterial association, known as a proto-cooperation, is poorly documented at the molecular and regulatory levels. We thus investigate the kinetics of the transcriptomic and proteomic modifications of S. thermophilus LMG 18311 in response to the presence of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus ATCC 11842 during growth in milk at two growth stages. Seventy-seven different genes or proteins (4.1% of total coding sequences), implicated mainly in the metabolism of nitrogen (24%), nucleotide base (21%), and iron (20%), varied specifically in coculture. One of the most unpredicted results was a significant decrease of most of the transcripts and enzymes involved in purine biosynthesis. Interestingly, the expression of nearly all genes potentially encoding iron transporters of S. thermophilus decreased, whereas that of iron-chelating dpr as well as that of the fur (perR) regulator genes increased, suggesting a reduction in the intracellular iron concentration, probably in response to H2O2 production by L. bulgaricus. The present study reveals undocumented nutritional exchanges and regulatory relationships between the two yoghurt bacteria, which provide new molecular clues for the understanding of their associative behavior.
Studying the evolution and enhancement of software features

The evolution and enhancement of features during system evolution can have significant effects on its coherence as well as its internal architecture. Studying the evolution of system features and concepts across a product line from an external or problem domain perspective can inform the process of identifying and designing future features. We show how we derive three primary views (morphological, functional, and an object view), from the user-level structures and operations of a system, using a case study of Microsoft Word's evolution. We show how these views illustrate feature evolution over three versions of Word. Lastly, we discuss the lessons learned from our study of feature evolution.
On the Use of the EOS - MODIS Vegetation Indices for Monitoring the Cerrado Region, Brazil: Insights and Perspectives

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), recently launched onboard the Terra platform is expected to fulfill a gap in remote sensing data availability and to decisively contribute to a better understanding and monitoring of the Cerrado vegetative cover. Thus, in this study we evaluated the response of the MODIS vegetation indices to the distinct vegetation types encountered in the Cerrado biome. Both the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the new Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) showed a good discrimination capability and responded satisfactorily to the marked Cerrado seasonal contrast. Nevertheless, the superiority of the EVI was clearly demonstrated.
Influence Spread in Social Networks: A Study via a Fluid Limit of the Linear Threshold Model

Threshold based models have been widely used in characterizing collective behavior on social networks. An individual's threshold indicates the minimum level of influence that must be exerted, by other members of the population engaged in some activity, before the individual will join the activity. In this work, we begin with a homogeneous version of the Linear Threshold model proposed by Kempe et al. in the context of viral marketing, and generalize this model to arbitrary threshold distributions. We show that the evolution can be modeled as a discrete time Markov chain, and, by using a certain scaling, we obtain a fluid limit that provides an ordinary differential equation model (o.d.e.). We find that the threshold distribution appears in the o.d. e. via its hazard rate function. We demonstrate the accuracy of the o.d. e. approximation and derive explicit expressions for the trajectory of influence under the uniform threshold distribution. Also, for an exponentially distributed threshold, we show that the fluid dynamics are equivalent to the well-known SIR model in epidemiology. We also numerically study how other hazard functions (obtained from the Weibull and loglogistic distributions) provide qualitative different characteristics of the influence evolution, compared to traditional epidemic models, even in a homogeneous setting. We finally show how the model can be extended to a setting with multiple communities and conclude with possible future directions.